DRAFT Youth Study Outline The Bible – Can we Trust It?

Topics to Discuss Questions to Consider

1. The Source of Scripture o Inspiration – ’ s Use of Men So is the Bible really “God’s Word” or o The Writers and Their Part in the man’s words? Story Is the Bible really reliable?

2. The Story of Scripture – What it is o The Timeline of Revelation When were the books really written and o Why 66 books – what about all how do we know that? the rest/?

3. The Story of Scripture - How we got it o The Languages of Scripture How do we know someone didn’t just make o The Documents of Scripture all this stuff up? o The Translation of Scripture

4. The Significance of Scripture o Hearing God’s Voice: Reading, So what? Study, Memorization, Meditation Is the Bible really relevant today? o Following God’s Direction: Sharing in Word and Action

Primary Sources Comfort, Philip Wesley (1990). Early manuscripts and modern translations of the New Testement. Bruce, F.F. (1988). The canon of scripture. Bruce, F.F. (1943). The documents, are they reliable? Sproul, R.C. (1980). Explaining inerrancy. Kistler, Don (ed., 1995). Sola scriptura, the Protestant position on the Bible.

Timeline of Christian History

Old Testament Period Greek Influence ~3000 BC – 324 AD Jewish Influence ‰ Atheistic/Skeptical Philosophy ‰ Beginnings: [Gen 1-11] ~1850 BC ‰ Adversity/captivity turned many from false and ‰ Patriarchs:[Gen 12-50] ~1850-1250 BC taught two great truths: intensified hunger for true God ‰ to Israel: ~1250–1100 BC 1) there is only one ‰ Magnified the worth of the human ‰ Hebrew Kingdom: ~1100–587 BC God for men, spirit and placed a high value on ‰ Captivity & : 587–400 BC 2) the relationship spiritual and moral truth ‰ Inter-Biblical Period: ~400-4 BC of God to men is ™ Persian: 538(400)-332 BC ‰ became common ™ Greek: 332–167 BC personal not throughout entire Mediterranean ™ Hebrew Independence: 167–63 BC national world -> facilitated missionary ™ Roman: 63–70 AD ‰ Diaspora during Greek work, common scripture and period brought truths of social unity ; language itself God to the world. provided precision for Christian ‰ Synagogues, truths scribes/lawyers ‰ Greek spirit nurtured a love for truth, vision and initiative ‰ Essenes, Pharisees,

Samaritans, Sadducees,

Roman Influence Zealots ‰ Provided a measure of peace and protection in society Birth of ‰ Transportation was readily available via roads and shipping lanes

External Events Timeline Internal Events 63 BC: General Pompey and his Roman legions conquer . 63-37 BC: Hasmonean rules continue but under protection of . 55 BC: invades Britain. 40 BC: Rome appoints Herod King of . 40-BC (-4 AD): Reign of . 30 BC-14 AD: is the Roman Emperor. 18 BC: Herod commences rebuilding of Temple. 4 BC: Jerusalem is governed from Caesarea by Roman procurators. 14-37 AD: Tiberius is the Roman Emperor. Christ 27-31 AD: The . 26-36 AD: Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea. ~4 BC – 30 AD 31 AD: .

37-41 AD: is Roman Emperor. born. Period of Local 33 AD: conversion of Saul/Paul in Damascus 41-54 AD: Claudius is the Roman Emperor. Witnessing 36 AD: Paul’s visit to Jerusalem 43 AD: Romans defeat the British under AD 30-45 36-45 AD: Paul in Tarsus & - Togodumnus & Caratacus. 44 AD: (c) Beheading of James, son of Zebedee

