Recap on the Kingdom What is it like? What actions does it involve? Who is a part of it? When it is/does it happen? What characterises it? Anything unusual for us? How do we know that we are Kingdom builders?
Church in history How does the Church respond to changing cultures? The Church in the world
4 main contexts The early Church – 100ad - Constantine The Orthodox Schism – 11 th C The Reformation – 16 th C Modernity – late 18 th C – late 20 th C
The New Church: Clement Clement of Rome AD 96? A pope-like role? Shows an extensive knowledge of the NT writings except John But also Stoic influence perceptible Mentions deacons; presbyters; bishops Ministry received from Jesus Christ Clear apostolic succession Unambiguous Trinitarian speech
The New Church: Ignatius of Antioch Bishop, martyred at Rome AD Wrote 7 letters on his way to Rome No sense of apostolic succession Authority and sacraments upheld A sense of orthodoxy First mention of ‘catholic’ church
The New Church: Didache Date: ? ? But possibly earlier than NT writings? Eucharistic prayers closely follow Jewish form of grace 9/10 Breaking bread/Messianic banquet No mention of Cross/Last Supper Maybe 2 traditions at the beginning? -became later Eucharist and Agape?
Didache - ministry Apostles (not just the 12) Prophets Teachers Bishops and deacons Very strong eschatological emphasis
The new communities ows/religion/maps/christ.htmlwww.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sh ows/religion/maps/christ.html
Monasticism The Desert Fathers - Anthony Basil of Caesarea monastic community in Jerusalem Rule of St Benedict Monte Cassino Cluny Citeaux Clairvaux
Constantine ad The accepted religion The trappings of state Church now modelled on secular authority ‘ordo’ – church now part of a socio- political world Constantine’s search for unity – an imperial religion - theological impact
Separated non-Orthodox Oriental Churches - 5 th century Assyrian Armenian Coptic Ethiopian Syrian Syrian church of India Rejected teachings of Ephesus 431 or Chalcedon 451
Dark Ages Carolingian renaissance: Alcuin of York – first Catechism The period of the Holy Roman Empire in which the subsidence and reordering of culture and education, and the creation of hierarchical organisational patterns, dominate the Church.
The Great Schism – 11 th C Between Rome and Constantinople Split existed at Chalcedon 451 Continued in theology Iconoclasm (8 th C) caused a deeper rift Western Church no longer spoke Greek Eastern Church did not aid Pope in : row between Emperor, Pope and Patriarch.....it all fell apart
1054 ish Politics + Religion = mess Michael Cerularius (d 1058) Patriarch of Constantinople – rift with Papacy Row over Latin v Greek in liturgy ◦ AND FINALLY Pope John 23 rd and Patriarch Athenagoras mutually lifted anathemas!
The Orthodox Churches Russia Greece The Middle East Central Europe Eastern Europe North America
The Reformation: 1519 – 1560s Luther’s 99 propositions 1517 Luther; Calvin; Zwingli; Knox [Renaissance - Printing] Counter Reformation: The Council of Trent
Causes of the Reformation: non- religious Renaissance ◦ Dawn of nation state ◦ Economic development / some prosperity ◦ Focus on individual ◦ Return to classical world ◦ Decline of ‘Christendom’ ◦ Printing in general ◦ Rise of educated middle classes / occupational groups
Causes of the Reformation: religious Dearth of clergy – plague Non-residence of clergy Clergy - comparative illiteracy Indulgences misapplied Fundraising for the Vatican General ignorance of faith Interpretation of Scripture - individual v ecclesial
The Council of Trent Reactive/defensive and boundary marking Priestly formation crucial - seminaries Importance of sacraments and uniformity of presentation Church hierarchy: laity subordinate Transmission: the Catechism Scripture and Tradition Index of forbidden books
Trent – not representative 40 bishops attended mostly Italian Formation of Jesuits: the Society of Jesus Retention of Latin for liturgy Access to scripture restricted
Post Tridentine character Inward looking and defensive ‘the institutional’ church - Dulles Juridical and triumphalist Its own spirituality Jesuits Education of the laity ◦ By religious orders By role learning of the catechism
Europe in 1600s - Christianity ywordResults?ST9%20Eur%20Religions% ywordResults?ST9%20Eur%20Religions%
The Catholic Church Churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome with different liturgical rites – Armenian; Byzantine; Coptic; Ethiopian; East Syrian (Chaldean); West Syrian; Maronite. We are the Roman Catholic Church or the Latin rite within the worldwide communion of Catholic churches
Modernity - late 18 th C – late 20 th C The ultramontane and Papal Infallibility ( First Vatican Council: 1870s) For all Christians throughout the 20th century a diminution of members (nuanced). Struggle with advancing science and technology.
Modernity cont. Struggle with democracy (and facism and communism) Struggle with gender issues Struggle with changes in social mores / wealth / education
‘Modernism’ – looking backwards A response to ‘modernity’ A rejection of the new; of change; of uncertainty; of ideas; of thinking / scholarship A clinging to uniformity; to tradition; to a non-academic character; A denial?
Church and Culture: some issues Slavery: accepted in the Early Church Capital punishment accepted until 1990s Male priesthood now questioned Homosexuality queried Contraception also What can history teach us?
Spirituality Is our present day Church ‘spirit-filled’?