Didache SeriesThe

j SEMESTER EDITION J

The Didacheb B

My child, flee from everything that is evil and everything

that is like it. Do not be wrathful, for wrath leads to

murder, nor jealous nor contentious nor quarrelsome,

for from all these murder ensues.

My child, do not be lustful, for lust leads to fornication,

nor a filthy-talker nor a lewd-looker, for from all these

adulteries ensue.

My child, do not be an interpreter of omens, since it leads

to idolatry, nor an enchanter nor an astrologer nor a

magical purifier, nor wish to see them, for from all these

idolatry arises.

My child, do not be a liar, for lying leads to theft,

nor avaricious nor conceited, for from all these thefts

are produced.

My child, do not be a complainer, since it leads to

blasphemy, nor self-willed nor evil-minded, for from all

these blasphemies are produced.

Be meek, for the meek will inherit the earth.

Be long-suffering and merciful and guileless and peaceable

and good, and revere always the words you have heard.1

[DID-uh-kay]

The Didache is the first known Christian catechesis. Written in the first century, the Didache is the earliest known Christian writing outside of Scripture. The name of the work, “Didache,” is indeed appropriate for such a catechesis because it comes from the Greek word for “teaching,” and indicates that this writing contains the teaching of the Apostles.

The Didache is a catechetical summary of Christian sacraments, practices, and morality. Though written in the first century, its teaching is timeless. The Didache was probably written by the disciples of the Twelve Apostles, and it presents the Apostolic Faith as taught by those closest to Jesus Christ. This series of books takes the name of this early catechesis because it shares in the Church’s mission of passing on that same Faith, in its rich entirety, to new generations.

Below is an excerpt from the Didache in which we see a clear example of its lasting message, a message that speaks to Christians of today as much as it did to the first generations of the Church. The world is different, but the struggle for holiness is the same. In the Didache, we are instructed to embrace virtue, to avoid sin, and to live the Beatitudes of our Lord.

1. Swett, Ben H. “The Didache (The Teaching).” ©January 30, 1998. http://bswett.com/1998-01Didache.html

The Didache is the teaching of the Apostles and, as such, it is the teaching of the Church. Accordingly, this book series makes extensive use of the most recent comprehensive catechesis provided to us, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Didache series also relies heavily on Sacred Scripture, the lives of the saints, the Fathers of the Church, and the teaching of Vatican II as witnessed by the pontificates of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

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Table of Contents v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

viii Abbreviations used for the Books of the Bible

viii General Abbreviations

ix Preface

291 Art and Photo Credits

295 Index

1 Introduction to Ecumenism 4 What Is Ecumenism? 4 Some Guiding Principles of Ecumenism

7 Chapter 1: God Reveals His Plan of Salvation 8 Introduction 9 God Reveals Himself to Us 10 Sidebar: Historicity of the Bible 13 Revelation in the Old Testament 13 God the Creator 14 Original Sin 16 God Revealed in His Promises and Covenants 17 God’s Promise to Adam 18 God’s Covenant with Noah 19 Sidebar: Typology 20 God’s Covenant with Abraham: The Promise of a Great Nation 21 God’s Covenant with Moses: The Ten Commandments 23 Sidebar: Ten Commandments 24 God’s Promise to David 25 From David to the Messiah 26 Revelation in the New Testament 26 Christ, the Fullness of Revelation 28 Christ Reveals the Trinity, a Sign of Unity 29 Sidebar: The Epiphany of Our Lord 30 The End of Public Revelation 30 Conclusion 31 Challenges 32 Pillars of the Faith: Pope Benedict XVI 34 Supplementary Reading 36 Vocabulary 39 Study Questions 39 Practical Exercises 40 From the Catechism

41 Chapter 2: The Church as the Sacrament of Salvation 42 Introduction 43 The Church: Sacrament of Salvation 44 The Church: Planned From the Beginning of Creation 45 The Church: Prefigured in the People of Israel 46 The Church: Founded by Jesus Christ 47 The Church: Given Divine Assistance from the Blessed Trinity 48 The Church: The Mystical Body of Christ 49 Sidebar: St. Paul, Apostle 50 The Church: Founded Upon the Apostles 51 St. Peter is given the “Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven” 52 Sidebar: Why St. Peter Is “the Rock” 53 The Primacy of St. Peter 54 St. Peter as the “Rock” 55 The Apostles Entrusted to Spread the Gospel 56 Apostolic Succession 57 The Transmission of Divine Revelation 58 Sidebar: Authors of the New Testament 59 The Role of the Holy Spirit 60 The Magisterium, Interpreter of God’s Revelation 61 Conclusion 62 Challenges 63 Pillars of the Faith: Sts. Peter and Paul 64 Supplementary Reading 65 Vocabulary 66 Study Questions 67 Practical Exercises 68 From the Catechism

69 Chapter 3: The Church as Sacrament of Communion 70 Introduction 71 Ecclesiology of Communion 72 The Church as Sacrament of Communion 73 What is the Church? 74 Importance of Apostolic Succession 75 Fullness of Truth “Subsists” in the Catholic Church 76 The Four Marks of the Church 77 The Meaning of Communion 78 What Does It Mean to Be in Full Communion?

