Midterm Study Guide

Question 1

Nero

Answer 1

AD 54-68. Burns Rome and blamed Christians and cruelly persecuted them.

Question 2

Emperor Diocletian

Answer 2

A.D.-205-284
Organized government under a tetrarchy rule of four emperors and persecuted Christians and removed them from government positions.

Question 3

Gnosticism

Answer 3

A variety of religious movements that appealed to special or mystical knowledge leading to salvation, reserve for the enlightened. Strong dualism, the spirit, good and material evil in the world.

Question 4

Tertullian

Answer 4

A.D. 160-220: a main apologist and polemicist, which was opposed to all things pagan.

Question 5

Marcion

Answer 5

A.D. 110-160: started a church that continued for centuries. he believed that Jehovah and the world are evil. Did not believe Jesus was born, but appeared as a grown man and did not have a human body.

Question 6

The Edict of Milan

Answer 6

A.D. 313: a part of an alliance agreement between Constantine and licinius that would eventually and persecution for Christians in order the return of their properties

Question 7

Donatists

Answer 7

4th Century: after Donatus. They believed that they were the true church whose sacraments and ordination were valid as opposed to those of the Catholic Church.

Question 8

Arian & Arianism

Answer 8

A.D. 250-336: arius contended that there was when he was not an argued that Christ was first of all created beings.

Question 9

The Council Of Nicaea:

Answer 9

A.D. 325. It was convened by Constantine on May 20 325. The main task was to settle the debate between the godhead and the Trinity in addition to deciding on 20 cannons or rules for church government

Question 10

The Council of Chalcedon

Answer 10

A.D. 451. Called by the eastern Emperor to end the doctrinal disputations of Christ union of his Deity to humanity.

Question 11

Irenaeus

Answer 11

A.D. 2nd century- 202: a main polemicist in early teacher, author of against heresies in response to the heresy of Gnosticism.

Question 12

Athanasius

Answer 12

A.D. 296/298-373: a bishop who wrote life of Saint Anthony. He believed that only God himself can save mankind.

Question 13

Athanasius

Answer 13

A.D. 296/298-373: a bishop who wrote life of Saint Anthony. He believed that only God himself can save mankind.

Question 14

Pelagius:

Answer 14

A.D. 350-425: a British educated philosopher who held the teaching that man has the ability to take initial steps toward salvation by his own efforts apart from special grace man is unconditionally free and has moral responsibility.

Question 15

Monasticism

Answer 15

An expression of the Christian life of humility, self sacrifice, and prayer. Believed in discipline separation from the world and obedient to rule into the Abbott.

Question 16

Martin of Tours:

Answer 16

A.D. 317-397: bishop of tours who practiced the monastic life.

Question 17

Gregory 1.

Answer 17

A.D. 590-604: he was a reformer negotiator, biblical commentator, and author of life of Benedict

Question 18

The Great Schism of 1054

Answer 18

A break between the western church and the Eastern Church due to theological and ecological disagreements such as using unleavened bread in the Eucharist.

Question 19

Scholasticism

Answer 19

A medieval school theological method sought to apply Aristotelian philosophy in the study of theology.

Question 20

Thomas Aquinas

Answer 20

A.D. 1225-1274: a philosopher who wrote summa theologiae and sought to integrate the natural philosophy of Aristotle with the revelation of the Bible.

Question 21

List Anthony Hoekema’s five main features of a Christian interpretation of History

Answer 21

1. God’s purposes are revealed in redemptive history
2. God is the Lord of history
3. Jesus Christ is the center of history.
4. The new age has already been ushered in
5. All of history is moving toward a goal: the new heavens and the
   new earth.

Question 22

List the two terms describing Christ’s relationship to the Father that were key in the Council of Nicaea and define them:

Answer 22

homoousios: of the same substance. argued that the Son was just as divine as the Father but no distinction between Father and Son.
homoiousios: The Son is of similar substance as the Father.

Question 23

List the 5 motives for Monasticism

Answer 23

1. reaction to the church & state alliance providing the church with worldly favor.
2. An expression of the ideal Christian life of humility, self-sacrifice and prayer.
3. An escape from the uncertainties of turbulent political and economic times.
4. a response to various scriptures such as 1 cor. 7:8 (its good to remain single as I am), and (1 Thess. 5:17 “pray without ceasing”).
5. Neoplatonic influences that viewed the Christian life as a movement from material to purer spirituality.

Question 24

Describe the factors and events that lead to the rise of the Papacy (Papal creep)

Answer 24

1. term papa or pope used for high church officials of all kinds but applied stricter to the bishop of Rome.
2. the Growth in the authority of the bishop of Rome.
   a. early tradition is that Rome was the place both Peter and Paul
   died as martyrs enhanced the prestige of the bishop of Rome.
   b. Date set for easter by Victor (189-98)
   c. local councils recognize the bishops as arbiters of decisions.
   d. Damascus I commissioned Jerome to produce a standard Latin
   edition of the Bible.
   e. Once Constantine moved the Capital to Rome, the bishop
   assumed political power.
   f. Key figures in the rise included: Leo I defended the city of Rome
   from barbarians, and his work Tome was important at council
   of Chalcedon thus increasing the standing of the bishop of
   Rome. The coronation of Charlemagne as Emperor of the
   Romans by Pope Leo III (800).
3. A key disagreement between the eastern church and western
   church surrounding when to celebrate easter & unleavened bread
   being used at the eucharist led to a schism or break.
4. Reaches the height of power when Pope Gregory VII claimed papal
   supremacy over temporary rulers and upheld sole authority to
   elect clergymen.
   a. Innocent III believed he was the vicar of Christ. He believed so
   strongly and exuded with equal strength the influence of the
   office of bishop, that he was able to subject all civil authorities to
   the Church. Furthermore, he was able to use an interdict on the
   nation of France and force King Philip to send away his third wife
   and receive back his second wife because Innocent didn’t like his
   third wife.
5. political power: Innocent also was able to force John of England to
   accept his appointment to archbishopric of Canterbury after he
   placed England under an interdict.

