Characteristics of the Early Church
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Characteristics of the Early Church
The nature of Early Christianity during its first three centuries
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MEETING PLACES
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Private Homes (House Churches)
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Catacombs
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Churches
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SYMBOLS
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Cross
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Sign of the Cross
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Alpha and Omega
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Staurogram
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Chi Rho
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Peacock
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SHIP
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Anchor
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Ichthys (Fish)
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ORGANIZATION
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BISHOPS (EPISCOPACY)
• Successors of the Apostles, very important role in the Early Church.
• In charge of one or more congregations• Appoint, ordain, and discipline priests and
deacons
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PRIESTS - PRESBYTERS (ELDERS)
• Responsible for teaching, preaching, and ministering the Sacraments to their congregation
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ROLE OF WOMEN
• Before the mid-2nd century there is evidence that women played a prominent role in the Church– Some widows owned the “House Churches”
where Christians met– Some women served as deacons
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DEACONS
• Assistants to the bishops• Responsible for certain Church tasks– Ex. – Distribution of food (Acts 6)
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POPE (Bishop of Rome)
• Peter is considered the first Pope
• Popes did not always have the power and authority they have today– When referring to the Bishop of Rome, the term Pope was
first used to refer to Damasus I (366-384)– However, Popes were always well respected and before any
major theological decisions were made they were consulted (along with Bishop of Alexandria)
– By the 4th/5th century onward, the Popes gradually gained more power in the West
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HOLY DAYS
• Fast Days– Wednesday and Friday
• Sabbath Day– Originally same as Jewish Sabbath (sundown
Friday to sundown Saturday)– However, it soon was moved to Sunday• Christ’s resurrection and Pentecost occurred on Sunday
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Cathechumenate
• Catechumen – Literally “the instructed”. Adults seeking admission to the Church (baptism) who undergo a period of instruction.
• In the Early Church instruction lasted 2-3 years.
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SACRAMENTS/RITUALS
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Baptism
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BAPTISM
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AGAPE MEAL (LOVE FEAST)
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EUCHARIST (“thanksgiving”)
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Apologetic Texts
• Apology– Greek for “defense”
• Apologetics– A branch of theology which defends and explains
Christian religion• Apologist– Someone who writes an apologetic work
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Christian Literature/Authors
• Didache (late 1st/early 2nd century)– Oldest written catechism– Discusses ethics, Sacraments, and Church organization
• This genre is often called “Church Orders”– Church Orders is a genre of Christian Literature that aims to offer
“apostolic” prescriptions on matters of moral conduct, liturgy, and Church organization.
• Tertullian (AD 160 – 225)– “father of Latin Christianity”– One of the apologists
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Christian Literature/Authors• Hippolytus of Rome (AD 170 – 236)
– The Apostolic Tradition• Part of the “Church Orders” genre
– Considered the first antipope• Antipope – a person who, in opposition to the Pope, makes a
significantly accepted claim to be the Pope– Died as a martyr
• St. Justin Martyr (AD 100 – 165)– One of the apologists
• First Apology– To convince emperor not to persecute Christians and to defend Christian morality
– Martyred by beheading