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vi Table of Contents

79 Profession of Faith 80 Eucharistic Communion 81 Obedience to Authority 82 What Is Imperfect Communion? 83 Divisions in the Church 84 The Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity 85 Sidebar: USCCB Guidelines for the Reception of Communion 86 Salvation Outside Full Communion with the Church 87 Conclusion 88 Challenges 89 Pillars of the Faith: Henri Cardinal de Lubac, S.J. 90 Supplementary Reading 91 Vocabulary 92 Study Questions 93 Practical Exercises 94 From the Catechism

95 Chapter 4: Churches of the East 96 Introduction 97 Unity and Teaching Authority in the Early Church 97 The First Three Centuries of the Church 98 Constantine and the Arian Crisis (Third-Fourth Centuries) 99 First Ecumenical Council of Nicæa, AD 325 100 The Rise of Constantinople 101 First Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, AD 381 102 Schisms in the Church (Fifth Century) 103 The Nestorian Schism 104 The Monophysite Schism 105 Sidebar: Some Other Controversies in the Early Church 106 Growing Differences Between East and West, AD 500-800 107 The Barbarian Influence in the West 108 The Challenge of Different Languages and Theological Precision 109 Church Structure 110 Sidebar: Liturgical Rites in the Church 111 The Liturgical Rites of the Catholic Church in the East and West 112 The Filioque Controversy (Seventh Century-Present)

113 Sidebar: Iconoclastic Movement (8th Century) 114 The Holy Roman Empire (AD 800) 115 The Excommunications of 1054 116 The Sack of Constantinople (AD 1204) 117 Sidebar: “Painful” Memories, “Deep Regret” 118 Attempts at Reunification 119 Second Ecumenical Council of Lyon (AD 1274) 120 Ecumenical Council of Florence (AD 1431) 121 Sidebar: St. Josaphat of Polotsk: An Eastern Martyr for Ecumenism 122 Similarities and Differences Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches 123 Sidebar: Structure of the Eastern Orthodox Churches 124 In Full Communion: Eastern Catholic Churches 125 Eastern Christian Liturgy and Worship 126 Conclusion 127 Challenges 128 Pillars of the Church: Sts. Cyril and Methodius 129 Supplementary Reading 130 Vocabulary 131 Study Questions 132 Practical Exercises 134 From the Catechism

135 Chapter 5: Ecclesial Communities in Western Christianity136 Introduction 137 The Church in the Late Middle Ages 138 Church and State 139 Western Schism: The Avignon Papacy (1309-1377) 140 Corruption 141 Sidebar: Later Pre-Reformation Heresies 142 The Reformation Begins 143 Martin Luther (1483-1546) 144 Martin Luther and the Ninety-five Theses 145 Sidebar: Catholics, Luther, and the Bible 146 Foundations of the Protestant Reformation 147 Sola Scriptura 148 Sola Fide 149 Common Priesthood of the Faithful 150 Sidebar: Catholic Reformers: Desiderius Erasmus

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151 John Calvin (1509-1564) 152 Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) 153 Sidebar: Other Reformation and Post-Reformation Figures 154 The Anglican Schism 155 Sidebar: Divorce and Annulment 156 Counter Reformation 157 Sidebar: Catholic Reformers: St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Jesuits 158 Later Protestantism 159 Denominations in Protestantism 160 Similarities and Differences Among Catholics, Protestants, and Anglicans 161 Conclusion 162 Challenges 163 Pillars of the Faith: Pope Paul VI 164 Supplementary Reading 165 Vocabulary 166 Study Questions 167 Practical Exercises 168 From the Catechism

