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
Describe Monastic life
Monastic life is “simple & well ordered, balanced between prayer & work (ora et labora)”
What does ora et labora mean?
prayer & work
What is the latin expression for prayer & work?
ora et labora
What is a hermit?
“A person who lives a solitary life in order to commit himself or herself more fully to prayer & in some cases to be completely free for service to others”
What is an abbot/abbess?
“The superior & spiritual leader of a monastery”
What is a rule?
written instructions / pattern for living a monastic life
Who were desert fathers/mothers?
mostly hermits in Egypt
When did desert fathers/mothers live?
3rd-4th Century CE
What were desert fathers/mothers seeking?
hesychasm
What is hesychasm?
Greed for stillness/quiet
What did desert fathers/mothers repeat throughout the day?
the Jesus Prayer
What is the Jesus Prayer?
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
By repeating the Jesus Prayer throughout the day, what were the desert fathers/mothers doing?
taking Paul’s command to pray unceasingly as literally as possible
Who is St. Anthony of Egypt regarded as?
the founder of Christian monasticism
What did St. Anthony of Egypt become?
a hermit, “practicing a life of prayer, meditation, and penance in a desert cave in Egypt”
What did St. Pachomius the Great do?
He organized monastics into communal houses instead of distinct hermitages
What was special about St. Pachomius the Great’s rule?
his rule of life was likely the first for communal or cenobitic monks
What is the difference between a hermit & a cenobite?
hermit –> lives alone
cenobite –> lives in community
St. Benedict of Nursia
- well educated son of a Roman noble
- twin sister is also a famous monastic saint: St. Scholastica
Describe St. Benedict of Nursia’s life
- compared the licentious [lawless, immoral] lives of his peers & the Gospel
- chose the Gospel, left city to become a monk
Did many people become St. Benedict of Nursia’s followers, even to today?
Yes
Who was St. Patrick?
- former slave in Ireland
- became a bishop, returned to Ireland as a missionary
What did St. Patrick do?
- founded monasteries that kept civilization alive during the Dark Ages
- converted almost all of Ireland by blending Celtic culture with Christianity
- Enculturation
What was St. Patrick’s symbol for the Trinity?
symbol for trinity: 3 leaved clover
Who was St. Brigid of Kildare?
- Daughter of an enslaved Christian mother & a pagan Celtic king
- founder & abbess of the monastery of Kildare, a rare double monastery (men & women)
- “a center for learning & evangelization”
- also founded several convents for nuns throughout Ireland
what is Opus Dei?
the Work of God: community prayer using Psalms, scripture & other readings
what is Opus Dei also called?
the Liturgy of the Hours
how many hours are there of prayer?
7
what is Matins?
Office of Readings or Vigils, early morning
what is Lauds?
Morning Prayer, before breakfast/work
what is Terce?
Midmorning Prayer
what is sext?
Midday Prayer, noon
what is None?
Midafternoon Prayer
Vespers
Evening Prayer
what is Compline?
Night Prayer
what are the 7 hours of prayer?
- Matins
- Lauds
- Terce
- Sext
- None
- Vespers
- Compline
when saying hours of prayer, what is hours referring to?
times of prayer, not length
what did monasteries do to Europe?
they Christianized Europe, bringing Christ to countless people
how did monasteries preserve Western knowledge & learning?
by copying the great secular & religious writings of earlier centuries
what did monasteries develop that endure to this day?
great art, architecture, & music
what new & effective techniques did monasteries develop?
agricultural, wool production, & vine growing
how did monasteries provide education?
through the establishment of monastery schools when all other formal education centers collapsed
list the monastic contributions to the church & society… [abbreviated]
- Christianized Europe
- preserved Western knowledge & learning (by copying writings)
- developed great art, architecture, & music
- developed new & effective agricultural, wool production, & vine growing techniques
- education through monastery schools (when all other education centers collapsed)
Today, what is the world’s 2nd largest religion & is growing rapidly?
Islam
Is Church history tied to Muslim history?
Yes
What kind of faith is Islam?
Monotheistic & Abrahamic
What is Allah?
the Arabic word for God, not a name per se
Did Arabic speaking Christians call God “Allah” too?
Yes
What 3 religions have a common heritage?
Judaism, Christianity, & Islam
What do Muslims see their faith as?
the culmination of the incomplete revelations in Judaism & Christianity
How do the vast majority of Muslims respect Jews & Christians as?
“people of the book” - those who have holy scriptures
Who founded Islam?
the prophet Muhammad
Who was Muhammad?
Not a savior, only a much revered prophet & exemplar
What are the 5 pillars of Islam?
- There is only 1 God & Muhammad is God’s prophet
- Pray 5 times daily facing Mecca
- Fast during Ramadan
- Almsgiving
- Pilgrimage to Mecca
What is the Jihad not?
Not Holy War
What does Jihad mean?
“exertion” or “effort”
The fact that the media uses “jihad” as “holy war” is an example of what?
anti-Islamic bias
Seeing their faith as a completion of last revelations, Muslims sought to do what?
to convert Christians very early on
What are some reasons why Christians converted to Islam?
- it was easier for some bc they paid lower taxes
- some were “Christian” in name only, so their religion was of no consequence to them
- many legitimately saw Islam as appealing bc of its message & the passion of Muslims for their faith
Regrettably, what began between Christians & Muslims within Islam’s 1st 100 yrs?
violent conflict
Describe the Battle of Tours
- earlier Muslim siege of Constantinople failed
- conquest attempted later from North Africa
- Spain ruled by Muslims from 700s-1400s
- conquest of Europe prevented by Prince Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in 731 CE
- loss at Tours could have meant an entirely diff. history in Europe
By 751, who was crowned King of the Franks?
the son of Charles Martel, Pepin “the Short”
As a reward, what did Pepin give to the Pope?
The middle of Italy
What did these Papal States given to the Pope by Pepin make the Pope?
both spiritual & temporal authority
What remains of Pepin’s donation?
only the Vatican
Who was Charlemagne?
crowned “Emperor of the Western Empire” on Christmas Day in 800 CE by Pope Leo III
What was Charlemagne?
A “holy emperor” to make a “holy empire”
-he really believed he ruled by God’s grace & power
Who did Charlemagne’s crowning identify the Church with?
the Western Empire
What did the identification of the Church with the Western Empire cause?
a division between East-West not only in governance, but also in Church
What was Charlemagne’s lasting impact?
- established formal schools for education
- lay investure
- uniform worship throughout the empire
- rules for clergy to ensure they were faithful
- enacting laws against heresies
What is lay investiture?
Lay people (i.e. kings) appointing bishops, abbots and/or abbesses
What did Charlemagne’s uniform worship throughout the empire do?
-brought unity to the West & unintentionally alienated the East
What was one rule that Charlemagne brought about to ensure clergy were faithful?
Celibacy was now enforced
How did Charlemagne enact laws against heresy?
Heresy = crime
Under Charlemagne, was heresy punishable by death?
Yes
