Abstract This paper consists of four papers, each dealing with a part of Justo Gonzalez's ?The Story of Christianity?, Volume1: "The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation".
Tags: THEOLOGY AND RELIGION STUDIES / CHRISTIANITY, earlychristian church
Abstract This paper examines the Christian art of the first five centuries C.E., which is potentially a source of a great deal of data and information about Christianity during the period in question. The author explains that the origins and development of earlyChristian art are indebted to a number of factors. These factors are comprised of certain styles associated with certain regions and practices, converts to Christianity adopting pagan practices, and to more than purely aesthetic functions such as pedagogical uses. The paper concludes that earlyChristian art did not spring into existence without roots. Rather it can be seen as an undisrupted continuous seam going back to ancient religions and practices.
From the Paper "Textual evidence seems to suggest that certain theologians did indeed go against the production of cultic art objects for the practice of idolatry while perhaps understanding the difference between that and the functional uses of art whether it was decorative, symbolic or didactic. Christians probably understood that smaller objects did not have much significance. So when larger objects did come on to the scene it was not of a great shock since they were not seen as objects of worship and "therefore presented no danger of idolatry." Some scholars believe that many of the Christian converts that came from a polytheistic background abandoned their old practices since they would recognize it was incompatible with their new faith."
Abstract This thesis discusses the subject of Christian missions throughout the world. It is divided into four chapters, beginning with the world situation before the birth of the mission, continuing with the early missionary activities and earlyChristian persecutions. The author provides a clear explanation of how the earlyChristians and missionaries were persecuted under the different emperors and the rapid growth of the Christianity in spite of all the persecutions. Finally he explains the relevance that the early missions have today.
Outline:
Introduction
The World Situation before the Birth of the Mission
Starting Point for the Mission and Early Missionary Activities
EarlyChristian Persecutions
From the Paper "The Church came into existence in the world with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "When the fullness of time was come", St. Paul writes, "God sent his Son, born of a woman, that he might redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of the sons" (Gal. 4: 4-6). Thus early Christian mission involved in the person of Jesus. The early Christian community owed to the disciples; Easter experience, the experience of the risen Lord, for its mission. If we observe carefully, we can understand that Easter is the point of connection between ministry of Jesus and the mission of his followers. We should not forget that Church and mission were synonyms. The early community lived through mission and for mission. Every early Christian promoted the cause of mission either by word or by the example. The chief agents of the spread of the Christian faith were not professional missionaries who made it a living, but men and women involved in ordinary life."
Abstract EarlyChristian art rarely tries to represent reality as is. This art is characterized by religious symbolism and its purpose is to portray the spiritual world, rather than depict three-dimensional figures. The paper examines how the beliefs of earlyChristians were reflected in their art. Originally, pagan art contained gods and heroes, but in their place emerged the Christian figures who dominated art for nearly a thousand years. The paper explores how these religious messages were depicted through images of golden halos, in architectural designs, miniature scriptures and supernatural symbols.
From the Paper "In early Christian art there are often personifications of the sun and moon, which were drawn from pagan imagery, but also came to represent the relationship between the old testament (the moon), which could only be understood in light of the new testament (the sun). Art often focused on the supernatural, and the paintings were rich in symbolic meaning. Radiant colors, suspended angels, and detailed symbols were the motifs used to represent the supernatural. Many early Christian masters were monks and craftsmen. In AD 533, reincarnation was declared a heresy by the Council of Constantinople; before then, reincarnation could be depicted in art as well."
Tags: Christ, Muiredach, Cross, nativity, crucifixion, God
Abstract This paper explains that canonization of sainthood for a Christian in antiquity was achieved either by living piously and being recognized as a holy person within the church after natural death or by leading a virtuous life though the Christian faith and consequentially being killed for those beliefs, which is known as becoming a martyr. The author points out that the earlyChristians were mainly martyred because of their refusal to perform actions that contradicted a Christian lifestyle and violated church doctrines such as St. Perpetua. The paper relates that, throughout the stories of the martyr's lives and the lives of the Desert Fathers, the essential designs are similar: The pious lifestyle leads to sainthood and heaven.
