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Church History I Apostolic Era Martyrdom Monasticism

Church History I Apostolic Era Martyrdom Monasticism. Church History II Ecumenical Councils The Schism (Chalcedon).

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Church History I Apostolic Era Martyrdom Monasticism

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  1. Church History I • Apostolic Era • Martyrdom • Monasticism • Church History II • Ecumenical Councils • The Schism (Chalcedon)

  2. I – The Apostolic EraThe Apostolic Age is the time, in which the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ lived.It accounts for approximately 70 years and extended from the foundation of the Church on the day of Pentecost on 30 AD to the departure of St. John the Apostle, 100 AD.

  3. Sources of our knowledge1. All the Holy Books of the NT particularly the Book of Acts.2. Teachings & laws of the Apostolic fathers (Didache).3. Writings of the Fathers - the disciples of the Apostles: St. Clement, St. Polycarp, St Ignatius, St. Hermas & St. Papias4- Canonical Books (Apocrypha) which are used as historical sources though the Church refused them as inspired books. 5. Jewish sources & writings by Philo of Alexandria & Josephus.6. Mishna: the teachings of Rabbis in the 1st Century, provides info about the Apostles, their teachings, the rituals and worship in the early Church as an excommunicated group of the Synagogue.7. Historians like Eusebious, who wrote the church history from the Incarnation to 324AD (Father of church history).8. Ancient monuments such as scrolls of the Dead Sea.

  4. The World during the Apostolic Age Religiously: Jews Pagans Politically: The Roman Empire The Persian Empire controlled most of the known world incl. Jerusalem controlled the east and Far East

  5. A- The Jews Political Situation: + 63BC the Roman commander Bombay conquered Jerusalem, Judea became a Roman state. + The Romans set Herod as governor. + The Jews were looking for a Saviour to rebuild David’s Kingdom. Social and Economical Situations: + Were very bad and the parables that our Lord Jesus mentioned, in addition to their spiritual meanings, express this. + There was an elite rich class who only thought about themselves as the Lord Jesus mentioned in the parable of rich fool (Luke 12:6-12). + High taxes were collected for Rome & for the Temple. + Unemployment, robbery, and murdering were common. The parable of Good Samaritan reflected such a situation.

  6. Religious Situation: + Most Jews were morally corrupt and were labelled in the NT “children of serpents” (Matt3:7) and “hard necks” (Acts7:51) Josephus mentioned that the people being corrupt and evil and deserving the judgment of God which was fulfilled by destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. + The Greek were very common in Judea. Jews began to preach in many regions. This is clear from the Lord Jesus’ speech to the Pharisees “How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You sail the sea and cross whole countries to win one convert; and when you succeed, you make him twice as deserving of going to hell as you yourselves are” (Matt 23:15). + Jewish powers were the Pharisees, Scribers and Sadducees.

  7. B- Pagans In the First Century there were many philosophies. Some were atheists and others believed in one god or many gods. The two main groups of philosophies were: Epicurean and Stoic

  8. EpicureansPursued pleasure in the life through the materialistic life denying the need for religion or god’s care and believed that gods lived away from people, denying life after death. Epicureans’ logo was “let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die” and so St. Paul referred to this in his epistle 1 Cor 15:32. Stoics: Believed in one god – that is nature - from which all creations exist and to which all creations end. They believed that mind and logic were the most important godly gifts to the man. Stoic philosophy entailed that all human beings are god’s children. It was a religion for those people who were seeking good at that time. Their philosophers called for good deeds. Their logo was "virtue is sufficient for happiness"

  9. Political, Cultural & Religious situations Political:The Roman Empire was the major power of that time, its government and Properties extended in all 3 continents. Caesar assigned governors for all Roman states under his political & military authority in Rome. Cultural:Though the Romans militarily controlled the world it was controlled culturally by the Greeks. Beside Rome there were Athens, Alexandria, Antique, Azmer, and Torsos.

  10. Religion:This era had multiple types of immoralities:St. Paul described the state of moral corruption in that time in his Holy Epistle to Romans 1:18-32. • Human sacrifices for pagans were common. • Pagans’ rituals involved adultery and sexual immoralities. • Pagans encouraged killing of children & abortion for poverty or non-curable diseases or to prevent overpopulation. • Romans and Greeks disrespected woman and thought that a woman was just a servant for man and for his flesh’s pleasure. • Pagans didn’t respect marriage as Christianity did. Appleton called the main goal of marriage as getting healthy children for a good society. • Slavery was another common practice too.

