Church History - Complete Flashcards
What is the value of studying Church History
1) It educates us on the historical roots of our beliefs
2) It teaches us to learn from the examples of our predecessors
3) It shows how kingdom of God is being built by using his choosing people.
4) It helps us to interpret historical facts by faith in God.
How would you define the periods of church history, with years?
1) Early Church History (4 BC-580 AD)
2) Medieval Church History (580-1517)
3) Reformation (1517-1789)
4) Modern Church History (1789-Present)
What were the 5 “solas” of the Reformation?
Sola Scriptura, Sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, soli deo gloria
Trace the development of Covenant Theology
- Covenant theology begins in Scripture and was to some extent developed by Augustine (In Adam, all have broken God’s covenant).
- The major development in medieval covenant theology was the proposition by Ockham and Biel (God rewards sinners with a kind of merit when they do their best).
- Reformation: Covenant theology as we know it today began in the 16th century with Zwingli, who emphasized the Abrahamic covenant as a model for the Christian’s relationship to God. Calvin also makes extensive use of the covenant. Ursinus first spoke of a pre-fall covenant of works. Olevianus presented the idea of an eternal covenant between the Father and the Son for the salvation of man.
- Reformed Orthodoxy: Covenant theology begins to be treated in systematic form (emphasized God’s accomplishment of salvation as the unfolding of his covenant.)
- During the 20th century, largely due to the work of Meredith Kline, scholars came to view the biblical covenants through the framework of the ancient Near Eastern Suzerain vassal treaty.
- Modern: challenges to classical covenant theology
When was the persecution under Nero
64
When was the persectuion under Decius?
249-251 (First systematic general persecution)
When was the persecution under Diocleatian?
303 (the Great Persecution)
When was the destruction of the Jewish Temple
70
What was the Edict of Milan
313 (legalized Christianity)
When did Christianity become the official religion of the Roman Empire
380 (Theodosian Empire)
Give me a list of the first 6 councils of the church with dates.
First Council of Nicaea (325)
First Council of Constantinople (381)
First Council of Ephesus (431)
Council of Chalcedon (451)
Second Council of Constantinople (553)
Third Council of Constantinople (680–681)
Second Council of Nicaea (787)
When was the council of Nicea and what occured there?
325
The council of Nicea was assembled to address the Arian controversy. Condemned Arianism (teaching that the Son was 1st creation of God the Father) and composed the Nicene Creed. The council said Jesus was truly God.
Uses the language of “homoousios” - of one being - Son is true God from True God, begotten not made, of one being with the father.
Council of Ephesus
431 AD
The Council of Ephesus was convened in 431 by Theodosius II, emperor of the eastern half of the Roman empire.
The Council of Ephesus confirmed the Nicene Creed and the title Theotokos (“God-bearer”) for Mary as a legitimate title based on that creed. They also condemned Nestorianism and excommunicated all those bishops who did not hold to the council’s decision.
Council of Constantinople
381 AD
It was convened by Theodosius I who at that time was Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.
The main business of the council was to reestablish the doctrine that had been set forth in the Nicene Creed.
The theology of the Holy Spirit was dealt with at the council of Constantinople.
Council of Chalcedon
451, called by Eastern Emperor Marcion
At the Council of Chalcedon, the church explicitly defined the relationship between Jesus’ divine nature and his human nature, and how they manifested in his being. They determined he was “truly God and truly man,” and that he is “like us in all things, sin apart.”
- Two Natures: Christ is one person, 2 natures.
It condemned the false doctrines of Nestorius and Eutyches.
- Nestorianism: Christ is two persons in 1 body.
- Eutychianism: 2 natures of Jesus evolved into a single nature
Antinomianism
Denies the need to obey God’s law. Was a popular component of Gnosticism and has persisted in various forms through the centuries.
Docetism
Heresy of the early church that denied Jesus had come in the flesh, saying that Jesus only seemed to be man. John combats it in 1 John 4:2, and became an important aspect of Gnosticism
Ebionites
Jewish Christians in the 1st-4th Centuries who denied the preexistence of Christ and believed the entire OT law had to be kept for salvation.
Marcionism
2nd Century heresy that taught a strong distinction between the vengeful God of the OT and the merciful God of the NT, and accepted only Paul’s Epistles and Luke from the NT. Aspects similar to Gnosticism
Gnosticism
A group of primarily 2nd century heresies that taught a radical dualism between matter and spirit, proclaimed salvation through special knowledge, and a docetic view of Christ
- Most famous Gnostic was Valentinus
- Writings: Gospel of Thomas, Philip, Truth, Judas
- Major opponents: Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Epiphanius
Donatism **
4th Century North African movement that started a separate church, emphasizing the purity of the church over its unity.
