Church History The Victorious Church © John Stevenson, 2016

“Thou hast conquered, Oh Galilean!” ― Julian the Apostate

A Timeline of Church History 1000 1 500 1500 2000 The Ancient Church The Medieval Church The Reformed Church

Tertullian 155-222 We are but of yesterday, and we have filled every place among you - cities, islands, fortresses, towns, market-places, the very camp, tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum… (Apologeticus 37)

Church persecuted by Rome The Ancient Church Edict of Toleration Church persecuted by Rome 1 100 200 500 300 400 Paul Polycarp Peter Marcion Diocletian John Tertullian Constantine

Diocletian Political Instability Runaway Inflation Pending civil collapse

Diocletian Division of Empire Persecution of Christianity Retirement (305)

Edict of Toleration Christians may again exist and rebuild the houses in which they used to meet, on condition that they do nothing contrary to public order. (Quoted from Eusebius, History of the Church 8:17:5).

Constantine Battle for the Milvian Bridge (312)

Constantine Battle for the Milvian Bridge (312) “In this sign conquer” Edict of Milan: Restated & expanded the Edict of Toleration (313) Reunification of Roman Empire Favored status (324)

Christianity as Favored Religion Bishops given the right to judge civil cases Sunday made into a public holiday New Edict of Toleration: Christians not allowed to persecute pagans

What should be the attitude of Christians to the gaining of political power?

Purity within the church Before Constantine After Constantine Purity within the church Less purity within the church Long periods of catechism training before receiving baptism Requirements to become a Christian were minimized Christians known for their strict lifestyle Loosening of the standards Martyr mentality among the pious Monastic mentality began to emerge among the pious

Rome Constantinople ! !

What about those who have been baptized or married by fallen bishops? Donatist Controversy Donatus Magnus (Died 355) What about those who have been baptized or married by fallen bishops?

Group Project Work as a group to formulate a detailed description of what you believe about Jesus As to His deity As to His sonship from God As He relates to the Holy Spirit As to His humanity

Trinitarian Question Tertullian of Carthage (160-220 A.D.). Coined the term “Trinity” Spoke of how the son proceeded from God “Thus, the Father makes him equal to himself; and the Son, by proceeding from him, was made first-begotten, since he was begotten before all things; and the only-begotten, because he alone was begotten of God, in a manner peculiar to himself” (Against Praxeas).

Trinitarian Question Tertullian of Carthage (160-220 A.D.). Coined the term “Trinity” Spoke of how the son proceeded from God Argued against modalism Origen of Alexandria (165-254 A.D.). Although the Son is begotten of the Father, it is an eternal begetting

Arius Priest in Alexandria, Egypt Taught that Christ was a created being Christ was the first created being who then created all the rest of creation Claimed Tertullian for support, but denied that Jesus was God

Arius “God was not always a father; indeed, there was a time when God was alone, and he was not yet a father. Afterwards, he became a father. The son was not always… before he was begotten, he was not; rather, he has a beginning.” – The Banquet

Arius Deposed by Alexander, bishop of Alexandria Became friends with Eusebius of Nicomedia Shared Christological views Bishop of Nicomedia Distant relative of Constantine

Athanasius Egyptian Christian family Childhood: Playing at baptism 296 - 373 Egyptian Christian family Childhood: Playing at baptism Ordained as a deacon in 319 Assistant to Bishop Alexander at Council of Nicea

Council of Nicaea   Constantinople Nicaea Met at Nicaea in 325 300 Bishops in attendance (5 from west) Alexander & Athanasius versus Arius & Eusebius

The Nicene Creed We believe in one God the Father almighty Maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father, only‑begotten, that is, of the substance of the Father God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father…

Council of Nicaea Nicaean Creed Celebration of Easter Lapsed bishops Celibacy of the clergy (argued but not mandated) Prohibition of kneeling on Sundays

Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in 328 Assassination attempts 296 - 373 Bishop of Alexandria in 328 Assassination attempts Banished by Roman emperors on 5 different occasions Athanasius contra mundum (Athanasius against the world)

Athanasius 296 - 373 “God became man so that man might become God; and He manifested Himself in the flesh so that we might grasp the idea of the unseen Father; and He endured the insolence of men so that we might receive the inheritance of immortality.”

