Lesson 4 Flashcards
Identify Justin Martyr and summarize his defenses of the Christian faith
- 100 – c. AD 165
- Christian Apologist
- Beheaded in Rome
- Argued for Christianity from prophecy, miracles, ethics
- Writings:
a. First Apology - his most well-known text, defends the morality of the Christian life, and argue to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the Church.
b. Second Apology
c. Dialogue with Trypho the Jew
d. Against Heresies (lost)
e. Against Marcion (lost)
Who were Ebionites and explain why it is a heresy
Jewish sect, which viewed poverty as a blessing The Ebionites embraced an adoptionist Christology, thus understanding Jesus of Nazareth as a mere man who, by virtue of his righteousness in following the Law of Moses, was chosen by God to be the messianic “prophet like Moses”. A majority of the Ebionites rejected as heresies the orthodox Christian beliefs in Jesus’ divinity, virgin birth and substitutionary atonement that were accepted by the early Church; and therefore maintained that Jesus was born the natural son of Joseph and Mary
Who were Gnostics and explain why it is a heresy
2nd century Heresy of splitting the spiritual things into “Good” and the physical things in to “BAD.” Gnosticism meaning ‘having knowledge’.
Special revelation of the spirit (Gnosis = to know)
Collection of ideas and not 1 organized group.
Salvation is being released from the Body (physical).
Example of Gnostic writings would be Gospel of Thomas.
What is Docetism
Gnostic notion that Christ was not a physical person.
Only “seemed” to be a fleshly body
More “Ghostly” than physically human.
Who were Marcionites and explain why it is a heresy
Marcion divided God between the malevolent Demiurge of the OT and the benevolent God of the NT.
Tertullian wrote against Marcion around 208 ad
Who were Monarchianism and explain why it is a heresy
a doctrine that emphasizes God as one indivisible being, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism, which defines the Godhead as three coeternal, consubstantial, co-immanent, and equally divine hypostases.
Two types of Monarchianism
1. Modalism considers God to be one while appearing and working through the different “modes” of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. Adoptionism holds that the Son was not co-eternal with the Father, and that Jesus Christ was granted godhood (adopted) for the plans of God and for his own perfect life and works.
Who were Montanists and explain why it is a heresy
Montanus believed he was a prophet of God and that the Holy Spirit spoke directly to him. Montanism is sometimes associated with today’s Pentecostal movement. Tertullian wrote against it.
Discuss the three sources of authority established to guard the church from heresy.
a. Writings of apostles
b. Tradition of apostles (creeds, teachings, writings)
c. Bishops as successors of the apostles (Irenaeus, Against Heresies)
What was the response of the ancient church to heresy?
- The development of the NT Cannon
- The development of the Roman Creed
- The Doctrine of Apostolic succession
What are the views of how did God guide the early church?
- Roman Catholic – the bishops
- Eastern Orthodox – the ecumenical creeds
- Protestants – the canon (Holy Scripture)
- All agree – apostolic foundation
When was Marcion excommunicated
144 ad
When was Justin Martyr’s First Apology
150 ad
When was Muratorian Canon
200 ad
When was Hippolytus’ Old Roman Creed
215 ad
When was Cyprian elected Bishop of Carthage
248 ad