From the Paper "In 303CE, the Emperor of Rome issued an edict, which called for the destruction of churches, the burning of scripts and the arrests and eventual deaths of Christians. The reason for the edict was not because of ritual wrong-doing, but to reorder the hierarchy of the population of Rome. The Christian faith had started to spread at a phenomenal rate (at one point reaching to almost 25% of the population of Rome), and started to threaten the bureaucratic stability. Using the provisions already in place, Diocletian used his military power to reorder the Roman socio-economic class to his liking."
Abstract This paper examines the factors that were responsible for the formation of Christianity, particularly in the context of Orthodoxy and Heresy. In other words, the paper discusses how Christianity became Christianity as seen through the lenses of Orthodoxy and Heresy. The research explores several defining moments in the history of Christianity including proto-orthodox and the boundary markers that enabled the proto-orthodox to prevail and become the dominant religion of the empire from the first through the fourth century.
Outline:
Introduction
Proto-Orthodox
Heretical Text and Heretical Doctrines
The Rule of Faith and Apostolic Succession
Gender
The Appeal to Jewish Antiquity
Future Research
Conclusion
From the Paper "In addition to docetic theologies there were other theologies that emerged and were deemed to be heretical by the proto-orthodoxy. Among these was the adoptionists theology. This particular theology asserted that Jesus was a man but he was not divine. They also asserted that Jesus was adopted by God as his son (Grant). Those that held this view asserted that there were church traditions that solidified this view but just what these church traditions were differed greatly from that of proto-orthodox Christians (Grant). Adoptionists also claimed that all Christian held the aforementioned doctrine. However proto-orthodox Christians argued that the doctrine of the adoptionists was in opposition to scriptures (Grant). They also asserted that Christian apologists and anti-heretical authors had throughout history, declared that Jesus was God or that Jesus was both God and Man (Grant). In addition both hymns and psalms that were written from the beginning of time describe Christ as the Logos and describe him as God (Grant). "
Abstract Christianity was one of the many different religions competing for the attention of people of the Roman Empire during the first three centuries CE. The paper shows that its growth during this time was extraordinary, and by the early part of the fourth century CE, it would become the official religion of the Roman Empire. The paper shows that this growth can be accredited to several different facets of the religion: its universal acceptance of all people regardless of their pasts, the strong sense of community within its congregations, its duty to care for the weak, sick and needy, and the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus. The paper shows that, when combined with the great demographic shifts that were occurring in the Roman Empire, it is much easier to understand the extreme growth of the earlyChristian church.
From the Paper "Another appealing aspect of early Christianity was the strong sense of community within its congregations. With the Roman Empire newly established, and the Romans being tolerant of different religious customs, many new immigrant groups moved into the area. Similar to any new group of individuals in a society, their goal was acceptance into the Roman society, to find a sense of belonging. Acceptance into the Christian church meant acceptance into a close-knit community."
Abstract This paper explains that Christian art, evolving along with the church, began in the Near East, which was a vast religious and cultural melting pot where all the competing faiths, including Judaism, Christianity, Gnosticism and many others, tended to influence each other. The author points out that the oldest sizeable and coherent body of Christian art, which can be traced to no earlier than 200 AD, is the painted murals in the Roman catacombs and the underground burial places of the Christians. The paper relates that the halo around Jesus' head stems from pagan artists, who used a halo, usually of a gold color, to mark the chief of men and women in their pictures, and from the Romans, who associated it with the cult of light as a special gift from God. Chart. List of illustrations but no illustrations.
