Church History Review Flashcards
What are the time periods of the Church?
1) N.T./Apostles (6 B.C.-70 A.D)
2) Church Fathers (70-312)
3) Roman Christian
Empire (312-550)
4) Christian Middle Ages (550-1517)
(5) Age of Reformation (1517-1649)
6) Enlightenment & Expansion (1649-1860)
7) Modern (1860-present)
What were the “solas” of the Reformation?
▪ Sola scriptura -
Ultimate authority is scripture (history, assemblies, doctrine and interpretation are all helpful and important, but they are not on an equal footing)
Don’t need the church to interpret scripture. Scripture defines the church, not the church defining scripture.
▪ Sola gratia - Basis for salvation is entire grace; it is not God taking what I can offer and then adding his share to it; it isn’t a co-operative effort.
▪ Sola fides - Means for salvation: How is grace delivered? Not by the sacraments (ala RCC) but by faith (which God also gives). Again notice it isn’t our faith, plus the things we do—works are an evidence of faith, not a means of salvation.
▪ Solus Christus - salvation is in Christ alone
▪ Soli Deo Gloria - God’s glory above all else
▪ Priesthood of all Believers -
No hierarchy of access to God: all can come directly to him; we don’t need priestly mediator.
No one is closer to God based on office.
We all have a responsibility to minister to one another.
Briefly discuss the development of covenant theology
The ideas are present in Augustine’s City of God: “All humans have broken God’s covenant in that one in whom all have sinned.” Recognizes a first covenant made with Adam.
Came to the forefront in the Reformation - Jonhannes Oecolampadius identifies three covenants
Calvin - Federal Theology and the covenant of grace; Law and Gospel
Developed by Ursinas, Olevianus, Cocceius, Turretin, and Witsius in the the 16th and 17th Centuries
18th and 19th Centuries Hodge, Warfield, Vos, Machen, and Bavinck
Abnormalities:
Barth: No covenant of works
Murray and Shepherd - no covenant of works
Kline Classic view, but negative take on Mosaic law as covenant of works
Development of the Canon of Scripture
ca. 140, Marcion’s Canon presents problems (i.e. heresy) and a response is necessitated
ca. 170-200, Muratorian [Fragment] Canon – which includes the four Gospels, the “Acts of all Apostles” and 13 of the Pauline Epistles (but not the anonymous Hebrews, 1 and 2 Peter, or James).
Eusebius in Ecclesiastical History has 22 of 27 NT books, some not included are debated
367, Athanasius Easter Letter includes all 27 books of NT
393, Synod of Hippo (And 397 Council of Carthage) affirms what we have today
Criteria for books: 1) Apostleship, 2) Recognition/use in early church, 3) Synthesis/agreement with teachings in the church
What are the four major church councils with their issues and major players?
Council of Nicea (325) - Arius vs Athanasius - results in the early
Nicene Creed
Council of Constantinople (381) - Cappadocian Fathers - Full Nicene Creed
Council of Ephesus (431) - Nestorious vs Cyril - Two persons vs Two natures
Council of Chalcedon (451) - Leo the Great (not present) vs Eutychus - Two natures vs blended nature - Chalcedonian Formula
East/West Schism
Occurred in 1054 over the Filioque clause, Roman authority, leavened vs unleavened bread in the Lord’s Supper, the celibacy of priests, and other things
Reformation
Dates: 1517-21 (95 Theses & Diet of Worms)—1643-49 (Westminster Assembly)
The widespread withdrawal from the Roman Catholic Church over doctrinal disagreements, esp. regarding the nature/authority of scripture (scripture alone vs. scripture as interpreted by the Pope) the nature of salvation (by grace, through faith vs. sacramental/works).
▪ Lutheran/German reformation (Luther, Melanchthon),
▪ Reformed/Swiss reformation (Zwingli/Calvin),
▪ English reformation (English monarchs, Tyndale, Cranmer, Westminster Assembly).
1st Great Awakening
Dates: (1735-43)
Major Figures & Traditions:
Theodore Frelinghusen (Dutch Reformed)
Gilbert Tennent (Presbyterian)
Jonathan Edwards (Congregational)
George Whitfield (Anglican)
Theology: Calvinist
Distinctive Features:
Salvation: Traditional Calvinist (Sov. God; total depravity; no decisionalism)
Church: “Pure Church” model (only born again take LS); end of “half way” covenant
Society: Church/State relationships grow apart
Highlights: Edwards, Freedom of Will; Original Sin; Religious Affections; Whitfield’s campaigns
2nd Great Awakening
Dates: (1795-1830)
Major Figures & Traditions:
Nathaniel Taylor (Yale)
Lyman Beecher
Charles Finney
Meth/Bapt in west; Pres/new school in east
Theology: New Haven/Arminian (modified Edwards)
Distinctive Features:
Salvation: Humans have ability to choose to come to God
Church: private interp. of bible; revivalism; volunteer societies
Society: Potential of US; impact of volunteer societies, special blessing on US.
Highlights: Finney, Lectures on Revival; camp/tent meetings; anxious bench (New Measures)
Westminster Assembly
Dates: (1643-1649)
Assembly meeting in London at the behest of Oliver Cromwell’s parliament (sympathetic to Puritans previously persecuted under the executed Charles I) to reshape the Church of England into a reformed, Presbyterian national church. Produced DoW, WLC, WSC, WCF. Standards were not adopted by C of E, but was adopted by C of Scotland.
Thomas Goodwin and Jeremiah Burroughs were among the writers
