Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation Course Syllabus Name of Course: Church History I HIST 401 - The First !000 Years Name of Instructor: Russell Schwarz 210.478.7560 [email protected] Course Description: The Bible does not teach us everything about the outworking of God’s plan of redemption. We learn from church history how God’s plan of redemption has been worked out from the time of the end of the first century until today. This class will cover the period of time from the apostolic age to the year 1000 AD. Course Goals: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to: • Have a working knowledge of the primary events affecting the Church during each century. • Know the key theologians and apologists and their contribution to the expansion of the church. • Recognize various conflicts and controversies in the church leading to church councils and the establishing of fundamental beliefs. • Understand the source of church heresies and how they were dealt with. Course Textbooks 1. Any “translation” of the Bible that the student is comfortable with. The instructor will be using the NIV 1984. 2. Church History In Plain Language by Bruce Shelly, 4th Edition Grades: This is a pass/fail class and students who attend all classes or complete the make-up will pass the class. There will be a final exam. !1 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation Class 1: The First Century: Foundations Class 2: The Second Century: Heretics, Apologists, Canon Class 3: The Third Century: Bishops, Unforgivable Sins, Martyrs Class 4: The Fourth Century: Legalization, Creeds and Worship Class 5: The Fifth Century: Controversy, Councils, and Papacy Class 6: The Sixth Century: The Death of Rome and the Birth of Muhammed Class 7: The Seventh Century: Rise of Islam Class 8: The Eighth Century: Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire Class 9: The Ninth Century: The Eucharist, Predestination, Filoque, and Alfred the Great Class 10: The Tenth Century: Expansion !2 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation Class 1: Introduction and The First Century Introduction: I. Warrant for the Study of Church History" A. The Bible does not teach us everything about the outworking of God’s " " ______________________ plan." B. In the study of church history, we see the ___________________________ of God over all history." C. The Christian ____________________ is historical in character." II. The Value of Church History" A. We need to understand where we came from." B. It reveals the _____________________ outworking of theology." C. It reveals the _____________________ with surrounding culture.$ D. It provides _______________________ on the study of scripture.$ 1. We can learn from interpretations and distortions of the past.$ 2. It provides perspective on what is important vs. less ancillary.$ 3. It reminds us how dependent we are on Christians who have gone before.$ III. Church History and the History of Dogma$ A. Church history is not simply a story, but the study of Christian ________________." B. Christian teaching is both limited and defined by ________________________." IV. The Limits of Church History$ A. Not _________________" B. Limited _____________________$ V. Church History and the Development of Godly Character$ A. _________________________" !3 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation B. _________________________" The First Century I. The Historical Context of the Church" A. Second Temple Judaism (538 BC - AD 70) " 1. Unifying Factors " a) ______________________________" b) ______________________________" c) ______________________________" d) ______________________________" e) ______________________________" f) ______________________________" g) ______________________________" h) ______________________________" (1) ______________________________________" (2) ______________________________________" (3) ______________________________________" (4) ______________________________________" 2. Diversity" a) ______________________________" " b) ______________________________" " c) ______________________________" " d) ______________________________" " !4 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation " " e) ______________________________" " f) ______________________________" " B. Roman Rule (63 BC-70 AD)" 1. Political ____________________________" " 2. _________________ and ___________________ stability" " 3. _______________________" " 4. Intellectual and religious _______________________________" " 5. Philosophy " 6. ________________________________ religion" " C. Gnosticism" ______________________: good, soul, heaven, immaterial" ______________________: evil, body, earth, material" D. Judaism and the Birth of Christianity" 1. The ____________________________" 2. Herod the Great and the relativizing of the _________ _______________ and Temple$ Final Reflection on the historical context of the church: Although the groups we have surveyed in many ways were full of error, especially in the light of Christianity, these religious and philosophical movements addressed deep needs in people. Through people’s dissatisfaction and longings, God was at work preparing the world to receive the gospel! !5 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation II. The Separation between Judaism and Christianity" A. Initial Connections" " " " B. Theological Considerations: Foundations for a definitive break. Notice the growing distance and divide from Jerusalem." 