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Re: An brief unofficial history of the New Testament and...
By the end of the first century, ripples were working their way through the new faith. For years there were doctrinal differences cropping up until they became too great to be ignored. Christian intellectuals popped up here and there each promoting their opnions. Finally, Valentinius of Alexandria, Justin of Samaria, Irenaeus in in Lyon, Marcion of Sinope (in Asia Minor), Clement from Alexandria and a few others all met in Rome in 140 C.E with ideas of what they thought Christianity was. The differences were great. The church would never be the same again.
This led to a revamping of church doctrine. One of the problems Marcion saw was that Christians were expected to be loyal to a Jewish god, even though they did not have to keep the law. Marcion kept more in line with Paul and stressed that God was a god of mercy and compassion, a god for all mankind and not the relegated to a "chosen people." The Jewish god, as Marcion saw it, was to be replaced by Christ and not worthy of worship.
By now the Gospels were on the scene and in circulation and Marcion brought with him to the conference, an abbreviated copy of Luke and 10 letters from Paul to form what would be the first Christian canon.
The others who were gathered rejected Marcion's ideas mostly becaue he rejected the Apostolic tradition outright and also because he pointed out some unresolved problems left behind by earlier bishops within the faith. Even more radical was that Marcion rejected the apostolic "writings." For this reason, one of the gathered members known as Polycarp called Marcion the "first born of Satan" while others like Tertullian and Justin wrote at length against him.
This opposition did not stop Marcion and he went on preaching his views and did so quite successfully gaining converts to his brand of Christianity in Ephesus and Rome. The appeal of the doctrine he preached was that it was simple, understandable and actually practical. It had its share of contradictions but it still sold well and other church leaders were aware of this.
About this same time yet another group in Alexandria, Egypt became involved in Jewish mysticism and this eventually evolved in a Chriatians associated cult known as Gnosticism. It was a belief that believed Jesus was a divine teacher but rejected the resurrection and doctrine of atonement. They rejected the Apostolic story of Jesus and conversely the doctrines relating to the mission of Jesus taught by mainstream Christianity. They viewed personal knowledge and experience as being the key to understanding Jesus hence they rejected the authority of the local bishop. The system took rapid hold in Egypt and began spreading around the Roman provinces which horrified the bishops.
With the threat of Gnosticism there were also squabbles between various bishops and they began to contend with one another regarding doctrine. Turmoil was all over the place. The attempt in Rome to deal with the rifts had failed miserably and even helped to give birth to a whole new organized group known as the Marcionite church which was labled heretical but had wide appeal. With all this going on, Roman persecution was still something else to contend with. The church appeared doomed, but an unlikely savior would come to its rescue.
In 312 C.E emperor Constantine engaged in a battle at the Milvan Bridge against a rival claimant to the throne. It is said that due a vision, he saw in the sky a sign which a voice told him he was to use to conquer his rival. This, however, is one of six different contradictory versions Constantine told of this event which have survived. The sign was said to be a cross in some accounts. He did indeed win the war and in commemoration, he set up a triumphal arch which still stands today. It bears on it a testimony the "Unconquered Sun" a reference to the popular god amongst Roman soldiers, Mithra, but there is also reference to Jesus Christ "driving his chariot across the sky." In time he eventually commanded Christians to hold their services on Sun-day. Despite all of this, Constantine never converted to Christianity until on his deathbed which is when he allowed himself to be baptized.
Constantine became sole Roman Emperor in 324 and he convened the First Council of Nicea the following year. His command to the bishops was that they get their act together and quit all the squabbling that had been going on for centuries. They were ordered to come up with a consistent doctrine that would be universal, i.e. "catholic" and could be understood and practiced by all. Not daring to disobey the emperor, the various bishops all met at Nicea, argued, argued some more and then some more and eventually hammered out a few common doctrines and the first version of the Apostolic Creed. They claimed agreement on these and left totally unconverted to each other's views. Constantine being totally clueless on these issues, was made to understand the bishops agreed and was pleased and this made the bishops feel safer but they went back to their homes to preach the same differences. It got even more interesting.
