Shawn Daggett History of Mission Test 1 - Paul to Patrick

History of missions provides what kinds of inspiring stories?

1. Great Faith

2. Great Sacrifice

3. Great Spirituality

What major lessons can we learn from an overview of the history of missions?

1. Christianity is the only universal religion.

2. Missionaries doing more harm than good

3. God works with, in spite of, and without us

How is Christianity different from all other religions in the way they have grown and expanded?

It is the only religion that is practically extinct in its birthplace.

What are the major characteristics of the Christian movement as covered in our overview of Christian missions?

1. Serial Growth

2. Translatable

3. Truly Universal

According to Hock, where did Paul do his evangelism?

The Marketplace

What did the Rabbis teach about the Torah and the Trade and who was most famous for teaching this?

“Excellent is the study of Torah together with worldly occupation.”

-Gamaliel

What was the rabbinic maxim used to encourage father's to teach their sons a trade?

“Whoever does not teach his son a craft teaches him to be a robber.”

How does Paul describe his work ethic in 1 Thessalonians 2?

“Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.”
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9

How did Paul receive support? Why did he choose this method?

Self-Supported

“We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we

endure it”

-1 Corinthians 4:12

What did Paul teach about supporting preachers?

“If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?”

-1 Corinthians 9:11

“Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.”

-Galatians 6:6

“If the Gentiles shared in spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them material blessings.”

-Romans 15:27

What was Paul's geographical goal in preaching and planting churches? Where did he want to go? How far?

Goal: kyklo, to work in a circle from Jerusalem around the known world.

Ro. 15:19

How much did Paul travel in his lifetime? Was this unusual?

10,000 miles (common in the time)

According to Rolland Allen, what are

Paul's mission principles?

• His were not protracted (lengthy) stays.

• Nor abandonment.

• There were no funds to misuse. (1 Th 2:10)

• There was no foreign organization to report to.

• He preferred persuasion over authority.

How fast did Christianity grow in the first three centuries of its existence?

1. How fast per decade?

2. From ? to ? by 350 C.E.

3. Percent of population by 350?

1. 40%

2. 1,000 → 33,000,000

3. 50%

What question does R. Stark in Growth of Early Christianity ask and seek to answer?

Was Christianity a great success among Jews?

Why did Christianity grow faster than Judiasm among the diaspora?

Christianity retained what was attractive about Judaism and stripped what was culturally repulsive. (Ex. Acts 15 decision about circumcision)

What reasons did Stark list for the growth of early Christianity?

1. Plagues

2. Inclusion of Women

3. Urban Misery

4. Cultural Climate

5. Martyrdom

How did the Christian response to Plagues enlarge Christianity?

• Non Christians fl ed

• Christians cared for each other & had a higher survival rate

• Testimony of love was very persuasive

How did Christians treat women differently? How did this lead to growth? What is exogamy and what did it have to do with Christianity?

1. Women treated with greater respect

2. Women felt seen, large, fast following

3. Exogamy is marrying outside ones’ social group. Christian women married outside of Christianity and converted their husbands

How did the Christian response to Urban misery help the church grow?

Mystery religions like Mythraism failed (only for males, high arbitrary demands).

Christianity offered:

• a complete frame for life (an explanation and meaning for pain and suffering, Heb. 12)

• loving unselfish service to counter and cope with chronic problems of over-crowding and disease.

Who was Perpetua? How did she die?

Female early martyr.

Execution. Brought blade to her throat after failed beheading.

How did persecution and willingness of Christians to die contribute to church growth?

Persecution filtered out free riders.

What are the indigenization principles and the pilgrim principles?

The Indigenization Principle: “Christianity has, as a part of its genetic code, the ability to make itself at home in any culture.”

The Pilgrim Principle: “Christianity is never completely at home in any culture. And yet, is at home in every culture.”

According to Diognetus, were early Christians like or unlike the culture around them?

Like.

"The difference between Christians and the rest of mankind is not a matter of nationality, or language, or customs. Christians do not live apart in separate cities of their own, speak any special dialect, nor practice any eccentric way of life... They pass their lives in whatever township—Greek or foreign—each man’s lot has determined; and conform to ordinary local usage in their clothing, diet, and other habits... they are residents at home in their own countries...they take their full part as citizens...For them, any foreign country is a motherland, and any motherland is a foreign country.”

-Diognetus

Who said, “86 years have I been his servant…?”

Polycarp

Who sent a letter to Jesus asking for healing and favors?

King Abgar

What do we know for sure about Thomas' mission work?

✦The Lord sends Thomas, but he doesn’t want to go.

✦Sold as slave to Indian merchant, Abbaner, to be skilled carpenter commissioned by Gundaphorus (Gundabar) to build palace.

✦Apostle decides to spend provisions on the poor.

✦“Thou canst not see it now, but when thou departest this life then thou shalt see it.”

✦Sent to jail but eventually baptizes King.

Who were the two brothers who became missionaries after they were shipwrecked? Where?

Aedesius and Frumentus of Tyre

Shipwrecked in the Red Sea.

Who preached to the Goths? 1. What were his principles? 2. What did he do that was extraordinary?

Ulfilas

1. God the Father is supreme. Translation of Bible is key.

2. Created Goth alphabet to translate Bible.

What is the Heliand?

✦Largest work extant in Old Saxon, 8th or 9th C

✦Germanic Epic Poem of Jesus’ life

✦Portrays Jesus in terms a warring hero can understand

What did we know for sure about Patrick?

• Born in Britain

• Captured as a slave in Ireland

• Returned as a bishop

What did Patrick do in defiance of Irish law?

Lit a forbidden Easter fire on the Hill of Slane

Why were false legends embellished about Patrick two centuries later?

They were fabricated by church scribes to boost the political and financial power of the Archdiocese of Armagh by rebranding Patrick as an unstoppable founding father.

What are the heresies about Jesus' human and divine nature and what did each believe?

1. Arianism: Jesus is created

2. Nestorianism: Christ was split into two persons

3. Monophysitism: Only one nature, Divine, in Jesus

4. Donatism: There is no forgiveness for those who deny Jesus