Table of Contents
The EarlyChristian Church - The Jews and the Greeks
Byzantine Art
The Christian Empire
Nuns, Monks, and Priests
Saints and Martyrs
The Virgin Mary
The Halo
The Conversion of the Northern Tribes
The Celts
The English
The Saxons
The Holy Roman Emperor
East Rome
Church of St. Sophia
The Icons, the Iconostasis, and Iconoclasm
Icons
Iconostasis
Iconoclasm
The Mystics
The Effect of Islam
A Comparison of Christianity East and West
EarlyChristian vs. Byzantine Art
Western Society in the Middle Ages
Popes
Society and Religion
Hell and Purgatory
Gothic Cathedrals and Stain Glass Windows
The Renaissance
Exploration
The Reformation
The Modern Age
From the Paper "The first celibates in the early Christian church were women who lived lives of chastity and cleaned church buildings. These women also helped tend the sick. Many spiritually oriented celibate males started as hermits but eventually these men grouped together, elected an abbot, and agreed to abide by a set of rules. These first nuns and monks were called Benedictines. Priests were allowed to marry in the early church but the idea of a celibate priesthood was raised as early as 324 AD (Council of Nicene) but this was unenforceable. In the early church, a man could marry before he became a priest and still become a priest. He could not marry if he became a priest before marrying. The ideal of the totally celibate priesthood was not enforceable until the 11th Century. A man who wanted to become a bishop was not allowed to be married.
In the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, priests still are allowed to marry before taking final vows."
An analysis of early medieval culture through a review of "The Rule of Benedict" by Saint Benedict, "The History of the Franks" by Gregory, and "On the True Doctrine" by Celsus.
Abstract This paper discusses how, during the early medieval period in Europe ranging between more or less 300AD and 600AD, three traditions were prevalent, each exerting its influence in the culture of the time. It looks at how the Roman culture, although still very influential in Europe at the time, was fast losing its power as Rome deteriorated and how other influences, such as the invading Germanic forces, were joining the Roman culture in Europe. It shows how, most notably, Christianity and its Church was a fast-growing and increasingly powerful force during these times. It analyzes the extent of each influence by examining "The Rule of Benedict" by Saint Benedict, "The History of the Franks" by Gregory, and "On the True Doctrine", by Celsus, as representative of the early medieval culture and its frequently opposing influential forces.
Outline
The Christian Culture
The Roman Tradition
The Germanic Tradition
Conclusion
From the Paper "The History of the Franks by Gregory on the other hand, demonstrates a more na?ve view of Christianity. Its focus, insofar as it is influenced by the Christian tradition, is on the supernatural aspect. Gregory for example relates several stories with St. Martin and his religious power as the central character. This saint, a former Roman soldier, worked among the rural population of Gaul and won many superstitious hearts for the Christian cause. Gregory, growing up in an environment filled with such influences, inherited this superstitious character from his parents and his social setting. This manifests itself in the trust Gregory placed in religious relics and their power to protect him."
Abstract The essay deals with the different roles of women in early medieval Europe and how they were affected by the spread of Christianity. Wives and the effect of new, Christianity inspired, marriage laws are discussed as well as the changing status of unmarried women, widows and female serfs. Female missionaries, nuns and saints all boosted the status of women. The role of Queens before and after the adoption of christianity is covered, dealing with the positive and negative changes that took place. The essay concludes that overall christianity had a positive effect on the role and status of women.500-1000A.D.
From the Paper "The role and status of women in Western Europe between ca.500 and ca.1000 did change due to Christianity. However whether the female role and status in society was diminished or improved depends on a number of factors. Primarily, the type of woman in question must be taken into consideration. Queens, for example, were affected in a different way to female serfs. Secondly, we must also look at the role and status of women before the emergence of Christianity to make a valid judgement of change after ca.500. Thirdly, to a certain extent, the origin of the woman is a factor; Christianity affected different parts of Europe in a manner of different ways."
Abstract This paper examines how Perpetua and St. Antony were two of the earliest recorded and most influential figures in Christian history. It looks at how both figures had different ideas as to what it meant to be a Christian and to live a Christian life. Perpetua was more of a public figure and worked with other Christians, while St. Antony was a much more private person and chose to live his life in the desert as a hermit.
From the Paper "To Perpetua, being a Christian meant above all retaining her faith and convictions even when threatened with execution. She accepted the contempt that her father held for her, as well as the contempt she faced from the other Roman citizens. She and the five other members of her congregation were charged and sentenced to death in the sports arena during the Emperor's celebration. Perpetua, Felicitas, and the four others were to be thrown to the beasts in the arena to be killed. Although Perpetua's father repeatedly begged her to give up her faith, she refused. Before her execution, Perpetua had many visions and dreams that reassured her that she was doing the right thing; she even had a dream about Dinocrates, her dead brother, living well in his afterlife."