47 AD: Ostorius Scapula becomes Roman Period of 47-49 AD: Paul’s 1st Journey commander. Missionary 50 AD: Jerusalem Council nd 50 AD: Emperor Claudius adopts Nero. Expansion 50-52 AD: Paul’s 2 Journey; 1&2 Thess. 54-68 AD: Nero is the Roman Emperor 50-60 AD: Matthew/Mark/Luke; James AD 45-68 54 AD: Agrippina has Claudius murdered. 52-56 AD: Paul’s 3rd Journey; 1&2 Cor.; Rom. 59 AD: Nero murders Agrippina. 57-58 AD: Paul’s Ceasarean Imprisonment; Gal 60 AD: Rebellion of Queen Boudiica 59 AD –: Paul’s 1st Roman Imprisonment; Philip, 63 AD: Temple completed. Phil, Col, Eph 64 AD: A fire destroys half of Rome. 60-62 AD: Acts written; martyrdom of James 65 AD: (-80) The Didache is written.??? 65-68 AD: 1&2 Peter, 1 &2 Tim 66 AD: revolt against the Romans. 67-68 AD: Peter and Paul are martyred.

68 AD: Nero commits suicide (June 9th). Period of 69 AD: Hebrews written 68-69 AD: Year of the Four Emperors (Nero, Westward Growth 74 AD: Death of St. Luke , Otho, Vitellius) AD 68-100 80-90 AD: of John & John’s letters ‰ Civil war 95 AD: Revelation ‰ Major breakdown in the concept of the principate 69-79 AD: Vespian is Roman Emperor. Corruption of Leadership Roles ‰ Growing trend toward the concept Apostles of monarchy Deacons ‰ Defense and further consolidation Elders (Acts 20:16-35) of the European frontiers Bishops & 70 AD: Jerusalem is demolished by ; (by the end of the 2nd ) survivors are exiled or sold into slavery. Councils & 74 AD: Roman occupation of Wales begins Single Bishop per city and Single per congregation 78 AD: Romans move into Scotland (end of 3rd cent. in Rome – 40 congregations/ 79-81 AD: Titus is Roman Emperor 4th cent. widespread) 81-96 AD: Domitian is Roman Emperor; persecutions against all who would not worship the emperor 90 AD: Romans begin to withdraw troops from Britain 96-192 AD: The “golden age” – era of the “five ‰ 2ND cent. Catastrophes = scapegoats good emperors” (so called because they ‰ Twisting of Christian vocabulary: succeeded in winning the support and atheism, cannibalism, immorality, magic cooperation of the senate) & sorcery ‰ Economic prosperity ‰ Different ethical standards ‰ Trade and growth of cities in ‰ Exclusiveness (of gods) northern Europe ‰ Beginnings of barbarian menace on the frontiers

Roman Emporers, 96-235 AD Period of Pagan 98-117 AD: Ignatius, bishop of is 96-98 AD Nerva executed in Rome 98-117 AD Domination 136 AD: (-140) Valentinus (gnostic) arrives in 117-138 AD AD 100-325 Rome. (-140) Cerdo (gnostic) is teaching in 138-161 AD Antonious Pious Rome. 161-180 AD Marcus Aurelius 140 AD: (c -155) Hermas writes The Shepherd [to 180-192 AD Commodus promote purity & faithfulness]. Marcion 193-211 AD Septimius Severus (heretic) arrives in Rome. (c) Marcion 211-217 AD Caracalla meets Cerdo and becomes one of his 218-222 AD Heliogabalus students. 222-235 AD Alexander Severus 144 AD: Marcion is excommunicataed (July). (c) Early Church Marcion writes the Antitheses. Fathers, 155 AD: (c) writes the Dialogue with 121 AD: Hadrian visits England Beginning of Trypho, the Jew. Persecutions, and construction of Hadrian's Wall 165 AD: (c) Justin is martyred. 122 AD: (-135) The Bar Kokhba Rebellion. 177 AD: (c) Athenagoras of writes the 132 AD: Bar Kochba leads a doomed revolt Supplication for the Christians, against Rome. addressed to Marcus Aurelius and his son, 135 AD: Emperor Hadrian rebuilds Jerusalem; Commodus. builds new walls and renames the city 178 AD: (c) Athenagoras of Athens writes The Aelia Capitolina and country ; of the Dead. bans Jews from Jerusalem. 180 AD: (-199) writes Adversus haereses. Effects of 161 AD: (-166) The Parthian War. AD 100-325 ‰ Christian responses provide a valuable source 164 AD: (-180) The Great Plague in the Roman (continued) of historic literature about the church ‰ Gnosticism required that further Empire. 166 AD: Barbarians invade . define its essential elements: Popular ™ The canon of scripture 167 AD: Marcus Aurelius writes The Meditations Antagonism ™ Statements of Faith/creeds [DOC]. *** ™ Systematic theology and Christian 177 AD: Marcus Aurelius orders the persecution schools (Clement, , etc.) Intellectual of Christians in Lyons and Vienne. ‰ Emphasis and veneration of tradition and 203 AD: Septimius Severus celebrates his tenth Assaults antiquity (in addition to Word of God) year in office by constructing a *** ‰ Paved the way for asceticism and monasticism triumphal arch in Rome. Physical through emphasis on worthlessness of the 208 AD: (-211) Septimius Severus campaigns in Persecution material body. Britain.

