III' From Constantine to the Cappadocians

1
III. From Constantine to the Cappadocians

• (ca. 312ca. 390)

2
The Rise of the State Church

• Coronation of Constantine at York (Britain)
  upon his fathers death in 306

3
The Rise of the State Church

• Turning Point
• The Battle of Milvian Bridge against Maxentius
  in 312

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The Rise of the State Church

• Results of Constantines Conversion
• Edict of Milan in 313
• Increasing privilege for Christianity
• Prohibition of pagan worship in 341

5
The Rise of the State Church

• 4th-Century Changes in Christianity
• Close intertwining of Church and State affairs
• Rapid expansion of the Church
• Flowering of theological thought, debate, and
  writing
• Increasing superficiality in peoples adherence
  to the faith

6
The Arian Crisis

• Council of Nicaea (325)
• Three Groups
• Arians (small minority)
• Radical anti-Arians (led by Alexander and
  Athanasius from Alexandria)
• Old-style Eastern theologians

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The Arian Crisis

• The Aftermath of Nicaea
• Imperial fragmentation 337-350
• Constans (West) favors the Nicene faith.
• Contantius (East) favors Arianism.
• The darkest period 350-361
• Nicaean bishops exiled
• Arian proclamations of faith approved

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The Arian Crisis

• Four Factions after Nicaea
• Faction What they said What they meant
• Old Nicaeans homoousios Son same substance
  as Father
• New Nicaeans homoiousios Son same substance
  as Father
• Semi-Arians homoiousios Son is of merely
  similar sub-
• stance as Father
• Radical Arians anomoiousios Son is not even
  similar to
• Father

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The Arian Crisis

• Reconciling the Old and New Nicaeans Synod of
  Alexandria in 362.
• A new question in the debate What about the
  Holy Spirit?
• Concluding the crisis The Council of
  Constantinople in 381

10
Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 315-387)

• He became bishop of Jerusalem in 349.
• He was a New Nicaean.
• He was banished three times by Arian leaders,
  first in 357.
• He was investigated by Old Nicaean leaders but
  found orthodox.
• He took part in the Council of Constantinople in
  381, which finalized the Nicene Creed.

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Catechetical Lectures (ca. 350)

• Written during Christianitys darkest hour, under
  the severe threat of persecution.
• Designed to teach correct faith and prepare
  candidates for baptism.
• Contain a great deal of information about worship
  in Palestine in the fourth century.
• We will read selections on teaching in general
  (prologue), on baptism (lectures 19-20), and on
  worship and the Eucharist (22-3).

12
Basil the Great (ca. 329-379)

• He was born into a wealthy, pious Christian
  family and had the best education of anyone in
  the ancient Christian world.
• He was very influential on Eastern monasticism.
• As bishop of Caesarea, he devoted all of his
  energy to fighting the battle against Arianism.
• We will read selections dealing with worship from
  two of his letters.

13
Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. 330-390)

• He was Basils best friend, and was also very
  well educated.
• He was a great preacher, but a poor administrator
  and ill suited for life as a bishop.
• He was briefly bishop of Constantinople and
  presided over part of the Council in 381.
• We will read one selection from a sermon on
  baptism.

14
Hilary of Poitiers (ca. 315-367)

• He became bishop of Poitiers (France) ca. 350.
• He was exiled in 356 for refusing to condemn
  Athanasius.
• He later called Emperor Constantius the
  Antichrist.
• He was the leading trinitarian theologian in the
  West.
• We will read a selection from On the Trinity
  (written ca. 358) in which he shows the
  connection between trinitarian doctrine and
  baptismal practice.

15
Ambrose of Milan (ca. 339-397)

• He was born in France and served as a Roman
  official in Italy.
• He was made bishop of Milan in 374, by popular
  demand, although he was not yet baptized (!).
• He was a brilliant preacher and hymn writer.
• He was a major influence on Augustine.
• We will read a selection from On the Mysteries
  dealing with baptism.

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Jerome (ca. 345-420)

• He was an Italian who studied in Rome and France
  before becoming a monk.
• He left for the East in 374 and eventually
  settled in a monastery in Bethlehem.
• He was the greatest linguist of the early Church,
  best known as the translator of the Latin
  Vulgate.
• He was a brilliant biblical scholar and a
  dedicated ascetic.
• We will read selections from two of his letters,
  dealing with worship practices and church
  leadership.

