Developing a Post-Apostolic Identity: Examining the Influence of Education Within the Ancient Church and Its Role in the Development of a Ductu in Primitiva Ecclesia
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Developing a Post-Apostolic Identity: Examining the Influence of Education within the Ancient Church and its role in the development of a Ductu in Primitiva Ecclesia. By Ross William Tucker B.A., B.Th., M.A., Th.M., D.Min. Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Education Faculty of Education and Arts University of Newcastle August 2016 1 DECLARATION This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. I give consent to this copy of my thesis, when deposited in the University Library**, being made available for loan and photocopying subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. **Unless an Embargo has been approved for a determined period. Signed:____________________________ Date:________________ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Firstly I’d like to acknowledge my supervisor, Professor Ron Laura, who not only gave me this opportunity to research a topic that I am passionate about, but also has provided support and encouragement along the way. Thank you for the intellectually inspiring thesis supervision along the way. To my wife Sue, for her patience and understanding over many years as this thesis germinated and hatched, and to my parents, Aubrey (dec.) and Elaine Tucker for their support and encourage over a lifetime. 2 TABLE of CONTENT 1. INTRODUCTION . p.1 2. EPISCOPOS in EXTRA-BIBLICAL AND BIBLICAL LITERATURE . p.13 A. The etymology of Episcopos B. Episcopos in Greek Literature C. Episcopos in Jewish Literature 1. Extra-biblical Use 2. Septuagintal Use D Episcopos in the New Testament 1. Episkeptomai 2. Episkopeo 3. Episkope 4. Episcopos 5. Related Terms –diakonos, oikonomos, presbuteros, poimen, angelos leadership at Qumran – maskil, mebaqqer. 3. THE BISHOP IN THE ERA OF THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS . p. 44 A. Clement of Rome 1. Background and Purpose of I Clement 2. Clement’s Use of Isaiah 60:17 3. Clement’s View of the “Bishop” and “Deacon” 4. Clement’s View of “Presbyter” 5. Clements view of Succession 6. Clement’s Congregational Government 7. Clement’s Position at Rome B. The Didache 3 1. Background and Importance 2. Church order of the Didache 3. Use of Episcopos in the Didache C. Ignatius of Antioch 1. Background and Importance 3. Ignatius’ Bishop is not Monarchical 4. Silence concerning the Roman Bishop 5. Bishop Closely Associated with the Presbyters 6. Ignatius’ Problem at Antioch 7. Ignatius’ Existential Situation in Asia Minor 8. Absence of the Doctrine of Apostolic Succession 9. Ignatius’ Bishop is Monepiscopal (p.151) a. Bishop is always Singular b. “Submit to the Bishop” c. “Do Nothing without the Bishop” d. “Reverence the Bishop’s Silence” e. “No Church without the Bishop” 3. THE BISHOP IN THE ERA OF THE APOLOGETIC PERIOD . .p.171 A. Introduction B Hippolytus 1. Background and Significance 2. Hippolytus’ Bishop is Monepiscopal 3. Hippolytus’ Bishop is not Monarchical a. No Attempt to Argue Authoritarian Position b. Bishop Closely Associated with the Presbyter c. Strong Congregationalism Portrayed d. No Doctrine of Apostolic Succession C . The Didascalia Apostolorum 4 1 Threefold Ministry 2. Episcopacy is not Monarchical D. Cyprian 1. Background and Significance 2. The Bishop and His Clergy a. Clergy Commissioned to Assist the Bishop b. Bishop Regards Himself as One of His Presbyters c. Bishop Exercises Episcopal Authority 3. The Bishop and His Church a. The Bishop’s Identification with His Church b. The Bishop as Servant of His Church 4. The Bishop and His Colleagues 4. THE SHIFT IN EPISTEMOLOGY: A RUBRIC OF POWER . .p.221 A. The Place of Pedagogy in the Development of Early Leadership B. The Challenges from False Teachers C. Hermeneutics, Old Testament Exegesis and the Scourge of Allegory D. Pedagogy and the Sacrament E. The Development of a New Testament Priesthood? F. The Rubric of Power Bears Fruit: Medieval “Transformative Subjugation” G. A Model of Biblical Leadership: 5. CONCLUSION . p.264 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY . p.267 5 ABSTRACT The aim of this thesis is to provide a deeper perception and understanding of the place of education and teaching that was at work in the early church and its role in the development of the leadership in the early church. This involves an examination of the epistemological changes that occurred from New Testament times through the first three centuries of the Church, and an examination of how the ancient Church applied that understanding through it various pedagogical methodologies to effect and incorporate a real change in the ontological nature of the Church, resulting in an ‘organisation’ and leadership that in many ways modelled the Roman state and redefined the Church’s