Donatism was the error taught that the effectiveness of the sacraments depends on the moral character of the minister. In other words, if a minister who was involved in a serious enough sin were to baptize a person, that baptism would be considered invalid.
Manichaenism
3rd century form of Gnosticism founded by Mani, teaching a dualism between light and dark. Augustine was part of it for a while, though he later opposed it strongly.
Monarchianism
3rd Century heresy that stresses the oneness of God / Opposed the Trinity
Gnosticism
1st-3rd century. they thought that they have a special knowledge and promised a deeper spirituality. Salvation comes from an ascetic life.
Their principle teachings:
- Dualism: material world is bad; spiritual world is good.
- Docetism: Jesus merely appeared to have a body; actually he had not.
- Anti-Judaism
- Way of Salvation: It is not by faith, but by knowledge.
Dynamic Monarchianism
says that the Father alone is God, and the SOn was merely a man who was specially endowed with the Holy Spirit.
Modalism/Sabellianism
God is not in three persons, but one Godhead appears in three modes.
The Great Schism
East/West division of the church in 1054
Reasons:
-Intellectual alienation: Greek-speaking East and Latin-speaking West came at theology differently
-Papal Authority: West asserted Pope’s authority over the entire church, but East rejected it
-Filioque Controversy: West added “filioque” to the Nicene creed, saying that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son
Reformation
16th and 17th Century movement to reform the Church in response to theological and moral decay
-Reformers such as Martin Luther, Zwingli, and John Calvin protested various unbiblical practices of the Catholic Church and promoted a return to sound biblical doctrine. The precipitating event of the Protestant Reformation is generally considered to be Luther’s posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church on October 31, 1517.
These five important doctrines are the reason for the Protestant Reformation.
Sola Scripture: Scripture alone.
Sola Fide: Faith alone.
Sola Gratia: Grace alone.
Sola Christos: Christ alone.
Soli Deo Gloria: To God alone be the glory.
They are at the heart of the Reformers’ call for the church to return to biblical teaching.
Counter-Reformation
16th Century reform of the Catholic Church and counter offensive against the Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was Roman Catholicism’s response to the Protestant Reformation. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Christians began to openly criticize the Roman Catholic Church for teaching things contrary to the Bible. The Reformers objected to the veneration (worship) of Mary, the selling of indulgences, the insistence that rituals and sacraments were necessary for salvation, and so forth. As the Reformation took hold culturally and theologically, Catholicism responded with its own efforts. Some of these were intended to change the Catholic Church itself, but most were designed to resist the claims of the Reformers. Collectively, these Catholic efforts became known as the Counter-Reformation.
Two lasting effects came out of the Counter-Reformation: the Jesuit Order (the Society of Jesus) and the Council of Trent.
Council of Trent
1545-1563, laid the groundwork for modern Catholicism
- Centered authority in the Papacy
- Corrected abuses in the church
- Fixed Catholic doctrine in opposition to Protestantism
- -Scripture and tradition are equal authorities
- -Justification by grace + works
Jesuits
Educators and missionaries who were largely responsible for the Catholic church taking back much of the ground it lost to the Protestants (society of Jesus, founded by Ignatius of Loyola) 1534
Heidelberg Catechism
16th Century catechism composed in Heidelberg, Germany. It is a remarkably warm-hearted and personalized confession of faith.
The Heidelberg Catechism was compiled by Olevianus and Ursinus.
The Synod of Dort approved the Heidelberg Catechism in 1619, and the catechism has become one of four “standards of unity” that define the beliefs of the Reformed tradition.
Belgic Confession
The Belgic Confession, written in 1561, takes pains to point out the continuity of Reformed belief with that of the ancient Christian creeds. It is the oldest confession of faith used by the Christian Reformed Church.
Canons of Dort
17th Century (1618-1619) document, composed by Synod of Dort in the Netherlands, which presents the 5 points of Calvinism in response to the Remonstrants
Westminster Assembly
Parliament made changes in the Church. It called an assembly of 121 clergymen and 30 layman to provide a new creed and form of church government in 1643.
They produced:
Westminster Confession of Faith 1646
Westminster Larger Catechism 1648
Westminster Shorter Catechism 1647
Directory of church government 1645.
