History of the

Church I:Week Five

Episcopacy

Means the power and prestige of the bishops

Paul’s pattern for the church: Local church had

two positions: elder/presbyters

which came to beknown as pastors or bishops and deaconsPastors/bishops

led worshipDeacons helped

Turn of 1st century, Ignatius wrote a series of letters in which he said the church should have single bishop, pastors and deacons

Bishops emerge Gnostics argued their leaders

went back to Christ and they had a “secret wisdom” passed through these leaders

Bishops countered with their own list which emphasized the power of the apostles teachings

Each church and bishop now had their own list – Whose was supreme?

3 Ideas emerged

1. “Back to the Bible” These Christians claim bishops overstepped their authority but what is the real structure?

2. Other Christians believe they were exercising the “liberty of the faith”. So is there any structure?

3. Catholics believe it was the H.S. which guided them so this is the pattern for all time. Why then did H.S. stop working in 2nd/3rd centuries?

Power of the Bishops

Up until the 3rd century, the pattern of church had been Paul’s argument from the beginning – you shall know them by their fruits – Christian behavior was morally sound and gross sinners were expelled from the Church

The morality of the Church led many to Christ because they were different

Power of the Bishops

By A.D. 220, the church had fallen into a moral abyss

Previously, sins like sexual immorality, murder and denial of the faith led to exclusion and not be able to partake of the Lord’s Supper

Bishop of Rome Callistus (217-222) was the first to accept back repentant sinners

A.D. 250 Emperor Decius led most violent persecution yet

Power of the Bishops

His plan was issue a certificate which said you gave sacrifice to the Roman gods

If you didn’t, they would torture you until you did Two questions emerge: What do you do with those who sacrificed w/o torture? What do you do with those who gave up under torture? Do you allow them back in the fellowship?

Solution gives power to Bishops

Many believed there was no salvation w/o the church

In Carthage, Bishop Cyprian said the blood of the saints was enough to cover the sins of those who fell short

His solution became the accepted belief – degrees of guilt

Those that suffered but gave in before death were let back in

Those that gave in had to serve penance

Solution gives power to Bishops

The solution was rejected by Church as a whole but the idea did not go away

Novatian, bishop of Rome, rejected this proposal outright but he was opposed by one of his pastors, Cornelius who believed bishops could forgive sins

Cornelius was elected next bishop

Novatian set up small churches which disagreed w/Rome

The Catholic Church begins