Introduction

John Stevenson, 2013

Dr. John T. Stevenson
http://JohnStevenson.net

JohnStevenson@Bellsouth.net

Jstevens@tiu.edu
Course Objectives
To recognize and identify the major
contours of the history of the Christian
Church.
To identify, explain and evaluate both the
unity and the diversity of the various
Christian traditions.
To interpret and evaluate Christianitys
own self-definition and the Churchs
varied encounters with its surrounding
culture.
Course Objectives
To recognize and to evaluate the
theological development that has taken
place in the life of the Church.
To explain and discuss key ideas of
significant actors through careful reading,
reflection, observation, discussion and
examination of primary source
documents.
Zondervan Handbook
to the History of
Christianity
Editor, Jonathan Hill,
Masters of Theology from
Oxford
Recommended Reading
Bruce L. Shelley, Church History
in Plain Language, 3
rd
Edition,
1996, Word Publishing.
Henry Bettenson and Chris
Maunder, Documents of the
Christian Church, 3rd edition,
1999, Oxford University Press.
Homework Questions & Reading
Class Participation
Movie Review
Christian Experience Report & Oral
Presentation
Visit a church worship service outside your
own tradition
Interview an elder/pastor from that church
Your paper will involve their history, theology,
worship, and your own personal reflections
What is Christianity?
Why should we study about a
bunch of Dead Guys?
Because their story is the story of Jesus
at work.
Matthew 16:15-17
He said to them, But who do you
say that I am? 16 And Simon Peter
answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said
to him, Blessed are you, Simon
Barjona, because flesh and blood did
not reveal this to you, but My Father
who is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18
And I also say to you that you
are Peter, and upon this rock I will
build My church; and the gates of
Hades shall not overpower it.
Why should we study about a
bunch of Dead Guys?
Because their story is the story of Jesus
at work.
Because they are a part of your spiritual
heritage.
Because you are in a continuing story.
Old
Testament
New
Testament
Continuing
Testament
Who is the
most
important
Christian in
the world
today?
Francis & Edith
Schaeffer
1000 1 500 1500 2000
The
Medieval
Church
The
Reformed
Church
The
Ancient
Church
Acts 1:7-8
He said to them, It is not for
you to know times or epochs which
the Father has fixed by His own
authority; 8 but you shall receive
power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you; and you shall be
My witnesses both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and
even to the remotest part of the
earth.
Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of the time
came, God sent forth His Son, born
of a woman, born under the Law.
In what ways was
this the fullness of
the time?
What Factors Caused
Christianity to Spread?
How did Christians seek to
accommodate themselves to
their audience?
How did Christians seek to
accommodate themselves to
their audience?
Pauls attitude in 1 Cor. 9:19-27
Paul in Athens (Acts 17)
Pauls vow (Acts 18:18)
Timothys circumcision (Acts 16:3)
They love everyone, but
are persecuted by all.
They are unknown and
condemned; they are put to
death and gain life. They
are poor and yet make
many rich. They are short
of everything and yet have
plenty of all things. They
are dishonored and yet
gain glory through dishonor.
(Anonymous Letter to
Diognetus, 150).
1 25 50 75 100 125 150
Paul
John
Fall of
Jerusalem
Peter
Clement of Rome
Mentioned by Paul in
Philippians 4:3.
Served as an overseer in
the church at Rome
Tradition ascribes to him an
epistle to the Corinthians.
Addressed from the church
of Rome to the church at
Corinth
Clement of Rome
Died 101
Clement of Rome
Shameful, beloved, extremely
shameful, and unworthy of
your training in Christ, is the
report that on account of one
or two persons the well-
established and ancient
church of the Corinthians is in
revolt against the presbyters
(Epistle to the Corinthians
47:6).
Died 101
1 25 50 75 100 125 150
Paul
John Justin Martyr
Fall of
Jerusalem
Peter
Clement of Rome
Justin Martyr
On the day which is dedicated
to the sun, all those who live in
the cities or who dwell in the
countryside gather in a
common meeting, and for as
long as there is time the
Memoirs of the Apostles or the
writings of the prophets are
read (First Apology 67).
100-165
Didache
But on the Lords day,
after you have assembled
together, break bread and
give thanks, having in
addition confessed your
sins, that your sacrifice
may be pure. (14:1)
Didache
But concerning baptism, thus baptize: having
first recited all these precepts, baptize in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit, in running water;
7:2 but if you do not have running water,
baptize in some other water, and if you
cannot baptize in cold, in warm water;
7:3 but if you have neither, pour water three
times on the head, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
1 25 50 75 100 125 150
Paul
John
Ignatius
Polycarp
Justin Martyr
Fall of
Jerusalem
Peter
Clement of Rome
Ignatius of Antioch
Sat under the teaching of
the Apostle John
Bishop of Antioch
The closer the sword, the
closer the Lord
Arrested and taken to Rome
to be martyred
Take care to do all things
in harmony with God, with
the bishop presiding in the
place of God and with the
presbyters in the place of
the council of the apostles,
and with the deacons, who
are most dear to me,
entrusted with the
business of Jesus Christ
(Magnesians 6:1).
Ignatius of Antioch
The Apostolic
Fathers
Faced a world
steeped in
polytheism and
pagan worship
The Reformers
Dealt with those who
agreed on the reliability of
Scripture, the deity of
Christ, and who were
monotheistic
Their evangelistic
concerns were
over the paganism
of their day
Their evangelistic
concerns were largely
directed toward those who
were a part of the Roman
Catholic Church
The Apostolic
Fathers
The Reformers
Their evangelistic
concerns were
over the paganism
of their day
Their evangelistic
concerns were largely
directed toward those who
were a part of the Roman
Catholic Church
Where should be our
major evangelistic
concerns today?