Missions History of Missions

Dr. Robert PattonMissionary to Suriname,

South America

The Post-Nicean fathers

Crystostom (347-407) Well trained classically, lawyer, then monk, and then became an ascetic. He was eventually made Bishop of Constantinople. Ethics and the cross go together

Theodore (350-428) Great exegite and opponent of allegorical interpretation.

Crystostom

Eusebius of Caesarea & Jerome

Great church historian during the time of the Arian controversy – he made the compromise accepted

Jerome (347-420) Used original Hebrew sources. Translated the Vulgate into Latin. Wrote commentaries, was somewhat ascetic

Jerome

Ambrose & Augustine

Ambrose – great administrator, first trained as a lawyer and became bishop, resigning as a governor. Good preacher

Augustine – greatest Church father; excellent theologian, good preacher and administrator. Saved after Monica, his mother prayed much. His book Confessions is a spiritual classic

Augustine

Wrote the City of God after Rome was sacked in 410. Believers in the city of God give Him the glory and love each other. The city of earth is based on man’s selfish desires.

He developed a philosophy of history with the sovereign God moving linearly through history to accomplish His goals.

Augustine of Hippo

Augustine

Recognized that we must not interpret any passage contrary to the general tenor or scripture.

He emphasized God’s salvation through grace, but also the sacraments through the church

Middle ages begin with Roman Catholic outreach

Western Europe was pagan, with most people in the country sides

The tendency was to look for power encounters, miracles, etc.

Middle ages

Two major problems Conversion of the barbarian hordes in

Europe Resisting the onslaught of the

Muslims

Middle ages begin with Roman Catholic outreach

Often there was “conversion” of a political leader with then military help, and baptism of entire troops – for example, Clovis, king of the Franks+ 3000 troops

These “mass movements” filled the churches with nominal Christians

Clovis, king of the Franks converted

Clovis married Clotilda, a Christian princess of Burgundy

He believed that he received divine help in a victory in 496 and converted. Following his conversion, the mass of people accepted Christianity

Clovis, king of the Franks

Charles Martel

Took over after weak followers of Clovis

He stopped the Muslims at the battle of Tours in 732

He started a line of rulers with his son Pepin

Charles Martel

Charles Martel

Pepin

Pepin received a lot of territory, and helped the pope against the Lombards

Pepin gave territory to the Pope, called the donation of Pepin, which became the papal states under pope Stephen II

During this time, they spoke about the donation of Constantine, but later it was proven to be a forgery

Pepin the short crowned by Boniface

Charlemagne

Pepin’s son Charlemagne, was a man of great size and ability as well as culture. He controlled all of France and Germany and northern Italy

He offered to marry Irene, from the East, to solidify the empire, but she refused

There was great cultural development and education

Charlemagne

Charlemagne

The Saxons opposed the church as well as the government. They were put down with great force, and then evangelized on multiple occasions. They would then kill some Christian priests or monks, and persecution would begin again. Over about 20 years, the Saxons were pacified

Charlemagne’s empire disintegrates

His son divided the empire to three sons, and the empire was divided at the Treaty of Verdun with Charles getting France, Louis getting Germany, and eventually Lothair receiving northern Italy.

Feudalism arose as there was no strong central government

Feudalism affects the church

The church received large plots of land, and eventually became increasingly secularized. Many abbots were appointed by politics rather than for their spiritual interest.

The church did promote the peace of God which did away with the worst of feudal fighting

History of England

History given by the Venerable Bede (673-735), an accurate and wise historian

Britain had Christianity from at least then 3rd century

Then the Angles and Saxons invaded and rejected Christianity, which retreated only to Wales

Augustine (missionary to England)

Sent by Pope Gregory the great to England after seeing 3 white slave boys from England being sold in 596. Gregory himself had been a monk, and sent a group of monks under Augustine there.

