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Theology & Worship in the Early Church

Theology & Worship in the Early Church. Lecture # 4. Theology. Theology is the study of God or, more generally, the study of religious faith, practice, and experience. Use of reason to understand God. Remember.

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Theology & Worship in the Early Church

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  1. Theology & Worship in the Early Church Lecture # 4

  2. Theology • Theology is the study of God or, more generally, the study of religious faith, practice, and experience. • Use of reason to understand God

  3. Remember • Pull yourself out of current context; understand early Christians on their own terms (difficult for me too).

  4. Vocab • Sacrament: "the sacraments are signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to [humans].” RCC • Eucharist: Mass, Lord’s Supper, or Communion. • Liturgy: A prescribed form or set of forms for public religious worship.

  5. Read Orthodox music vs contemporary worship.

  6. Read Orthodox music vs contemporary worship.

  7. Early Church • Is understanding the early church’s beliefs and practices important? • If so, why? • If not, why?

  8. Early Church • Is understanding the early church’s beliefs and practices important? • If so, why? • If not, why?

  9. Early Church • Answer: • Why Worship? • What is the purpose of Christian Worship? • Is there a correct way to worship?

  10. Why Worship? • Why Worship? • What do you think?

  11. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter?

  12. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week?

  13. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing?

  14. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing? • What should you sing?

  15. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing? • What should you sing? • Should read the Scripture?

  16. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing? • What should you sing? • Should read the Scriptures? • Do you have to read Scripture?

  17. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing? • What should you sing? • Should read the Scriptures? • Do you have to read Scripture? • Should we worship like the early church? • Have things changed?

  18. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing? • What should you sing? • Should read the Scriptures? • Do you have to read Scripture? • Should we worship like the early church? • Have things changed? • Does God change?

  19. Early Church Worship • Is there a correct way to worship? • Does it matter? • Day of the week? • Should you sing? • What should you sing? • Should read the Scriptures? • Do you have to read Scripture? • Should we worship like the early church? • Have things changed? • Does God change? • If God doesn’t change, and worship is for God, shouldn’t worship also stay the same? • Or is “worship” for us? • Should it be used as an advertisement?

  20. Early Church • Answer: • Why Worship? • What is the purpose of Christian Worship? • Is there a correct way to worship?

  21. What was early worship like? • Pass out two views…

  22. What was Early Worship Like? • Ideas?

  23. Early church Worship • The New testament does not give detailed info.. • From the little info in the Bible and sources outside we know: • Grew out of Jewish worship traditions… • Show clip of Jewish worship • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM--y6eUQHw • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d9H_3tnLhw

  24. Holy Orthodoxy? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laHcgdE55Mo • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIkMeUg-J4 • Church service • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBXGg-2-lTc • Bob Simon/Patriarch Bartholomew • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6ZXxgjKk2o

  25. Early church Worship • The New testament does not give detailed info.. • From the little info in the Bible and sources outside we know: • Grew out of Jewish worship traditions…

  26. Show Jewish clips

  27. Early Church Practice • Earliest description of Christian Worship • "the apostles' teaching” (Acts 2:42) • “fellowship” (Acts 2:42) • “the breaking of bread” Eucharist (Acts 2:42) (1 Corinthians 11) • “prayer" (Acts 2:42) • prophesy, tongues (1 Corinthians 14) • chanting of hymns and psalms (Eph. 5:19, Letter from Pliny to Trajan) • The first worship services were liturgical gatherings, which followed essentially a “Christianized” synagogue (Jewish) liturgical framework, and met in sections of homes quartered off especially for worship. • Greeted each other with a holy kiss. • Called each other “brother” or “sister”

  28. Early Fathers • Justin Martyr (150 AD) • St Hippolytus (200 AD)

  29. Early Church Worship • The Eucharist was the central act of worship in early Christianity.

  30. Eucharist • Differing views:

  31. Eucharist • Differing views: • Transubstantiation (Catholic view) - the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ.

  32. Eucharist • Differing views: • Transubstantiation (Catholic view) - the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ. • Orthodox view – Real Presence of the literal Christ, does not explain how change occurs; a mystery

  33. Eucharist • Differing views: • Transubstantiation (Catholic view) - the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ. • Orthodox view – Real Presence of the literal Christ, does not explain how change occurs; a mystery • Consubstantiation– Sacramental Union, truly Christ’s Body and Blood, yet truly bread and wine at the same time (a mystery similar to the Holy Incarnation)

  34. Eucharist • Differing views: • Transubstantiation (Catholic view) - the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ. • Orthodox view – Real Presence of the literal Christ, does not explain how change occurs; a mystery • Consubstantiation– Sacramental Union, truly Christ’s Body and Blood, yet truly bread and wine at the same time (a mystery similar to the Holy Incarnation) • Reformed view- Christ is not present literally in the elements, but he is spiritually present.

