By Dr. Robert Godfrey.
It has a 56 page pdf outline to download.
Lesson 1: Introduction
Latter Day Saints believe that the church was disappeared for a while. Not so before nor after the Reformation.
Note of Interest: 500 years from Luther is only 25% of church history. We still need to know 75% of our family history.
Note of Interest: Pope Pius IX: I am Tradition!
20% of Roman Empire was Jewish. Romans only cared about power and taxes, everything else up to the conquered nations.
Special exemptions for Jews:
- Most nations are polytheists, so Roman wanted to add Roman gods to these nations, except to the Jews (monotheistic). Later Roman emperors wanted to be worshipped as gods.
- Allowed Jews to pay their Jew's temple taxes.
Lesson 2: The Expansion of the Church
Quote: Our doctrines, then, appear to be greater than all human teaching; because Christ, who appeared for our sakes, became the whole rational being, both body, and reason, and soul. For whatever either lawgivers or philosophers uttered well, they elaborated by finding and contemplating some part of the Word. But since they did not know the whole of the Word, which is Christ, they often contradicted themselves.—an excerpt from Justin Martyr’s Second Apology
In those days, many went to synagogues on Saturdays and church on Sundays. Neither rabbis nor priests liked it. Rabbis called this heretics as minim. New prayer introduced in synagogues "We thank you Lord that we are not Nazerenes". Sometimes it was hard to tell Christianity and Judaism apart until the destruction of the temple in AD 70.
Ancient Rome was transforming from Republic to Empire. Thus, all major roles of citizen was now bore by the emperor (Romans hated the notion of king). Consequently, citizens began to seek meaning of life from polytheistic milieu. Judaism was attractive since it goes all the way back to the origin of creation. Polytheistic gods are usually immoral and corrupt. Monotheism made more sense to them. Then Christianity comes in, showing that it fulfills the Old Testament, attracted many. Apologists rose to deal with heretics and paganism.
Judaism back then was very active in missionary. As Jesus testified as well.
Lesson 3: Defending the Faith
Gnosticism: Special, secret knowledge. Spiritual, Platonism. Leave the physical body to the spiritual. We are the true church.
Ireneaus: 130 - 200, knew Polycarp who was a disciple of John. Wrote "Against All Heresies": God created the physical world. History is important. Patron saint of historians. Trust your local bishop (local reliable preacher).
Montanism: Montanus. Very orthodox in theology but says God is still working through the Holy Spirit (like Pentecostalism). Jesus will come before they die.
Montanist - Tertullian: Christians shouldn't go to chariot races. Separate from the world. But wrote many eloquent Latin works for Christian cause.
Origen: great theologian in the first half of the early church, who was wrong about everything. Pioneer took the wrong trail. Raised many critical questions, even though he answered wrongly. But this (taking the wrong trail before path has been paved) is different than taking the wrong trail when the path is already laid - rebel. Taught in school for Catechumens. If I teach wrongly..."then may the whole church with unanimous decision cut me off her right hand and cast me out" (did Pak Tong mistaken Augustine for Origen?)
Defended against Platonic critics: Celsus - Christians are not educated. Origen: True, you don't have to change yourself to come to Christ, but you come to Christ to change yourself.
Terms:
Catechumens: Converts before baptism
PDF outline available for this lesson online.
Lesson 4: On Origen
Origen:
1. The souls pre-exist the body
2. The Logos is eternal (used by Athanasius) but created (used by Arius)
3. Universal Salvation
Origen's 4 fold interpretation of the Bible:
1. literal level
2. spiritual level - personal
3. spiritual level - church
4. anagogical level - end times
Aquinas preferred literal to spiritual interpretation.
Origen's 3 fold path to sanctification:
1. illumination (conversion)
2. purgation (put off sin)
3. union with God (indifference to this life - platonic) => asceticism (discipline of denial)
Asceticism:
Commands of God (for all Christians) vs. Counsels of Jesus (for the more spiritually sensitive)
3 keys:
poverty, chastity, obedience.
consequence: hermit lifestyles (300 A.D.), crazy, "kissed by God". => monasticism => later required clergies to do the same.
Western church (Roman Catholics): all priests must be celibate.
Eastern church: priests can be married as long as they were married before ordination. But all bishops must be celibate.
Lesson 5: Developing Theology
hierarchicalism, patronage a required idea (plea to higher order requires some patron to do it)
I'm beginning to wonder if this Roman Catholic Hierarchicalism has anything to do with those who love to introduce people to "celebrities" in some church. "You don't have to be my patron saint, I can introduce myself".
