The Beginnings of the Christian Tradition

 

Jesus of Nazareth: ca. 4 BCE--30 CE; apocalyptic/apocalypse

 

Christianity in the First Century

 

§  The Acts of the Apostles: Jews & Gentiles in the Christian Church

§  Paul: The Letters of Paul vs. the Paul of Acts

1.       The Apostolic Council of Jerusalem (ca. 48)

2.       Paul’s Observance of the Law

3.       Paul’s Teaching on “Pagan” Religions

§  The Churches of the Pauline Mission: The Church at Corinth

 

 

Development of the Institutional Church

 

§  Leadership by Itinerant Prophets: Sayings, Paul (ca. 50-70)

§  The Changing Perspectives of the Settled Communities: The Synoptic Gospels (ca. 70-90)

§  Transfer from Itinerant to Local Leadership: 3 John & The Didache (ca. 90-100)

§  The Emergence of the Bishop: 1 Clement (95) & Ignatius of Antioch (98-117)

§  Apostolic Succession

§  Bishops, Presbyters (Elders), & Deacons

§  The Monarchical Episcopate

 

 

Heresy & Orthodoxy: The Diversity of Early Christianity

 

The Gospel of Thomas

§  Nag Hammadi Library—copied ca. 350; discovered 1945

§  Thomas very early: Egyptian fragments from 200

§  Originated probably in Edessa: between 50-150, probably ca. 100

§  Judas Didymus Thomas

§  Synoptic Problem and “Q”

§  Canonical Sayings Trad—e.g.: 9,10, 20, 26, 31, 47, 63, 64, 65, 76,  89, 95, 96, 109—many considered more “authentic”

 

Marcion of Sinope (d. 160)

§  Ca. 135 moves to Rome: wrote The Contradictions

§  Two Gods: God of Hebrew Bible/Jews & God of Jesus/New Testament/Christians

§  Canon=only Luke/Acts & 10 Pauline letters

§  Asceticism, Docetism

Gnosticism (see handout)

·         Two Primary Characteristics:

1.       Salvation by Knowledge

2.       Creation by a “second god”: the “Demiurge”; “Craftsman”

·         Combination of Platonic and Judeo-Christian mythology

 

The NT Canon

§  Athanasius: 367

§  Ca 300:

 

Almost Everyone Agrees On:

Most Agree On But Disputed:

Most Disagree On:

a.       Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn, Acts

b.       Paul-except Pastorals

c.        1 Jn

a.       2 & 3 Jn

b.       Hebrews

c.        James & Jude

d.       Pastorals

a.       Revelation

b.       Didache

c.        1 Clement

 

 

Conflict between Christianity and the Empire: Persecution

 

§  Judaism and the Empire

§  Nero’s Persecution (64-68): Rome

§  The Roman Imperial Cult

§  Non-Confrontation: Correspondence of Pliny & Trajan (ca. 111); Minucius Fundanus & Hadrian (ca. 124)

§  The End of the “Pax Romana”: Sporadic, Local Persecutions (ca. 170-200)

 

 

The Christian Response: The Apologists

 

§  Defending Christianity against Criticism

§  Justin Martyr (100-165): 1st Apology (155); 2nd Apology (155-60)

§  Defense of Christianity: Christians=Good, Moral Citizens; Christianity=Ancient

§  Description of Worship

§  Theology of the Logos (“The Word”)

 

Christology in the Early Church: Docetism, Adoptionism, Modalism, and the Logos

 

§  Docetism: no real body; opposed by Ignatius

§  The Logos: a second “god”; Justin Martyr

§  Adoptionism: Jesus an especially good human; God adopts him

§  Monarchianism/Modalism: Trinity=3 modes of the Father’s existence; Patripassionism

 

Tertullian and Montanism

 

Montanism

§  Response to institutional church, sought to restore: 1) charismatic leadership; 2)belief in Christ's immanent return (the “Parousia”)

§  Montanus: Bishop of Phyrgia (155-70); Maximilla & Prisca

§  Mostly rural, except N. Africa: widely popular there

 

Tertullian (ca. 160-225)

§  CarthageN. Africa; born a pagan; rhetorically skilled; converted before 197

§  “I believe because it is absurd”

§  “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?”

§  Became a Montanist, ca. 207

 

Early Proto-orthodox Theology

 

Irenaeus of Lyons (ca. 130-200)

§  177—bishop; Against Heresies

§  salvation history; “recapitulation of the human race”

§  “If the word is made a human being, it is that all human beings might become gods”; deification

 

Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-215)

§  Athens; Pantaenus; 175-80 settles in Alexandria

§  Exhortation to the Greeks; The Instructor (Paedagogus); The Miscellanies (The Stromateis)

 

(Novatians, Cyprian of Carthage)

 

Origen of Alexandria (185-253): Life and Thought

 

§  Eusebius: ca. 300 writes "biography" in his Church History

§  Catachetical school

§  Persecution of 202-father martyred; 203 becomes head of catachetical school

§  Conflict w/ Bishop Demetrius: exile to Caesarea in Palestine (231)

§  Theology: 1) Cosmology; 2) Soteriology (Universalism)

§  Very influential, but condemned: 553

 

Origen and the Bible

 

§  Birth of Biblical Criticism: Hexapla; Letter to the Hebrews

§  Allegorical Interpretation: Philo of Alexandria

§  Paul uses allegory to read Scripture-Gal. 4.24; “Spirit and the Letter” of the Law-2 Cor 3

§  Things in the story stand for something else—a “hidden” story that is more important than the surface meaning

§  Explains difficulties between Hebrew Bible and NT

§  Finds meaning in mundane passages: all passages purposfully inspired

§  Three levels of meaning: 1) Literal; 2) Moral; 3) Spiritual (last 2=allegorical)

§  Example: Song of Songs

 

Imperial Persecution and the Problem of the “Lapsed”

 

§  The Decian Persecution: Emperor Decius (249-51)—Required “libellus”: a certificate

§  The Problem of the Lapsed: separate churches in N. Africa and Egypt

§  Diocletian (284-305) divides empire: 2 Augusti, 2 Caesars

§  295: Galerius (a Caesar) began persecuting Christians: issue=military service

§  303: Galerius convinced Diocletian to issue edicts against Christians--begins last & greatest persecution

§  Donatists—311 – Caecilian; Donatus; “traditor/traditores”; 400-Augustine-baptism; till 700

 


Rise of Constantine

 

§  305: Augusti step down; Caesars (Galerius & Constantine's father) take over as Augusti

§  306: Constantine's father dies: Constantine proclaimed Augustus of Western Empire

§  Begins Civil War-next 18 yrs.-Milvian Bridge: Summer, 312--decisive battle; Constantine's vision

§  313: Edict of Milan: religious toleration--ends persecution of Christians

§  324: Constantine controlled complete Roman Empire; began construction of Constantinople (capital from 330)

§  337: Constantine was baptized only on his deathbed