Christian Living Education 9: Church and Society PDF

CHRISTIAN LIVING EDUCATION 9 CHURCH AND SOCIETY HAND-OUT 5: THE FAITH OF THE EARLY CHURCH Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39, NABRE) OVERVIEW I. Introduction II. The Spread o...

CHRISTIAN LIVING EDUCATION 9 CHURCH AND SOCIETY HAND-OUT 5: THE FAITH OF THE EARLY CHURCH Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39, NABRE) OVERVIEW I. Introduction II. The Spread of the Church amidst Persecution A. The Martyrdom of St. Stephen B. Accusations against Christian C. Roman Persecutions III. The Growth of the Church A. Fathers of the Church B. Magisterium of the Church C. Middle Ages D. The Evangelization of America and Asia I. Introduction Jesus has foretold that his Church would be persecuted and that his followers would suffer arrest, imprisonment, mockery, scourging, and martyrdom for bearing witness to his name. “As they have persecuted me, so also will they persecute you” (Matthew 10: 16 – 23). Christians did suffer persecution, rejection, hatred, death – for Jesus. First there was the Jewish persecution of the young Church in the early years of Christianity. Well-meaning Jews saw the Christians as a threat to their religion. Then came the Roman persecutions, which lasted three hundred years and resulted in thousands of martyrs. Christians were imprisoned, beaten, starved, and taken to the Colosseum to be burned alive, torn apart by wild beasts, or crucified to amuse the Roman mob. However, as emperor after emperor attempted to crush the Church, the Church did nothing but grow. II. The Spread of the Church amidst Persecution As we saw the last lesson, Pentecost marked the beginning of the Church. The Spirit came and changed the confused believers into dynamic preachers. They simply had to go out and proclaim the Good News to others. Filled with enthusiasm, they began to gain converts. They got people to believe in something that, on the surface, didn’t make much sense: a suffering crucified Savior died and came back to life. The First Century: Dates and Events Year 33 Pentecost 35 Martyrdom of St. Stephen Christians are scattered 37 Conversion of St. Paul Baptism of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion 45-58 Apostle St. Paul’s Missionary Journeys 64 Burning of Rome Martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul 70 Destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman empire 100 Death of the last apostle – St. John 2024-2025 A. The Martyrdom of St. Stephen. The Church grew rapidly in Jerusalem, under the apostles’ leadership. The believers stayed there until the execution of Stephen, a Church leader (Acts 6 – 7). Stephen’s Martyrdom. When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right handof God, and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the righthand of God.” But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a youngman named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then hefell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7: 54-60 NABRE In a nutshell: First Persecution of Christians in Jerusalem A violent wave of persecution followed, forcing Christians to flee Jerusalem. But this had a positive effect – everywhere they went, they preached the good news (Acts 8:4). Christian missionary activity had begun. This is born of persecution. In Acts 8, Luke begins to record the expansion of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem. Philip began to successfully preach to the Samaritans (Acts 5:13); this was the first missionary journey outside of Jerusalem. The word of Jesus did not stop with death, but rather as risen Lord, through the power of the Spirit, he inaugurated the mission of the Church. The apostles and disciples he had formed went out, as the story of Pentecost attests to share the good news in obedience to the mission mandate of Jesus. Whereas Jesus addressed himself to non-Jews in only a few instances, his followers were to extend his mission, beginning in Jerusalem, to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Through them the gospel would be preached to persons and places where Jesus himself did not go. The rapid spread of the Gospel among the pagans and throughout the Roman Empire was largely due to the efforts of the apostles and missionaries, but there were also other factors that contributed the internal peace and order in the whole Roman empire, the construction of roads and highways for fast communication systems, the common language, the growing spiritual hunger amidst the moral decadence and the crass idolatry of the times explained the openness to and acceptance of the lofty message of the Christian Bible. The book of Acts ends with the good news being preached on the streets of Rome, the heart of the empire. It was only beginning. This new religion called Christianity certainly had no goal of conquering the world, except in a spiritual sense. Few, and with minimal material resources, Christians hardly presented to threat to the might and power of the Roman Empire. Nevertheless, emperors launched cruel persecutions against them to keep Christianity from spreading; because although the Christians lacked the means, much less the desire to triumph over the Romans militarily, their doctrines based on the teachings of Jesus Christ were designed to conquer the minds and hearts of humanity. 