DOCSLIB.ORG

The Church in Egypt Today

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Church in Egypt Today The Church in Egypt Today Abdel Masih Istafanous Background Tradition holds that St. Mark, the writer of the second Gospel, founded the church in Egypt. 1 We know, however, from Acts 2 that on the day of Pentecost representatives from Egypt were present to hear the message of the gospel. It is also worth noting that the Jews of Alexandria were prominent among the Jews of the Diaspora. Moreover, the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, was begun in the third century B.C. in Alexandria. Therefore, we can safely presume that the church was established in Egypt soon after the day of Pentecost through the ministry of some of the 3,000 people who were baptized then. Papyrus, Manuscripts, and Translations Egypt is well known for papyrus, the writing material produced from a plant that grew by the River Nile. The dry climate of Egypt preserved many invaluable, biblical papyri manuscripts for thousands of years. One of the best known is the Chester Beatty collection which contains texts from the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles of Paul, and Revelation, all dating between 200 and 250 A.D. Of special importance was the the discovery of the Nag Hammadi (a town in Upper Egypt) manuscripts in 194 7, which gave us a much closer acquaintance with the Gnostics and their deviations from Christianity, and of the Dishna (a town in Upper Egypt near Nag Hammadi) manuscripts discovered shortly before 1956. These so-called Bodmer Papyri take us back to the beginnings of the third century. They contain the full text of the Gospels of Luke and John, the two Epistles of Peter, and the Epistle of Jude. The fact that most of our ancient biblical manuscripts have been found in Egypt indicates clearly the prominent place of Scripture in the life of the e?.rly Egyptian church. Moreover, some very important translations of the Bible were undertaken in Egypt during the fourth century. The Coptic language was spoken by people in dialects which varied according to their geographical area. Many extant manuscripts are in the Bohairic (northwestern part of Egypt), Fayyumic (area of the oasis of Fayyum), Sahidic, and Akhmimic (southern part of Egypt), dialects. Not only are New Testament scholars very indebted to the early Egyptian Christians for these manuscripts, but also their existence underlines the fact that these Christians were very keen to have the Scriptures in both the language and 99 the dialects of the people. Thus, although bishops of the church of Egypt used the Greek language in their writings and deliberations at church councils (e.g. Nicea in 325, Ephesus in 431, and Chalcedon in 451 ), the Egyptian church translated the Scriptures into the spoken language and dialects of the masses. Hieroglyph, Greek, and Coptic Languages Christianity came to Egypt at a time when its ancient hieroglyphic language was giving way to two derivatives: the hieratic, i.e., the language of the priests/hierarchy, and the demotic, i.e., the language of the people. A further development of the latter brought about the Coptic language. Coptic simply means Egyptian, and is a corruption of Aiguptos, the Greek name for the pre­ Islamic Egyptian people. The Coptic language took over the Greek alphabet and added to it six (or in some dialects, seven) hieroglyphic letters. Ancient Egyptian Religions and Egyptian Church Life It is very interesting to note that as the Coptic alphabet acquired additional hieroglyphic letters, Coptic Christians brought over into Christianity some religious customs from the ancient Egyptian religious practices. For example, special prayers were introduced into Christianity for the "dismissal of the spirit of a deceased person" on the third day after death. This ritual, which is still practiced today, includes such elements as parsley, extensive prayers, and the sprinkling of water. Other prayers with a special liturgy were to be conducted on the fortieth day after a person's death. This incorporated into Christian life and worship something of the forty-day embalming rituals of the ancient Egyptians. These, and many other similar practices, have become a permanent part of the worship and life of Egyptian Christians. Early Theological Role While Rome was the "political" center of the world in the early Christian centuries, Alexandria was, par excellence, the center for culture, philosophy, and education. Her famous library contained a treasure of invaluable manuscripts. Therefore, it was only natural that the major early thinkers of the church were Alexandrian. Happily, their learning was combined with a missionary zeal. Pantaenus, the head of the celebrated catechetical school of Alexandria, 2 is said to have taken the gospel to India. Clement of Alexandria, a Christian theologian, strove to present the Christian faith in terms that communicated well to the philosophical mind of the learned people of his day. 3 When Neoplatonisin spread, Origen of Alexandria presented the Christian faith in its terminology to make the Christian faith appeal to philosophical minds. 4 100 Defense of the Faith When heresies invaded Christianity, Alexandrian theologians played a leading role in dismantling them. Origen, for example, wrote against Gnosticism and the Gnostic gospels. Later on, in the fourth century, the presbyter Arius came to Alexandria from the region called Libya today. He taught that the Son of God was himself created to become God's agent in the creation of the world. The Son, therefore, is not eternal and his nature is not identical with God's. Immediately, Athanasius, a deacon of the church of Alexandria, rose to defend the Christian faith in accordance with the Scriptures and the second-century teachings of Ignatius and Ireneaus. Athanasius maintained that Christ must possess a divine nature and be able to unite it with his human nature, or the salvation of man is but a vain dream. Bishop Alexander of Alexandria adopted Athanasius' stand . This led to the Council of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381), after which the Nicene Creed received the formulation which the church uses today. 