Looking In The Rearview As The Church Drives Forward Lesson 2: Who s Your (Church) Daddy?
Gregg Allison: The term orthodoxy refers to that which the New Testament calls sound doctrine (1 Tim 1:10; 2 Tim 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1), that which rightly reflects in summary form all the teaching of Scripture and which the church is bound to believe and obey. Heresy, then, is anything that contradicts sound doctrine. It is false belief that misinterprets Scripture or that ignores some of the teachings of Scripture, or that incorrectly puts together all the teaching of Scripture. (p. 24)
Bryan M. Litfin: The fathers are a previous generation of believers who continue to guide their spiritual descendants in the Christian church today. (p. 17)
Earle Cairns: The title father of the church has its origin in the use of the title father, which was given to bishops, especially in the West, to express affectionate loyalty. It was increasingly used from the third century on to describe the orthodox champions of the church and exponents of its faith. Patrology or patristics is the name of the study of the life and works of these men, most of whom lived in the period between the end of the apostolic age and the Council of Chalcedon. (p. 71)
The church fathers were not biblical. The church fathers were Roman Catholics The church fathers represent the fall of Christianity From Bryan Liftin, Getting To Know The Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction, pp. 20ff
A. We will see how the Church grew in their understanding of the Word and doctrine. B. We will appreciate how lives of faithful believers stood firm on what they believed.
c. 30 100 Leading elder (bishop) of the church in Rome Not the 4 th Roman Catholic Pope as asserted by the RCC Mentioned in Philippians 4:3 Helped Corinth mend division (50 years after Paul) in 1 Clement 1 Clement is earliest extra-biblical Christian writing Martyred in reign of Domitian
Clement of Rome tried to prove the Resurrection by comparing it to the story of the phoenix a mythological bird alleged to be reborn from its ashes every 500 years. Clement wrote as if all reasonable people believed in the phoenix story. ( Evangelism In The Early Church: Did You Know?, Christian History Magazine, Issue 57, 1998, p. 5)
Died 117 Bishop of the church in Antioch, Syria Antioch was the first missionary sending church Contended against Gnosticism First to distinguish bishops and elders Arrested in 110 by Romans for faith Joyful over martyrdom, feared intervention Died under Trajan s persecution
Wrote 7 letters on way to martyrdom in Rome To the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrnaeans and to Polycarp unity within the church fighting against heresy (Gnosticism, particularly) submitting to the ruling bishop
Late 1 st century early 2 nd century Hermas served in Rome Former slave, Jewish background Freed from slavery by Rhoda in Rome He would marry and become welloff He would lose his wealth through persecution even at the hands of his own children Contemporary of Clement of Rome
Legacy work of Hermes written between 90-150 Contains 5 visions, 12 mandates and 10 parables Some considered it canonical An allegorical charge for the Church to be faithful and repent of sin.
c. 70 156 Disciple of the Apostle John Bishop of Smyrna (modern day Izmir, Turkey) possibly appointed AD 110 Church of Smyrna persecuted because it refused emperor worship
9 I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
Of his many writings, only his letter to the Philippian church has survived This letter encourages believers to walk in faith He quoted 13 New Testament books and was familiar with the epistles of Paul
Smyrna ordered his arrest: Kill the church leader and his church will die. Arrested at pagan festival in 156 Proconsul: Swear the oath, and I will release you; revile the Christ. Polycarp replied Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?
Proconsul: I have wild beasts here and I will throw you to them, unless you repent. Polycarp: Call for them: for the repentance from better to worse is a change not permitted to us; but it is a noble thing to change from untowardness to righteousness. Polycarp: You threaten that fire which burns for a season and after a little while is quenched: for you are ignorant of the fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But what delays you? Come, do what you will. (loose translation from JB Phillips translation of The Martyrdom of Polycarp
Friend of Apostle John Bishop in Hierapolis in Phrygia Exposition of the Oracles (Sayings) Of The Lord History of life and teaching of Jesus Premillennial Believed in literal 1,000 year reign of Christ that there will be a millennium after the resurrection of the dead, when the kingdom of Christ will be set up in material form on this earth. (quoted in Eusebius Ecclesiastical History, II vols, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1926, Vol. I, p. 297)
Early 2 nd century Didache = Teachings of the Twelve Author: Unknown Place written: Alexandria or Syria 4 Main Sections Ch. 1-6: Christian Ethics Ch. 7-10: Worship Issues (baptism, fasting, communion) Ch. 11-15: Church Ministry & Government Ch. 16: Second Coming and End of the World
Why is orthodoxy important to the Church today? What are the modern attacks to orthodoxy and how does that affect the presentation of the Gospel (2 Timothy 4:2-5)? Who are some of the modern day defenders of orthodoxy? How?
Gnosticism, Judaizers, Arianism, Docetism, Apollinarianism, Montanism 5 minutes max what it is, how it s wrong, what the Scriptures teach about the error You will receive my notes http://theresurgence.com/series/know-your-heretics
Gnosticism Jordan Judaizers Marjorie Arianism - Gordon Docetism Apollinarianism Montanism - Lanette