  11. Birth of the Church

  12. Jesus teaches the Apostles: After His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to His Apostles for 40 days to assure them of His Resurrection & instruct them in practical preaching and teaching that was difficult for them before Resurrection (Acts 1:3) The Apostle prepare themselves: After Ascension, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem as Jesus instructed. They stayed in the Upper Room fasting and praying while waiting for the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). They chose Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1:15). The Pentecost: (50th day of the Lord’s Resurrection) at the 3rd hr, the Apostles and the brethren (120) were together praying and fasting, when there came a sound from Heaven filled the house. Then the Holy Spirit appeared to them as divided tongues of fire and sat upon each of them and they were all filled with Him and began to speak with tongues (Acts 2:1-4). That Day was a great Jewish feast called Feast of Harvest (Ex 23:16) or Feast of First Fruits (Num 28:26); so tens of thousands were in Jerusalem as it was one of the three main Jewish feasts.

  13. Persecution of the Apostles by Jews • The first to persecute the Apostles was the Sadducees (Acts 4:1 & 5:17) mostly because the Apostles’ preaching about Jesus’ Resurrection as they denied resurrection of dead in general. • As the Apostles continued in performing miracles the Jews imprisoned them, however, the Lord’s Angels, opened the prison’s gates and freed them (Acts 5:12) where they appeared the morning in the Temple preaching and teaching again. • The Jews wanted to kill them, but “Gamaliel” convinced them to let them go, they called the Apostles and beat them commanding them not speak in the name of Jesus Christ and let them go (Acts 5:40). • The Apostles departed and daily in the Temple and in every house they did not cease teaching and preaching.

  14. St. Stephen one of the deacons was full of the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, faith and power had the honour of being the first martyr in Christianity (Acts 7:1-60). • The first martyr among the Apostles was St. James (known as James the greater); brother of St. John as denoted in (Acts 12) that Herod killed him with the sword. • When Herod saw that it pleased the Jews he seized St. Peter and wanted to kill him after the Passover (44 AD) but the Angel of the Lord saved him. The punishment to Herod was delivered as the Lord struck him and he was eaten by worms (Acts 12). • Later in 62AD, St. James the Just (the lesser)- Bishop of Jerusalem was martyred by stoning. Josephus mentioned that the destruction of Jerusalem & its Temple was a just punishment because of their killing to this Just Bishop.

  15. The Blessings of the persecution • The believers scattered preaching The Word. St. Philip one of the 7 deacons went to Samaria and preached to them (Acts 8:5). • St Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to the desert between Jerusalem and Gaza where he baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch, a minister of Candaca, the Queen of Ethiopia. Then passing through he preached to all cities until Caesarea (Acts 8:26-40). • The widespread preaching by scattered Christians reached Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch and North Africa (Acts 11:19). • The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, 37AD (Acts 9). Based on tradition, Ananias was one of the 70 and Bishop of Damascus. • The founding of the Church of Antioch was a great event as it became the gate through which Christianity reached all the Roman Empire. It was the first Church for the gentiles (Acts 11:19). The mother Church sent St. Barnabas to Antioch who was joined later by St. Paul where they stayed 1 year teaching and preaching (Acts 11:22).

  16. Important events of that time • The first Church Council was held around 50AD In Jerusalem under the leadership of St. James, Bishop of Jerusalem. The Council ratified St. Paul & St. Barnabas’ dispute concerning the circumcision of believers (Acts 15). Also, St. Paul got legality of his apostolicity (Galatians 2:2). • St. Paul & St. Barnabas were assigned to preach to the Gentiles while the rest of the Apostles to preach to the Jews. • 10 Aug 70AD, the Temple & Jerusalem were destroyed by the Romans lead by Titus- son of emperor Vespasian. Josephus described the horrible events during that time where famines were rampant, more than 2 million Jews were killed and so the Lord’s prophecy about the destruction of the city & Temple (Matt 24:1) was fulfilled. • The disciples and believers left the city four years prior to this and so they were saved and the Church grew more & more.

  17. How did Christianity spread in the world? “Yet their message goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth. Psalm 19:4”

  18. St. Peter Pamphylia St. Thaddeus St. Paul St. Mark

  19. St. Andrew St. John, St. Philips & Colchis (Georgia) Apsaros, Trebizond St Simon, the Canaanite St. Judas St. Bartholomew St. Matthew St. Thomas Yemen

  20. Factors that assisted in the spreading of Christianity

  21. The main factor in the spreading of Christianity was the work & empowerment of The Holy Spirit. • Called for preaching (Acts 13:2). • Taught the servants & spoke using their tongues. Gave them power & courage they needed & lacked. (Acts 4:7-12). • Determined the field and places of preaching for them as He would lead them to certain places and stop before others (Acts 8:26-29, 10:19-20, 11:6-10). • Moved them from one place to another (Acts 8:39-40) • Performing miracles (Acts 5:9-10, 13: 19-11) • Led them in every decision as in Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:28).

