PART 2 Christianity # 2 Early Church through Protestant Reformation.pptx

From Constantine to The Protestant Reformation

Institutional Development: The Papacy

Traditional claim: Peter (disciple of Jesus, was first pope, bishop of Rome)

Development of papacy took time (from 100 to 400 C.E)

Arguments:
- Biblical – Jesus gave Peter authority (keys) (Apostolic Succession)
- Bishop of Rome was important (Rome was capital, church there was
large)
- Appeal to tradition (Peter and Paul said to die in Rome)

Church & State Together: Constantine

Constantine – (272-337 C.E.) first Roman Emperor to profess Christianity

Begins to favor Christians; tax incentives; eventually suppresses all other religions

Impact: Begins to build large churches; worship
becomes more elaborate; new “Christian” capital – Constantinople
- Called Council of Nicea – 325 C.E.
Challenge: What do Christians do with political power?

Early Middle Ages: 500-1000 C.E.

Major developments:
- Fall of Roman Empire
- Rise of Papacy
- Conflicts between Popes and Kings

Monasticism – why? Offered alternative lifestyle
became powerful influence on the church
helped spread the faith/ source of renewal

The Great Schism: Christianity Splits

Longstanding Differences between East & West

West: Italy and points west

Theological differences: Trinity
(relationship of Son to Father)

Clerical Celibacy

Differences over use of Icons; West restricted their use

Politically divided – numerous weaker kingdoms;

1 strong pope

East: Greece, Asia Minor, Middle East

High Christology

Allowed married priests

Advocated use of icons

Differences in worship = date of Easter

More political unity (Byzantine Empire survived)

Religious authority shared among several “patriarchs”

The Great Schism: Primary Issue

Papal Authority – authority of Pope over Christians in the East.
1054 C.E. – tensions boiled over; each side excommunicated the other
(Excommunications rescinded in 1965)

From this point forward two separate churches/ branches:

Eastern Orthodox
Roman Catholicism

Eastern Orthodoxy

Eventually organized around “national” model: Greek, Russian, Armenian Orthodox, etc.

Do not accept authority of Pope; view bishops more as equals and none are infallible

Differences in theology:
Believe doctrine/teachings from Scripture/ early church must not be
changed (Roman Catholics believe in ‘doctrinal development’)

Priests – can be married before ordination

Different calculation for date of Easter

Roman Catholicism: Further developments

Medieval Period – 1000 to 1500 C.E.
1) Growing power of Papacy/ Conflict with Kings
2) Crusades – 1st Crusade call in 1095 C.E. – they end by 1291
- 8 or 9 Major Crusades – most against Muslims powers; were an
exercise in papal power
3) Monasticism – growing power and influence; spread the faith; source of
renewal; provided many leaders for the church
Permitted diversity to exist within the church (religious orders varied in
style, emphases – some stressed service, others education, missions)

Protestant Christianity: 3rd major branch

Why? Many issues and tensions within and outside the church
Most believed reform was needed, question was how to do it.

Crisis of Meaning: Where was the true church to be found?

- Political conflict led to papal abuses; at one point 2 popes and then 3
popes at the same time. (1378 – 1410 = 2; from 1410-1417 = 3)

- Ecclesiastical corruption: - Simony = selling of church offices; nepotism = friends in high places

New intellectual movements: Humanism – emphasized a return to
ancient/original sources (especially the Greek New Testament)

Protestant Christianity: Beginnings

Several reformers and reform movements through the 1400s.

Changes happens in several places at around the same time; primarily in
northern Europe.

Breaking away from Roman Catholic Church and especially the power of the
papacy would be popular in some places, but the church had powerful
means against those who rebelled. (The Ban = prohibit sacraments)

Key question was salvation: What was necessary? Different answers were
given.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

German monk; priest; professor; pastor

- Trying to save his own soul – through the Roman Catholic Church

- Became a monk; confession & penance; tried mysticism; teaching

- Became convinced that Faith Alone was basis of salvation (Rom. 1:16)

- Objected to church abuses: specifically “indulgences”
- Theory of Indulgences
- Why Luther protested against them
- Consequences
- Conflict and ultimately excommunication from the church
- Growing theological and political movement around Luther

• Challenged Pope - wrote 95 theses to debate church policy

• Recieved backlash, protected by Prince (political benefits)

• Became a hero for challenging the church

• Didn’t recant statements, left vulnerable and protected by friends

• Cut off/ex-communicated from the church

• Rejection of Papal authority

• Helped with the formation of Protestantism

Protestantism: Key Characteristics

1) Rejection of Papal Authority

2) Different model of authority:
1) Roman Catholic = Scripture + Tradition
2) Protestant = Scripture Alone
3) Examples? Office of Pope; role of Mary

3) Basis of Salvation – on what does salvation depend?
1) Roman Catholic = Faith + Works (actions)
2) Protestant = Faith Alone (rejected works as basis for salvation)

Spread of Protestantism

Movement to separate from Roman Catholic Church spreads:

1) Martin Luther in German
- Legacy is seen in Lutheran churches/denominations

2) John Calvin in Swiss cantons
- Legacy is seen in Calvinism (theology which emphasizes sovereignty of God;
human depravity; predestination)
- Presbyterian and other “Reformed” churches influenced by Calvin

3) Missions Movement – makes Protestant Christianity a worldwide movement

– beginning in early 1800s

Varieties of Protestants:

1) Lutheran churches – follow Luther’s theology and practice

2) Presbyterian and Reformed churches – follow Calvin’s theology/practice

3) Swiss Brethren – early offshoot in Swiss cantons; today’s Mennonites and Amish are their descendants

4) All these begin in the early to mid-1500’s in northern Europe; eventually spread to France and beyond

Protestant Variations: England

Driving factor: Henry VIII

Henry’s issue: the need for a divorce (unable to secure through Roman Catholic Church)

Henry’s solution: creation of the Church of England
- A national church with a monarch as its head; rejected Pope but was Roman Catholic in theology and practice

Note: Henry is NOT a Protestant but set in motion a process which will
ultimately lead the Church of England to become Protestant

Church of England: From Henry to Elizabeth

Henry VIII – break with Pope; rejected Protestantism

Edward VI – Henry’s son; advisors are Protestant; Church of England
becomes Protestant (short reign = 5 years)

Mary – Henry’s oldest daughter – Roman Catholicism restored in England
(short reign = 5 years”

Elizabeth – another daughter of Henry; establishing Church of England as
Protestant; (long reign = 45 years)

Puritanism: Movement within Church of England

Began with reformers who wanted to go further than Church of England

Wanted to “purify” the Church, thus “Puritans”; rejected bishops; wanted to
select their own clergy; rejected traditions not found in Bible;

Pushed out of England by King James (successor to Elizabeth)

Went to Europe first, then established colonies in “new world”

Puritan colonies in North America: Plymouth (first puritan colony);
Massachusetts Bay Colony (Boston, Salem, etc); New Haven & Connecticut
Legacy seen in “Congregationalism”

Divisions in Protestant Christianity grow. Why?

1) Nationalism – some groups divided along ethnic/national lines
2) Racial, economic, class distinctions often lead to creation of new groups
3) Revival/renewal movements often lead to division/new groups
4) Protestant “individualism” – tendency to move faith to personal level
5) Theological differences