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The Serenity Prayer

The Serenity Prayer . God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

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The Serenity Prayer

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  1. The Serenity Prayer God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. Reinhold Niebuhr

  2. Announcements • HW: Read Part II of Chapter II • Keep working on Review Worksheets! • Part III –will NOT be covered until next Chapter!! • Tomorrow: Your Apology • Mon –Exam (worksheets DUE)

  3. Reading Quiz Chapter 2 Part I Choose FOUR of the following: • Baptism • Agape • Episcopacy • The Scriptures • Sexual Ethics In thoughtful, complete sentences, give THREE descriptions for EACH

  4. Reading Quiz Chapter 2 Part I Choose FOUR of the following: • The Papacy • Agape • Episcopacy • Slavery and Christianity • Non-Violence In thoughtful, complete sentences, give THREE descriptions for EACH

  5. Test Corrections • Complete on a SEPARATE sheet of paper • Mark the number you are correcting • Write the correct answer in a COMPLETE Sentence • SA/Essay: re-write your entire answer! Example: 1. Who was the first President of the United States of America? a. George Bush b. Ben Franklin c. George Washington D. John Adams 1. The first president of the United States was George Washington.

  6. Chapter 2 The Early Christians

  7. Epistle to Diognetus “To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body…The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures…”

  8. Epistle to Diognetus “…the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because [Christians] are opposed to its enjoyments.”

  9. Beliefs and Practices: The Spiritual Life of the Early Christians Part I

  10. Christ…. • Did NOT leave a “manual” for the early Christians

  11. Baptism Matthew 28:19 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

  12. Catechesis • In the early years, Christians entered the Faith WITHOUT Catechesis • With growth… Catechesis developed

  13. Agape/the Eucharist • Agape: Love • Ritual meal • Less associated with Christians: St. Paul

  14. St. Paul: ( 1 Cor 11: 20-21) “When you meet together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despite the Church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?

  15. The Mass • Developed gradually overtime

  16. The Mass Included: • Readings from Scripture • Hymns/Songs • Prayers • Collection for the poor

  17. The Eucharist: • Words of Consecration recited as Christ did at the Last Supper

  18. The Eucharist: • St. Paul (Cor 11: 23-26) “…on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me’.”

  19. Churches • Homes • Catacombs • Secretive

  20. Holy Days • Wednesdays/Friday were days of Fasting • Sunday was/is the Sabbath: - To blend in with Pagans - To not be confused with Jewish Faith - To honor the day God rested - To celebrate the Resurrection

  21. The Papacy • Clear historical evidence supports that the Bishop of Rome is the Pope

  22. The Papacy • "Be it known to you, my lord, that Simon [Peter], who, for the sake of the true faith, and the most sure foundation of his doctrine, was set apart to be the foundation of the Church, and for this end was by Jesus himself, with his truthful mouth, named Peter" (Letter of Clement to James 2 [A.D. 221]).

  23. The Papacy • "I follow no leader but Christ and join in communion with none but your blessedness [Pope Damasus I], that is, with the chair of Peter. I know that this is the rock on which the Church has been built. Whoever eats the Lamb outside this house is profane. Anyone who is not in the ark of Noah will perish when the flood prevails" (Letters 15:2 [A.D. 396]). (Jerome)

  24. The Papacy • Handed down through Peter • Completely open • Unopposed

  25. The Episcopacy • Successors to the Apostles • Guided flock • Celebrated the Sacraments

  26. The Priesthood • presbyteroswere the Church elders • Office developed gradually, over time

  27. Monotheism • Only One True God • Christians were persecuted for taking part in emperor worship

  28. The Scriptures • Books of OT/NT: Most always accepted • Some not accepted at first • Church has the authority of interpretation • Protestants: sola scriptora

  29. Slavery and Christianity • Christianity ended slavery by way of protest • 2 million slaves in Roman Empire • Jewish Faith: slavery OK as long as civil

  30. Non-Violence • The Church Fathers spoke against wars/service in military • Christians still participated

  31. Just War Theory St. Augustine • Self Defense • War initiated on behalf of sovereign • Just Cause • Good and Right intentions (more harm than good cannot occur)

  32. The State Demanded… • Participation in pagan worship • Emperor worship • Undivided loyalty to Rome

  33. Money Matters • Like modern times: alms to the poor was given

  34. Sexual Ethics • Abortion/infanticide universally rejected • Contraception rejected: interfered with natural end of sexual relationship

  35. Women in the Early Church • Position greatly improved • Given spiritual equality and importance • Educated in the Faith equally

  36. Were Women Deacons? • Evidence suggests YES! • Women deaconesses • Baptism: function was to assist

  37. Women Deacons • St. Paul (Romans 16:1): I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is (also) a minister of the church at Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the holy ones, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a benefactor to many and to me as well.

  38. Argument for Women Deacons • Apostolic Constitutions (4th c.) Describes ceremony of the ordination of Women • Scripture (Romans 16:1): Phoebe • No indication that the ordination of Women Deacons would violate Cannon Law (Canon Law Society of America)

  39. Argument Against Women Deacons • Women cannot validly receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders • Reading from the Gospel/Preaching considered to be Apostolic

  40. Family Life • The Domestic Church • Dignity of every human recognized through the family • Family is the model of the ethnic of charity

  41. Important Writings of the Early Christian Period Part II

  42. Apostolic Fathers • Earliest Christian writers -immediately after the Apostles • Wrote about religious/moral themes • Epistles addressed to small communities or individuals

  43. Apologetics • Branch of theology that aims to defend and explain the Christian religion

  44. Apologists • St. Aristides • St. Justin Martyr • Tatian • Athenagoras • St. Theophilus • Minucius Felix • Tertullian

  45. The Apologists … • Defended Christian practices (against Jews and Pagans) • Explained the Christian Faith • Instructed Christians on the Faith

  46. Dialogue with Trypho: St. Justin Martyr • Critique of the Christians: “….in that you observe no festivals or Sabbaths, and do not have the rite of circumcision, and further, resting your hopes on a man that was crucified, you yet expect to obtain some good thing from God; while you do not obey His commandments (Trypho)

  47. Dialogue with Trypho: St. Justin Martyr • Justin’s response: Defends Christian practices Highlights the Jewish failure to understand Jesus as the Messiah

  48. Most Important Work of an Apologist: • To address paganism

  49. The Didache (“Teaching”) • Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles • The Lord’s Teaching through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations • Short exposition concerning Christian morals, doctrine, and customs • Used as a reference by the early Church Fathers

  50. Tertullian • 160 A.D. – 225 A.D. • Born in Carthage • Son of a Roman centurion • Studied Roman Law • Christians posed no threat to the Roman Empire • Montanist

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