INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
MAJOR PERIODS
(I). Apostolic Church
• Age of apostles, c. 33-115, A.D.
• Jesus Movement, c. 33-50/70
• Council of Jerusalem (c. 50)
• Roman sack of Jerusalem (70) o Roman captured and sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. Hurt Jews and Hurt Christians o Arch of tideus
• First great Christian missions in this period
• Composistion of the New Testament Books
• First Heresies (Gnosticism, etc.)
Age of the Apostolic Fathers
• AGE OF LEADERS who did not have personal contacts with jesus himself
• Development of post-apostolic hierarchy
• First Christian writings outside of New testament
(II). Patrisitic Church (Patres)
• Longer period
• Age of the great fathers
• The crucial dividing point is the council of Nicea
• There is a pre Nicene age of the patristic church o Ante- Nicene, c. 100-325
• Council of Nicea (325)
• When does it end o Nicene, 325-451 or the second in 787 ( argued by the east) o WEST end it with the last great theologist gregorty the great 325-604
• This is the age of the apologist o Justifications of such, some of the most important writings of the time are apologetics o To demonstrate that Christianity was not a antithetical attempt at the roman belief o We find an intensification of persecution o Rigorist heresies
• What does that mean o The first stirrings of Monasticism
• We see the first aramidic monks ( hermits) o Official toleration (313)0 Emperorer Someone
• Council of NICEA (325) o Definitive est. of Christian canon of Scripture o Great theologians (cappadocian fathers, latin doctores)
• 7 guys who account for 80% of the theology of the Nicene church o great Christological heresies ( arianism, monophysitism, etc.) o Institutionalization of church o Coenobitic monasticism o Partnership between Roman State/Church o Emergence of Post-Roman Church (west)
• What does the church look like after the west empire is gone o Beginning of the separation of Eastern (orthodox)/ Western (latin catholic) church happens in the 11th century o Next time we talk about Judaism and roman contexts.
AUGUST 23 JEWISH AND ROMAN CONTEXTS (I)
• CHADWICK, CH. 1
Judaism is ultimately responsible for the reconfiguration of the world. Judaism originates with a small people. Nomadic herdsmen. It changed the way people think about everything.
When we talk about the origination of Judaism in antiquity. We are walking into a mine field. Questions about a Jewish biblical claim to the holy land. Furtiously fighting the validity of Judaism.
The history of the faith that would be Judaism orginates with
• Abram of the Chaldees o Leader of one of the small nomadic tribes o Abraham, c. 1900 bce) o Tribal leader who lead his people out of this region of mesopatamia west o Its his departure from mesopatamia that is significant. We don’t know where it comes from. We think it might come from (the name) from a egyptian name word (apiru) homeless o Their social structure was a very traditional nomadic structure. Great chieftain. o Not large in numbers o Traditionally they were divided into twelve tribes. o The are wonderers. o Southwest asia and antiquity o Abraham is the establisheres of the Covenant. This is a central foundational concept. This sets a particular type of relationship with the people and YHWH. We could not say it. Abunai and other names “el” o This God is a similar God to the cainitie god El Shaddai o Other names “elohim” is the pural of “el shaddai” it’s pural word used as a singular. This could suggest the trinity and also that they are making the transition from polytheism to monotheism . o There is a female consort – asherah. There is a relationship between YHWH and this god o Exodus show moses and the pharaoh’s snakes eating each other. Shows that at this point they are not completely monotheistic but just loyal to one mighty god. o This Henotheism- one supreme but other gods. It’s a transition.