  22. Other Factors • The Jews were everywhere with the same Old Testament, the same belief about the true living God. • Christianity came from Judaism and the Romans considered Judaism one of the official religions of the Empire; it was a while until Romans realized it was actually a new religion then they began to persecute Christianity. • One international language “Greek”. • One international state “the Roman Empire”, which offered peace and roads for travelling and security in sailing.

  23. the relationship between the Church at the time of the Apostles and the state

  24. The exact time that Christianity reached Rome is unknown; however, the Book of Acts mentioned attendance of Romans in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. But we know it reached Rome before St. Paul’s conversion. • At the time of Nero, Christians were well known throughout the Roman Empire. Nero in 64AD burned Rome, accused the Christians and started the Roman persecution. • The most famous martyrs in Nero’s time were St. Peter and St. Paul. Most historians attribute Nero was responsible for their deaths. Many waves of persecution continued throughout all the states of the Roman Empire.

  25. Following Nero’s example, emperors Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian and Titus continued persecuting Christians and thousands were martyred. • At the end of the Apostolic Age was a great persecution by Domitian (81-96 AD) who killed thousands, among them his counsellor Flavius Clements and exiled others like St. John whom he exiled to Patmos (Rev 1:1). • After, Domitian, Nerva came to power in Rome (96-98AD) and he refused considering Christianity as a political crime, and returned exiles but he did not consider Christianity as an official religion for the Empire.

  26. Apostolic Churches

  27. Constantinople

  28. 1- Church of Jerusalem: • The mother Church; place of birth of the Christian church (Pentecost). • The first city sanctified by our Lord in flesh and by His precious blood. • From Jerusalem the Gospel spread outward to all the world. • Honored by the ministry of the Apostles and blessed by their miracles • The place of the early martyrs, St. Stephen, St. James son of Zebedee, St. James the Just & many others whom we do not know their names. • The place of the first Church Council (50AD). • From Jerusalem, the Apostles oversaw the ministry throughout Samaria (Acts8:14&15) and Antioch (Acts 11:22). • The See of the first Bishop St. James the Just until his martyrdom in 62 AD, and was then succeeded by his brother St. Simon the son of Kolb who was martyred by crucifixion 106 AD. After the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 AD, • This See lost its prestigious rank until the beginning of the 4th century when Christianity became an official religion of the state under Constantine

  29. 2- Church of Antioch: • The third famous city in the Roman Empire behind Rome the political Capital and Alexandria the cultural Capital. • Was the political capital of Syria. Its population was a mixture of Greeks, Syrians and Jews. • The first Gentile Church; the believers were called Christians first in Antioch according to the book of Acts. • St. Paul and St. Barnabas ministered in Antioch first (Acts 11:22) then St. Peter after Council of Jerusalem (Gal 2:11). • It was the base of St. Paul ministry’s trips.

  30. 3-Church of Alexandria: • The 2nd city in the Roman Empire after Rome, and the 1st city for education, philosophy and science. • Its population was Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Jews & Persian • Some Egyptians were in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts2). The Book of Acts mentioned Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria who was full of Holy Spirit, wisdom and knowledge (Acts 18:24&25). • St. Luke presented his Gospel to Theophilus a rich man from Alexandria (Luke 1:3 ). It was mentioned that St. Simon the Cannite ministered in Upper Egypt. • This See belonged to its founder St. Mark; one of the seventy disciples and founded the Church around 57-59 AD. • St. Mark founded the Theological School of Alexandria to replace the pagan school.

  31. 4- Church of Rome: • Rome was the 1st city in the world during the Apostolic Age and considered the political capital of the world. • The first ministers to Rome were those who were in attendance the Day of Pentecost. However, Roman Church was founded by St. Paul (Romans 1:5, 13, Galatians 2:7-9, Acts 9:15, 22:18-21, Galatians 2:7-9, Romans 15:20, Acts 28:30, 16:3-16, 1:7).

  32. Apostolic Era • Introduction • A Brief Look at the World during the Apostolic Age • Birth of the Church • Persecution of the Apostles by the Jews • How Did Christianity Spread Throughout the World? • Famous Apostolic Churches of the Apostolic Age • Christian Life During the Apostolic Age • Famous Persons in the Apostolic Age • Heresies during the Apostolic Age • Canonical Books of the New Testament • Apocryphal Books

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