A brief examination of church history

Church History Timeline

The Early Church Fathers

“Heroic Age” of the church64 Rome burns; 70 Destruction of Jerusalem111 Trajan persecution249 Persecution under Decius303 The Great Persecution under Diocletian311 Edict of Toleration (Galerius)312 Constantine becomes sole emperor313 Edict of Milan

Historical Context

“Father” in the NT means “teacher of spiritual things.” 1 Cor. 4:15; Gal. 4:19.

They are the parents at whose knee the church of today was taught her belief.

They defended the church against attacks.They expressed Christian truths in concrete

ways. Important note: the church fathers are not

authoritative. While worthy of study, they can be contradictory and prone to err (not divinely inspired).

What do we mean by "church father"?

Orthodox doctrine and learningHoliness of lifeA certain antiquity (primarily the Roman age)

What constitutes a "father"?

As an elderly man, Ignatius was imprisoned and taken to Rome to be

martyred.During his imprisonment, he wrote seven

letters from which we learn much of the very early church.

We especially learn about the early church’s attitude toward suffering/martyrdom, and we see the rise of the first authority structures in the church.

Ignatius was likely martyred shortly after arriving in Rome. He was over 70 years old.

Ignatius of Antioch: 30?-100?

His father suffered martyrdom under Septimius Severus

He contributed a large body of literature to the early church, including the Hexapla, several commentaries, Against Celsus, and On First Principles.

He affirmed orthodox teaching and held that “nothing which is at variance with the tradition of the apostles and of the church is to be accepted as true.”

However, he felt free to take many speculative flights.

He was tortured to death as an elderly man.

Origen 185-254

Great legal mind; studied law until his conversion to Christianity when he was about 40.

His many defenses of Christianity bear the stamp of a legal mind.

On the Witness of the SoulPrescription Against the HereticsHe condemned all speculation.He later joined a cult known as Montanism.

Tertullian 160-220

“You are to seek until you find, and once you have found, you are to believe. Thereafter, all you have to do is to hold to what you have believed. Besides this, you are to believe that there is nothing further to be believed, nor anything else to be sought.” –Tertullian.

Agree or disagree? Why?

Questions

Considered the father of MonasticismTook Jesus’ command to the rich young ruler,

“…sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven…” Matt. 19:21

Lived alone in a fort in the Egyptian desert for 20 years without seeing the face of another man

Thought that asceticism and contemplation could set him free from temptation.

Four Stages of Monasticism

St. Anthony 251?-356

Apologia - A defense of the faithThe need for the apologistsThe task of the apologistsWhat are we primarily defending the church

against today?

The Apologists

Converted to Christianity in his 40’sWas trained in the school of the Greek

PhilosophersWas Martyred for his beliefsHe took upon himself the task of Christian

Philosophy

Justin Martyr 100–165

Tatian's ApproachWhich is a better approach? Should we try to

show connections between culture and Christianity or should we point out the flaws in culture?

Two Approches to Apologetics: Justin and Tatian