5 A few years later, as the church was disturbed by the teaching of Constantinople's Bishop Nestorius, the Council of Ephesus (431) under the leadership of Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, settled matters and Nestorius was condemned. Theology, Politics, Conflict, and Isolation Later in the fifth century, the nature of Christ was discussed. For us today, the doctrine of the Incarnation has become so well formulated that we may fail to appreciate these early difficulties. That formulation holds that when God became man, no new personality was created. Rather, there was a being with a complete human nature, so really and intimately united with the divine nature that one and the same person not only possessed them both, but also lived and acted in both. Thus, the Word became flesh without ceasing to be God. Such early doctrinal discussions were not free from politics nor from the personal ambitions of bishops and emperors. 6 In the fifth century, a church council met at Chalcedon, near Constantinople. Their discussions and disagreements about Christ's deity and humanity were greatly colored by semantics. The vocabulary used often had different meanings to different schools of thought, particularly those of Alexandria and Antioch. The council produced a statement to the effect that the one and same person, our Lord Jesus Christ, was complete in both his divinity and humanity, true God and at the same time true man. Consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father in his divinity and begotten of him before all ages, he was also consubstantial (homoousios) with us in his humanity, and was born of the Virgin Mary. 7 Chalcedon went on to say : One and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, made known in two natures [which exist] without confusion, without JOI change, without division, without separation; the difference of the natures having been in no wise taken away by reason of the union, but rather the properties of each being preserved, and [both] concurring into one Person (prosopon) and one hypostasis-not parted or divided into two persons (prosopa), but one and the same Son and Only-begotten, the divine Logos, the Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from of old [have spoken] concerning him, and as the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and as the Symbol of the Fathers has delivered to us. 8 It is interesting to note that the phrase "made known in two natures" stands in the official Greek text as EK ovo <f>vaEwv while in the Latin it is in duabus naturis. "The latter is undoubtedly correct, the Greek text having been altered by some scribe to bring it into line with Cyril's teaching. "9 The terminology for the Incarnation became fixed, definite, and clear. Physis and hypostasis were now distinct: physis meant nature, and there were two of them in Christ (even if Cyril, pre-Chalcedonian Bishop of. Alexandria, understood the word differently), and hypostasis meant person. There was only one person in the Word incarnate. The Chalcedonian formula was not accepted by the Alexandrians who were led by Bishop Dioscurus. They were of the opinion that though the Lord Jesus Christ was before the Incarnation of two natures, yet at the Incarnation he came to be of one theanthropic nature. From that time, the church of Egypt came to be known as the Monophysite Church, separating itself from most of the churches of the world and from the "state church" in Egypt. This led to its isolation and even persecution. For the sake of unity, uniformity, and peace, the Byzantine Empire wanted to force the Chalcedonian teaching on the Egyptian church, the very thing which it resented.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ethiopia and India: Fusion and Confusion in British Orientalism
    Les Cahiers d’Afrique de l’Est / The East African Review 51 | 2016 Global History, East Africa and The Classical Traditions Ethiopia and India: Fusion and Confusion in British Orientalism Phiroze Vasunia Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/eastafrica/314 Publisher IFRA - Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique Printed version Date of publication: 1 March 2016 Number of pages: 21-43 ISSN: 2071-7245 Electronic reference Phiroze Vasunia, « Ethiopia and India: Fusion and Confusion in British Orientalism », Les Cahiers d’Afrique de l’Est / The East African Review [Online], 51 | 2016, Online since 07 May 2019, connection on 08 May 2019. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/eastafrica/314 Les Cahiers d’Afrique de l’Est / The East African Review Global History, East Africa and the Classical Traditions. Ethiopia and India: Fusion and Confusion in British Orientalism Phiroze Vasunia Can the Ethiopian change his skinne? or the leopard his spots? Jeremiah 13.23, in the King James Version (1611) May a man of Inde chaunge his skinne, and the cat of the mountayne her spottes? Jeremiah 13.23, in the Bishops’ Bible (1568) I once encountered in Sicily an interesting parallel to the ancient confusion between Indians and Ethiopians, between east and south. A colleague and I had spent some pleasant moments with the local custodian of an archaeological site. Finally the Sicilian’s curiosity prompted him to inquire of me “Are you Chinese?” Frank M. Snowden, Blacks in Antiquity (1970) The ancient confusion between Ethiopia and India persists into the late European Enlightenment. Instances of the confusion can be found in the writings of distinguished Orientalists such as William Jones and also of a number of other Europeans now less well known and less highly regarded.