Acts 14, 19; 180 AD: (c) Pantaenus, the teacher of Clement and 1 Cor 1:26ff head of the school of , arrives Some Heresies in the Early Church in Alexandria.

195 AD: (c) Irenaeus writes the Proof of the Diluting Christianity Apostolic Preaching. Legalism was promoted by the Judaizers who insisted on 199 AD: Pantaenus dies; Clement takes over as Christianity being an extension of Judaism head of the catechetical school at Gnosticism’s followers claimed special knowledge about God Alexandria. and the world which others didn’t posess; viewed all material 202 AD: Origen's father, Leonidas, is martyred things as evil & denied incarnation (1 Jn 1.1; Col.) during the persecution of Septimius

Severus. (c) Clement flees from Inadequate Views of Christ/ Alexandria to to escape the Alogoi (“not the Word’) denied that Christ was the Word and persecution. that there was a Trinity 215 AD: (c) Hippolytus writes The Apostolic said that Christ was born as a man and then Tradition. adopted by God. 220 AD: (-230) Origen writes On First Principles. asserted that Christ was not God like the 221 AD: (c) Julius Africanus completes chronology Father, but a creature made in time. of the world from Creation to 221. Modalism suggested that God the Father, the Son and the 222 AD: Death of Bardesanes (orginator of were simply functions of God, not separate at all. Christian religious poetry) Hints of infant baptism and proxy by about 200 AD as well as 231 AD: Demetrius deposes Origen from the pouring (Novatian) priesthood. (-248) Heraclas heads the

catechetical school at Alexandria. Pagan Corruptions 232 AD: Palestine - Origen flees from Egypt to Fetishism magnified the importance of religious externals, Caesarea. things and acts (2nd/3rd ) 235 AD: Hippolytus is martyred. (c) Novation Sacramentalism focused on the transmutation of the Lord’s writes The Trinity. Supper and the water of baptism. 242 AD: (c) Plotinus joins the Persian expedition Sacerdotalism (“priestism”) required religious rites to be of Emperor Gordianus III before administered by a /bishop migrating to Rome. A Female Deity was present in every pagan religion of the 243 AD: (c) Plotinus opens school of philosophy in ancient world, the virgin Mary took this role for many pagan Rome. converts. 248 AD: (-265) Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, Professionalism made a distinction between clergy and laity heads the catechetical school at

Alexandria. Lowering Christian Standards 248 AD: Origen writes Against Celsus. (135-160 AD) emphasized personal inspiration by 251 AD: (-258) Novation is Anti-pope. the Holy Spirit superceding Scripture and identified mortal 253 AD: (-254) Lucius succeeds Cornelius as and venial sins bishop of Rome. (-270) Plotinus writes merged Montanism and Adoptionism. The Enneads [DOC].

