Church History to 1500; AD 70-313

apostolic succession

system of leadership in the early church; Jesus to apostles to bishops

adoptionism

the early christian belief that jesus was born fully human and later “adopted” as the Son of God, usually at his baptism or resurrection.

Bishop

leader of the church; received truths of faith from apostles and passed it on to future generations; overseer of church; leader/co-leader of house/church, then one per church, then leader of geographical region; refute heresies

catechesis

rigorous 3 year practice that introduced and integrated new believers into the Church; completed with baptism and first communion 

canon

measuring stick or standard; list of authoritative books;

confessor

tortured and persecuted for fatih and loyalty to Christ; does not die/not a martyr

deacon

servant or minister; primarily “assisting tasks” (compassionate ministries) 

docetism

(to seem); Belief that Jesus was not fully human; only seemed to be; Christ did not suffer and die 

edict of milan

issued by Constantine and Licinius in 313; The freedom “to give his mind to the religion which he felt was most fitting to himself.” 

gnosticism

(knowledge); worldly created material were bad, and we should only focus on higher spiritual things; body is evil, soul is good; only a select few were given this knowledge; Transcendent God à demiurge (inferior god who made the material world) 

manichaeism

everything that exists is material; good substances and bad substances are at war with each other; couldnot perceive spiritual realities versus physical realities 

marcionism

version of gnosticism; God of OT was different than God, the Father of Christ; brought to light the issue of canonization

montanism

2^nd century charismatic Christian movement emphasizing direct prophetic revelation, strict ascesticism, and imminent return of Christ 

patriarchate

an administrative jurisdiction within Christianity headed by patriarch, traditionally centered in a major historical see like Rome or Constantinople  

platonism

the philosophical tradition derived by Plato, teaching that abstract, unchanging forms or ideas constitute the ultimate reality.  

presbyter

elder in the church; similar to bishop

rule of faith

set of statements passed down from the time of the apostles; statements of belief and guides for interpreting Scripture; later developed into creeds 

septuagint

greek translation of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible); sometimes called LXX for the 70 translators whose translations all matched.

traditores

those who handed over books of Scripture to Roman authorities to be burned during the great persecution 

vulagte

Latin translation of the Bible; “standard” for many centuries