169 Chapter 6: Ecumenical Efforts170 Introduction 171 Toward Greater Christian Unity 172 Catholic Ecumenical Advances in the Nineteenth Century 173 Sidebar: Other Figures of Catholic-Orthodox Ecumenism 174 Oxford Movement 175 Sidebar: Bl. John Henry Newman 176 Ecumenical Prayer 177 From Prayer to Dialogue 178 Sidebar: Catholic Schisms Since the Protestant Reformation 179 The Second Vatican Council and Non-Catholic Churches 180 Ecumenism After the Council 181 Essential Guidelines for Ecumenism 182 Renewal of the Church in Fidelity to Her Vocation 183 Conversion of Heart 184 Prayer in Common 185 Fraternal Knowledge 186 Ecumenical Formation of Clergy and Laity 187 Dialogue among Theologians 188 Collaboration among Christians 189 False Ideas About Ecumenism

190 “Too-Easy” Ecumenism: The Truth Cannot Be Comprised 191 Some Groups Have Rejected Ecumenical Dialogue 192 Conclusion 193 Challenges 194 Pillars of the Faith: Bl. Maria Gabriella Sagheddu 195 Supplementary Reading 196 Vocabulary 197 Study Questions 198 Practical Exercises 200 From the Catechism

201 Chapter 7: Relations Between the Catholic Church and the Jewish People202 Introduction 203 Why Interreligious Dialogue? 204 The Jews, the Chosen People 205 Sidebar: The Old Testament Law and Catholics 206 Branches of Modern Judaism 207 Catholic and Jews: Shared Elements of Faith 208 Sidebar: The New Testament Books Written for Jewish Christians 209 Catholics and Jews: Differences in Beliefs and Religious Practices 210 Sidebar: The Destruction of the Temple (AD 70) 211 Obstacles to Dialogue 212 Anti-Semitism 213 The Charge of “Deicide” 214 Sidebar: The Gospel of St. John and “the Jews” 215 Catholic-Jewish Dialogue 216 Scriptural Model 217 Recent Advances in Dialogue 218 Sidebar: Pope Pius XII and Nazism 219 Conclusion 220 Challenges 221 Pillars of the Faith: St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) 222 Supplementary Reading 223 Vocabulary 224 Study Questions 225 Practical Exercises 226 From the Catechism

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

227 Chapter 8: Islam and Other Non-Christian Religions228 Introduction 229 A Brief History of Islam 230 The Rise of Muhammad 231 Disagreement Over Muhammad’s Successor: Shiites and Sunnis 232 The Crusades 233 The Ottoman Empire and the Battle of Lepanto 234 Sidebar: St. Francis and the Sultan 235 The Koran: The Muslim Holy Book 236 Islamic Belief and Practice 237 Islam and Catholicism: Similarities and Differences 238 Sidebar: Attitudes Toward Violence in Christianity and Islam 239 Catholic-Muslim Dialogue 240 Far Eastern World Religions 241 Hinduism 242 Buddhism 243 Jainism 244 Shinto 245 Sikhism 246 Baha’i 247 Sidebar: St. Francis Xavier, Apostle to the East 248 Catholic Dialogue With Non-Christian Eastern Religions 249 Sidebar: Are All Religions a Way to Heaven? 250 Non-Christian Offshoots of Christianity 251 Latter-day Saints 252 Jehovah’s Witnesses 253 Sidebar: Are Only 144,000 Saved? 254 Are Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses Christian? 255 Conclusion 256 Challenges 257 Pillars of the Faith: Pope Bl. John Paul II 258 Supplementary Reading 259 Vocabulary 260 Study Questions 261 Practical Exercises 262 From the Catechism

263 Chapter 9: Proclamation and Dialogue: The New Evangelization264 Introduction 265 The Church and Salvation 266 Sidebar: Proclamation: Dominus Iesus 267 Salvation and Non-Christians 268 The Responsibility of Catholics to Evangelize 269 Fundamentals of the Proclamation 270 Our Call to Evangelization 271 Pope Paul VI and Evangelii Nuntiandi 272 Interior Conversion Is Necessary 273 Sidebar: Then Why Do Some Not Believe? 274 The New Evangelization 275 Sidebar: Bl. John Paul II to Youth: “Preach It from the Rooftops” 276 Putting Interreligious Dialogue Into Practice 277 Forms of Dialogue 278 Sidebar: Dialogue: Bl. John Paul II Calls for Rethinking the Papacy 280 Sidebar: Example of Proclamation: World Youth Day 281 Requirements for Dialogue 282 The Goal of Unity in Jesus Christ 283 Conclusion 284 Challenges 285 Pillars of the Faith: Msgr. Luigi Guissani 286 Supplementary Reading 287 Vocabulary 288 Study Questions 289 Practical Exercises 290 From the Catechism