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