2024-2025  early missionaries, the Church had moved beyond its beginnings as a small Jewish community in C. Roman Persecutions Roman persecution broke out in the year AD 64, due to a whim of the emperor Nero. A great fire, lasting six days, had destroyed three fourths of Rome. The people suspected that Nero had arranged for the fire to be started – perhaps so that he could rebuild the city the way he wanted it. To divert the blame from him, Nero falsely accused the Christians. Many Christians were arrested and quickly executed. This inaugurated the era of Roman persecution of Christians. Countless numbers of Christians were put to death as a result. Some were thrown to the wild animals in the arena set ablaze, tied to poles in Nero’s Garden on Vatican hill, to serve as living torches! Peter and Paul died in Rome under Nero’s reign of terror. Peter because he was a Roman subject and not a citizen was crucified. Paul, a Roman citizen was beheaded. The Church practically could not exist above ground. It had to meet secretly, often in the catacombs. Christianos esse non licet! “It is forbidden to be a Christian!” Being a in force in the Roman Empire for more than two hundred fifty years. In this final moment, they were overjoyed. While being burned liketorches, fed to the lions, crucified like criminals, they were all singing with the one their hearts had loved, while the non-Christians were by devoti to join the Church. Point for Reflection: Jesus has no need for mere preachers and theologians. He needs living witnesses to his message, believers who are believing and living the good news. It is not always easy to beidentified as a Christian and proclaiming the gospel without embarrassment can be difficult at times. Yet the Holy Spirit gives us the courage to risk living the Christian life. For reflection, answer this: “If you were arrested and charged in court for being a Christian, what evidence could there be strong enough to convict you?” 2024-2025 III. The Growth of the Church The First 1000 Years: Dates and Events Year 64 Fire at Rome: Persecution of emperor Nero 70 Gospels written 95 Book of Revelation written 150 Justin Martyr describes Divine Liturgy 215-290 Rise of Christian schools in Alexandria and Antioch 250-260 Major persecutions by emperor Decius and Valerian 303 Persecution by Emperor Diocletian 311 Emperor Gallienus puts a stop to the Christian persecution issued the Edict of Toleration 313 Emperor Constantine issued Edict of Milan granting Christians the freedom to profess their faith publicly 325 First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea - Nicene Creed 326 Empress Helen discovers the cross of Christ 395 Christianity becomes official religion of the Roman Empire 397 Synod of Carthage ratifies Biblical Canon 451 Council of Chalcedon 496 The conversion of the Franks under King Clovis 589 Filioque added to Nicene Creed 787 Seventh Ecumenical Council 1054 Great Schism The turn of the tide came in 312, when Constantine, an aspirant to the imperial purple, adhered to the faith. He did so just before a successful battle with one of his rivals, being impelled to the step, so he later said, by the vision of a cross of light in the sky with the inscription "Conquer by this." In 313 Constantine and his chief remaining rival, Licinius, entered into an agreement at Milan which contributed to the toleration of Christianity. The acceptance of Christianity by Constantine was followed by its augmented spread. Constantine did not forbid the continuation of the non-Christian religions, but he removed the disabilities under which Christians had suffered and encouraged the erection of churches. In Byzantium, which he made his capital and renamed Constantinople, he built many churches and forbade the repair of pagan temples. His three sons, who followed him on the imperial throne, patronized Christianity, placing restrictions on non-Christian cults. Under imperial favor the Church experienced a rapid growth. Many who thronged into it did so from expediency rather than deep religious conviction, and the moral and spiritual quality of the Christian community suffered. profess and publicly practice the faith by the “Edict of Milan.” He granted their religious preference was. In addition, the property that had been confiscated from the Christians was to be returned. In the following The Franks, under their King Clovis, in the year 496; then the Visigoths, and the other barbarian peoples. Playing central roles in this evangelization were St. Patrick, St. Boniface, St. Augustine of Canterbury, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, and other saints who brought the faith to the various regions of the continent. A. THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH The Fathers of the Church are Christian writers of the first centuries, outstanding for doctrinal orthodoxy and holiness of life. Their lives and writings are of great importance both for the faithful transmission of the revealed truth and for explaining it theologically and defending it against errors that began to arise from the beginning. “The teachings of the Holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition of the Church.” (Dei Verbum, 8). 