A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH Discipline through the Ages A 12-part study of the Church in the World In 300-year Segments Course developed by William H. Gross Apr 1988 www.onthewing.org Last updated: 9/21/2018 A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH Discipline Through the Ages Contents LESSON 1 – THY KINGDOM COME ..................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 A CHURCH, A CHURCH, MY KINGDOM FOR A CHURCH ................................................................................................. 1 Kingdom? What Kingdom? ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Who Belongs to this Kingdom? .................................................................................................................................. 3 The Church as Witness .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Gospel Fundamentals ................................................................................................................................................ 7 LESSON 2: 35-313 AD ................................................................................................................................................ 9 THE AGE OF PERSECUTIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 9 PART I: PLANTING THE GARDEN OF GOD ....................................................................................................................... 9 Seed of the Apostles ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Fate of the Apostles and Early Church Leaders ........................................................................................................ 9 PART II: THE END OF AN AGE ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Seeds of a Nation ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 The Fall of Jerusalem .............................................................................................................................................. 13 PART III: FORGED IN THE CRUCIBLE ............................................................................................................................ 16 Seeds of Discipleship ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Growing a Convert into a Leader ............................................................................................................................ 17 PART IV: THE CROWN OF MARTYRDOM ...................................................................................................................... 18 Seeds of the Martyrs ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Outline of the Persecutions ...................................................................................................................................... 19 LESSON 3 – CHURCH INFANCY TO 300AD ...................................................................................................... 23 EARLY CHURCH PRACTICES ......................................................................................................................................... 23 WORSHIP PLACE ................................................................................................................................................... 23 OCCASIONS FOR WORSHIP ................................................................................................................................. 23 ORDER OF WORSHIP............................................................................................................................................ 24 DISCIPLINE IN THE EARLY CHURCH ................................................................................................................ 27 HERESY VERSUS ORTHODOXY ...................................................................................................................................... 30 THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE ............................................................................................................................... 30 HERESY AS THE STIMULANT TO ORTHODOXY ................................................................................................ 31 THE EARLY HERESIES .......................................................................................................................................... 32 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES ........................................................................................................................................... 35 LESSON 4: 300-600 ................................................................................................................................................... 39 THE AGE OF MONASTICISM .......................................................................................................................................... 39 Imperial Shepherds – Impoverished Sheep .............................................................................................................. 39 INTRA-CHURCH RIVALRIES: ISSUES OF CONTROL ........................................................................................................ 41 DONATIST SCHISM ............................................................................................................................................... 41 ARIANISM ............................................................................................................................................................... 41 MONASTICISM ....................................................................................................................................................... 41 CONFESSIONS OF FAITH ................................................................................................................................................ 43 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES ........................................................................................................................................... 45 THE CHURCH AS STATE ............................................................................................................................................... 46 “The Strongman Syndrome” 400-600 ..................................................................................................................... 46 The First Warrior Pope ........................................................................................................................................... 48 LESSON 5: 600-900 ................................................................................................................................................... 51 THE AGE OF MISSIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 51 The Barbarian Hordes ............................................................................................................................................. 51 i Charlemagne ........................................................................................................................................................... 51 The Missionaries ...................................................................................................................................................... 53 LESSON 6: 900-1200 ................................................................................................................................................. 55 OUT OF EGYPT – RULE OF MAN VS. RULE OF GOD ....................................................................................................... 55 Church Construction ............................................................................................................................................... 55 The Crusades ........................................................................................................................................................... 56 The Remnant ............................................................................................................................................................ 57 The Scholastic Giants .............................................................................................................................................. 60 The Monastic Movement .......................................................................................................................................... 62 LESSON 7: 1200-1500 ............................................................................................................................................... 65 ON THE EVE OF REFORM ............................................................................................................................................