King Ethelbert was already married to a Christian princess from Gaul

Augustine & King Ethelbert

Augustine (missionary to England)

Ethelbert received the monks well and was impressed with their piety

He had great success, being accepted by King Ethelbert, an immersing 10,000 persons on Christmas day one year after his arrival

He contextualized the gospel

Augustine of Canterbury

He became archbishop after King Ethelbert was saved about 600 AD. He was not successful in converting those from Wales

The Anglo-Saxons were originally difficult as well Aldan ministered to them in the 6th century

He began a monastery – eventually considered a saint

There was contention between Celtics and Rome

They had to do with minor facts of clothes to wear, Easter method of celebration

Finally the King of Northumbria favored Rome with the assistance of Wilfred, who evangelized the Anglo-Saxons

Theodore of Tarsus set the ecclesiastical pattern

Nestorians Denied Mariolotry, though had

thought Christ had two natures – human & divine

Very missions minded. They spread in Persia, Turkey, Russia - made converts from Zoroastrianism.

They also expanded into India (Mar Thomas churches), and in 6th century to China, but were later driven out

Nestorian Christianity in China

A-lo-pen brought it to the emperor in 635 AD. The Christian thought was encouraged though in competition with Buddhism

Many monasteries and monks, who learned Chinese and translated into it

Nestorian Christianity in China

845 Emperor Wu Tsung, an ardent Taoist, opposed all monks – Buddhist and Christian (there were 30,000 Christian monks at that time)

100 years later, 5 monks came and found no trace of Christianity in China

Nestorian belief

Nestorian monument in China

Nestorians

Very strong missions groups, strong in scripture, Bible Institutes, etc.

From Central Asia, reached China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia

In China – 200 bishops Eventually overwhelmed by

Muslims and Genghis Khan

Probable Nestorian pastor in China

Columban – 6th century France

Columban was raised in Ireland with a good education, and was trained as a monk. He left Ireland when he was too much attracted to young ladies

He left with about 12 others at age 30 to go to Gaul (France).There he established 3 monasteries..

Columban

There are a number of legends about Columban Animals loving him Wolves not attacking him Beer bursting into flame when he

simply breathed on it

Colomban to France

Columban – missionary to France

Columban

Burgundy court rejected him because of his rebuke for immorality

He eventually moved to northern Italy

St. Gall

Accompanied Columban and went to northwest Switzerland

St. Gallus

Willebrord (657-739)

An Englishman, went went to Friesland after being trained as a monk

He was supported by Pepin, the king of the Franks

He apparently helped the Franks win Frisia, but the king of Frisia, Radbod, retook the country and killed many missionaries

Willibrord

He was named archbishop of Utrecht and started two monasteries

He was under protection of Charles Martel

Later declared to be a saint, with many miracles attributed to him

Willibrord statue and tomb

Boniface (680-755)

Initially worked with Willibrord. Was offered the position of Bishop of Utrecht,

He went to Rome for support from the Pope. and went further south into Saxony and Hessia (Germany)

He was a great leader, and raised up other missionaries

Boniface (680-755)

He challenged the mixture of belief in Christianity and paganism when he chopped down the sacred oak of the god Thor.

He recruited women as well as men as missionaries

He received great support from Charles Martel, who defeated the Muslims

Boniface chopping down the oak of Thor

Boniface

Strong proponent of Romism, no marriages, foods off limits, etc.

Set up organized churches under the support of Rome & removed much corruption

Went back to Friesland in 753 with a group of monks, but was killed by armed bandits who thought that his trunks were filled with gold – but found only the bishop’s books inside

Boniface – baptizing, killed by bandits, burial crypt

Summary

In every age, there are true believers

A number of key missionaries worked in Europe from the time of Constantine to the time of Charlemagne

Several saw large numbers of converts, started churches, etc.

The church in the middle ages

The Roman Catholic church gained increasing power especially after Gregory the great – for nearly 1000 years (around 590-1500 A.D.)