2024-2025 B. MAGISTERIUM OF THE CHURCH IN THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCILS An Ecumenical council (or oecumenical council; also, general council) is a conference of the bishops of the whole Church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. The word derives from the Greek language "Οικουμένη," which literally means "the inhabited," and was originally a figure of speech referring to the territory of the Roman Empire since the earliest councils were all convoked by Roman Emperors. In later usage, it was applied in a more general way to mean all places that are inhabited by the Church, therefore "world-wide" or "general." The first ecumenical councils, in which all the bishops of the Church gathered to clarify Catholic teaching against the threat of heretics, were of great importance for the deepening of Trinitarian and Christological doctrine. The councils were as follows: 1. The Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325. It condemned the heresy of Arius (Arianism), which denied the divinity of Christ, and it taught that Jesus Christ is true God, of the same nature ‘homousios’ as the Father. Jesus Christ is God the Son. 2. The First Council of Constantinople, A.D. 381. It taught the divinity of the Holy Spirit, against the error of Macedonius. The definitions of these two first councils make up the Nicene Creed, which is prayed in the Liturgy. The Holy Spirit is Divine God, Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. 3. The Council of Ephesus, A.D. 431. It condemned the errors of Nestorius (Nestorianism), which affirmed that in Christ there were two persons, one divine and the other human, and that the Virgin Mary could not be called Mother of God because she was only the mother of Christ’s human person. The Council taught that in Christ there was only one divine person, and that the Blessed Virgin should be called “Mother of God” (Theotokos). 4. The Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451. It rejected the error of Eutyches (Monophysitism), which only admitted one (the divine) nature in Christ. Eutyches said that the divine nature of Jesus dissolved the human nature. In the Council of Chalcedon, the Church taught in this council that in Christ there is only one divine person and two natures, the divine and human, since he is true God and true man. Jesus Christ 100% God (Divine) 100% Human Being (Flesh and Blood) which also known as ‘hypostatic union’. 2024-2025 CHRISTIAN HERESIES: DOCETISM - (1st-2nd centuries): Condemned that Jesus’s body was an illusion. His body on the cross is not real. MANICHAEISM - (3rd century): Profess that everything physical was evil. Therefore, Christ’s human body is evil. ARIANISM - (3rd-4th centuries): Denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. He was conceived by a human being. NESTORIANISM - (4th-5th centuries): Denied Virgin Mary was the mother of God. she was only the mother of Christ’s body. PELAGIANISM - (4th-5th centuries): Denied Original Sin. That true Christians is expected to be perfect. MONOPHYSITISM - (5th century): Jesus’ divine nature overwhelmed his human nature. C.THE MIDDLE AGES The Middle Ages saw the Christianization of most of Europe. People were born into faith as they were born into society. And, as in any society, there was a range of behavior and commitment reflected inthe celebration of the Eucharist. 5. The Eastern schism. In the 1054, Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, accused Rome of havingcorrupted the faith because it taught, and prayed in the Creed, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father “and from the Son” (Filioque). In the eleventh century, Patriarch Michael Cerularius renewed the accusations of Photius and was excommunicated, thus effecting the rupture or schism by which a part of the Church of the East separated from the See of Rome, removing itself from the authority of the Roman Pontiff. This schism, which resulted from conflicts and misunderstandings in the cultural and political atmosphere existing between West and East, has lasted right up to our own days. Those who separated themselves from Rome are called “orthodox”. They havepreserved the faith and celebrate the sacraments validly, but they do not acceptthe Pope’s authority over the universal Church. This schism continues to be a woundin the Church; at the present time there is prayer and work on both sides, encouraged by the Holy Father, to re-establish unity. 6. Theology in the Middle Ages. This is a period of great development in theological science. The principal figure was St. Thomas Aquinas (13th century), whose main works are the Summa Theologica and Summa Contra Gentiles.Other great theologians and saints of the Middle Ages were St. Bernard, St. Albert the Great, and St.Bonaventure. 2024-2025  St. Thomas Aquinas St. Bernard St. Albert the Great St. Bonaventure 7. The Religious Orders. The monastic and religious life flourished in the high Middle Ages. Monasteries of Benedictines who followthe “Rule of St. Benedict” (fifth century) spread widely. In the thirteenth century the great “mendicant” religious orders arose, especially the Franciscans (St. Francis of Assisi) and the Dominicans (St. DominicGuzman). Benedictines Franciscans Dominicans 5th Century 13th Century 13th Century 8. The Crusades. The Crusades were expeditions undertaken, in fulfilment of asolemn vow, to deliver the Holy Places from Mohammedan tyranny. These were military-religious expeditions in which all Christendom took part. Their principal purpose was to recover the Holy Land, then under Muslim rule. The idea of the crusade corresponds to a political conception which was realized in Christendom only from the eleventhto the fifteenth century; this supposes a union of all peoples and sovereigns under the direction of the popes. All crusades were announced by preaching. After pronouncing a solemn vow, each warrior received a cross from the hands of the pope or his legates and was thenceforth considered a soldier of the Church. Outside of their historical, political, and social context, it is very difficult to judge these events thatseem at first glance contrary to the commandment of love. Some historians, with sincere love for theChurch, have pointed out that, in part at least, the Crusades were in conformity with the spirit of theGospels. Others, on the other hand, present the Crusades out of context, seeing in them a kind of “holy war” or imposition of the faith by violent means. Without failing to admit the mistakes and abuses that took place, one should take into account that some critics manipulate the historical data for the purpose of attacking the Church. 