    [Show full text]
  • Country Advice Egypt Egypt – EGY37024 – Treatment of Anglican Christians in Al Minya 2 August 2010
    Country Advice Egypt Egypt – EGY37024 – Treatment of Anglican Christians in Al Minya 2 August 2010 1. Please provide detailed information on Al Minya, including its location, its history and its religious background. Please focus on the Christian population of Al Minya and provide information on what Christian denominations are in Al Minya, including the Anglican Church and the United Coptic Church; the main places of Christian worship in Al Minya; and any conflict in Al Minya between Christians and the authorities. 1 Al Minya (also known as El Minya or El Menya) is known as the „Bride of Upper Egypt‟ due to its location on at the border of Upper and Lower Egypt. It is the capital city of the Minya governorate in the Nile River valley of Upper Egypt and is located about 225km south of Cairo to which it is linked by rail. The city has a television station and a university and is a centre for the manufacture of soap, perfume and sugar processing. There is also an ancient town named Menat Khufu in the area which was the ancestral home of the pharaohs of the 4th dynasty. 2 1 „Cities in Egypt‟ (undated), travelguide2egypt.com website http://www.travelguide2egypt.com/c1_cities.php – Accessed 28 July 2010 – Attachment 1. 2 „Travel & Geography: Al-Minya‟ 2010, Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica Online, 2 August http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/384682/al-Minya – Accessed 28 July 2010 – Attachment 2; „El Minya‟ (undated), touregypt.net website http://www.touregypt.net/elminyatop.htm – Accessed 26 July 2010 – Page 1 of 18 According to several websites, the Minya governorate is one of the most highly populated governorates of Upper Egypt.
    [Show full text]
  • Mints – MISR NATIONAL TRANSPORT STUDY
    No. TRANSPORT PLANNING AUTHORITY MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT MiNTS – MISR NATIONAL TRANSPORT STUDY THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR NATIONWIDE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT FINAL REPORT TECHNICAL REPORT 11 TRANSPORT SURVEY FINDINGS March 2012 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY ORIENTAL CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. ALMEC CORPORATION EID KATAHIRA & ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL JR - 12 039 No. TRANSPORT PLANNING AUTHORITY MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT MiNTS – MISR NATIONAL TRANSPORT STUDY THE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR NATIONWIDE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT FINAL REPORT TECHNICAL REPORT 11 TRANSPORT SURVEY FINDINGS March 2012 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY ORIENTAL CONSULTANTS CO., LTD. ALMEC CORPORATION EID KATAHIRA & ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL JR - 12 039 USD1.00 = EGP5.96 USD1.00 = JPY77.91 (Exchange rate of January 2012) MiNTS: Misr National Transport Study Technical Report 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS Item Page CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................1-1 1.1 BACKGROUND...................................................................................................................................1-1 1.2 THE MINTS FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................1-1 1.2.1 Study Scope and Objectives .........................................................................................................1-1
    [Show full text]
  • The Brethren Concept of Sainthood,” Vox Evangelica 20 (1990): 91-102
    Harold H. Rowdon, “The Brethren Concept of Sainthood,” Vox Evangelica 20 (1990): 91-102. The Brethren Concept of Sainthood* Harold H Rowdon [p.91] INTRODUCTION I am using the title, ‘The Brethren Concept of Sainthood’, for this survey of the view of sanctification associated with those Christians commonly known as ‘Brethren’ because they have always reacted strongly against the idea that the term ‘saint’ was to be reserved for a tiny proportion of Christians who had attained such an unusual degree of holiness as to merit the term as an accolade. Indeed, one of their favourite designations of believers in general was the scriptural term, ‘saints’. But to talk about the Brethren concept of sainthood is to raise the difficult question: Do the Brethren speak with one voice on the subject? This calls for some preliminary discussion of Brethren identity before proceeding to our subject. After several decades of widespread publicity arising from the excesses of the Taylorite Brethren, even the media now mostly realize that there are Brethren and Brethren! In a way, it is rather odd that after more than a century of virtual non-communication between Darbyite Brethren and those from whom Darby withheld fellowship in 1849, the distinction should have taken so long to become recognized. It didn’t take that long for the distinction between Protestants and Roman Catholics, for example, to become obvious. (But I acknowledge that the Brethren have hardly occupied the centre of the stage between 1850 and 1950!) What is surprising is the extent to which non-Darbyite Brethren have retained―or absorbed―so much of Darby’s distinctive teaching.