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The Rise of Monasticism

• The Roots of Monasticism
• Instability in society led many Romans to flee to
  the desert in search of a simpler, less dangerous
  life.
• Persecution of Christians led many believers to
  flee to the desert and simply to stay there.
• An intertwining of Church and State affairs and a
  huge increase in the wealth of the bishops led
  many to be dissatisfied with organized
  Christianity.

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The Rise of Monasticism

• Christians take to the desert
• 3rd century a trickle in Egypt
• 4th century
• A flood in Egypt
• Spreading to Syria, Palestine, and Cappadocia
• Some beginnings in France and North Africa

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The Rise of Monasticism

• Two Kinds of Monastic Spirituality
• 1. Mystical Spirituality
• A repudiation of the physical realm
• A three-fold ascent of the soul to God
• -- Praktike
• -- Psychike
• -- Theologike
• The goal a contentless contemplation of God

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The Rise of Monasticism

• Two Kinds of Monastic Spirituality
• 2. Incarnational Spirituality
• The soul is not naturally divine, but the whole
  person is made divine through the incarnation.
• The fight is not against ones body, but against
  the demons.
• The goal is not to recover ones natural union
  with God, but to serve God in this world.

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The Rise of Monasticism

• Two Patterns of Monastic Life
• 1. Eremitic/Anchoritic Monasticism
• Antony the Great (ca. 250-356)
• Macarius the Great (ca. 300-390)

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The Rise of Monasticism

• Two Patterns of Monastic Life
• 2. Coenobitic Monasticism
• Pachomius (ca. 290-346)
• Basil the Greats Rule (ca. 360)
• The Rule of St. Benedict (ca. 540)

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Antony the Great (ca. 250-356)

• He was born into a peasant family in central
  Egypt.
• He gave away his possessions in ca. 269 and
  became an ascetic.
• He spent the years 285-305 in solitude, and he
  attracted many admirers.
• He came out of seclusion to organize a laura, and
  then he returned to solitude.

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Macarius the Great (ca. 300-390)

• He was from upper Egypt.
• In ca. 330, he founded a colony of monks in the
  desert of Scetis, which became the major center
  of Egyptian monasticism.
• He was heavily influenced by Antony, and was a
  friend and supporter of Athanasius.
• He was exiled briefly during the Arian
  controversy.

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Apostolic Constitutions (ca. 375)

• A vast Greek work (8 books ) on worship and
  church order, written in Antioch.
• Relies heavily on three documents
• --Didache (ca. 95, Syrian)
• --Didascalia (early 3rd century, Syrian)
• --Apostolic Tradition (ca. 215, Roman)
• We will read a wide range of selections on
  baptism, Eucharist, liturgy, and church
  leadership.

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Review of Part 3 (ca. 312-390)

• Public Worship Patterns
• Insistence that some variety in worship practice
  is acceptable.
• Increasing use of actions as aids in worship to
  help focus our attention on Christ.
• Movement toward the view that the body and blood
  of Christ are literally present in the Lords
  Supper.
• Increasing emphasis on the Christian year, on
  cycles of fasting and feasting.

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Review of Part 3 (ca. 312-390)

• Church Leadership
• Continued emphasis on the character of church
  officers.
• Insistence by Jerome that bishops have no
  inherent superiority to presbyters.
• The married are allowed to be church leaders, but
  the unmarried are not allowed to marry after
  assuming office.
• The bishop gathers the people for worship and
  teaches, and the deacons conduct servant
  ministries.

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Review of Part 3 (ca. 312-390)

• Preaching and Evangelism
• Emphasis on the need to preach in order, so as to
  produce a building that is solid.
• Very strong pastoral sensitivity in Antony. Focus
  on the need to meet people where they are.

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Review of Part 3 (ca. 312-390)

• Private Worship Patterns
• Very little that is new in the readings we have
  done for this section.

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Review of Part 3 (ca. 312-390)

• Spirituality
• Rise of monasticism, with its clash between
  mystical and incarnational spiritualities.
• Strong emphasis on humility and renunciation of
  ones possessions and reputation.
• Stress on struggling internally with sin problems
  and externally with demonic powers.