The work of reforming the Church in English was completed in 1648.
Pietism
Pietism(16th-17th Century) is a movement within Christianity that attempts to focus on individual holiness and a radical Christian life.
The Puritans desired to reform the Lutheran Church. The Pietist movement by Philipp Jacob Spener who belonged the Lutheran Church became known as Pietism, and he is called the father of Pietism.
The movement played a large influence in the development of the modern missionary movement.
First Great Awakening
Movement of revival in America from 1735 - 1743 through the Calvinistic preaching of Edwards and Whitfield.
Apologists
Church fathers in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries whose defend the faith against heretics and pagan criticism and wrote to explain the Christian truth for gentile intellectuals.
Montanism
2nd-6th century movement that emphasized continuing revelation of God, and their experience of ecstatic visions and strange tongues. Neglect the duties of present life.
Monasticism
Holiness was to be found in the attempt at complete isolation and removal from the world. In 3rd-4th century, the movement took various paths of asceticism for holiness, separation, and discipleship.
They did prayer, fasting, reading and reciting the Bible, and manual labor.
Scholasticism
In the Middle Ages, the great thinkers were all clergymen and monks in the church.
Their thinking were based on the classical philosophy of ancient Greece, the Bible, and the early Christian writers.
Their quest for faith was logical formulation – Logic + theology. Many of them taught: “Reason is a means by which we may get to know God.”
It evolved into the Renaissance which helped the Reformation.
Humanism
Movement in the Renaissance and early reformation that said man was the measure of all things, encouraging a return to original sources
Radical Reformation
Movement that arose during the Reformation that wanted complete separation of church and state and experience of regeneration over forensic justification, rejected infant baptism.
Puritanism
Movement that sought to purify the Church of England in 17th century, especially reacting to the form of Anglican worship (John Owen, Richard Baxter)
Socinianism
Heresy of the 16-18th Centuries created by Socinius, which rejected the diety of Christ, his atoning death on the cross and the foreknowledge of God
-Forerunner of modern Unitarianism and Open Theism.
Modernism
19-20th Century movement centering on adapting Christian ideas to better cohere with modern culture and thought, which emphasizes reason over Scritpure as the ultimate source of knowledge
Clement of Rome
1st Century / Apostolic Church Father / Bishop of Rome who wrote a letter to Corinth / His theology was profoundly influenced by Paul / Martyred
Ignatius
1st - 2nd century / Apostolic Church Father / Bishop of Antioch / Wrote 7 letters / The first recorded use of the phrase “catholic church.” / Martyred by Romans / “…Come, cruel tortures of the devil; only let me attain unto Christ.”
Polycarp
1st - 2nd century / Apostolic Church Father / Bishop of Smyrna / Disciple of Apostle John / teacher of Irenaeus / Wrote against Marcion and Gnosticism.
Marcion
2nd century Heretic / Held Paul in extremely high esteem / The NT was antithetical to the OT / Created own cannon / Anti-Judaism
Justin Martyr
2nd century / Apologist / Evaluated connection between Christianity and Philosophy / Developed doctrine of logos / Martyred
Irenaeus
2nd century. Greek Church Father. Disciple of Polycarp. Bishop in Southern France. The founder of Christian theology / protested against heresies. wrote “Against all Heresies” directed at Gnosticism.
Tertullian
2nd - 3rd century / Latin Church Father / The Father of Latin theology / The First major Christian author to write in Latin / Developed the doctrine of the Trinity in ‘Against Praxeas” / “The blood of martyrs is seed of the church.” / Against Marcionism
Cyprian
3rd century bishop of Carthage, wrote “The Unity fo the Church,” high view of the church, taught that baptism can only be performed by the one Catholic church (“outside the church there is no ordinary possibility of salvation”)
Origen
3rd Century alexandrian theologian / wrote the first systematic theology “First Principles”, and the Hexapla / The Father of Allegorical Interpretation of the Bible.