heritage. The title of my thesis is: Developing a Post-Apostolic: Examining the Influence of Education within the Ancient Church and its role in the development of a Ductu in Primitiva Ecclesia. This thesis is an adaptation of work I commenced for a PhD in history at La Trobe University, Melbourne, which was discontinued for personal reasons. My intent with this thesis is to make a critical examination of the development of the leadership of the Christian Church through the ages of both the Apostolic and Apologetic Fathers in the first three centuries of the of the Christian Church, and to understand the way the Church’s epistemology changed and how that change shaped and influenced the development of the leadership of the early Church. More specifically, I will examine the epistemological changes and their pedagogical application, which served to underpin the development of the Church along a particular theological pathway. It also supported the development of the episcopal leadership who developed their role into a priesthood, which further impacted on the epistemological nature of the church. 6 Lastly, I will briefly examine the model of ministry presented in the New Testament as a comparison with the “New Hermeneutic.” Introduction The aim of this thesis is to provide a deeper perception and understanding of the place of education and teaching within the church and its development of the leadership of the early church. This involves an examination of the epistemological changes that occurred from New Testament times through the first three centuries of the Church, and an examination of how the ancient Church applied that understanding through it various applications of pedagogy to effect and incorporate a real change in the ontological nature of the Church, resulting in an ‘organisation’ and leadership that in many ways modelled the Roman state and redefined the Church’s heritage. The title of my thesis is: Developing a Post-Apostolic: Examining the Influence of Education within the Ancient Church and its role in the development of a Ductu in Primitiva Ecclesia. In the period immediately after the demise of the Apostles, Christ had not yet returned, the challenges of Jewish opposition and Roman persecution coupled with the introduction of strange new teachings that challenged the church as it expanded into new Gentile territory all added to the challenge for survival. What was it to become? What was it’s leadership to look like and how were they to meet the challenges of a hostile world? This is the quest I am setting out to explore and to examine how education/teaching influenced that development. This thesis is an adaptation of work I commenced for a PhD in history at La Trobe University, Melbourne, which was discontinued for personal reasons. My intent with this thesis is to make a critical examination of the development of the leadership of the Christian Church through the ages of both the Apostolic and Apologetic Fathers in the first three 7 centuries of the of the Christian Church; to understand the way the Church’s epistemology changed and how that change shaped and influenced the development of the leadership of the early Church. Specifically, in examining the epistemological changes, I will show how its application, especially the pedagogical application served to underpin the development of the Church and its episcopal leadership. My approach in attempting to achieve this is firstly to make a detailed examination of the development and use of the language of antiquity, both biblical and non-biblical sources that may assist in the understanding of the context and meanings of such word as episcopos and presbuteros, diakinos and their various cognates. I will then attempt to examine the usage of these terms through the periods of the apostolic and apologetic fathers of the church to gain an understanding of the ways the terminology was employed within the various contexts. The contextual investigation is very important in understanding the reasons and motivations behind the epistemological changes that led to the development of a “new leadership;” a development into a hegemony with a significance power imbalance over the “common” worshippers and later, over kingdoms and empires of Europe. The key individuals who lived in the period of the early church whose teachings and writings revealed certain beliefs about church leadership and governance, included; Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Hippolytus of Rome, and Cyprian of Carthage. I will examine their teaching in some detail. Clement was the leader or bishop of the church in Rome, who is believed to have had close associations with the Apostle Peter.1 He is believed to have held office between 92 to 99AD. Clement is known for his epistle to the church in Corinth (c. 96), in which he asserts the apostolic authority of the bishops = presbyters as rulers of the church.