Foundation and Origins Early Christianity

Overview of the Chapter Introduction Beginnings and Church Offices and Officers Pagan and Christian Persecutions Constantine Post-Constantine

Beginnings and Church Offices and Officers The smallness of the very beginnings Paul’s conversion and the news to the Gentiles Relationship with traditional Judaism Gnosticism With success comes need for order Apostolic Succession Bishops (episcopus – overseer) Priest and Bishop as Christ See of Rome and the Pope Petrine Doctrine

Pagan and Christian Image on page 43: Churches were built upon pagan temples Some practices were built upon pagan practices: Easter Earliest Christians as uneducated Later converts from the educated Justin Martyr and pagan learning Philo, Clement, Origen Origen’s Three Points Tertullian

Persecutions Stephen, first martyr told in Acts Jews and Romans as persecutors Nero, Trajan and 2nd century persecutions Expressions of Martyrdom Ignatius and Polycarp The response of Polycarp and relics and saint worship Pilgrimage Saint 3rd and 4th Century persecutions of Decius, Valerian, Diocletian Story of Lawrence Image of St. Eustace on page 49

Constantine Constantine comes to rule in 306 Battle at Milvian Bridge, near Rome, 312 Edict of Milan 313 Donatists Arian and Sabellian heresies Council of Nicea 325 – First Ecumenical Council 2nd Ecumenical Council at Constantinope 381 Nicene Creed Persistence of Arianism

Post-Constantine New forms of martyrdom Asceticism Church becomes Imperial Church vs State: Ambrose versus Theodosius Donation of Constantine New Disputes: Monophysites and Nestorians 3rd Ecumenical Council at Ephesus 431 4th Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon 451