Veneration: of Mary, of the Saints (Faithful term for Christians devolved into narrow view & definition)
Augustine skeptical of relics veneration; Jerome: "a pious fraud is still pious".
Lesson 6: Bishop
Note: pdf outlines available for each lessons
Synonym: Overseer/Bishop (episkopos) = Elder (presbuteros). Interchangeable like "pastors" and "ministers".
PRESbuTeros => priest.
Latin of "rural" => pagan.
Christianity first in cities, then moved slowly into rural.
Bishop's power rises over Elders over time. Becoming regional ruler.
Pope Stephen, around 250AD, quoted Matthew 16:18 (upon this rock I will build my church). Made papal claim.
No recognition of papacy in 325AD (first ecumenical council at Nicaea), until the split of the Roman Empire.
Pope Leo the First/Great (440-461), claimed papacy power. Roman Catholic Church today still uses Leo's claim: all leaders' authorities come from the pope.
5 Major Bishops in 5 major cities back then: 1 in the West (Rome), 4 in the East (Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Constantinople)
Emperor Constantine's conversion around 315-320. Christianity was officially illegal religion prior to that, this is due to it not being a nation (like Israel) nor an ethnic group (like Jews): Christians were atheists, traitors, engaging in gross immorality (sexual immorality=from "love feasts", drink blood).
Middle of 3rd century, Emperor Decius persecuted many Christians, many became apostates rather than death.
About 50 years later, Emperor Diocletian, Christians were more faithful.
Lesson 7: Constantine & the Church
by 300 AD, at least 7 million of 50 million Roman population are Christians: 15%
Majority Christians: Asia Minor (Turkey) & Armenia
Other Christian prominence area: Egypt (wealthiest part of Roman Empire), Northern Africa, Coastal Syria and Rome. All major cities.
Not so prominence (not strong) Christian places: Palestine, Greek, Gaul, Spain, Britain. (Paul's ministry)
Christianity in cities vs. Christianity stronger in countrysides & decline in cities => not a good sign.
Rome divided: Eastern Emperor vs. Western Emperor (augustus). Plus "vice-emperors" (Caesar).
Constantine's father, Constantius (Caesar in the West => Augustus), died, troops made son emperor in York, England. The other two sons' names: Constans & Constantius.
Tour: York Muenster, great cathedral church to see Constantine's supposed place of becoming emperor.
Civil war, Constantine took out rivals to the throne: in Italy & Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312, where he marched for battle in the South, he claimed a vision in Greek: "IN THIS SIGN CONQUER". He had soldiers put a cross in their shields => victorious battle. This may mark his conversion to Christianity. But not sure if he made it up. May be true: Since he refused to offer sacrifices to Roman gods after returning from victorious battle, against tradition for emperors.
Refused to be baptized until on his deathbed. (if you committed grievous sins e.g. murder, after baptism, you cannot be forgiven)
His conversion:
Good: Eusebius of Caesaria (father of church history), wrote the life of Constantine.
Bad: Church + State
Constantine as Emperor in 312. In 313, N. Africa appeals to Constantine of a split in theological debate. Constantine decides whose the losers and sends military control over them. Church gains military power over true/false faith.
Thus, many titles in Europe today, e.g.: Queen Elizabeth = Defender of the Faith = Head of the Church in England.
Scandinavia Germany, Lutheran church & Roman Catholic church, supported by tax money.
Spain, same thing.
Constantine made Christianity a legal religion. Other religions legal as well.
By 321 AD, Constantine passed law forbidding work on Sunday.
He allowed bishops to setup civil courts.
70-80 years later, Christianity became official religion of empire. Using state power to suppress other religions.
Emperor of the East: Licinius. Constantine tried to forge relationship by marrying his sister Constantia to Licinius. But later heard Licinius was harassing Christians in the East, where there are more Christians than the West. Filled with indignation, he marched and defeated Licinius, with constant showmanship of being the "new Moses" as he always pray at a tent in public in the camps. Uniting the two empires.
Then trouble from Alexandria: Bishop Alexander vs. priest Arius (tall & thin => pious appearance-not much eating). Arius popularize a song in the streets saying "There was when he was not" on questioning Jesus' eternal divinity. Orthodox response: "There was not, when he was not."
Lesson 8: Jesus as God
Arius vs. Alexander sparked First Ecumenical Council instead of just the small usual synods. In Nicaea. About 300 bishops present + Constantine, who addressed them "most dear brothers...". Young deacon Athanasius (later recognized by both Western & Eastern churches to be a Saint) was with Alexander.
