HISTORY OF THE CHURCH

Scripture History

1. How is the history of the Jewish people recounted in the Old Testament?

The Pentateuch (first five books) recount the history up to reaching the Promised Land in 1250 BC.

1,2 Samuel and 1,2 Kings recount the rule of Judges, then the reign of kings (Saul, David, Solomon, .....), including the separate kingdoms Israel and Judah.

Ezra recounts the exile in Babylon and the return to Jerusalem 550 BC. Nehemiah tells about the return to Jerusalem, building the 2nd Temple.

1,2 Maccabees recall revolt and forming of a Jewish State 160 BC. 1,2 Chronicles repeat much of the above history.

Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple where Jesus preached. Only the Western (Wailing) Wall remains of it.

          The state of modern Israel was established in 1948.

The El Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock are now at the temple site.

2. What do the New Testament and other sources tell us of the history of the early Church?

The Acts of Apostles reports: the spread of the early Church; the first Christians were Jewish, then came Gentiles; St. Paul's three Missionary Journeys to the main cities around the Mediterranean; the Council of Jerusalem.

The apostle Andrew went to Scythia, John to Ephesus, Mark to Alexandria, Matthew to Ethiopia, Peter to Rome, Thomas to India.

The Temple and all Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 AD.

The epistles of St. Paul were written before the Gospels, all in the first century AD.

Fathers and Doctors of the Church

3. Who were the Fathers of the Church.

The Fathers of the Church were leaders and writers of the early centuries whose teachings are a witness to the Tradition of the Church. [glossary, 79, 688].

4. Name the Fathers of the Church from the second and third centuries whose works are cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Fathers cited from these early centuries, with their dates of death, are: Clement d100, Ignatius of Antioch d107, Polycarp d155, Justin d166, Irenaeus d202, and Hippolytus d235. The Didache (Teachings of the Apostles) dated 90 AD is also cited. [Index of Citations].

5. What is a doctor of the Church?

Some canonized saints have been designated as Doctors of the Church because of their renowned wisdom and learning, in addition to the holiness of their lives.

6. Who are the doctors of the Church who lived during the early centuries?

Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and Gregory the Great are the doctors of the Western (Latin) Church; John Chrysostom, Basil, Gregory Nazianzus, and Athanasius are their counterparts from the Eastern (Greek) branch of the Church.

7. Who were some subsequently designated doctors of the Church?

Some of the more recent doctors of the Church are Anselm, Bernard, Bonaventure, Catherine of Siena, Ephrem, Francis de Sales, Jerome, John of the Cross, Peter Canisius, Robert Bellarmine, Teresa of Avila, Thérèse de Lisieux, and Thomas Aquinas,

Councils and Synods

8. What is an ecumenical council?

An ecumenical council is a gathering of all the bishops of the world, in the exercise of their collegial authority over the Church. An ecumenical council is usually called by the pope, or at least confirmed or accepted by him. There have been 21 ecumenical councils, some of which decided disputed questions of faith and morals, and on occasion promulgated professions of faith, such as the Nicene Creed. Orthodox Churches accept the first seven General Councils, and some Protestant Churches accept the first few. [glossary, 187, 884].

9. What is a synod?

A synod is a meeting of bishops of an ecclesiastical province or patriarchate to discuss doctrinal or pastoral needs of the Church. A diocesan synod is an assembly of priests and other members of Christ's faithful who assist the bishop by offering advice about the needs of the diocese, and by sponsoring legislation for him to enact. The 1990-95 Synod of the Diocese of Charleston (SC) produced 12 documents. [glossary, 887, 911].

10. What was decided at some of the important ecumenical councils?

Jerusalem (Acts of Apostles): Gentiles need not obey all the Mosaic Laws, circumcision is not required, eating food offered to idols is forbidden.

Nicaea, 325, declared Christ to be divine.

Constantinople I, 381, proclaimed the Trinity

Ephesus, 431, declared Jesus to have a human nature, and affirmed Mary as the Mother of God.

Chalcedon 451, concurred with the three earlier councils

Trent 1545-63, clarified many dogmas, reformed the Church,

motivated the Counter Reformation; later a Catechism was issued.

Vatican I, 1869-70, defined papal infallibility.

11. What was decided at the second Vatican Council 1962-65 ?

Two aims of Vatican II were to return practices of the Church to its apostolic roots (ressourcement or ad fontes) , and to update the Church (aggiornamento). There was a stress on the People of God, the laity, ecumenism, the liturgy, religious freedom, and the roles of Bishops and Priests. It made us a more biblical Church, and gave us the Mass in the vernacular languages, such as English.