    [Show full text]
  • Bible-Work in 19Th Century Jerusalem
    First “Organized” F T H E B I B O L E N D A L Bible-work in E H T th N 19 Century I K R Jerusalem O W E L B (1816–1831) I B Part VII: Five Bible-men in Jerusalem (1823–1824) by Kai Kjær-Hansen In the spring of 1823, a trio consisting of Joseph Wolff and two American missionaries – Pliny Fisk and Jonas King – had worked as Bible-men in Jerusalem. Fisk and King had soon sold their rather limited supply of mainly non-Hebrew Scriptures. Throughout the period Wolff was in a position to supply Hebrew Scriptures, but he was only able to distribute a few to Jews in Jerusalem. Four months after leaving Jerusalem, Fisk is back in the town, and a reorganization of the work is carried out. A Jerusalem Bible Society was not established, but at the turn of the year 1823–1824 a “Bible Society Room” is set up in Jerusalem. A good many Scriptures are distributed over these five months. The present challenge is to uncover the relationship between the distribution of non-Hebrew Scriptures to Christians – be they residents of Jerusalem or pilgrims – and Hebrew Scriptures to Jews. Pliny Fisk is the only one of these five Bible-men who remains in Jerusalem all through this period of five months, from November 21, 1823, to April 22, 1824.1 The others are listed chronologically. William Jowett, a resident of Malta, is sent out by the Church Missionary Society (CMS); he arrives together with Fisk and stays in Jerusalem for approximately three weeks.
    [Show full text]
  • Nag Hammadi, Gnosticism and New Testament Interpretation
    Grace Theological Journal 8.2 (1987) 195-212 Copyright © 1987 by Grace Theological Seminary. Cited with permission. NAG HAMMADI, GNOSTICISM AND NEW TESTAMENT INTERPRETATION WILLIAM W. COMBS The Gnostic heresy alluded to in the NT and widely repudiated by Christian writers in the second century and after has been in- creasingly studied in the last forty years. The discovery in upper Egypt of an extensive collection of Gnostic writings on papyri trans- formed a poorly known movement in early Christianity into a well documented heresy of diverse beliefs and practices. The relationship of Gnosticism and the NT is an issue that has not been resolved by the new documents. Attempts to explain the theology of the NT as dependent on Gnostic teachings rest on ques- tionable hypotheses. The Gnostic redeemer-myth cannot be docu- mented before the second century: Thus, though the Gnostic writings provide helpful insight into the heresies growing out of Christianity, it cannot be assumed that the NT grew out of Gnostic teachings. * * * INTRODUCTION STUDENTS of the NT have generally been interested in the subject of Gnosticism because of its consistent appearance in discussions of the "Colossian heresy" and the interpretation of John's first epistle. It is felt that Gnosticism supplies the background against which these and other issues should be understood. However, some who use the terms "Gnostic" and "Gnosticism" lack a clear understanding of the movement itself. In fact, our knowledge of Gnosticism has suffered considerably from a lack of primary sources. Now, however, with the discovery of the Nag Hammadi (hereafter, NH) codices, this void is being filled.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nineteenth Century Apostolic Christian Church: the Emergence, Establishment, and Fragmentation of a Neo- Anabaptist Sect
    The Nineteenth Century Apostolic Christian Church: The Emergence, Establishment, and Fragmentation of a Neo- Anabaptist Sect Joseph F. Pfeiffer Doctoral student School of Intercultural Studies Fuller Theological Seminary Abstract This article traces the emergence, proliferation, and identity formation of a 19th century Neo- Anabaptist sect known variously as Neutäufer (New Anabaptists), Nazarenes, and Apostolic Christian Church. The Neutäufer emerged during an era that was a turning point in world religious history, marked by a renewed sense of missionary vigor and the proliferation of major voluntary (as opposed to state-driven) religious movements. These movements radically transformed Western, and even global, Christianity. The article gives detailed attention to the role of Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich in synthesizing evangelical renewalist impulses with traditional Anabaptist convictions. It also follows the tensions that emerged, where agreed upon centrally held traditional Anabaptist values—e.g. non-conformity, plainness, and separation from the world—came to be understood differently as the movement diversified beyond its original context. This article not only contributes to the historical study of the Neutäufer but also contributes to understanding the sociological dynamics of the emergence, establishment, and fragmentation of religious sectarian movements more generally. Keywords Apostolic Christian Church; Neo-Anabaptist; Anabaptist; Samuel Fröhlich; Sectarian identity formation; Nazarene Acknowledgements Many thanks to the numerous members and former members of the Apostolic Christian Churches when I conducted fieldwork, and also for helping me find important documents related to Apostolic Christian Church history. Address correspondence to: Joseph Pfeiffer; [email protected] Recommended citation: Pfeiffer, Joseph. 2018. “The Nineteenth Century Apostolic Christian Church: The Emergence, Establishment, and Fragmentation of a Neo-Anabaptist Sect.” Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies 6(1):1-25.