Athanasius, later bishop of Alexandria: Thrown out of church 5 times => Athanasius Contra Mundum (Athanasius against the world)
Homoousia = same substance = Father & Son. Technical term created to flush out Arius' heresy, despite Arius' claim to be biblical and ignorance of terms not found in the Bible.
Thus, Nicene Creed created in 325 AD. It also sets the date of Easter, sets rules: new Bishops must be approved by other bishops of the area, excommunicated persons can only be received back by the bishop who excommunicated him (e.g. Arius & bishop Alexander).
Some Arius' supporters were said to change Homo to Homoi-Ousion. Homoi = similar. => They are called Semiarians.
Hetero-ousion is used by Radical Arians.
This war caused Constantine to force everyone to get back together => Athanasius refused to lift ban on Arius, => emperor exiled and deposed him.
Arius dies the night before grand welcome home party. Poisoned? God struck? controversy.
All 3 Constantine's sons succeeded him to the throne and died. Then the nephew of Constantine, Julian the Apostate, came to power, appeared to be Christian before but once in power, renounced Christianity and restored the old pagan religion => Last pagan emperor of Rome. His tactic against Christians, just let them fight among themselves. Also wanted to revitalized Judaism => Jews to rebuild temple in Jerusalem. Rumored that fire came and destroyed those who tried to build the temple.
Julian's short reign of 4-5 years. He said at his death: "You have won, pale Galilean".
381 AD, emperor Theodosius, calls 2nd Ecumenical Council. Re-iterates First Nicene Council.
Trinity doctrine established.
Athanasius was proof that he was standing for the Bible, not technical terms.
Lesson 9: Jesus as Man
Godfrey: Jesus wasn't easily seen as a human, so Mary was venerated.
Tertium Quid, still not satisfactory.
Pope technically is a bishop of Rome, even today. Pope is just from the word Papa.
We don't call pope "holy father" nor "his holiness", maybe just pope, but still abrupt. Better title for protestants to use: Pontifex Maximus (Supreme Pontiff). We are comfortable with this title because it's a pagan title for supreme priest in Rome.
Nestorius: Patriarch (father ruler / Bishop) of Constantinople. As if two persons in Christ's body (human person, divine person), united by common purpose. Sincere, honest, zealous for orthodoxy, eloquent, but no good theological judgment. Attached by Patriarch of Alexandria, Cyril. Cyril was jealous of Constantinople as a New Rome & Nestorius. Cyril looking to bring Nestorius down, believed he has found his Achilles heel. Cyril was learned, energetic, ambitious, and proud. Cyril: Jesus must be seen as one single person!
3rd Ecumenical council in Ephesus in 431 AD. Ephesus had become a great center of devotion of the Virgin Mary (a disadvantage to Nestorius). Interestingly, Ephesus was devoted to Artemis. So lots of pagan attitudes to the devotion of Mary, who was given the title theotokos (bearer of God) => English = mother of God. Not a bad title, baby was divine, but does not mean she was divine. Nestorius offends Ephesus by trying to change the title to Christotokos, shouldn't be anything wrong with that. Ephesus viewed this as a demotion for Mary. So now it's more than just Christ's personhood, but the threatening of Ephesus' supposedly over-devotion to Mary. Nestorius was deposed, condemned, and church fractured for a while. Tension wasn't solved.
So, one would wonder was Nestorius really a Nestorian?
433 AD, reuniting of the church, compromise: Jesus is one person with two natures. Fully divine nature, fully human nature.
451 AD, 4th ecumenical council at Chalcedon. Accepted the compromise.
Interesting:
Trinity = 1 nature in 3 persons
Christology = 1 person with 2 natures
If Christ not fully divine: He cannot bear the infinite wrath of God against sin.
If Christ not fully human: He cannot really owe the debt that has to be paid by humans.
Anselm's famous treatise: Cur Deus Homo (Why the God-Man): Why did God become man.
After Nestorius, Cyril's radical offshoot: Jesus is one person and one nature => Monophysite (one nature) => humanity lost in divinity. But this was attractive in Alexandria, Armenia, despite Chalcedon's settlement (1 person 2 natures). Thus, Egypt (Alexandria) was very welcoming to Islam as it would free them from the yoke of Chalcedon. Though, they didn't become Muslims. 8 millions in Egypt today are descendant of these folks, 10% of Egyptian Christians, 90% Muslims.
After that, Monothelite controversy (one will). Diothelites (two wills) became orthodoxy.
Lesson 10: The East & the West
After Origen, Augustine was an important theologian.