Eusebius
3rd-4th century bishop of Caesarea / wrote the first church history / “Father of Church History”
Athenasius
4th Century theologian who opposed Arianism. Wrote “On the Incarnation” and “Life of Anthony”
Constantine
4th Century Emperor who legalized Christiniaty / Declared Edict of Milan / called the council of Nicea
Epiphanius
4th century bishop of Salamis, wrote “Panarion” against all heresies known up to his day
Chrysostom
4th-5th century bishop of Constantinople / be called “golden mouthed” / delivered a long series of sermons / Influential on John Calvin
Jerome
4th - 5th century theologian / A keen biblical scholar / Ascetic and Monastic life / Translated Hebrew Bible into Latin, ‘Vulgate Bible’
Pelagius
4th-5th century heretic / denied original sin, believed human were capable of good / Questioned the need for baptism and the church
Augustine
4th-5th century Bishop of Hippo / Greatest father of the Western Church / one of the most influential theologians in the history of the church / Wrote many works including “Confessions” and “City of God”
Gregory the Great
6th-7th century Pope / Helped establish idea of papal supremacy / Wrote “The Pastoral Rule” / Originated ideas leading to purgatory and penance / Christian mission to England
John Wycliffe
14th century British theologian known as the morning star of the Reformation. Taught at Oxford, opposed transubstantiation, translated the Bible into English, and opposed papal authority
John Hus
14th-15th century Bohemian theologian / attacked clerical abuses / opposed papal authority / emphasizing the priesthood of all believers and the authority of Scripture / Preached in the common language (not Latin) / Burned and Martyred at the stake as heretic. / “A good death is better than a bad life.”
Desiderius Erasmus
Leading Humanist of the 16th Century who wanted to reform the church through scholarship. He produced a new latin translation of the NT, wrote Diatribe on Free Will as a polemic against Luther’s theology.
Martin Luther
16th century German theologian / 95 Theses nailed to the door of Wittenburg - 1517 / Emphasized grace through faith, priesthood of all believers / Wrote “Babylonian Captivity of the Church”, “The freedom of the Christian”
Philip Melanchthon
16 century associate of Luther / systematized and defended Luther’s theology / Wrote “Loci Communes”
Ulrich Zwingli
16th Century Swiss Reformer / disputed with the Anabaptists / taught the memorial view of the Lord’s Supper / Introduced expository preaching
John Calvin
16th century Reformer who was born in France and ministered in Geneva. Founder of modern Reformed theology, and author of “Institutes of the Christian Religion”
John Knox
16th Century Scottish Reformer/ Influenced by Calvin, opposed Queen Mary I / Inaugurated the modern Presbyterian church / Wrote “The Scots Confession” and the “The Book of Discipline.”
Covenanters
17th century / Scottish Presbyterian movement / Bound by covenants of doctrine to unite against Catholics / Resisted Episcopal system and divine right of kings
Jacobus Arminius
17the Century Dutch theologian who founded Arminianism / Jesus makes possible the salvation of all / Favored idea of human freedom to choose or reject salvation
Amyraut and the School of Sumur
17th century Reformed theologian and school that attempted to synthesize the Calvinist view of divine election with the Arminian view of unlimited atonement / Developed doctrine of “hypothetical universalism”
Richard Baxter
17th Century Puritan and author of “The Reformed Pastor”
Act of Superemacy
Separated Church of England from Rome - 1534
Old School/New School Division****
19th century debate precipitated by the 2nd Great Awakening, which resulted in the Presbyterian church splitting into 2 denominations
-Issues were doctrine (old school was Calvinistic, and new school was more Arminian), subscription to the standards (old school was strict subscriptionism, and the new school was system subscriptionism), church polity (old school focused on denominational identity, and the new school was on interdenominational consciousness), revivalism (old school focused on conversion by the Spirit, while the New school focused on the use of means for conversion), and social reform (old school often supported slavery, and the new school supported abolition)
William Tyndale
15-16c. Used Erasmus’ Greek and Hebrew for first English translation / KJV drew on Tyndale’s work the most / Martyred in 1536
The Didache
The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
a non-canonical book (7-10c). It is claimed to be the work of the twelve Apostles.
Fall of Rome
476
Monotheletism
Christ has two natures but only one will. a development of the monophysite heresy. Condemned by Third Council of Constantinople in 681
St. Thomas Aquinas
13th century Dominican monk / Wrote massive systematic theology “Summa Theologica” / Used Greeks and Christian literature to systematize theology / believed “philosophy was handmaiden of theology”
St. Anselm
11th century Benedictine Monk / “Father of Scholasticism” / Introduced “satisfaction theory” of atonement / Attempted to reason God’s existence in Ontological and Cosmological Arguments.
St. Francis of Assisi
12-13th century / Founded Franciscan Order / Renounced family’s wealth to live in solidarity with the poor // Sought to witness against excess in the church.