Question 25

Describe the reasons, course and extend of the persecutions of the church during the 2nd and 3rd century. Be able to identify the emperors of the persecution in the essay:

Answer 25

1. Reasons for persecutions:
   a. misunderstandings of Christian practices surrounding
   communion and love feasts. They were also ridiculed for their
   beliefs in the nature of God, the crucifixion and resurrection.
2. The Course of Persecutions:
   a. In AD 193-211: Septimus Severus made it illegal under
   penalty of death to convert to Christianity or Judaism and
   promoted common worship of Sol invictus, the unconquered
   Sun.
   b. Under Decius AD 249-251, Made it mandatory to worship
   the Gods of Rome. Even though it featured few martyrs, most
   of the persecution was threats, imprisonment, torture.
   c. In AD 253-260, Emperor Valerian after being captured by the
   Persians, ordered arrests and confiscation of property of
   bishops, presbyters, deacons and prominent Church laypeople.
   Many servants were reduced to slaves and aristocratic women
   were exiled. The notable martyrdom of Cyprian occurred in
   258.
   d. In AD 284-305, Emperor Diocletian began organizing a
   tetrarchy of four co-emperors. He then enacted an edict in 303
   which removed Christians from government positions and the
   military. In 313, the Edict of Milan part of an alliance between
   Constantine and Licinius set in motion the events that would
   eventually end systematic persecutions of Christians.

Question 26

Describe the recognition of the New Testament Canon as a response to the attacks and heresies

Answer 26

1. False teaching intensifies and movements such as Gnosticism caused for a response from the Church. The canon was to be regarded as a list of authoritative writings, not an authoritative list of writings.
   a. Marcion: He rejected certain texts and suggested substitutes. However, he does challenge believers to ask why crtain scriptures were regarded as Scripture. This led the way for developing criteria for decisive action on what is to be considered scripture:
   b. Several books were already circulating such as Paul’s letters and the Gospels. Even though no formal list had been drawn up yet, the works were considered authoritative. Notably, Paul’s writings were read in churches alongside the Old Testament. They were also quoted heavily in combating heresies. The use of these writings in combating heresies is a testimony to its authoritative use and acknowledgment.
   c. One key development was in the late 2nd century, there is an attempt to compile a list of writings to be included in the canon. Probably written in Rome around 190, it listed the Christian Scriptures as the Gospels, Acts, 13 letters of Paul, Jude, 1 and 2 John, the Wisdom of Solomon, Revelation of John, and the Apocalypse of Peter.
   d. 260-3340, Eusebius of Caesarea recognizes 22 of the 27 books of the NT as undisputed and the rest disputed.
   e. By the time of Augustine, around 393, the West recognize all 27 books as the NT. The east follows in 367 with a letter from Athanasius during Easter.

Question 27

Describe the rise of Constantine; how he became a “Christian”; the significance his reign had on the church and identity the response of various Christians to imperial church.

Answer 27

There are many believers that doubt Constantine’s faith and the fact that he was a Christian. Nevertheless, his rise to power and more so his legacy is formidable. God used this man for His purposes in advancing His kingdom and the continuation of building the Church.
1. Constantine’s “conversion”
a. as persecution intensified, Constantine was a skilled man militarily. He defeated Maxentius in 312 and gained control of the western half of the empire. However, before the battle, he claims to have a dream or vision of Christ. He saw a trophy of a cross of light in heaven and the inscription reading “conquer by this”. This, in his mind was used as motivation and attributed to for his success in conquests.
b. in 313, he forms an alliance with Licinius and with the edict of Milan, he ends the systematic persecution of Christians. In 314, Licinius gains control of the eastern half of the empire. By 315, Constantine defeats Licinius and gains control of the entire Roman empire. He establishes and moves the capital Constantinople to Roe and this sped up the rapid decline of Roman power.

2. Constantine’s legacy and significance on the church: Constantine effectively ended systematic persecutions in 313 with the edict of Milan. He returned property and granted favor, wealth and status to many “Christians”, bishops, etc. This led to a growth in what would later be the papacy and its noteriety and acceptance. He increased worship services liturgically, and contributed to more elaborate worship buildings.
3. The response of the church to to imperial church.
   several movements came out of a response by several Christians to this imperial church. First were the Donatists. This group broke from the church which aligned itself with the empire. Monasticism was another response. This group was a reaction to the political favor and growing wealth and privilege of the Church. This group sought to separate themselves from this empirial church and focused more on a lifestyle of humility, devotion to prayer, and self sacrifice. They did not like the increase in favor to the Church by the world and sought to strictly separate themselves from the world.