  35. Eucharist • Differing views: • Transubstantiation (Catholic view) - the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ. • Orthodox view – Real Presence of the literal Christ, does not explain how change occurs; a mystery • Consubstantiation– Sacramental Union, truly Christ’s Body and Blood, yet truly bread and wine at the same time (a mystery similar to the Holy Incarnation) • Reformed view- Christ is not present literally in the elements, but he is spiritually present. • Other Protestant Groups - deny any form of physical or spiritual presence of Christ in the bread and wine. Rather, the Lord's supper is a remembrance only.

  36. Eucharist • Today’s differing views: • Transubstantiation (Catholic view) - the bread and the wine change completely into the actual body and blood of Christ. • Orthodox view – Real Presence of the literal Christ, does not explain how change occurs; a mystery • Consubstantiation– Sacramental Union, truly Christ’s Body and Blood, yet truly bread and wine at the same time (a mystery similar to the Holy Incarnation) • Reformed view- Christ is not present literally in the elements, but he is spiritually present. • Other Protestant Groups - deny any form of physical or spiritual presence of Christ in the bread and wine. Rather, the Lord's supper is a remembrance only. • Quakers – Communion is spiritual, not physical; do not practice communion.

  37. Early Church Worship • Ignatius • The Eucharist was the central act of worship in early Christianity • As Sacramental (see handout) • The normal president for the celebration was a bishop or overseer (episcopos). • To Ignatius, celebration of the sacrament by anyone other than a bishop "or one whom the bishop duly appoints“ was not recognized as valid.

  38. The organization of the church • Ignatius • House churches • urge little house churches to unite into larger congregations, to promote unity and strength. • Respect Bishop as you respect authority of God the Father; presbyters take the place of the apostolic council; deacons minister Presbyters act in concert with Bishop

  39. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (200 AD) • A manual of church order and worship. • Liturgies are written down to be preserved. • All shall be careful so that no unbeliever tastes of the Eucharist, nor a mouse or other animal, nor that any of it falls and is lost. For it is the Body of Christ, to be eaten by those who believe, and not to be scorned. • Having blessed the cup in the Name of God, you received it as the  Blood of Christ. 2Therefore do not spill from it, for some foreign spirit to lick it up because you despised it. You will become as one who scorns the Blood, the price with which you have been bought.

  40. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (200 AD) • A manual of church order and worship. • Liturgies are written down to be preserved. • The Preface… • The Lord be with you.And with your spirit.Lift up your hearts.We have them with the Lord.Let us give thanks unto the Lord.It is fitting and right.

  41. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (200 AD) • “If you are tempted, seal your foreheads reverently. For this is the Sign of the Passion, displayed and made manifest against the devil, provided that you do it with faith, not to be seen by men, but by presenting it with skill like a shield.” • Seal= sign of the cross.

  42. How to make the sign of the cross?

  43. Early Church Worship • Baptism • baptism as a burial (Romans 6:3,4; Colossians 2:12) • Easter and Pentecost • Infant baptism was widely practiced by at least the third century; very possibly since time of apostles • Origen (Homilies on Leviticus) (200s) • "Baptism according to the practice of the Church is given even to infants“ • "The Church had a tradition from the Apostles, to give baptism even to infants" • "Infants are baptized for the remission of sins . . . That is the reason why infants too are baptized."

  44. Early Church • Should the beliefs and/or practices of the Church change to keep up with changes in culture/society? • Must the church “change or die”? • What can change (if anything) and what must stay the same (if anything)? • (Can Theology and practice be separated)? • Discuss in groups of 2 or 3 (you have 3 min and will be called upon in class to share).

  45. Icons in a home • A private home..

  46. Icons • "If I point to a statue of Caesar and ask you 'Who is that?', your answer would properly be, 'It is Caesar.' When you say such you do not mean that the stone itself is Caesar, but rather, the name and honor you ascribe to the statue passes over to the original, the archetype, Caesar himself.“ – St Basil the Great

  47. Icons • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABsMjvaT-Kg • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46f-3rane14

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