Religion Exam

Proto-Catholic Church

Came about through apostolic succession. It was how the apostles connected and shared their messages with the first Christians. Had the fixed structure of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons.

What does the Didache center around?

Virtues and vices—essentially, what you should do based on God’s teachings and what you should not do.

What are the two paths in the Didache and what is the difference between them?

The two paths the Didache highlights are the path of life and the path of death. The path of life is following everything the Didache instructs you TO do and NOT to do, and the path of death is abstaining from what is told for you TO do and participating in what you are instructed NOT to do.

Path of Death: Murder, Adultery, passions, sexual immoralities, obscenities, etc.

Path of Life: Follow the commandments, confess your sins, don’t show favoritism, etc.

What makes a prophet vs a false prophet?

Found in Didache—

True: Teaching brings righteousness, conducts himself like the lord, etc.

False: Does not stay three days, asks for money, does not eat a meal in the spirit, etc.

Bishops

Overseers of the church. Conduct/Teach the ministry of the prophets and teachers

Presbyters

Elders of the Church

Deacons

Servants of the church

Smyrna

Location that is important for early christians, and is found on the coast of Turkey today

Didache was written when? Inspired by?

Somewhere between the late first and early second century. Inspired by Gospel of Matthew.

What are the parts of the didache?

1. The two paths, life and death

2. Liturgy (way to worship publicly, conduct oneself)

3. Wandering apostles/prophets, and what makes them true/false

4. Apocalypse, preparation and expectations

In order to be redeemed, you must…?

Behave and act in a certain way, according to the Didache.

What is the relationship between the father, jesus, bishops, and the community?

The father passes on his word and message to Jesus, and Jesus receives word from the father. Similarly, the Bishop, overseer of the church, passes the word and teachings of the apostles to the community. It is a sharing of information from a higher power to another.

Who was Ignatius?

Ignatius of Antioch, early Christian writer in the late 2nd century. Often quotes the new testament.

Ignatius to the Magnesians-Main Points

• Valued union and community in the church and Christ.

• Bishops are Godly, people must give all reverence, prudent to God. Essentially Godly messenger

• Must act lawfully, and in accordance to the Bishop

• Bishop-likeness of God, Presbyters-likeness of apostles, Deacons-diaconate of Jesus, word of Christ spread

• One mind, one hope, Bishops and God

• Against Judaism, not saved. Follow Christ, Christian beliefs

• Church is in Syria

Similarity between Didache and Ignatius’ letter?

Both aim to maintain unity, and share their vocation in spreading and embracing the word of Christ, and turning against evil.

Who was Hippolytus?

Lived 170-235 BCE. Greek writer, believed in God in three persons.

Modal Monarchism

When God appears in different modes, such as Christ or the Spirit, these are all qualified as God the father. Each are actors, and there is only one, main God playing different roles. God’s person only one absolute.

Economy

Rule/ roles of a house. In terms of the trinity, this refers to the roles that each person in God plays—God the father, the son, and the holy spirit

Hellenistic Training

Those who adopted Greek beliefs and lifestyle, and believed in the Greek Gods

Noetus

Advocate and teacher of Modal Monarchianism. Believed he was Moses, and believes there is only one God. God plays roles, but there is only one, singular.

Tensions with Noetus’ theory

1. Creation by God

2. Death of Jesus

3. Jesus’ Baptism

4. Dove as the Spirit

5. God invisible, but visible in the world through Jesus

Hippolytus’ Beliefs and Importance

Bridges the gap between God’s persons, establishes the difference between them, and their roles

1. God suffers when Jesus dies, not just Jesus

2. Relationship between Father, Son, and holy Spirit

3. Different roles and actions between them

4. Refutes Noetus

5. Spirit works within, Jesus works through, God works above

6. Importance is UNITY between the three, they work together to spread the word in unity throughout the cosmos. Work in oneness

7. Their goal is redemption for all

Holy Spirit’s Role

To give understanding to the people, manifest God’s word

Irenaus

Wrote 5 books against heresies/heretics (those who teach falsely). Lived 155-191

Gnostic Christians/Christianity

Rooted in greek word for knowledge, these Christians do not have a singular shared belief system. Took beliefs from many different places. Believed the body was evil, and that there was a lesser God and a greater God. Different Gods

