SECTION 1:The Church in the Early Christian Centuries

SECTION 1, PART 4:The Age of the Fathers

Introduction• First three centuries were marked by infantile growth through periodic

persecution & martyrdom• Fourth century marked a change which began with the legalization of

Christianity by Constantine in 313 a.d.• Open worship & practice of the faith brought on new heresies• The Church dealt with these new threats through:

• Ecumenical Councils & the writings of the Fathers of the Church

• The Church grew in strength & organization in fourth & fifth centuries• The Church would fill the vacuum of leadership created for Christians & all subjects of the Western Roman Empire when the West fell in 476 a.d.

• Four Articles• (A. 11) – Constantine and the Edict of Milan• (A. 12) – The Fathers of the Church• (A. 13) – Church Councils & Doctrinal Development• (A. 14) – The Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West

Article 11: Constantine and the Edict of Milan

• The Church not only survived the profound hardships of

the first three centuries but they also thrived• By 300 a.d. in Asia Minor, North Africa, Gaul, &

the Arabian Peninsula• Verge of transformation from challenged & persecuted minority to

highest protection in the Empire• Lasting effect upon both & their relationship

• Tipping point was the death of Emperor Constantius in 306 a.d.• Roman army chose his son, their general, Constantine (272-337 a.d.)• Found a rival emperor when he marched to Rome to take power

(tetrarchs had popped up during Diocletian’s reign that ended in 305)• Ecclesial historian Eusebius tells story of dream, Chi-Rho, & victory• Constantine won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 ad over

Maxentius to become Western Roman Emperor

Article 11: Constantine and the Edict of Milan cont.

• Constantine & the Eastern Roman Emperor Licinius passed the Edict of Milan in 313 a.d. to celebrate the end of tetrarchy• Christianity along with all religions of the Empire

are now legal & no longer persecuted• Christian clergy are now exempt from taxation• Christian property that had been confiscated was returned• Constantine commissioned the building of churches in

Rome, Byzantium, & Palestine

• Christian worship began to change at this time• Worship transitioned from small secret house

liturgies to larger public liturgies• The liturgy became more organized & ritualized• Larger church structures were now needed• Built by Constantine at first then other Christians based off the pattern of

official Roman buildings known as basilicas• St. Peter’s & St. Paul’s in Rome & Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem

Article 11: Constantine and the Edict of Milan cont.

• Constantine defeated Licinius in 324 a.d. & moved the capital to Byzantium & named it New Rome (people named it Constantinople after his death) as Emperor; today Istanbul, Turkey

• Empire was divided into two major centers• Led to two major centers of Christianity that developed two distinct

liturgical & architectural styles• Eventually would lead to two distinct but related sets of beliefs & government

• Both styles conveyed the transcendence of God• East: large dome representing the heavens with altar behind an iconostasis;

focused on the Parousia & God’s Kingdom• West: long tall naves, 2 or 4 vaulted aisles, with an semicircular apse at one

end, eventually trancepts would form the shape of a cross; focused on sacrifice on the visible altar

• Both styles are essentially the same & accidentally complementary • St. Helena, Calvary hill, temple of Aphrodite, true cross, Holy Sepulcher

(dedicated 14 Sept 335 a.d.), Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, & arrow prayer “We adore you…”

You Tube Video: The Legalization of Christianity• The Conversion of Constantine

Homework•Read AA. 12-13•Section 1, Part 4 review question 1

Article 12: The Fathers of the Church• The Edict of Milan moved the Church from the Apologetical to the Patristic

Period like the apologists had done for the Apostolic Period• Define Fathers of the Church

• Tertullian (160-220 a.d) and Origen (182-254 a.d.) initiated • Western Dates— to Isidore of Seville +636 a.d.• Eastern Dates— to John Damascene +780 a.d.• Topics: Scripture, Tradition, papacy, doctrine, liturgy, praxis• Requirements: theologically bounded, holiness, approved by Church• Not required but many were bishops—official teachers• Conclusion: shaped the very Tradition of the Church they are a part of• Some are given the special title Doctor of the Church—define & examples

• St. Athanasius (297-373)• Alexandria, North Africa bishop• Opposed Alexandrian priest Arius (250-336) & his heresy of Arianism—define• Upheld Council of Nicaea (325); wrote Athanasian Creed—one being & substance• Also wrote “On the Incarnation” & “The Life of Anthony” (of the desert)

Article 12: The Fathers of the Church cont.