More to come.........
By the end of the first century, ripples were working their way through the new faith. For years there were doctrinal differences cropping up until they became too great to be ignored. Christian intellectuals popped up here and there each promoting their opnions. Finally, Valentinius of Alexandria, Justin of Samaria, Irenaeus in in Lyon, Marcion of Sinope (in Asia Minor), Clement from Alexandria and a few others all met in Rome in 140 C.E with ideas of what they thought Christianity was. The differences were great. The church would never be the same again.
This led to a revamping of church doctrine. One of the problems Marcion saw was that Christians were expected to be loyal to a Jewish god, even though they did not have to keep the law. Marcion kept more in line with Paul and stressed that God was a god of mercy and compassion, a god for all mankind and not the relegated to a "chosen people." The Jewish god, as Marcion saw it, was to be replaced by Christ and not worthy of worship.
By now the Gospels were on the scene and in circulation and Marcion brought with him to the conference, an abbreviated copy of Luke and 10 letters from Paul to form what would be the first Christian canon.
The others who were gathered rejected Marcion's ideas mostly becaue he rejected the Apostolic tradition outright and also because he pointed out some unresolved problems left behind by earlier bishops within the faith. Even more radical was that Marcion rejected the apostolic "writings." For this reason, one of the gathered members known as Polycarp called Marcion the "first born of Satan" while others like Tertullian and Justin wrote at length against him.
This opposition did not stop Marcion and he went on preaching his views and did so quite successfully gaining converts to his brand of Christianity in Ephesus and Rome. The appeal of the doctrine he preached was that it was simple, understandable and actually practical. It had its share of contradictions but it still sold well and other church leaders were aware of this.
About this same time yet another group in Alexandria, Egypt became involved in Jewish mysticism and this eventually evolved in a Chriatians associated cult known as Gnosticism. It was a belief that believed Jesus was a divine teacher but rejected the resurrection and doctrine of atonement. They rejected the Apostolic story of Jesus and conversely the doctrines relating to the mission of Jesus taught by mainstream Christianity. They viewed personal knowledge and experience as being the key to understanding Jesus hence they rejected the authority of the local bishop. The system took rapid hold in Egypt and began spreading around the Roman provinces which horrified the bishops.
With the threat of Gnosticism there were also squabbles between various bishops and they began to contend with one another regarding doctrine. Turmoil was all over the place. The attempt in Rome to deal with the rifts had failed miserably and even helped to give birth to a whole new organized group known as the Marcionite church which was labled heretical but had wide appeal. With all this going on, Roman persecution was still something else to contend with. The church appeared doomed, but an unlikely savior would come to its rescue.
In 312 C.E emperor Constantine engaged in a battle at the Milvan Bridge against a rival claimant to the throne. It is said that due a vision, he saw in the sky a sign which a voice told him he was to use to conquer his rival. This, however, is one of six different contradictory versions Constantine told of this event which have survived. The sign was said to be a cross in some accounts. He did indeed win the war and in commemoration, he set up a triumphal arch which still stands today. It bears on it a testimony the "Unconquered Sun" a reference to the popular god amongst Roman soldiers, Mithra, but there is also reference to Jesus Christ "driving his chariot across the sky." In time he eventually commanded Christians to hold their services on Sun-day. Despite all of this, Constantine never converted to Christianity until on his deathbed which is when he allowed himself to be baptized.
Constantine became sole Roman Emperor in 324 and he convened the First Council of Nicea the following year. His command to the bishops was that they get their act together and quit all the squabbling that had been going on for centuries. They were ordered to come up with a consistent doctrine that would be universal, i.e. "catholic" and could be understood and practiced by all. Not daring to disobey the emperor, the various bishops all met at Nicea, argued, argued some more and then some more and eventually hammered out a few common doctrines and the first version of the Apostolic Creed. They claimed agreement on these and left totally unconverted to each other's views. Constantine being totally clueless on these issues, was made to understand the bishops agreed and was pleased and this made the bishops feel safer but they went back to their homes to preach the same differences. It got even more interesting.
More to come.........
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