12. What main documents implemented the decisions of Vatican II?

The Council decisions were implemented via several main documents (books) issued during the subsequent three decades: a Missal (Sacramentary/ Lectionary) for Mass, 1969; the Liturgy of the Hours, 1971; reconstituting the ancient Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), 1972, mandated in USA 1986; Code of Canon Law, 1983 (Previous Code was 1917); Catechism, appeared in French 1992, in English 1994; the permanent diaconate was restored 1967.

Heresies

13. What were some famous heresies down though the centuries?

1st Century Judaizers require Christians to obey Jewish laws

1st/2nd Gnostics: Claimed secret wisdom, Jesus not human

4th Arians - Claimed Jesus was a creature inferior to God

5th Pelagians - Taught that our own effort can save us

5th Nestorians - Held that Mary is not the Mother of God

5th Monophysites - Claimed that Jesus had only one nature

7/8th Iconoclasts - Condemned icons (images) in churches

11th Albigensians - Held that the human body and marriage are evil

16th Protestants - Denied Tradition, real presence in the Eucharist

17th Jansenists - Claimed that Christ died only for the Elect

17th Gallicanism - Opposed Papal authority

19th Modernists Held that the meaning of dogmas can change

Historical Developments

14. What were the five patriarchates of the early Church?

During the first few centuries the Church was divided into five administrative regions ruled by patriarchs: Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Alexandria, and Constantinople, each with its own languages and liturgies.

15. What became of the five original patriarchates?

After Mohammed died in 632 the Islamic empire spread and took over Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria.

At the Schism in 1054 Constantinople and the Orthodox Christians split off from the Catholic Church, and still remain separated from us, despite our common faith.

During the Western Schism there were rival popes in Avignon and Rome; it lasted from 1305 to 1378, with the restoration of unity.

In 1453 Byzantium (formerly Constantinople) was captured by the Ottoman Turks, was renamed Istanbul, and Turkey became a Moslem country. Many historically Christian cities of the apostolic Church, including Antioch, Colossae, Ephesus, Nicaea, Smyrna, Tarsus, and the region of Galatia, are located in present day Turkey.

16. How did Constantine effect the Church?

Roman emperors persecuted Church for over two centuries, and there were many, many martyrs

Tertullian said: "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians". The emperor Constantine attributed his great victory in 312 to a vision, he was converted to Christianity, and the Edict of Milan in 313 declared religious tolerance in the empire.

Sunday became a day of rest, the form of the Mass was standardized, Roman law was modified by adding Christian values, and the Pope was given the Lateran Palace in Rome which remained a Papal Residence until 1308.

17. Name some main religious orders throughout history.

St. Anthony d356 and his followers lived a solitary life as hermits in the Egyptian deserts.

The Benedictine order was founded in the early 6th century, and dominated monasticism for over 500 years.

Starting the 11th century the Camaldolese (1012), Carthusians (1084), Cistercians (1098), and later Trappists lived austere lives in monasteries, and had a strong influence on the Church.

The four mendicant (begging) orders of friars were founded in the early 13th century: Augustinians, Carmelites, Dominicans and Franciscans.

Ursuline nuns were founded by Angela Merici in 1535

The Jesuits founded in 1540 built universities, became missionaries, and helped stem the tide of Protestantism.

Oratorians were founded by Philip Neri in 1554.

Visitation nuns were founded by Jane Frances de Chantel and Francis de Sales in 1610.

Vincentians were founded by Vincent de Paul in 1633.

Christian Brothers were founded by John Baptist de la Salle in 1684.

Passionists were founded by Paul of the Cross in 1725.

Redemptorists were founded by Alphonsus Liguori in 1732

Sisters of Charity were founded by Elizabeth Ann Seton in 1813.

Paulists were founded by Isaac Thomas Hecker in 1856

Salesians were founded by Don Bosco in 1857

Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America (Maryknoll) was founded by James Walsh in 1911.

Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart were founded by Frances Xavier Cabrini in 1901.

Mother Teresa founded the Missionary Sisters of Charity in 1950

Learning

18. What were some of the most influential religious books written throughout Christian history, aside from the scriptures?

Ignatius of Antioch, Epistles, d107

Didache, or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, c130

Augustine, Confessions and City of God, d430.

Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy, d524.

Bernard, The Love of God, d1153.

Bonaventure, The Threefold Way, d1274.

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologia, d1274.

Vincent Ferrer, The Spiritual Life, d1419.

Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ, d1471.

Ignatius Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, d1556.

Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, d1582.

John of the Cross, Ascent of Mt. Carmel, d1591.

Francis de Sales, Introduction to a Devout Life, d1622.

Alphonsus de'Liguori, Way of Salvation, d1787.

Thérèse de Lisieux, Story of a Soul, d1897.