• St. Basil the Great (330-379)• Also opposed Arianism by supporting Nicaea• Wrote theological works but especially practical works about

caring for the poor & the first rule for eastern monasticism• Father Christmas in the East

• St. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390)• Archbishop of Constantinople• Classically trained philosopher & orator; Hellenism• Famous for writings on the doctrine of Trinity

• St. Ambrose (339-397)• Fought Arianism & paganism as bishop of Milan• Promoted Church authority to the displeasure of Theodosius I• Brought the Greek Fathers to the West• Wrote “On the Duties of the Clergy” & “On the Sacraments”• Partly responsible for converting St. Augustine

Article 12: The Fathers of the Church cont.

• St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)• Perhaps best known Father & Doctor of the Church• Early life focused on pleasure & the search for truth• Monica, Plato, Ambrose, & God led him to baptism in 387 by Ambrose• Totally dedicated to God—lived like a monk & wrote prolifically• Ordained priest in Hippo, North Africa in 391 & bishop a few years later• Wrote “Confessions”, “City of God”, “On Grace”, “On Original Sin”, & more

• St. Jerome (347-420)• Eremitical monk from Rome; founded a monastery

in Bethlehem in 386• Translated the bible from Greek & Hebrew into

Latin—the Vulgate• Still the Church’s official translation—working

on a new edition of the Vulgate

Article 12: The Fathers of the Church cont.• St. John Chrysostom (349-407)

• Succeeded Gregory Nazianzus as archbishop of Constantinople• Denounced abuse of authority & supported reform of the Church & State• Lived austere & was a forceful preacher—golden mouthed to ordinary Christians• One of Three Eastern & Orthodox Holy Hierarchs

• St. Leo the Great (440-461)• Pope during politically turbulent; Rome had fallen & West about to• Increased the authority of the Church/papacy in the West over Emperor• Authority from XT to Peter to popes to bishops—emperor no jurisdiction• Wrote “Tome” which defended Christ’s one person but two natures—Chalcedon 451

• St. Gregory the Great (590-604)• Established papal authority in temporal affairs; leadership void of West• Relief for poor, schools, seminaries, liturgical reforms, calendar, Rome• Missionaries to Germanic Angles & Saxons in “England”• Wrote “Dialogues” & is one of the greatest Father, Doctor, & Pope

You Tube Videos: Age of the Fathers

• Fathers and Doctors of the Church

• Ecumenical Councils

A. 13: Church Councils and Doctrinal Development

• Freedom from persecution afforded followers of Christ the leisure to start clarifying the beliefs and teachings (doctrine) of the Church• Trinity, Jesus’s person & nature, Mary’s relationship to Christ, etc…• Not everyone agreed at first so disputes & even heresies &

schisms ensued during the 4th & 5th century & beyond• Church dealt with primarily through Ecumenical Councils

• 1) The Council of Nicaea (325 a.d.)• Convened in Nicaea by Constantine not far from new capital New Rome• Also ordered Arius’ books burned• First Ecumenical Council—define; why not Jerusalem (49-50)?• Addressed the issue of Arius & Arianism—only God can redeem us• 300 bishops gathered to denounce Arius & develop a creed—Nicene

• Finished & promulgated at Constantinople in 381• Emphasized Jesus divine nature--“begotten” & “consubstantial”

• Arianism had spread far & wide so would not relent easily

A. 13: Church Councils and Doctrinal Development cont.

• 2) The Council of Constantinople (381 a.d.)• Athanasius & Ambrose upheld Nicaea & fought Arius after council• Council was convened in capital not far from Nicaea to confirm the

teachings of Nicaea & Jesus’ full divinity & added city as Patriarch• Combatted the Macedonians by affirming the divine nature of the H.S.