262 AD: Dionysius of Alexandria writes his

Refutation and Defense 235-284 AD: “Barracks Emperors” – 22 The Apologists emperors in 49 years The group of trained writers in the 2nd and 3rd centuries ‰ Civil war who endeavored to justify the doctrines of Christianity ‰ Breakdown of the Empire against pagan philosophers

‰ Barbarian invasions

‰ Severe economic decline Justin, Quadratus, Aristides 285 AD: (c) Constantine is born at Naissus. Athenagoras, Melito, Apollinaris 285 AD: The is partitioned into , Origen eastern and western empires. 296 AD: Constantius I invaded Britain AD 100-325 303 AD: (-311) Diocletian persecutes Christians. (continued) 265 AD: (c -c282) Theognostus heads the This is the last persecution of catechetical school at Alexandria. Christians in the Roman Empire. 282 AD: (c) Pierus heads the catechetical school 306 AD: (-337) Constantine is the Emperor of of Alexandria. Rome. 300 AD: (-325) of Caesarea writes his ‰ Political Recovery History of the Church. ‰ Autocracy 300 AD: (c) The Council of Elvira. ‰ Legalization of Chrisitanity 309 AD: (c) Pamphilus of Caesarea is executed. ‰ Transition to the in 309 AD: (c) Peter is martyred during the the West persecution of Diocletian. ‰ Birth of the Byzantine Empire in 311 AD: (c) Methodius of Philippi is martyred at the East Chalcis in Euboea. 310 AD: Constantine proclaims Mars to be 314 AD: (-320) Eusebius of Caesarea writes his Constantinople's divine protector. Preparation for the Gospel. 311 AD: Galerius proclaims an edict of religious 314 AD: The First Council of Arles. tolerance for all Christians on April 30. 316 AD: Eusebius writes Proof of the Gospel. 312 AD: Constantine defeasts Maxentius at the 318 AD: (c) Athanasius writes his treatises Milvian Bridge in Rome. Constantine Against the Pagans and On the converts to Christianity. Incarnation of the Word [DOC]. (c) Arius 313 AD: Constantine signs the Edict of Milan; writes his Letter to Eusebius of establishes tolerance of Christianity. Nicomedia. 320 AD: (c) Arius writes his Letter to Alexander The List of Popes of Alexandria. 1. St. Peter (32-67) 323 AD: Arius' teachings are causing problems in

2. St. Linus (67-76) 18. St. Pontain (230-35) Alexandria.

3. St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88) 19. St. Anterus (235-36) 4. St. Clement I (88-97) 20. St. Fabian (236-50) 5. St. Evaristus (97-105) 21. St. Cornelius (251-53) We believe in one God, the Father 6. St. Alexander I (105-115) 22. St. Lucius I (253-54) Almighty, Creator of all things visible 7. St. Sixtus I (115-125) 23. St. Stephen I (254-257) and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus 8. St. Telesphorus (125-136) 24. St. Sixtus II (257-258) Christ, the , only begotten of 9. St. Hyginus (136-140) 25. St. Dionysius (260-268) the Father, that is, of the substance of 10. St. Pius I (140-155) 26. St. Felix I (269-274) the Father, God of God, light of light, 11. St. Anicetus (155-166) 27. St. Eutychian (275-283) very God of very God, begotten, not 12. St. Soter (166-175) 28. St. Caius (283-296) made, being of the same substance with 13. St. Eleutherius (175-189) 29. St. Marcellinus (296-304) the Father, by whom all things were 14. St. Victor I (189-199) 30. St. Marcellus I (308-309) made in heaven and on earth, who for us 15. St. Zephyrinus (199-217) 31. St. Eusebius (309 or 310) men and for our salvation came down 16. St. Callistus I (217-22) 32. St. Miltiades (311-14) from heaven, was incarnate, was made 17. St. Urban I (222-30) 33. St. Sylvester I (314-35) man, suffered, rose again the third day,

ascended into the heavens, and He will

come to judge the living and the dead. World Council at Nicea And in the Holy Ghost. AD 325