Church History - Test #2 Flashcards
How did Apologists respond to the heresies?
Apologists were adept at using philosophy to defend the Faith, but some would be led astray by these alternative views
What happened as the Church spread throughout the Empire?
she encountered a number of religions & philosophies that influenced certain leaders
What is heresy?
Wrong belief
What can one contrast with heresy?
orthodoxy, or right belief
What did heresies require?
a response from the Church, especially the Bishops entrusted with the care of their flocks
What is Gnosticism?
a term used to describe a wide variety of mystery religions in the Mediterranean in the early Christian centuries
What did Gnostic cults purport to dispense?
a secret knowledge to a supposed elite class
What did Gnosticism believe this knowledge would lead to?
enlightenment/salvation
Gnosticism was primarily what?
dualistic (body & mind/spirit are distinct)
What would Christian Gnostics do?
Deny the Incarnation & have problematic ethical ideas
What kind of problematic ethical ideas did Christian Gnostics have?
- some would become irrationally ascetic
- others would be overly indulgent in physical pleasure
What does gnosis mean?
Knowledge
who was the leader of Montanism? where did it start & when?
a recent convert to Christianity named Montanus in Asia Minor in the middle of the 2nd century
what did Montanists want?
a more rigorous ethical demands, & an imminent focus on the end of the world
who would eventually join the Montanism sect?
Tertullian
what did Montanists claim?
that their revelations came direct from the Holy Spirit & could supersede the authority of Jesus, Paul, or whomever
what was the danger in Montanism?
if this had won out, Christianity would have lain at the mercy of each prophet of every new generation
who started Arianism?
Arius, a priest from Alexandria
what did Arianism teach?
- that Jesus of Nazareth was not God
- only God is external: there was a time when Jesus did not exists, therefore he was not God
- Jesus is like God (should be followed), but not God (cannot be worshipped)
when was the Council of Nicea?
325 CE
what happened at the Council of Nicea concerning Arianism?
the argument got so fierce that St. Nicholas punched Arius in the face
what was the end result with Arianism?
the bishops condemned Arianism in the end, but it took time to root it our completely
who were the Fathers of the Church?
“Teachers whose writings extended the Tradition of the Apostles & who continue to be important for the Church’s teachings”
who was St. Athanasius of Alexandria?
a 4th Century bishop whose teaching was essential in combating the heresy of Arianism
what did St. Athanasius of Alexandria do?
- defended the doctine of Jesus’ divinity
- Homoousias - Greek for “one in being, or of one substance”
- as we profess in the creed, Jesus is “…consubstantial with the Father…”
- consubstantial, coeternal, & coequal
what does Homoousias mean?
Greek for “one in being, or of one substance”
who were The Cappadocian Fathers?
St. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, & Gregory of Nyssa
describe The Cappadocian Fathers
trained in the monastic life by their older sister, St. Macrina, Basil & Gregory Nazianzus were later joined by Gregory of Nyssa
what did The Cappadocian Fathers do?
the 3 would dominate the theological world of the mid-4th century
*together, they defended doctrine in the face of heresies, advanced the monastic life, & emphasized the importance of works of charity
when did St. Ambrose of Milan live?
lived 339-397 CE
who was St. Ambrose of Milan?
son of a Roman official
what was special about St. Ambrose of Milan?
he was baptized, confirmed, & ordained a priest & bishop in one week
what did St. Ambrose of Milan do?
he was an ardent defender of orthodoxy against Arians
when did St. Augustine of Hippo live?
lived 354-430 CE
what kind of parents did St. Augustine of Hippo have?
pagan father, Christian mother (St. Monica)
what was St. Augustine like in her early life?
- in his early life, Augustine was a notorious sinner
- many sordid affairs, fathering a child out of wedlock
- later joined a dualistic cult going to the opposite extreme
what happened to St. Augustine that changed his ways? What did he then become?
- after years of praying for her son, St. Monica sent Augstine to Ambrose who converted him to Christianity
- Augustine then decided to become a monk
- locals soon called for him to serve as bishop
- he became one of the most influential theologians & authors in history
when did St. Jerome live?
lived 331-420 CE
what was St. Jerome skilled in?
language
what languages did St. Jerome speak?
Latin
Hebrew
Greek
what did St. Jerome do for the Pope?
- translated the Bible
- the Vulgate was the official Bible for over 1500 years
What does Chyrsostom mean?
“golden mouth”
When did St. John Chrysostom live?
lived 349-407 CE
Who was St. John Chrysostom?
Archbishop of Constantinople
What was St. John Chrysostom known for?
known for his ascetic lifestyle & his call to reform social & church institutions
What were Ecumenical Councils?
meeting of all the bishops of the world for the purpose of addressing the concerns of the Church
Do all bishops attend the Ecumenical Councils?
at times, not all bishops are able to attend, but as many that can do so
What do the bishops do at the Ecumenical Councils?
- the bishops, in communion with the pope, discern the work of the Spirit - the most authoritative teaching in the Roman Catholic Church
- such decisions are to be accepted in faith by all
In the Christian tradition, when did Monasticism come about?
in the Christian tradition, monasticism came about as the Faith became the official religion of the Empire
Without the threat of martyrdom, what did many seek to do?
- many sought a radical way to live out the Gospel
- they found their way by living the ascetic life
