The House Church, Early Christianity: 30 A.D. – 313 A.D.

1. The House Church, Early Christianity: 30 A.D. – 313 A.D. 9th Grade Confirmation Class 1/15/12 St. James’s Episcopal

2. The Last Supper

3. Jerusalem, First Center of Christianity • Acts 1:3 • House church • Destruction of Temple (70 A.D.) • Roman authorities were wary of Jews who rebelled and Christ followers because they were secretive and linked to Judaism (Double-edged sword).

4. Scripture attesting to House Church • Acts 1:13 – And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. (After Jesus Ascended to Heaven) • Acts 20:20 – how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, • Matthew 18:20 – For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

5. Persecution • Fears: Romans saw Christianity as a root of Judaism, which defied the empire. It had to be snuffed out. Romans knew Christians would not make offerings to the emperor (double-trouble). • As a result, many were captured and put to death (crucified/fed to animals alive).

6. Persecution Continued • Rumors: Christians had to be secretive to not be persecuted, but were persecuted because they were secretive. • They were confused with similar cults (Dionysius and Mythra) • Dionysius was a fertility God who drank wine and followers had orgies. They thought Christians did the same = immoral. • Mithra was a warrior God where sacrificing the blood of animals and drinking it made people strong. Met underground…some would not pledge allegiance to the emperor = Christian threat to empire/thought cannibals.

7. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch • Antioch is one of the oldest Christian communities outside of Jerusalem. • When Jerusalem destroyed, became the center. • Ignatius offered himself to authorities when his people were being captured. • He wrote 5 letters to small communities about his eventual fate (fed to animals). • Also talked of how early church was structured.

8. Early Version of Wealthy House Church • Location: Syria (Dura-Europos)

10. Clement of Alexandria • Early Church Father • Writings told of House Church worship and structure. • Shared meals/baptized • Stressed moral and communal living. • His vision of church fits architecture of Dura Europa Church seen earlier.

11. Apology • An apology is defined as providing a defense to someone in hopes of persuading an idea. • Many early Christian texts try to spell out what they do in worship to curtail Imperial fears. • With this, we learn how communities were structured, beliefs, and practices. • Ex: Didache = teaching…prior to many of the gospels.

12. So What? • The house church movement was small and allowed for growth relatively quickly and quietly. • Small communities grew in every part of the Roman Empire. Even some in India and parts of Asia. • It shows us the human need for community and the power that small connections can have on one’s faith journey. • We are a part of the Church’s history.

13. Different Letters, Cultures, Apostles • During the growth…many communities heard the gospel, but interpreted it differently according to their culture. • As the church grew, so did the ideas of who Christ was…(some good, some bad). • Concern grew that the apostles teachings were getting lost. They believed in different views, but not those that completely countered the root stories put forth by the apostles (the only first-person witnesses to Christ).

14. What Happens Next? • Different theologies grew. • Communities started fighting themselves. • When it was a small movement, it was not a big deal. • As the empire grew to tolerate Christianity, the risk of internal fighting became a threat to stability so the empire got involved. • From here we see good and bad changes, but the face of Christian practice was never the same.

15. “Moving on Up…to the West side!” • Emperor Constantine (aka Constantine the Great) believed he saw a cross on the sky during battle and saw it as a sign for victory. • Edict of Milan 313 – He made it okay to be a Christian throughout the empire. • Upon his deathbed, he converted. • His mother built the church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. • Later it became the official Roman Religion.

16. Next Class • A look at the church as an Imperial Religion • Controversies/Stability (Constantine the Great) • Creedal Statements (Council of Nicaea)