Damsteegt, Womens Status and Ordination as Elders or Bishops in the Early Church
History of the Church I: Week Five. Episcopacy Means the power and prestige of the bishops ...
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Transcript of History of the Church I: Week Five. Episcopacy Means the power and prestige of the bishops ...
History of the
Church I:Week Five
Episcopacy
Means the power and prestige of the bishops
Paul’s pattern for the church: Local church had
two positions: elder/presbyters
which came to beknown as pastors or bishops and deaconsPastors/bishops
led worshipDeacons helped
Turn of 1st century, Ignatius wrote a series of letters in which he said the church should have single bishop, pastors and deacons
Bishops emerge Gnostics argued their leaders
went back to Christ and they had a “secret wisdom” passed through these leaders
Bishops countered with their own list which emphasized the power of the apostles teachings
Each church and bishop now had their own list – Whose was supreme?
3 Ideas emerged
1. “Back to the Bible” These Christians claim bishops overstepped their authority but what is the real structure?
2. Other Christians believe they were exercising the “liberty of the faith”. So is there any structure?
3. Catholics believe it was the H.S. which guided them so this is the pattern for all time. Why then did H.S. stop working in 2nd/3rd centuries?
Power of the Bishops
Up until the 3rd century, the pattern of church had been Paul’s argument from the beginning – you shall know them by their fruits – Christian behavior was morally sound and gross sinners were expelled from the Church
The morality of the Church led many to Christ because they were different
Power of the Bishops
By A.D. 220, the church had fallen into a moral abyss
Previously, sins like sexual immorality, murder and denial of the faith led to exclusion and not be able to partake of the Lord’s Supper
Bishop of Rome Callistus (217-222) was the first to accept back repentant sinners
A.D. 250 Emperor Decius led most violent persecution yet
Power of the Bishops
His plan was issue a certificate which said you gave sacrifice to the Roman gods
If you didn’t, they would torture you until you did Two questions emerge: What do you do with those who sacrificed w/o torture? What do you do with those who gave up under torture? Do you allow them back in the fellowship?
Solution gives power to Bishops
Many believed there was no salvation w/o the church
In Carthage, Bishop Cyprian said the blood of the saints was enough to cover the sins of those who fell short
His solution became the accepted belief – degrees of guilt
Those that suffered but gave in before death were let back in
Those that gave in had to serve penance
Solution gives power to Bishops
The solution was rejected by Church as a whole but the idea did not go away
Novatian, bishop of Rome, rejected this proposal outright but he was opposed by one of his pastors, Cornelius who believed bishops could forgive sins
Cornelius was elected next bishop
Novatian set up small churches which disagreed w/Rome
The Catholic Church begins