Abstract This paper discusses the persecution of the Christian sect in early Rome as instigated by Nero. The paper suggests that while little doubt exists that Nero attempted to refocus blame of the great fire that decimated Rome from himself to the Christians, some doubt exists about the character and degree of these initial Christian persecutions in the Roman Empire.
From the Paper "The Christian Persecutions by Nero Many people would like to believe that the persecution of the Christians under Emperor Nero who ruled Rome and the Roman Empire from AD 54 to AD 68 came about because the Christians were considerably fervent in their beliefs and self-sacrifices for the church and its principles. While in fact there were many noble examples of self-sacrifice and martyrdom during the persecution of the Christians in the Roman Empire which began with Nero's persecutions, the unfortunate fact remains they were originally persecuted not for their nobility but for their blame-worthiness as scapegoats for the great fire (Heichelheim 325). "
Abstract This paper examines evidence supporting the belief that women played major roles in earlyChristianity as well as pivotal roles in spreading Christ's message. The paper looks at evidence of the role women played in raising money for churches and the Christian movement as well as evidence that they functioned as ordained priests. After reviewing the evidence presented, the paper then concludes that women have had and continue to have a significant role in church leadership.
From the Paper "In her discussion of women in the New Testament, author Judith L. Kovacs supports the contention that women were not expected to be silent in church. Instead, they were encouraged to express their convictions to Christ and Christianity. (What the Bible Really Says 213-214). According to Kovacs, women appear in the gospel narratives as recipients of Jesus' healing and forgiveness, as family, followers and friends of Jesus, and as witnesses to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. "
Abstract Asceticism, which exploded in popularity with the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of Rome, is a concept not so readily defined. It took many forms, and meant many different things to many different people. This paper looks at the leading proponents of the ideas of asceticism and marriage in the church to further unravel the mysteries of the early years of Christianity and Constantinople. The paper also touches on a few specific groups of aesthetics, such as the Encratites.
Outline
Encratites
Monasticism
John Chrysostum
Jovinianism
Augustine of Hippo
Women and Sexual Asceticism
Conclusion
From the Paper "Encratites were essentially an early sect, or group of sects who, based on their views concerning the origin of matter, abstained from eating meat, drinking alcohol, or getting married. They are very interesting in their development. Stemming from Stoicism and other generic branches of aestheticism, this group devoted their lives to chastity in all forms. Because they rejected marriage and considered all sexual encounters to be evil, they formulated theories that claimed all women to be evil beings. Also, as they were not predispositioned to eat animal products, they saw all alcohol as being given from Satan himself. After a certain period of decline, the Encratites were back in full swing and became known as Severan Encratites."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that Ehrman, like most modern scholars, has understood the importance of applying exegetical thinking when reading the scriptures, and through this approach he leads the reader towards a clear understanding that women were, historically, fully involved in all roles conducive with leading, training, and teaching Christian believers. The writer discusses that women were, without any doubt, indispensable to the successful continuation and growth of the early church. The writer points out that during his entire life, Jesus treated women with respect, as being trustworthy, responsible and as being quite capable of performing roles within the local church, the community, and the home. The writer concludes that as depicted by Ehrman, this fact has been clearly recognized by the majority of those who have researched this subject, and yet still women face questions concerning intentions, motives, and fundamental rights as a believer in Christ.
From the Paper "Jesus did, of course, speak clearly about matters concerning the ultimate judgment of mankind, end time issues, and the destruction of the planet, but he also spoke on many other subjects. Erman declares, rather glibly, that Jesus had no intention of bring about social reform, and yet there is clear evidence within the Gospels that Jesus often spoke on issues that were humanitarian, social, and communal. He was concerned for the well-being of mankind in all areas - physically, socially, and spiritually - and it is this clearly visible concern that brings so many people into the faith when reading the Gospels."
"Within the biblical narratives of Jesus' life, there are many examples that portray Him as being authoritative, out-spoken, insistent, defying, and so forth - which are all images that clearly identify Him as being quite the opposite to the meek and mild, watered-down, representation of Jesus that is often preached throughout our churches. Jesus was a radical, an anomie, who challenged given social norms, values, and beliefs, and turned the ancient world upside down."