    [Show full text]
  • AHPG899 Advanced Coptic
    Department of Ancient History Division of Humanities Macquarie University AHPG899 Advanced Coptic 4 credit points Semester 2, 2011 http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au Illustration on the title page Fragment of page 5 of the Nag Hammadi codex VI containing the Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles 2 Part 1. General information Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor and Lecturer: Dr Victor Ghica Email: [email protected] Phone: (+61) (2) 9850 6800 Office: W6A 541 For general enquiries Position: Departmental Administrator Name: Ms Raina Kim Email: [email protected] Phone: +61 2 9850 8833 Office: W6A 540 Further information on Coptic Studies: www.coptic.mq.edu.au 3 Part 2. Academic Contents Credit Points: 4 Prerequisites: AHPG896 Coptic I - Sahidic (ideally: AHPG897 Coptic II - Sahidic) or AHPG829 Coptic I – Bohairic (ideally: AHPG839 Coptic II - Bohairic) or previous knowledge of Coptic. Unit description This unit offers to students with previous knowledge of Coptic the opportunity for an in-depth study of Coptic language and literature. In the same time it provides an introduction to Coptic palaeography and epigraphy. As a matter of fact, this unit is conceived rather as a research seminar, given that the texts studied are unpublished. The students will treat the texts as editors do, i.e. they will first decipher and edit them and it is only afterwards that they will carry out the translation. Once the palaeographical, codicological, editorial, dialectal and translation issues are addressed, we will undertake the discussion of the content. This semester we will read the following literary and documentary texts: • In Apocalypsim 7-12 (P.Mor.
    [Show full text]
  • The University of Chicago “The Spiritual Human Is
    THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO “THE SPIRITUAL HUMAN IS DISCERNED BY NO ONE”: AN INTELLECTUAL BIOGRAPHY OF WATCHMAN NEE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DIVINITY SCHOOL IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY PAUL H B CHANG CHICAGO, ILLINOIS JUNE 2017 For Laura 我妹子, 我親婦, 你奪了我的心 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Chapter 1, Republican China 18 Chapter 2, Fuzhou: Church and Conflict 74 Chapter 3, The Spiritual Human 127 Chapter 4, The Nanjing Decade 169 Conclusion 223 Bibliography 250 Appendix 259 iii Introduction A network of congregations quietly rings the globe, comprised of Christians meeting in homes and unassuming buildings, which usually bear little resemblance to traditional “churches.” A few outward characteristics are obvious. The local gatherings are of varying sizes, from two or three to two or three thousand. Frequently the members share meals together, often before or after services which can be boisterous and participatory. Generally, no pastor, priest, or designated religious officiant presides. As the Spirit leads, different members stand to call hymns, declare verses from the Bible, give personal testimonies, or shout praises to God. But, for all their openness about their beliefs and their tireless attempts at outreach, it can be hard for outsiders to understand who these Christians are. Why do they not join existing Christian denominations? What is the basis for their identity and the institutions they create? When asked, congregants readily and happily acknowledge their fellowship and unity with other likeminded groups from around the world, but they may seem canny and evasive when asked for the name of their local church or the name of the church network as a whole.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Exclusive' Brethren: an Educational Dilemma