• Not stated by Nicaea so door to HS being Son’s creation & servant of the Father

• 3) The Council of Ephesus (431 a.d.)• Convened by Theodosius II in South Western Asia Minor• Partiarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, rejected the Marian title

Theotokos in favor of the title Christotokos• Gave rise to Nestorianism—Mary gave birth to Jesus not the Logos• Split Jesus into two persons—divine & human• Affirmed Jesus is one divine person with two natures—human & divine• Affirmed Mary is Theotokos & Christotokos

A. 13: Church Councils and Doctrinal Development cont.

• 4) The Council of Chalcedon (451 a.d.)• Convened by Pope Leo I (the Great) across the river from Constantinople• Developed the hypostatic union which clarified & developed Ephesus• Some eastern church communities began separating due to Chalcedon• Oriental Orthodoxy—Armenia, Syria, Coptic (Egypt), & Ethiopian• St. Ephrem, Father (306-373) affirmed hypostatic union• Decided Rome 1st & Constantinople 2nd in authority; added Jerusalem

• Punish/replace Syria & Alexandria for leaving but Leo I upset• Emperor in East fiddle in Church more through weak Patriarchs in Constantinople

• 6 centuries of disputes would ensue before final break in 11th century• Pope in Rome head of Latin or Roman or Western Christianity• Emperor/Patriarch in Constantinople head of Eastern Christianity/Orthodoxy

• Theology & complicated history of Patriarchs & patriarchates

• Church’s duty of protecting the faith is ongoing process from Nicaea to Vatican II(1962-65: Church & Modern World) & into future• Ecumenical ongoing problem in itself—West accepts 21, East 7, & Orient 3

Homework

• Section 1, Part 4 review questions 2-3 and 6-7 (4-5 are from A. 14 and 6-7 are from A. 13 for some reason?)

• You DO NOT have to read A. 14 for homework as you will be reading this in class tomorrow

A. 14: The Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West

• Roman Empire flourished from 27 b.c. to 324 a.d. but

began to decline in the fourth century & fell in the fifth• Mediterranean = center of learning, culture,

comfort, & military supremacy• Constantine moved capital to East in 324 so East grew in power &

influence but West began to stagnate and decline• Corrupt & ineffective emperors & barbarian invasions complicated

• In 395, Theodosius I died—last strong emperor, followers were weak• Social & moral decay, weak military, expanding empire, economic

hardships = empire vulnerable to barbarian

raids that had been ongoing• Rome sacked in 410 by Germanic Visigoths• “City of God” by Augustine• Rome falls in 455 & the West in 476—

Romulus Augustus to Odaecer

A. 14: The Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West cont.

• Byzantine Empire (476-1453 a.d.)• Good start with strong Emperor Justinian (527-565 a.d.)

• Pushed back barbarians from North Africa, Spain, & Italy to partially

restore the Western Empire; reformed & codified Roman law that would lead to

European law, commissioned Hagia Sophia around Constantine’s burial chamber• Byzantine culture flourished

• Weak leaders followed who widened gap between East & West• Byzantine Empire fell in in 1453 to Ottoman Turks

• Church began to fill the vacuum of leadership in the West through tough, intelligent, & courageous popes such as Gregory & Leo• Stable institution who had history of caring for the poor; organized in Rome• Supported by noble Roman Christians & Church owned farms• Also began to educate clergy through schools; laity were also welcome

• Pope Leo the (I) Great• Stood up to attacks to Church’s belief’s & Roman Empire in the West

to shape the papacy into a force of Western leadership• Mediated peace between Roman governors & with Attila the Hun• Doctor of the Church for teaching on Church authority & natures of Christ

You Tube Videos: Church Leadership

• Pope Leo the Great • The Fall of Rome

Homework• Section 1, Part 4 review

questions 4-5 (4-5 are

from A. 14 and 6-7 are

from A. 13 for some reason?)• Make sure the Section 1, Part 4 review questions are ready to turn in tomorrow

• Study for the Section 1, Part 4 quiz tomorrow