Sons of Constantine Constantine II Constans Constantius

Church persecuted by Rome The Ancient Church Edict of Toleration Fall of Rome Church persecuted by Rome Four Church Councils 1 100 200 500 300 400 Paul Polycarp Athanasius Peter Marcion Arius John Constantine

Church Councils of the 4th and 5th Centuries Council of Nicaea 325 Jesus is of the same substance as the Father Council of Constantinople 381 Holy Spirit is co-eternal with the Father and Son, but the three are distinct Homoousia Same Substance Homoinousia Similar substance

Council of Constantinople 381 Three Cappadocian Fathers Basil the Great: Bishop of Caesarea Gregory of Nyssa (Basil’s younger brother): Scholar Gregory of Nazianzus (Eventual patriarch of Constantinople): Orator One substance (ousia) in three persons (hypostaseis) Arianism condemned

Church Councils of the 4th and 5th Centuries Council of Nicaea 325 Jesus is of the same substance as the Father Council of Constantinople 381 Holy Spirit is co-eternal with the Father and Son, but the three are distinct Council of Ephesus 431 Jesus is one person, fully divine and fully human

Bishop of Constantinople Cyril of Nestorius Alexandria Bishop of Constantinople Bishop of Alexandria Mary as Christotokos (“Christ-bearer”) Mary as Theototokos (“God-bearer”) Council of Ephesus 431

Council of Ephesus 431 Called by Emperor Theodosius II Began before the eastern bishops had arrived Nestorius was deposed and declared a “new Judas” Eastern bishops convened their own council under John of Antioch

Council of Ephesus 431 Eastern bishops deposed Cyril Council deposed John of Antioch Emperor upheld the decision of both councils

Church Councils of the 4th and 5th Centuries Council of Nicaea 325 Jesus is of the same substance as the Father Council of Constantinople 381 Holy Spirit is co-eternal with the Father and Son, but the three are distinct Council of Ephesus 431 Jesus is one person, fully divine and fully human Council of Chalcedon 451 The human and divine natures of Jesus are unmixed

Christ only seemed to be human Christological Heresies Docetic Christ only seemed to be human Ebionite Christ only seemed to be divine Arian Christ was created by God and then created all else Apollinarian Christ had no human spirit; Logos came and replaced it Monoarchian Jesus became the Christ as His baptism

Human nature of Christ absorbed by the Logos Christological Heresies Sabellianism One God reveals Himself in three ways Nestorian Logos indwelt the person of Jesus making Christ a God-bearer Eutyches Human nature of Christ absorbed by the Logos Monophysite Christ had only one nature Monothelite Christ had no human will; only one divine will Adapted from Robert Walton

Chalcedonian Nestorian Monophysite

Julian the Apostate Emperor from 361-363 Nephew to Constantine the Great Renounced Christianity and sought to restore paganism Tried to rebuild Jewish temple in Jerusalem Sought to invade Persia

Theodosius Emperor from 379-395 Ended state support for paganism Put an end to the Olympic Games Excommunicated by Ambrose after riot in Thessalonica

Theodosius Emperor from 379-395 Eugenius Battle of the Frigidus 394

Church persecuted by Rome The Ancient Church Edict of Toleration Fall of Rome Church persecuted by Rome Theodosius 1 100 200 500 300 400 Paul Polycarp Origen Athanasius Peter Marcion Arius John Constantine

Church persecuted by Rome The Ancient Church Edict of Toleration Fall of Rome Church persecuted by Rome Four Church Councils 1 100 200 500 300 400 Paul Polycarp Origen Athanasius Peter Marcion Arius Augustine John Constantine Pelagius

Early Christian Art

Catacomb Burial Lid depicting the Magi

Moses striking the Rock

Catacomb depiction of the Fiery Furnace

Early Christian Architecture

Growth of Church Architecture Stoa as a meeting place

Growth of Church Architecture Stoa as a meeting place The house church

Growth of Church Architecture Stoa as a meeting place The house church Church versus temple

Church & Temple in Sardis

Synagogue in Sardis

Synagogue in Sardis

Synagogue in Sardis

Growth of Church Architecture Stoa as a meeting place The house church Church versus temple Octagonal church

Growth of Church Architecture Stoa as a meeting place The house church Church versus temple Octagonal church Basillica Basillica at Philippi

Growth of Church Architecture Stoa as a meeting place The house church Church versus temple Octagonal church Basillica Cruciform

Church of St John, Ephesus

Old St Peter’s Basillica

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Church of the Nativity