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IntroductionIntroduction
© John Stevenson, 2013
Dr. John T. StevensonDr. John T. Stevenson
http://JohnStevenson.net
Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives
• To recognize and identify the major To recognize and identify the major contours of the history of the Christian contours of the history of the Christian Church.Church.
• To identify, explain and evaluate both the To identify, explain and evaluate both the unity and the diversity of the various unity and the diversity of the various Christian traditions.Christian traditions.
• To interpret and evaluate Christianity’s To interpret and evaluate Christianity’s own self-definition and the Church’s own self-definition and the Church’s varied encounters with its surrounding varied encounters with its surrounding culture.culture.
Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives
• To recognize and to evaluate the To recognize and to evaluate the theological development that has taken theological development that has taken place in the life of the Church.place in the life of the Church.
• To explain and discuss key ideas of To explain and discuss key ideas of significant actors through careful reading, significant actors through careful reading, reflection, observation, discussion and reflection, observation, discussion and examination of primary source examination of primary source documents.documents.
Zondervan Handbook Zondervan Handbook to the History of to the History of
ChristianityChristianity
Editor, Jonathan Hill, Editor, Jonathan Hill, Masters of Theology from Masters of Theology from
OxfordOxford
Recommended ReadingRecommended Reading
Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, 3rd Edition, 1996, Word Publishing.
Henry Bettenson and Chris Maunder, Documents of the Christian Church, 3rd edition, 1999, Oxford University Press.
• Homework Questions & ReadingHomework Questions & Reading
• Class ParticipationClass Participation
• Movie ReviewMovie Review
• Christian Experience Report & Oral Christian Experience Report & Oral PresentationPresentation– Visit a church worship service outside your Visit a church worship service outside your
own traditionown tradition
– Interview an elder/pastor from that churchInterview an elder/pastor from that church
– Your paper will involve their history, theology, Your paper will involve their history, theology, worship, and your own personal reflectionsworship, and your own personal reflections
What is Christianity?What is Christianity?
Why should we study about a Why should we study about a bunch of Dead Guys?bunch of Dead Guys?
• Because their story is the story of Jesus Because their story is the story of Jesus at work.at work.
Matthew 16:15-17Matthew 16:15-17
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 16:18Matthew 16:18
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.”
Why should we study about a bunch of Dead Guys?
• Because their story is the story of Jesus Because their story is the story of Jesus at work.at work.
• Because they are a part of your spiritual Because they are a part of your spiritual heritage.heritage.
• Because you are in a continuing story.Because you are in a continuing story.
Old Testament
New Testament
Continuing Testament
Who is the Who is the most most
important important Christian in Christian in the world the world today?today?
Francis & Edith Schaeffer
10001 500 1500 2000
TheMedievalChurch
TheReformed
Church
TheAncientChurch
Acts 1:7-8He said to them, “It is not for
you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Galatians 4:4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.
In what ways was this the “fullness of
the time?”
What Factors Caused What Factors Caused Christianity to Spread?Christianity to Spread?
How did Christians seek to How did Christians seek to accommodate themselves to accommodate themselves to
their audience?their audience?
How did Christians seek to How did Christians seek to accommodate themselves to accommodate themselves to
their audience?their audience?
• Paul’s attitude in 1 Cor. 9:19-27Paul’s attitude in 1 Cor. 9:19-27
• Paul in Athens (Acts 17)Paul in Athens (Acts 17)
• Paul’s vow (Acts 18:18)Paul’s vow (Acts 18:18)
• Timothy’s circumcision (Acts 16:3)Timothy’s circumcision (Acts 16:3)
They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are unknown and
condemned; they are put to death and gain life. They
are poor and yet make many rich. They are short of everything and yet have plenty of all things. They are dishonored and yet
gain glory through dishonor. (Anonymous
Letter to Diognetus, 150).
1 25 50 75 100 125 150
Paul
John
Fall ofJerusalem
Peter
Clement of Rome
• Mentioned by Paul in Mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4:3.Philippians 4:3.
• Served as an overseer in Served as an overseer in the church at Romethe church at Rome
• Tradition ascribes to him an Tradition ascribes to him an epistle to the Corinthians.epistle to the Corinthians.
• Addressed from the church Addressed from the church of Rome to the church at of Rome to the church at CorinthCorinth
Clement of RomeClement of RomeDied 101Died 101
Clement of RomeClement of Rome
Shameful, beloved, extremely shameful, and unworthy of
your training in Christ, is the report that on account of one
or two persons the well-established and ancient
church of the Corinthians is in revolt against the presbyters
(Epistle to the Corinthians 47:6).
Died 101Died 101
1 25 50 75 100 125 150
Paul
John Justin Martyr
Fall ofJerusalem
Peter
Clement of Rome
Justin MartyrJustin Martyr
On the day which is dedicated On the day which is dedicated to the sun, all those who live in to the sun, all those who live in
the cities or who dwell in the the cities or who dwell in the countryside gather in a countryside gather in a
common meeting, and for as common meeting, and for as long as there is time the long as there is time the
Memoirs of the Apostles or the Memoirs of the Apostles or the writings of the prophets are writings of the prophets are
read read (First Apology 67).(First Apology 67).
100-165100-165
DidacheDidache
But on the Lord’s day, But on the Lord’s day, after you have assembled after you have assembled together, break bread and together, break bread and
give thanks, having in give thanks, having in addition confessed your addition confessed your sins, that your sacrifice sins, that your sacrifice
may be pure. (14:1)may be pure. (14:1)
DidacheDidacheBut concerning baptism, thus baptize: having But concerning baptism, thus baptize: having first recited all these precepts, baptize in the first recited all these precepts, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit, in running water; the Holy Spirit, in running water;
7:27:2 but if you do not have running water, but if you do not have running water, baptize in some other water, and if you baptize in some other water, and if you cannot baptize in cold, in warm water; cannot baptize in cold, in warm water;
7:37:3 but if you have neither, pour water three but if you have neither, pour water three times on the head, in the name of the Father, times on the head, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
1 25 50 75 100 125 150
Paul
John
Ignatius
Polycarp
Justin Martyr
Fall ofJerusalem
Peter
Clement of Rome
Ignatius of AntiochIgnatius of Antioch
• Sat under the teaching of Sat under the teaching of the Apostle Johnthe Apostle John
• Bishop of AntiochBishop of Antioch
• ““The closer the sword, the The closer the sword, the closer the Lord”closer the Lord”
• Arrested and taken to Rome Arrested and taken to Rome to be martyredto be martyred
Take care to do all things Take care to do all things in harmony with God, with in harmony with God, with the bishop presiding in the the bishop presiding in the place of God and with the place of God and with the presbyters in the place of presbyters in the place of
the council of the apostles, the council of the apostles, and with the deacons, who and with the deacons, who
are most dear to me, are most dear to me, entrusted with the entrusted with the
business of Jesus Christ… business of Jesus Christ… (Magnesians 6:1).(Magnesians 6:1).
Ignatius of AntiochIgnatius of Antioch
The Apostolic Fathers
Faced a world steeped in
polytheism and pagan worship
The Reformers
Dealt with those who agreed on the reliability of
Scripture, the deity of Christ, and who were
monotheisticTheir evangelistic
concerns were over the paganism
of their day
Their evangelistic concerns were largely
directed toward those who were a part of the Roman
Catholic Church
The Apostolic Fathers
The Reformers
Their evangelistic concerns were
over the paganism of their day
Their evangelistic concerns were largely
directed toward those who were a part of the Roman
Catholic Church
Where should be our major evangelistic concerns today?