Bernard of Clairvaux
12th century mystic and Cistercian monk / Wrote, “On Loving God” / Mystic, monk, theologian / Called by some last of Church Fathers in the West
Diet of Worms
.1521 - Holy Roman Empire at Worms Germany. Addressed Luther - Emperor Charles V condemming Martin Luther as a heretic. Luther made his famous -“ I cannot and will not recant and go against conscience….”
Ransom Theory
Christ offers himself as a ransom for sinners - often to the devil as the one who ‘owns’ sinners.
Auburn Affirmation of 1924
- Issued by a group of Presbyterians meeting in Auburn, New York this was designed to safeguard the unity and liberty of the Presbyterian Church. The Affirmation denied the need of ordained Ministers to commit to the five essentials:
1) Inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture
2) The virgin birth
3) Substitutionary atonement
4) Christ real and historical resurrection and
5) Jesus working of miracles
The first council of constantinopolis?
381
Apollinarism: : Divine person in Christ does not have a reasonable soul of man because Jesus is the Logos.
Zinzendorf
18th century Leader of the Moravian pietist / Founded Herrnhut Mission House sparking a missions movement / Emphasized experience of salvation and mutual love.
George Whitefield
18th century British Methodist / British Methodist Missionary to America / Part of Oxford Club, differed with Wesley as a Calvinist / Revival preacher, contemporary of Edwards
John Wesley
18th century British Theologian / Founded Methodism / Revival preaching influenced Whitefield / Emphasized justification by faith and holiness
Marrow controversy
18th century Church of Scotland / Controversy over legalism and merit in contrast to God’s grace / The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher / Advocated Calvinistic doctrines and was held to favor antinomianism / arrow men were grace only
William Carey
18th - 19th century British missionary to India / Founded Baptist Mission Society, influenced modern missions / Prolific Bible translator / “Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God.”
George Muller
19th century British / Open Brethren influenced by Pietists / Founded multiple orphanages and traveled abroad preaching / “faith mission” principle (miraculous answers to prayer) / “Person of Prayer”
Charles Spurgeon
19th century British Reformed Baptist / Influenced by American Puritans / Prolific and eloquent preacher influencing Calvinists and Baptists / “The Prince of Preachers”
Charles Hodge
19th century American Calvinist / Taught at Princeton, both Theology and Biblical Studies / Considered the father of “Princeton Theology” / Leader in Old School, defended Creationism against Darwinism / Promoted gradual emancipation, did not condemn slave owning
B.B Warfield
19th - 20th century American Calvinist / Principle of PTS prior to Westminster defection in 1929 / Considered the last of the “Princeton Theologians” / Important on inerrancy and inspiration
Charles Finney
19th century American revivalist / Presbyterian, Father of the New School movement / “New measures” of pragmatic techniques in preaching / Influential in Second Great Awakening / Considered the first “attractional” preacher
D.L. Moody
19th century American Dispensational Revivalist / Influential in 3rd Great Awakening / Founded Moody Bible Church and Moody Bible College / Sinking Ship idea
Friedrich Schleiermacher
19th century / “Father of Liberalism” / On Religion: Speeches to its Cultured Despisers—defined religion as feeling of absolute dependence
Karl Barth
19th - 20th century / “Father of Neo-Orthodoxy” / He rejects inerrancy of the Bible / the Bible is not revelation itself, but a possibility of revelation. The Bible is originally human words, but whenever they witness Christ, they can be constituted as revelation.
Gresham Machen
19th - 20th century / Leader in battle against Modernist / Left Princeton and helped found Westminster and OPC
Harry Emerson Fosdick
20th century / Attacked Fundamentalist Movement / Sermon: “What Should We Think of the Fundamentals” / Helped draft Auburn Confession
C.S. Lewis
20th century / Oxford Scholar and apologist / Penned famous fiction and non-fiction writing / Significant contribution to apologetics, but lacks theological precision in Arminianism and inerrancy
Francis Schaeffer
20th century / First student to graduate and the first to be ordained in the Bible Presbyterian Church / Became key theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor / Helped merge the RPC to the PCA in 1982 / He is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the L’Abri community in Switzerland
Francis Makemie
17th century / Irishmen educated in Scotland / Known as “Father of American Presbyterianism” / Organized first presbytery in 1706
Abraham Kuyper
19th century / Calvinist / Founded the Free University in Amsterdam / Returned to historic Protestantism / battled against Modernism
Antoine Court
17th century / “The restorer of the Reformed Church in France” / Leader among the Huguenots / found Lausanne seminary (school of death)
Hudson Taylor
19th century / a China missionary / founded the China Inland Mission / Faith mission
