Worship

Early Worship Practices Church Buildings? John 4:24 First worshipped where? Acts 12:12; Romans 16:3-5; Colossians 4:15

Early Worship Practices Art? Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” No figures, but geometric shapes

Borromean Rings

Trefoil Knot

Chi Rho

Fish

Baptismal Cross

Oldest Surviving Church Eastern Syrian town of Duro-Europos

Duro Europos

Oldest Surviving Church Eastern Syrian town of Duro-Europos Built about 241 AD, buried in 256 Also found: Synagogue Temple of Mithra Persian God dating from ca 1000 B.C. Claim: Christians patterned Jesus from Mithra Born of a virgin?

Worship Practices Liturgy Comes from Greek word lytourgia; “service” Specific order of worship Development of Liturgy? Immediate or gradual? Order or spontaneity? Romans suspicious of Christians Separate from society Rumored to worship animals, eat children, drink blood

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology, ca 155 AD)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology, ca 155 AD)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism “Those who believe what we teach and are willing to live accordingly are instructed to ask God in prayers and fastings to forgive their past sins. We pray and fast with them. They are brought to a place where there is water and bathed in the name of God the Father, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. (Justin Martyr, Apology, ca 155 AD)  “If you do not have living water (running), baptize in any other water; and if you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times…before baptism the one who baptizes and the one who is baptized must fast. (Didache, ca 200 AD)

Baptism Immersion was common Symbolized dying and rebirth Other forms also allowed Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage mentions sprinkling Says manner of applying water not important Must be a priest of the true church After baptism, leave certain occupations Gladiator Artist Actor

Baptism Procedure Daily exorcism leading up to Baptism “Sealing” of forehead, nose, ears w/ cross Done Easter night at rooster crow Oil of exorcism Confession of faith Oil of thanksgiving Given first communion… And milk and honey? No separate rite of confirmation for 2 centuries

Infant Baptism Hyppolytus (600s AD – wrote history of early church) mentions they were baptized w/ parents Practiced in Rome, Carthage and Alexandria Similar to Jewish tradition Children also symbolically washed Compare Acts 16:33 – The Philippian jailer “and all his family were baptized.”

Eucharist Requirements: Be baptized, live in the “manner of Christ.” (Justin Martyr, Apology) Lots of liturgy w/ Lord’s supper – highlight of service Early liturgy elements Kiss of peace (See Mat 5:23-24, 2 Cor 13:12) “The Lord be w/ you.” “And with thy spirit.” “Lift up your hearts.”

Eucharist, continued Food for poor brought during communion Prayers of thanksgiving said over these gifts Eucharist means “thanksgiving” Reminds us of what else? Agape meals Eucharist was part of potluck Used leavened bread, wine mixed w/ water Why? Unbaptized excused before Eucharist Deacons took it to those who were absent

Eucharist, quotes “When the mixed cup and the bread…receive the Word of God and become the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ…how can they say that flesh cannot receive the free gift of God…since it is nourished by the body and blood of the Lord and made a member of Him?” (Irenaeus, d. 225, Against Heresies) “The bread from the fruit of the earth is no longer merely bread…It is Eucharist, made up of two realities, the earthly and the heavenly.” (Ignatius of Antioch, d. 117?)