There was much paganism in the church, and politics were rife. Positions in the church were for sale.

The Roman Catholic church

There was much immorality among the priests who were to be celibate.

The pope would sometimes depose or consecrate kings and emperors

There were, at one time, 3 popes with some living in France – each excommunicating the other

Education in the middle ages

Much of the center of education would be in the monasteries until the development of the universities just at the beginning of the enlightenment

During the Islamic “golden age”, much of the center of learning was with them

Escape to monasteries

Those who wished to avoid the lack of spirituality of the regular church would go to a monastery and live as a monk, or for a lady, to live as a nun

Despite the general low level of morality, there were some outstanding examples of Christians

The division of Europe

After the treaty of Verdun, Europe was split again with France and Germany being the two most important groups

The German states were more divided, but ultimately the power went to them. Otto the great took power from Saxony over the Viking invaders, and supported the pope.

Germany and the church

For several centuries, the popes were weak, and the German emperors came over the alps to help them many times. They interfered with church business until Innocent III humiliated the German ruler

From Charlemagne to Luther (800-1517) Anskar Anskar – a French monk sent to

Denmark by Emperor Louis the pious. In 826, King Harold of Denmark was

baptized with 400 court members trying to get military help. After 3 years, both Anskar & King Harold were expelled from Denmark.

They were called to Sweden by King Bjorn, attacked by pirates, but saw a number of “political?” conversions

Charlemagne’s successes led to Christianization

The areas of the Saxons were divided into 6 districts and evangelized

The Danes built a wall to protect them from the south, which was passed by Prince Harald (later king), who did not secure his kingdom

King Bjorn from Sweden asked for someone and Anskar went & succeeded in baptizing some converts

From Charlemagne to Luther (800-1517) Anskar He was bishop of Hamburg and Breman.

He was given an area for a school He located between Denmark and

Germany, where his school, church and library were burned when the Danes overran the area

But eventually he was accepted by King Horic, as well as King Olaf from Sweden, and is now considered the apostle of the north

Ansgar – Apostle of the north; the statue is in Hamburg

Scandanavia

Vikings the scourge of England and Europe

England was attacked in 793-4 and 835 with great destruction

Northumbria was destroyed in 867 ? All of England will become

Danish?

Scandanavia

Attacks on Ireland, especially churches and monasteries with great damage

Norwegian king made his wife queen sitting on a church throne

Olaf the White set up a kingdom in Dublin which lasted 300 years

Scandanavia

Alfred the Great victorious over the Vikings 878, 30 Viking lords were converted during the 9th century when they were the scourge of England.

Some kings saved after visiting England

Northern France treaty between Viking Rollo and Charles the Simple 911

Alfred the Great

Denmark evangelization

King Gorm tried to eliminate Christianity, killing priests & destroying churches

His son Harald Bluetooth decided to embrace Christianity – and bishops occurred

King Knut conquered England and became king of Denmark & Norway

King Cnut (Knut, Canute)

Danish evangelization

Knut wanted his own archbishop under his own direction – sent him to the archbishop of Canterbury, though conflict with the archbishop of Hamburg, Adelbert, who felt that they were under his juristiction.

Archbishop eventually a Dane with a base in Sweden

Evangelisation of Norway

Norman missionaries came from England in the 10th century. They were opposed by the worshipers of Odin and Thor, but missionaries broke the great image of Thor, with snakes, mice and lizards coming out of it.

