Lesson 12: Monasticism Lesson 12: Monasticism and the Spread of and the Spread of

ChristianityChristianity

THE AGE OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES (30-70)

THE AGE OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY (70-303)

THE AGE OF THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE (312-590)

THE CHRISTIAN MIDDLE AGES (590-1517)

THE AGE OF REFORMATION (1517-1648)

THE AGE OF REASON AND REVIVAL (1648-1781)

THE AGE OF PROGRESS (1789-1914)

THE AGE OF IDEOLOGIES (1914-PRESENT)

MONASTICISIMMONASTICISIM

THE AGE OF THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE (312-590)

MONASTICISM IN RELIGIOUS HISTORY

Oriental

Hellenistic

PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND OF MONASTICISIM

Pagan Gnostic dualism

Catholic Christian

MONASTICISM IN THE BIBLE

Alleged Biblical examples

All are either a misuse of Old Testament examples ora misinterpretation of singular New Testament actions

MONASTIC CONFLICTS WITH THE GOSPELIt is not missionary in vision

Divided Christianity into two groups:

SACERDOTALISM

“The elevation of a priesthood above the laity”

REASONS FOR THE MONASTIC MOVEMENT

Secular The Roman Empire was falling apart!

Spiritual It became a substitute for martyrdom

“It places the great problem of Christianity not in the transformation, but in the abandonment of the world”

Schaff, Vol. 3, p 159

Those aspiring to perfection

Those who were content with apparent ‘compromise’

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA FOR MONASTICISIM

West

THREE PEROIDS OF MONASTIC DEVELOPMENT

1. ASCETIC PERIOD

2. THE HERMIT OR EREMITICAL PERIOD

eremia desert Religious recluse

Paul of Thebes

East

anchorite ‘withdrawn’

Anthony

Helen Waddell

The Desert Fathers

Questions:• How can these men be held in high regard by the Roman Catholic Church when they forsook all of the means of grace offered by the Church?

• Though the piety of some hermits is to be admired, their lack of Biblical basis and practice is to be deplored

3. THE CENOBITIC PEROID OF MONASTICISM

“An association of a number of anchorets (eremitics) of the same sex for mutual advancement in ascetic holiness” Schaff, Vol. 3, p. 157

Koinos bios “common life”

Pacomius and the Pacomian Monasteries

Basil of Caesarea

Martin of Tours

Keepers of the cloak

capella

cappallani

chapel

Jerome

Latin Vulgate

4. Benedictine Era of Monasticism

Benedict of Nursia

Conclusions:Conclusions:

Men of prayer Men of prayer Opus DeiOpus Dei Work of learning and Work of learning and

good worksgood works Missions, especially Missions, especially

in the Eastin the East

Two levels of Two levels of spiritualityspirituality

Salvation by worksSalvation by works

Separation: good & bad

The Spread of ChristianityThe Spread of Christianity

Persia

Jacob of Nisibis

Aphrahat the Persian

Ephraim the Syrian

The Demonstrations

Axum or Ethiopia

Africa

Nubia or modern Sudan