1. ___________________ (Acts 1-5) Hard line Jews vs. native Hebrews" 2. ___________________ (Acts 6) Hellenists vs. Native Hebrews" 3. ___________________ (Acts 7) Stephen openly negative toward Judaism" 4. ___________________ (Acts 8:1) First took the Jesus movement to non-Jews" 5. ___________________ (Acts 8) Philip breaks the divide between Jew and Samaritan" 6. ___________________ (Acts 10) Cornelius, Caesarea (gospel moves further north)" 7. ___________________ (Acts 11) The Church is first called “Christians)" 8. ___________________ (Acts 13) Paul’s ministry takes the gospel west." C. Nero’s Persecution of the Church in AD 64" " D. The Jewish War and the Destruction of the Temple" 1. The Jewish War - AD 66-73" 2. The destruction of the Temple in AD 70" a) The Jews redefine their view of Christianity" b) Christian redefine their view of their faith." (1) Christianity moves out on its own$ (2) Center specifically on Jesus as true Judaism$ (3) Shift toward Gentile predominance$ (4) Contextualization of the gospel in new frontiers$ (5) No longer bound to address the Jew-Gentile issue$ !6 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation Key Points: 1st Century 1. The words and sayings of Jesus are collected and preserved. New Testament writings are completed. 2. A new generation of leaders succeeds the apostles. Nevertheless, expectation still runs high that the Lord may return at any time. The end must be close. 3. The Gospel taken through a great portion of the known world of the Roman empire and even to regions beyond. 4. New churches at first usually begin in Jewish synagogues around the empire and Christianity is seen at first as a part of Judaism. 5. The Church faces a major crisis in understanding itself as a universal faith and how it is to relate to its Jewish roots. 6. Christianity begins to emerge from its Jewish womb. A key transition takes place at the time of Jewish Revolt against Roman authority. In 70 AD Christians do not take part in the revolt and relocate to Pella in Jordan. 7. The Jews at the Council of Jamnia in 90 AD confirm the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. The same books are recognized as authoritative by Christians. (Jamnia still exists as a good-sized village under the name of Jebuah, about two miles from the sea, seven miles S of Joppa.) 8. Persecutions test the church. Jewish historian Josephus seems to express surprise that they are still in existence in his Antiquities in latter part of first century. 9. Key persecutions include Nero at Rome who blames Christians for a devastating fire that ravages the city in 64 AD He uses Christians as human torches to illumine his gardens. 10. Emperor Domitian demands to be worshiped as "Lord and God." During his reign the book of Revelation is written and believers cannot miss the reference when it proclaims Christ as the one worthy of our worship. !7 Biblical Institute for Basic Literal Interpretation Class 2: The Second Century: Conflicts and Canon Introduction: Clarifying Terminology I. Clarifying Terminology" A. Apostles - eyewitnesses of Jesus" B. Early Church Fathers: A category covering leaders in the church for the first ________ centuries." C. Apostolic Fathers: A subset of church fathers who ministered _____________________." " II. Orthodoxy and Heresy: Notable heresies and heretics in the second century" A. Ebionites (Pharasaic Judaizers)" 1. Refused To Recognize ____________________________________________________." 2. All Christians Should Be __________________________________________________." 3. Denied _________________________________________________________________." 4. Jesus Was Chosen By God Because Of His ________________________________." 5. Denied His _____________________________________________________________." " B. Gnosticism" 1. The Greek gnosois means special ________________________________________." 2. Believed that creation was the result of a pre-cosmic ________________________." 3. The fall of eve is symbolic and describes the pre-cosmic catastrophe in which the female power, or the “Mother” (god) went astray." 4. The gnostics were ____________________________ believing