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Early Christian Developments and Challenges

Explore the establishment of feast days, hymns, writings between churches, and the struggles against heresies like Marcionism. Learn about influential figures like Polycarp and the enduring teachings of the Apostolic Age.

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Early Christian Developments and Challenges

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  1. Developments Within the Church 110: Establishment of first feast day. 120: Hymn “O Gladsome Light” 123: Writing of letters between churches continued to flourish, building a sense of unity. 123: Most churches acknowledged the 4 gospels, 13 Pauline letters, I Peter and I John as Scripture. Some included the Letter of Barnabas, I Clement, the Shepherd of Hermas and the Didache.

  2. The Didache - A Guide for Christian Conduct -There are two ways, one of life and one of death!…The way of life is this: First you shall love God who made you. And second, love your neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another what you would not want done to you. -You should love those who hate you, and then you shall have no enemies. -Let your alms sweat in your hands until you know to whom to give them. -Seek each day the faces of the saints, in order that you may be refreshed by their words. -Your fasts should not be with the hypocrites, for they fast on Mondays and Thursdays. You should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. -And any prophet who teaches the truth, but does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet.

  3. Persecution & Martyrdom!

  4. The Heresy of Marcionism: - Marcion, excommunicated from the Church, moved to Rome ~130 - growing by 144, especially in Syria - ‘gospel’ = 10 edited chapters from Luke plus Paul’s epistles - all other writings rejected as they implied Christ came from the Jews - Christ is the savior sent by God, simply appearing in Galilee with no human birth or human body; chief apostle is Paul; OT is rejected; Hebrew god is a tyrant separate and lower than the god of the NT - preached against by Polycarp and others

  5. 154: When is Pascha (Easter)? First attempt by the Roman church to dominate Christianity 69-155: Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna - converted to Christianity by the Apostles - Student of John, teacher of Irenaeus, friend of Ignatius - preached against gnosticism & Marcionism - 154 in Rome to defend Eastern observation of Pascha - Marcion to Polycarp: “Do you not recognize me?” Polycarp to Marcion: “Indeed I do! You are the firstborn of Satan!” - Martyrdom in 155 documented by church of Smyrna in 156

  6. We are leaving the time of the lives of the Apostles and those who were taught and ordained by the Apostles - the end of the Apostolic Age. At this point there are two very important things to realize: 1. “The doctrine of the Church at the end of the Apostolic age and before the coming of Constantine was in all essential aspects identical with modern Orthodox teaching.” - Historian Archpriest John Morris 2. Every Apostle and Father of the Church believed, taught and preached that during the liturgy bread and wine are transformed into the blood and body of Christ by the descending of the Holy Spirit.

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