Church History - General

Question 1

Value of studying church history

Answer 1

• Learning from the example of the past (good and bad)
• Realizing that theology matters
• Not making the same mistakes twice
• Learning the method for interacting with cultural issues

Question 2

Trace spread of Christianity through the centuries

Answer 2

• Resurrection-100 AD The gospel began to spread through most of the Mediterranean region as well as reaching Mesopotamia, Syria, and likely India.
• 100—325 In the 2nd Century, the church spread into Gaul (France), Germany, and North Africa. In the 3rd Century, Christianity moved into Persia and most of Asia Minor. In the face of intense Roman persecution, Christianity had grown and had churches in most Roman provinces, spreading throughout the Roman empire and even beyond.
• 325-600 Reached the British isles where Ireland became a sending off point for missionaries
• 500-700AD With the rise of Islam in the face of half-hearted Christianity, some areas like the Middle East and North Africa, previously strongholds of the gospel became desolate of Christianity.
• 700-1500 Up to the split of the Eastern and Western Church in 1050 and the period of stagnation and the damage of the crusades- Christianity began to make inroads into East Asia during the latter part of this period.
• **1500-1600 **Reformation led to a renewed push for missions and revival among churches.
• 1600-1800 Colonization leads to the spread of Christianity to America, Australia and Western and Southern Africa.
• 1800-1900 Modern missionary movement William Carey, Hudson Taylor, etc.
• 1900-2000 The Gospel flourishes in Asia, Africa, and South America.

Question 3

The Five Solas

Answer 3

• Sola Scriptura
• Sola Gratia
• Sola Fide
• Solus Christus
• Soli Deo Gloria

Question 4

Development of Covenant Theology

Answer 4

• Ultimately Covenant theology begins in Scripture and was to some extent developed by Augustine. What we know as covenant theology first appeared in the works of Zwingli and Bullinger. Calvin, whose name is usually most associated with covenant theology really only has it in seed form. It gained greater strength among 17th century scholastic theologians where it became known as federal theology. Ursinus and especially Olevianus, the founder of a well-developed federal theology, developed the understanding of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace and subordinated the covenant to the doctrine of election. Cocceius stressed the Biblical theology approach of looking at the covenant history (pre-Vos). Prior to this century, covenant theology saw the covenant as a contractual agreement between God and man. With more recent language and archaeological discoveries, covenant theology has come to emphasize the relationship between God and man as a vassal relationship, patterned after the covenants of that time, established and maintained by God’s grace. Through this theology a greater emphasis was placed on God’s gracious and faithful dealing with mankind.