Developments Within the Church

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Developments Within the Church
110 Establishment of first feast day. 120
Hymn O Gladsome Light 123 Writing of letters
between churches continued to flourish, building
a sense of unity. 123 Most churches
acknowledged the 4 gospels, 13 Pauline letters, I
Peter and I John as Scripture. Some included the
Letter of Barnabas, I Clement, the Shepherd of
Hermas and the Didache.
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The Didache - A Guide for Christian Conduct
-There are two ways, one of life and one of
death!The way of life is this First you shall
love God who made you. And second, love your
neighbor as yourself, and do not do to another
what you would not want done to you. -You should
love those who hate you, and then you shall have
no enemies. -Let your alms sweat in your hands
until you know to whom to give them. -Seek each
day the faces of the saints, in order that you
may be refreshed by their words. -Your fasts
should not be with the hypocrites, for they fast
on Mondays and Thursdays. You should fast on
Wednesdays and Fridays. -And any prophet who
teaches the truth, but does not do what he
teaches, is a false prophet.
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Persecution Martyrdom!
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The Heresy of Marcionism
- Marcion, excommunicated from the Church, moved
to Rome 130 - growing by 144, especially in
Syria - gospel 10 edited chapters from Luke
plus Pauls epistles - all other writings
rejected as they implied Christ came from the
Jews - Christ is the savior sent by God, simply
appearing in Galilee with no human birth or human
body chief apostle is Paul OT is rejected
Hebrew god is a tyrant separate and lower than
the god of the NT - preached against by Polycarp
and others
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154 When is Pascha (Easter)? First attempt by
the Roman church to dominate Christianity
69-155 Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna
- converted to Christianity by the Apostles -
Student of John, teacher of Irenaeus, friend of
Ignatius - preached against gnosticism
Marcionism - 154 in Rome to defend Eastern
observation of Pascha - Marcion to Polycarp Do
you not recognize me? Polycarp to
Marcion Indeed I do! You are the firstborn of
Satan! - Martyrdom in 155 documented by church
of Smyrna in 156
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We are leaving the time of the lives of the
Apostles and those who were taught and ordained
by the Apostles - the end of the Apostolic Age.
At this point there are two very important things
to realize 1. The doctrine of the Church at
the end of the Apostolic age and before the
coming of Constantine was in all essential
aspects identical with modern Orthodox
teaching. - Historian Archpriest John
Morris 2. Every Apostle and Father of the Church
believed, taught and preached that during the
liturgy bread and wine are transformed into the
blood and body of Christ by the descending of the
Holy Spirit.