church history – 3 rd & 4 th centuries

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Persecutions, Heresies and Growth Church History – 3 rd & 4 th Centuries

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Church History – 3 rd & 4 th Centuries. Persecutions, Heresies and Growth. Persecution By Rome. Christians seen as atheists for having no visible gods Christians seen as ‘anti-social’ – haters of society, for not participating in pagan festivals - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Persecutions, Heresies and Growth

Church History – 3rd & 4th Centuries

Page 2: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Persecution By RomeChristians seen as atheists for having no visible godsChristians seen as ‘anti-social’ – haters of society, for

not participating in pagan festivalsChristians seen as secretive, unpermitted

assemblies, Communion misinterpreted as literal cannibalism

Many thought that Christian neglect of the ‘old gods that made Rome strong’ was causing the decay of the Roman Empire

Lack of loyalty to the Emperor as a god and as Kurios – Lord of all the earth, would not bow to the Roman Standard

Page 3: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

The Ten PersecutionsThe First Persecution, Under Nero, A.D. 64-67

The Second Persecution, Under Domitian, A.D. 81

The Third Persecution, Under Trajan, A.D. 108

The Fourth Persecution, Under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, A.D. 162

The Fifth Persecution, Commencing with Severus, A.D. 192

Page 4: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Ten Persecutions cont’dThe Sixth Persecution, Under Maximus, A.D. 235

The Seventh Persecution, Under Decius, A.D. 249

The Eighth Persecution, Under Valerian, A.D. 257

The Ninth Persecution Under Aurelian, A.D. 274

The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A.D. 303

Page 5: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Reactions To PersecutionSome gave up being Christians and sacrificed to idols

(apostasy)Some bribed the officials to give them certificates (libelli)

saying they had sacrificed when in fact they had not done so.Others paid pagans or friends to sacrifice for themOthers hid and fled the persecutions ‘flee to the hills’Some volunteered themselves as martyrs believing that if

they did so all their sins would be instantly forgivenOthers did not volunteer for martyrdom but accepted it when

it came to themThrough martyrdom and the witness of the character of the

Christians the Church grew mightily ‘the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church’ (Tertullian Apologeticus)

Page 6: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Theology of PersecutionWhat to do with those who lapsed under

pressure?

Was volunteering for martyrdom a form of extremism?

Could you commit (sometimes gross) sins prior to martyrdom and have them expunged by your death?

Did the relics of the martyrs have spiritual power e.g. to drive out demons?

Page 7: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Types Of ApostasySacrificati Those who had actually offered a sacrifice to

the idols. Christians that made sacrifices, especially to Roman gods, were only offered absolution on their deathbeds.

Thurificati Those who had burnt incense on the altar before the statues of the gods. From Latin thurificare - "burn incense“

Libellatici Those who had drawn up attestation (libellus), or had, by bribing the authorities, caused such certificates to be drawn up for them, representing them as having offered sacrifice, without, however, having actually done so. A two year sanction was imposed as penance. From Latin libellus - "little book; letter; certificate“

Acta facientes Those that made false statements or other acts to save their lives. From Latin - "those doing the acts"

Page 8: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Traditors & DonatismTraditor, pl.traditores (lat), is a term meaning the one(s)

who had handed over. This refers to bishops and other Christians who turned over sacred scriptures or betrayed their fellow Christians to the Roman authorities under threat of persecution. During the persecution of Diocletian between 303–305 A.D., many church leaders had gone as far as turning in Christians to the authorities and had handed over sacred religious texts to authorities to be burned. Later some traditors would be returned to positions of authority under Constantine, sparking a split with the Donatist movement.

While many church members would eventually come to forgive the traditors, the Donatists were much less forgiving. They proclaimed that any sacraments celebrated by these priests and bishops were invalid. They refused to accept the sacraments and spiritual authority of the priests and bishops who had fallen away from the faith during the persecution. As a result, many towns were divided between Donatist and non-Donatist congregations.

Page 9: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Church OrganizationAt first apostles, prophets,

evangelists, pastors and teachers – itinerant ministries that founded the churches and which held churches to a common faith

Later – bishops, presbyters (elders) and deacons – locally based, administered the already established church in a particular city

Page 10: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

Some Early TheologiansTertullian

Clement

Origen

Read the section on pages 145-146 “Tertullian and the Trinity” and discuss it in your groups

Page 11: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

ArianismJesus was created.The Son has a beginning

but God is without beginning

Saw the Trinity as pagan or “Sabellianism” (three gods, or one god in three modes)

Arianism became popular and the dispute led to the Council of Nicea

Page 12: Church History – 3 rd  & 4 th  Centuries

The Holy Spirit?A spiritual force A creature? (e.g. an angel?)Or God?Much debate surrounded this

issue as the Arians did not see the Holy spirit as God.

Eventually ‘ the Cappadocian theologians’ defined this position, defeating the Arians and showing that the Holy Spirit was indeed God.