    'Exclusive' Brethren: an educational dilemma 19901 Dr. Stephen Bigger University of Worcester Journal of Beliefs and Values, 1990: 11/1, pp.13-15; additional material © Stephen Bigger 2007. Preface (2007) This paper had its origin in discussions with a group of Exclusive pupils and their parents in the comprehensive school at which my wife, Jean Bigger, was Deputy Head. This was the time when the National Curriculum was being developed, and guidance documentation was appearing thick and fast. The Exclusive parents were suddenly presented with a problem. I had some vague inkling of what this problem entailed from my own upbringing (which had been very negative to Exclusives) but set up some interviews in two Exclusive communities, Oxford and Swindon. The word ‘community’ is a pertinent one: because of teachings outlined below, Exclusives need to live and work closely together: their rules do not allow association with others, even for eating, so young Exclusives tend to be employed by Exclusive firms. There are several such firms in Oxford, and one in my own village in Swindon. Marriages interlink these communities. The biblical requirement for women to cover their hair when praying is applied to all aspects of the day since the whole of life should be prayerful. So Exclusive girls and women wear a simple headscarf. Education up to 18 is encouraged and valued so long as the content is not corrupt (for example sexually explicit). The media, and expecially television, is regarded as potentially corrupting so parents ask for their children to be excused from lessons involving video (although to listen but not watch is considered acceptable).
    [Show full text]
  • A Critical Examination of the Ecclesiology of John Nelson Darby
    A Critical Examination of the Ecclesiology of John Nelson Darby By Matthew Austin Clarke A thesis submitted to the University of Gloucestershire in accordance with the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities. May 2009 A Critical Examination of the Ecclesiology of John Nelson Darby A PhD thesis submitted in May 2009 Abstract This thesis examines the ecclesiology, or doctrine of the church, of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882), who was one of the leading and most prominent members of the Plymouth Brethren in the nineteenth century. The thesis systematically outlines the structure of Darby's thought on the subject of ecclesiology. It explains how Darby defined the church and understood its nature. His ecclesiology is shown to be foundational to the system of Dispensationalist theology in that the church is seen in occupying a period of time unforeseen in biblical prophecy. Darby's ecclesiology is also shown to be an ecclesiology of crisis in that he believed that the church had fallen into such a state of ruin that no bodies existed that could truly be described as churches. The thesis considers Darby's solution to the ruin or failure of the church found in 'meeting in the name of the Lord.' It examines how Darby's view of how the church should meet successfully synthesized the conflicting concepts of unity and separation. It suggests that other writers have not always recognized how Darby distinguished between separation from individuals and separation from institutions. Nevertheless while arguing that Darby's ecclesiology achieved a stable synthesis between unity and separation, it presents a number of practical problems with Darby's ecclesiology.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Shut in with Thee': the Morning Meeting Among Scottish Open
    CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP PAPERS READ AT THE 1997 SUMMER MEETING AND THE 1998 WINTER MEETING OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY SOCIETY EDITED BY R. N. SWANSON © Ecclesiastical History Society 1999 Reproduced by permission PUBLISHED FOR THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY SOCIETY BY THE BOYDELL PRESS 1999 The Morning Meeting among Scottish Open Brethren ‘SHUT IN WITH THEE’: THE MORNING MEETING AMONG SCOTTISH OPEN BRETHREN, 1840s-1960s by NEIL DICKSON he Brethren movement had its origins in the early nineteenth century in Ireland and the south of England, first appearing in TScotland in 1838.1 The morning meeting gave quintessential expression to the piety of the members and was central to its practice. In the 1870s a former Presbyterian who was looking for the ideal pattern of the Church witnessed his first Brethren morning meeting in the village of K—.2 Converted in the revivals in the 1860s he was eventually to join this community. A number of years later he described his initial impressions. The seats were plain, and all alike, and in the place where I would have naturally looked for the pulpit, there stood a small table, covered with a white cloth, and on it a loaf of bread unbroken, and a cup of wine beside it.... The worship of these simple, warm-hearted believers, was such as I had never seen or heard of before. There was no minister, no president; nearly all the brethren took part: some in giving out a hymn, some in prayer and thanksgiving, and several read short portions of the Word, making a few remarks.
    [Show full text]