Exploring the Church

Questions

Exploring the Church Questions How can you tell if someone if from Schuylkill County?

Terms orthodoxy – right praise, right belief orthopraxy – right action orthocardia – right heart

Exploring the Church The Activity of the Early Church -baptized -came together -devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching -devoted themselves to fellowship (sharing life) -shared in the Lord’s Supper -prayed

Exploring the Church Characteristics of the Early Church -awe -miraculous activity -pooled resources -generosity -sensitivity to those in need -together regularly -worshipful & full of praise -a good reputation -growth (spiritual & numerical)

Fallacies About the Early Church -The church “made up” the Christian faith as it went along -Church leaders suppressed and eliminated all competing versions of the faith

Driving Question What does authentic Christianity look like?

Driving Concern That the church would live out and pass on the Christian faith as inspired by Christ and preached and modeled by the apostles.

Three Guides for the Early Church 1. Letters/books accepted as inspired writings (canon)  considered authoritative for Christian life & teaching  a list was beginning to form by the end of the 2 nd century  earliest established list appears ca. 200 (Muratorian Canon)

Three Guides for the Early Church 2. Church leaders  leadership of local congregations passed on from one qualified (i.e. mature, established, gifted) follower of Christ to another (or more than one; e.g. Rome)  successions of leadership could be traced back to the Apostles  leaders treated with a similar respect as the Apostles (especially those who had personal contact with the “originals”)

Three Guides for the Early Church 2. Church leaders, cont.  tracing the succession -”The blessed Apostles, after founding and building up the church, handed over to Linus the office of bishop....He was succeeded by Anacletus, after whom...Clement was appointed...” Irenaeus of Lyons, ca notable early Church leaders (NOT a complete list)

Polycarp (ca ) a student of the Apostle John bishop of the church in Smyrna (in modern day Turkey) wrote a letter to the church in Phillipi martyred (burned alive, stabbed)

Ignatius of Antioch (ca ) a student of the Apostle John friend of Polycarp bishop of the church in Rome (appointed by the Apostle Peter?) first used the word “catholic” to describe the whole church wrote letters to the church in Ephesus, Magnesia, Trallia, Rome, Philadelphia, Smyrna martyred (killed by animals in the Colosseum)

Clement of Rome (?-100) a student of the Apostle Peter (and possibly Paul, as well) bishop of the church in Rome (appointed by the Apostle Peter?) wrote a letter to the church in Corinth possibly martyred, but cause of death unverified

Three Guides for the Early Church 3. Creeds (from latin credo, “I believe”)  earliest creeds “[Jesus is] the Messiah, the son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16) “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 12:3)  ”Turn a deaf ear to any speaker who avoids mention of Jesus Christ who was of David’s line, born of Mary, who was truly born, ate and drank; was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate, truly crucified and died...” Ignatius of Antioch, ca. 110  The Old Roman Creed (4 th century)

Exploring the Church The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, Your name is holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to you forever and ever. Amen.