Augustine (Augustinus) pronunciation:
A-GAS-TON (England) - Anglican.
OU-GUS-TIN (Scotland) - Presbyterian, R.C.
Outside of Church, there is no salvation - Cyprian & Westminster Confession of Faith 25:2
Reason for including Apocryphal books: They thought the Jews were very hard on removing messianic references in their Bible, hence they thought the Jews were getting rid of the Apocryphal books for the same reason and rejected, so they were included into the Christian Bible.
New Testament: St. Athanasius in 367 in his later. 367! late for the Bible canon. 382, council decides it.
By 100 AD, about 21 books (4 Gospels + Paul's letters) accepted in NT.
First letter of Clement accepted in Corinth.
Didicae accepted in Syria.
Epistle of Barnabas accepted in Alexandria.
Shepherd of Hermes accepted in Carthage.
The Apocalypse of Peter accepted in Rome.
By 200 AD uncertainty books: James, Jude, 2,3 John, 2 Peter, Hebrews. Book of Revelation more doubted than in 100AD.
Rome's argument: Bible comes from the authority of the church. So protestants' argument of Sola Scriptura fails.
But historically, the Bible did not really come from the Official life of the church. We receive the Bible from the faithful in the church. Bible makes the church, not the other way around.
East stresses on the doctrine of incarnation. "God became man that man might become God", not deified but reconciled to God. Union with God. Speculative. Nature of Christ. Trinity and Christology and nothing really beyond those.
West stresses on Crucifixion. Obedience to God. Authoritative. Augustine => Soteriology, Justification, ecclesiology.
If Western philosophy is footnote to Plato & Aristotle, then Western theology is a footnote to Augustine. Jean Paul Sartre: "Augustine is the first modern man. Introspective." Augustine understood salvation by grace alone. The Roman Catholics claim he understood the church rightly.
Augustine born 354 in North Africa. Mother Monica did not know a lot but was wise. "There are people who know a lot but are not wise; and there are people who are wise but do not know a lot." Distinction made by Augustine. Monica a prayer woman. Augustine against Christianity, thought Christians aren't smart. Looked down on his mother. Then he read Cicero, great in Latin, like poetry. Saw Bible did not measure up to Cicero. Took concubine at 18, joined cult: Manichaeism (claims to be more intellectual Christianity). Much like Gnosticism (claims secret knowledge). Mani: There are only those who follow God and those who don't: sons of light, daughters of darkness. Outgrew Manichaeism, Augustine became a skeptic, good in rhetoric, argue either sides of any cases, convincing you there's no absolute truth. Moved from North Africa to Italy.
Lesson 11: Augustine
Augustine arrived Milan at about age 30, to be a great rhetorician. Ambrose was the great preacher in Milan. Augustine influenced much by him. But Augustine's struggle with sexual immorality prevented him to be Christian.
Conversion: After reading St. Athanasius' "Life of St. Anthony", great hermit of Egypt, Augustine began to believe he hear a child saying "Tolle lege, tolle lege" = Take and Read. He picked up and read Romans 13:13-14.
Stages of Augustine's conversions:
1. Intellectual
2. moral
3. Baptism/Sacramental
388 AD, returns to Africa. 3 years later, became a priest. 4 years later elected a bishop in Hippo. Died in 430 AD.
Wrote "On the Freedom of the Will", actually it is about "the Reality of the Will". The only way back to God is when the Holy Spirit works in our will to be drawn near to Himself.
Confessions: Famous quote: "For you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."
Evil was seen in the church in the platonic sense: Evil is not able to love properly (loving something inferior, not the ultimate love). How do you know stealing is wrong? If you are annoyed by having things stolen from you, it is wrong.
Augustine: I steal because I enjoy the stealing of it, and the sin. Not really for other reasons. If we really need God's grace, then God must have planned -> predestination. Augustine the only one focusing on this part of Pauline teaching.
His doctrine of grace is confronted by Pelagius: "It's nice to have grace, but we can save ourselves without it." Hammered by Augustine. Then we have Semi-Pelagians: "We need grace, but it needs our co-operation." Augustine attacked, some Semi-Pelagians survived. So from that point in church history on the doctrine of grace, some Augustinian, some semi-Pelagian, even semi-Augustinian.
100% Western church was Augustinian. Thomas Aquinas probably one of them.
The Medieval church love to quote Augustine: "I would not have believed the Gospel, except for the authority of the church." But Augustine really meant "I would never have come to faith except for the great preacher who had taught me."
He has often been misquoted.