2024-2025 9. Pilgrimages Pilgrimages to holy places enabled the faithful to atone from their sins, seek miraculous cures andextend their experience of the world. Bodily remains of saints, and objects associated with them (such as the Virgin's mantle, the holiest relic at Chartres Cathedral), were the star attractions for pilgrims. Pilgrims might travel relatively short distances to see and touch the shrines of local saints, or undertake moreambitious (and dangerous) journeys. The most popular destinations were Rome, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the Holy Land, and Canterbury. Along the pilgrim’s way was a religious order also knownas the ‘The Knights Hospitallers’. They also began to take up arms toprotect pilgrims as well as tend their illnesses and injuries. Hospitaller Knights were still monks and continued to follow their vows of personal poverty, obedience, and celibacy. The order also includedchaplains and brothers who did not take up arms. 10. Educational System In this period, four educational systems or movements emerged namely: Monasticism, Scholasticism, Chivalry, and the Guild system of education. Each educational system bears differentfeatures and characteristics. The medieval concept of education is centered on spiritual, intellectual,political, and economic development. Much of the period is marked by the influence of Christianity andmany of the philosophers of the period were greatly concerned with proving the existence of God and reconciling Christianity with classical philosophy. Education is geared towards a clerical state whichmeans it is really intended to prepare students for the priesthood. 6. The Western Schism. In the fourteenth century, the Popes resided on French territory –in Avignon—for seventy years (1306-1376). Gregory XI, yielding to the pleas of St. Catherine of Sienna, returned to Rome. Upon his death, in 1378, a schism broke out in the West. This division, with great scandal for consciences, lasted forty years. The Western Schism was only a temporary misunderstanding, even though it compelled the Church for forty years to seek its true head; it was fed by politics and passions and was terminated by the assembling of the councils of Pisa and Constance. This religious division, infinitely less serious than theother, will be examined in its origin, its developments, the means employed to end it, and its ending in 1417 by the election of an undisputed pope Afterwards, unity was restored, although for some time a climate fostering disobedience to thePope was prevalent since many upheld the supremacy of the authority of a council over that of the Roman Pontiff (Conciliarism). C. THE EVANGELIZATION OF AMERICA AND ASIA With the discovery of America in 1492, the evangelization of this continent began: an immense task, with great repercussions for its human and social development. This evangelization was carried outabove all by the missionaries and by colonists—craftsmen and merchants, officials, and soldiers, etc.— animated by a Christian spirit. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish missionaries preached the Gospel in various parts of Asia: In India, Japan, China, and in the Philippines where thefaith became deeply rooted. Evangelization also bore fruit among the peoples of the African coasts. 2024-2025 Point for Reflection: The power of the gospel to transform lives had not diminished since Jesus’ time. ButGod needs human vessels who will proclaim that the Kingdom of is here. Each of us, in our own way,according to God’s will, is commissioned to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. This mission of Jesus originally entrusted to the apostles – Peter, John, Paul, you name it – is now the mission of all thebaptized. Ask yourself these questions: “What is the mission God has given me? How willing am I to go to the ends of the earth?” References: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ecumenical_Council Davis, Leo Donald. The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787): Their History and Theology. Liturgical Press, 1990. ISBN 978-0814656167 Need, Stephen W. Truly Divine and Truly Human: The Story of Christ and the Seven Ecumenical Councils.Hendrickson Publishers, 2008. ISBN 978-1598562996 Tanner, Norman P. The Councils of the Church. Herder & Herder, 2001. ISBN 0824519043 https://cbcpnews.net/cbcpnews/philippine-franciscans-elect-new-minister-provincial/ https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04543c.htm Images: http://www.otherfood-devos.com/2014/12/lessons-from-life-and- death-of-stephen.html https://www.generationword.com/notes/bible-information/acts- maps.html https://churchofsthelena.com/pictures/2017/7/Constantine.jpg https://quotesgram.com/thomas-aquinas-quotes-on-education/ https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/20/quote-s-of-the-day-the-memorial-of-st-bernard-of-clairvaux- 1090-1153-doctor- of-light/ https://www.saintsfeastfamily.com/copy-of-st-vladimir-of-kiev-july-15 https://saintjohnsabbey.org/prayer 2024-2025