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A Glorious Institution: the Church in History Encompasses the Breadth of Church History from Its Beginnings to the Present Day

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A Glorious Institution: the Church in History Encompasses the Breadth of Church History from Its Beginnings to the Present Day Published by Chapel Library 2603 West Wright St. Pensacola, Florida 32505 USA Sending Christ-centered materials from prior centuries worldwide Worldwide: please use the online downloads worldwide without charge. In North America: please write for a printed copy without charge. We do not ask for donations, send promotional mailings, or share the mailing list. A Glorious Institution: The Church in History Stanford E. Murrell Contents Part One: When the Church Was Young, A.D. 33 – 754 1. THE BIRTH OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH...................................................................................................................8 BACKGROUND OF THE CHURCH.........................................................................................................................................8 THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH: VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE............................................................................................8 PHYSICAL PREPARATION FOR THE CHURCH...................................................................................................................9 SPIRITUAL PREPARATION FOR THE CHURCH..................................................................................................................9 RAPID EXPANSION OF THE CHURCH .................................................................................................................................9 CHARACTER OF THE CHURCH.............................................................................................................................................9 SELECTED EARLY CHURCH LEADERS...............................................................................................................................9 SELECTED EARLY WRITINGS OF THE “FATHERS”........................................................................................................10 2. THE SUFFERING SAINTS A.D. 33 – 313 AD............................................................................................................................10 THE AGE OF HEROES............................................................................................................................................................10 THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH IS PERSECUTED ....................................................................................................................10 THE GLORY AND THE POWER OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE .............................................................................................11 A BEAST NAMED NERO .......................................................................................................................................................11 IGNATIUS, JUSTIN, AND POLYCARP.................................................................................................................................11 DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE: A.D. 193 - 476.....................................................................................12 PEACE BEFORE PERSECUTION ..........................................................................................................................................14 RENEWED EFFORTS OF DESTRUCTION...........................................................................................................................14 THE GRACE OF GALERIUS ..................................................................................................................................................14 3. THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH A.D. 33 - 325.........................................................................................................................15 CHURCH DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION.....................................................................................................................15 THE IMPORTANCE OF DOCTRINE .....................................................................................................................................15 A CANON OF SCRIPTURE FOR THE CHURCH..................................................................................................................15 THE OLD TESTAMENT CANON AS HISTORY ..................................................................................................................16 DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON .....................................................................................................17 THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS..................................................................................................................................................17 EARLY HERESIES ..................................................................................................................................................................18 THE CHURCH FATHERS .......................................................................................................................................................18 A CREED FOR CHRISTENDOM: THE APOSTLE'S CREED..............................................................................................19 NEW FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT .......................................................................................................................19 4. THE SIGN OF THE SAVIOUR A.D. 313 ....................................................................................................................................19 CONSTANTINE THE GREAT ................................................................................................................................................19 THE EDICT OF MILAN...........................................................................................................................................................20 THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS..........................................................................................................................................20 A.D. 313: A DATE TO REMEMBER .....................................................................................................................................20 THE EAGLE AND THE CROSS..............................................................................................................................................20 THE RELATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE ..........................................................................................................20 THE DONATISTS ....................................................................................................................................................................20 JULIAN THE APOSTATE .......................................................................................................................................................21 5. IN THE COUNCILS OF THE CHURCH A.D. 325 – 451............................................................................................................21 VARIOUS TYPES OF COUNCILS .........................................................................................................................................21 THE COUNCIL OF NICEA......................................................................................................................................................21 THE ARIAN CONTROVERSY................................................................................................................................................21 “ATHANASIUS AGAINST THE WORLD”............................................................................................................................22 THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE ..............................................................................................................................23 THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON .........................................................................................................................................24 THE LATIN CHURCH FATHERS ..........................................................................................................................................24 THE MANICHEANS................................................................................................................................................................25 THE DONATISTS ....................................................................................................................................................................26 THE PELAGIANS ....................................................................................................................................................................26 THE ECUMENICAL COUNCILS............................................................................................................................................26 6. SOWING SEEDS OF SELF-DESTRUCTION A.D. 100 – 461....................................................................................................27 THE SINS OF THE SAINTS....................................................................................................................................................27 THE RISE OF MONASTICISM...............................................................................................................................................27 CHRYSOSTOM........................................................................................................................................................................28 7. NEW TRIALS AND GREAT TRIUMPHS A.D. 376 – 754.........................................................................................................28 GERMAN
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