Marcion

Writer of some of the earliest New Testament, claims the term. Luke, Acts of the Apostles, letters of Paul all gathered and edited by him. Edited in order to get rid of old law, Jewishness, old prophets, and to replace the creator God and his writings

Marcion Beliefs

• God of Moses and Abraham was different from the New Testament God of Jesus

  • God of Creation vs God of Forgiveness

• We need redemption FROM creation: it is the key to escaping our bad bodies and thus, the terrible world

• Jesus was not a creature or a creator. As our body is a prison, Jesus came to emancipate us to be delivered FROM the body.

• God who created bodies=BAD. God messed up creation because of bodies

• Only certain Gospels are okay

Demiurge

Subordinate, lesser God. God of the old testament, evil creator, created bodies

Irenaeus Beliefs

• Believed that Adam and Jesus had to be connected. What Adam did, Jesus undoes for sin. Adam brings sin, Jesus takes it away.

• Christ is Jesus

• There is only one God in the Bible; there is not a creator God and a forgiving God

• There are four gospels and there must be. Highlights God’s journey and roles

  • First Gospel Lion—Royalty, power, primacy

  • Second young bull—sacrificer and priest

  • Third face of man—human coming to earth, Jesus

  • Fourth Flying eage—holy spirit gift flying upon the church

• Could not be saved UNLESS Christ came down in our form. Otherwise, Christ would be a different creature entirely from us and couldn’t save us. Brings creation back to God whereas Adam separated it. Creature saves other creatures

• Mary undoes what Eve did. Eve failed to listen to God, Mary listens

• God is love

Recapitulation

Whatever is done, is repeated (done again), mirroring the past. Recap, re-enacted past, Jesus succeeding where Adam failed

Gnostic Christianity Beliefs: Sophia Myth

An account of the cosmos, and the process of the separation from and return to oneness.

Oneness—rupture occurs, brings about the world—world is made—redeemer comes—returns all to unity

Explains why there are more things than one/oneness, and says that to be physical is a problem.

Sophia can be the redeemer OR the rupturer

Gnostic Beliefs: Learned and Unlearned

Some people can learn the truth of this world and others cannot. Only SOME can be redeemed because only some can see the truth of the world.

Valentinus

Participant in the Roman Christian churches, Ptolemy one of his followers. Wrote multiple and believed in multiple gospels beyond the four

Ptolemy

Wrote the first how-to-read-the-Bible text. Follows philology (Study of language and reason, in Bible) and tries to interpret stories and myths in a way that make sense. (ex: homer)

Allegory

Deeper meaning behind a story—can be religious. Uses symbolism to express deeper truths.

Who had a part in creating the law in the Bible? Is it perfect?

God, Moses, and other elders. Not perfect because Moses and elders put their own laws and edited given laws.

Who is the author of the laws in the Bible? Who are the potential authors?

• Perfect God: Can’t give commandments because the commandments as they are are not perfect. Current law not perfect, perfect God cannot therefore make the laws. Made by God AND elders AND Moses. Also needs fulfilling

• Just God—Creator of laws. Laws are fair, even. Focuses on abolishing injustice

• Redeemer—Functions to fulfill the laws and make them perfect. Thus cannot make the laws

• Enemy: Can’t make laws that abolish injustice when they advocate for injustice. Contradicts, divided against itself

Valentinian Beliefs about God

There is an overseer God, and then an intermediary God

Importance of Audience according to Ptolemy in Law

Law is interpreted differently based on audience. A weak audience will only be able to interpret the laws on a surface level, but a strong audience will be able to find the deeper meaning, notice the allegories and ascend beyond the presentation

Ptolemy perspective on understanding the bible

You have to work at understanding it, as the meaning is not immediately obvious and is not instantly on the page. Christianity is NOT for everyone. The more you study, the more meaning and truth you will find

Gospel of Thomas

Complete summary of what is needful and important about Jesus

Aspects of the Gospel of Thomas

• Presents a non-Jewish Jesus and portrays him as more Christian

• Against the body, more so on the spirit

• Women aren’t considered people—male is emphasized over the woman

• Provokes various ways of thinking and at times seems contradictory