King Olaf later sent missionaries to Iceland, where Norseman had been first

Denmark & Scandanavia

Olaf Tryggvesson became king of Norway after he was converted in Sicily by a hermit. He forced the country to accept Christianity

This was carried on by his son Olaf, and then his successor Harald, who consecrated his bishops in England over the objection of Adalbert of Hamburg

Iceland

Olaf wanted to evangelize, but to avoid a major bloodshed. They decided that the wisest man there would decide, and he decided Christianity was good

They could continue infanticide and eating horseflesh, and minor troubles from sacrificing to old gods. Later these were revoked as well

By 1000, Christianity was the state religion of Sweden King Olaf Harald

Odin – god of the Norsemen

Evangelisation of Greenland

Missionaries came from Iceland – most prominent was Leif Ericson, who was born in Iceland from a father who was a norse outlaw – Lief the Red

He explored and was the first European to land on North America, finding Vinland, probably Labrador

Evangelization of Greenland

Leif returned to Greenland and brought a priest to help evangelize the area

No evidence that Eric the Red was baptized but he requested a church burial

Leif Erickson

Sweden was very resistant

Olof Skotkonung was unsuccessful in converting the people and destroying the temple at Uppsala

Inge was king 100 years later, with still pagan resistance

Sverker finally succeeded & brought in Cistercian monks and an archbishop Stephen was Cistercian

Finland was very resistant too

Eric IX brought Bishop Henry with him, but when he left, Henry was killed 1155

Not till 1291 that Finland had its own bishop

They were of a different race and speech than the Sweeds

Bishop Henry walking on murderer & surrounded by assistants

Lithuania

Very resistant to the gospel The templars fought 50 years against

them, getting the land if they would provide Christian education for the people

Finally a deal was made with Jagiello, king of the Lithuanians, to marry a princess and be baptized for getting help

Lithuania & Balkans

Jagiello agreed, was baptized, and the country came into Christian belief of the western Christian sort

Jagiello

Cyril and Methodius (815-885)

Brothers sent from Constantinople to Bulgaria. Both had been working together with the Khazars in Russia (Muslims). Cyril was an apologist. A number were apparently saved. Cyril, the younger brother, was brilliant and sent to discuss Christianity and defend it against Islam and Judaism

Cyril and Methodius (815-885)

Brothers sent from Constantinople to Bulgaria. Methodius was an artist whose depiction of the last judgment led the king to accept Christ. They developed an alphabet (Cyrillic) and translated the scriptures in 863

Cyril and Methodius

The brothers wanted to have the liturgy in the Slavic language

Cyril died quite young Methodius became bishop of

Moravia and Pannonia, but there was a lot of controversy with the German bishops who wanted power, and to use Latin

Cyril and Methodius

Cyril and Methodius writing & modern celebration

Cyril and Methodius

After the death of Methodius, his replacement was deposed and his followers scattered, which actually drove the gospel further east. Bulgaria accepted the Orthodox faith of the east

King Boris was baptized But the church struggled in Russia

Russia

By 907, Bulgaria was the center of reaching Eastern Europe.

About 90 years later, King Vladimir was converted, and Russia became basically Christian.

Russian evangelization

Initially rejected but later Queen Olga was a Christian and went east to be baptized. On her return, her son was king and aggressively anti-Christian.

However, his son Vladimir was different. Later the Slavic folk accepted Christianity after king Vladimir was baptized 988.

East vs. West Christianity

Division line was through the center of Europe

Gradually kings were converted (or Queens), and although there were pagan reactions, gradually there were bishops who worked with the king to result in Christianization

Bohemia – Christianized from Moravia

Vratislav nominal Christian & pagan reaction by his death

Vaclav was a true Christian king, but killed by his own brother, Boleslav and the country went pagan.

Boleslav II became a Christian, built monasteries. Later Adelbert worked without great success initially but the country became Christian

Monastery from Boleslav

Boleslav II (the generous)

Poland

Duke Mieszka married a Christian. He was under Otto I. He was baptized

His son Boleslav made the country move ahead and was named the King by the Pope. After his death, there was turmoil for about 100 years but eventually the country became Christian

Hungary

Magyars were fierce and attacked clergy. Eventually Geisa, a prince, married a Christian and was baptized with his young son, later called Stephen

Stephen was a great Christian king who led his people and married a Christian Gisela – the country became Christian

St. Stephen & wife Gisela

St. Stephen, King of Hungary