Another quote: "Roma locuta causa finita" = Rome has spoken, the matter is settled. Augustine said it when the bishop of Rome agrees with him, nothing to do with Rome's authority. So when another Bishop of Rome disagrees with Augustine, he said "Christos locutas causa finita" = Christ has spoken the matter is settled. So scripture is Augustine's final authority.
On sacraments: stresses the importance. But his view not the same what the Roman Catholic Church teaches. For example, his view on the Lord's Supper is very close to that of John Calvin. Sacrament is fundamentally spiritual in nature. He even said "Believe and you have eaten already." => Faith is foundation to what sacrament is.
When learned of his influence on others later in his life, he went over his writings and wrote a book called "Retractions". Corrects himself.
City of God: A theology of history. It's always about the building of two cities (of God and of man). These two are built on the foundation of two different loves. Either we love ourselves to the contempt of God, which builds Babylon. Or we love God to the contempt of self, which builds the heavenly Jerusalem. We need to promote the city of God, and suppress the city of man. At this point, Augustine advanced the notion that Christianity ought to dominate society, non-Christianity needs to be suppressed, and the power of the state ought to be marshaled by Christians when they can to oppose and forbid non-Christian religions. Augustine probably couldn't anticipate all that would come out of this => millennia long persecution of non-Christians in the West in the middle ages.
Christianity is never advanced by coercion, but by persuasion.
Lesson 12: Worship & Sacraments
"the church is a hospital for sinners and not a museum of saints" - Ligonier Connect
Polycarp: Bishop of Smyrna (Turkey). "I have served the Lord for 86 years", Lutheran (Joachim Jeremias) interpreted it as "I have baptized (around 60 AD) as infant...and served the Lord since." Though this is not conclusive (Was he 106 yr? Was he baptized at 10?)
Children baptism universally accepted by 300AD. Objections' excuses: Well it started as a superstition in magic of baptism.
Augustine was not baptized as infant. Because both he and his mother reason the same way: Baptism actually washes away sins, so it's better to postpone it. Augustine's mother almost had Augustine baptized when he was sick at 15, but postponed it when he recovered (Augustine's Confessions).
Godfrey: Ancient church fathers were against the use of musical instruments and elaborate art works. Godfrey seems to favor this (strict puritan Calvinist view). But gradual arts elaboration reaches the culmination in the Church of Holy Wisdom (Hagia sophia) in Istanbul, under Roman Emperor Justinian (527-565AD), at the capital. The then largest church in Christendom, expressing the magnificence of the empire. Dominant church figure in Constantinople for 900 years. Center for Eastern Orthodox worship of the 6th century til 1453 when Constantinople fell to Islam forces. Today, some of the plasters by the Islam forces to cover mosaic arts are now removed! (Maybe I should go visit)
Icons ("Windows into Heaven"): religious objects of Eastern Orthodox worship, painted on woods, painted with certain prayers, stylized to mask any representations of saints. Golden background depicts Saints are in Heaven, you are drawn through the icon into Heaven.
8th-9th century, iconoclasm against iconodules.
John of Damascus, Defender of Icons: "If icons are idolatrous, then our eyes have not been redeemed. And since eyes are the most important of the senses, if eyes not redeemed, we are not redeemed.
Hence, for Eastern Orthodoxy, icons became a crucial part of piety.
Western church interestingly was more resistance to artistic expressions to aid in worship and devotion.
It raises this question: What is the real center of our redemption?
Calvinists: the most important sense for our redemption is our hearing. Not what we see but the Word that we hear through our ears.
In the middle ages, the Western Church introduced statutes. Eastern Church against it: It's against the 10 commandments - you shalt not have graven images. East: We only have flat images.
Godfrey: Rome and Eastern Orthodox essentially share the same attitude: Give the people what they want...saints, images, etc. (Shocking to Godfrey when Rome said you can also worship on Saturday and not Sunday) => Biblical simplicity is lost.
The Lord's Supper: Middle ages (4th Lateran Council 1215) defined Transubstantiation (little support from ancient church). Thus, the bread can be worshiped. Protestants: You're worshiping bread. They said: No, we're worshiping Christ. Altar boy rings bell, priest holds bread up to be worshiped - "behold the Lamb of God..."
Mass: Propitiatory sacrifice.
Eucharist (protestants): sacrifice of thanksgiving.
John Chrysostom (John the Golden-Tongued): "We offer always the same sacrifice. By the same Christ, the same Christ is offered through the priest." Rome would love to quote that. But read further and John also said: "We offer always the same sacrifice, or rather we perform a memorial of the sacrifice."