Church History

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. THE PERIOD OF ESTABLISHMENT 30 - 100 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

A. What is the Church? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
B. When did the Church Begin? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
C. The Continuance of the Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
D. The Mission of the Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
E. Christianity in the Roman Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
F. Christianity Separated from Judaism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
G. Heresy During New Testament Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
II. THE PERIOD OF APOSTASY 100 - 313 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A. Rulers of the Roman Empire during this time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
B. The Age of the Church Fathers - 95 - 150 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
C. The Age of the Apologists - 125 - 190 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
D. The Polemicists - 190 - 250 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
E. Development of Theology. - 150 to 300 A. D. (Needed because of heresy.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
III. THE PERIOD OF OBSCURITY - A. D. 313 - 1638. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A. Development of the Canon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
B. Development of the Creed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
C. The Seven Universal Councils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
D. The Rise of the Roman Catholic Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
E. Factors in the Rise of the Roman Catholic Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
F. Causes of the Final Division between the Western and Eastern Churches (869 A. D.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
G. The Rise of Monasticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
H. The Rise of Islam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
I. Evidence for New Testament Churches from 300 to 500 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
J. Councils (Roman only) from 1123 to 1870. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
K. The Crusades. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
L. The Power of the Papacy 1054 - 1305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
M. New Testament Churches from 1000 to 1300. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
N. The Inquisition - 1184 - 1700 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
O. The Papacy in Decline, 1309 - 1439 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
P. Forerunners of the Reformation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Q. The Reformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
 Church History
R. National Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
IV. THE PERIOD OF TOLERANCE - 1638 - Present. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
A. Tolerance comes to England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
B. Religion in the United States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
C. The Sunday School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
D. World-Wide Missions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
E. Religion in the Philippines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
F. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Study Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Additional Material (History Of The Papacy and The Trail of Blood) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . .22 - 29

REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS BLOCK:

1. Read all the material for this block.
2. Look up and read all the verses in the material as you read through the material.
3. Fill in the answers to your STUDY QUESTIONS ahead of time so you will be better
prepared for the EXAM during the final hour.
4. T-H-I-N-K as you read this material. It will be a blessing to you.
It will also change your life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
1. CHRISTIANITY THROUGH THE AGES; Earle E. Cairns, Ph.D.; 1967; Zondervan Publishing House;
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
2. THE TRAIL OF BLOOD; J. M. Carroll; 1931; Ashland Ave. Baptist Church; Lexington, Kentucky.
3. BIBLE HANDBOOK; Henry H. Halley; 1955; Henry H. Halley; Chicago, Illinois.
4. FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS; Marie Gentert King; Editor; 1968; Fleming H. Fevell Company; Old
Tappan, New Jersey.
5. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS; Edward H. Overbey; 1962; Independent Baptist
Publications; Nilles, Illinois.
6. AN EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF OLD & NEW TESTAMENT WORDS; W. E. Vines, 1981;
World Bible Publishers; Iowa Falls, Iowa.
7. FIFTY LESSONS ON THE CHURCH; Norman H. Wells; The Challenge Press; Little Rock,
Arkansas.
8. AREA HANDBOOK FOR THE PHILIPPINES; Nena Vreeland, etc.; 1976; Superintendent of
Documents; U. S. Government Printing Office; Washington, D. C.
Pamphlets:
1. THE BAPTIST PEOPLE; Rev. Gavino Tica; Manila, Philippines.
2. WHAT ABOUT THE CHURCH?; Paul R. Van Gorder; 1983; Radio Bible Class; Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
 Church History
A QUICK OVERVIEW: A. What is the Church?
I. THE PERIOD OF ESTABLISHMENT. 1. The Church is the Body of Christ (He is the
head) Eph. 1:22,23; 1 Cor 12:12, 13;
A. D. 30 - 100
Col 1:18.
II. THE PERIOD OF APOSTASY. 2. The Church is a mystery. Eph. 3:1-6
A. D. 100 - 313 Definition: A mystery is a truth formerly kept
III. THE PERIOD OF OBSCURITY. secret, but now revealed..
A. D. 313 - 1638 3. The Church is entered into only by a
IV. THE PERIOD OF TOLERANCE. supernatural birth.
B. When did the Church Begin?
A. D. 1638 - present
There are many opinions: in the garden, call of
Moses, baptism of Christ; Pentecost. We will
I. THE PERIOD OF ESTABLISHMENT 30 - consider only two, and these are closely related.
100 A. D. 1. During the earthly ministry of Christ.
"When the fullness of time was come, God sent Christ's character, work, teachings, and,
forth His Son." Gal. 4:4 above all, His death and resurrection mark
Preparations for Christ's coming were not only the beginning of Christianity. Christ gave to
Jewish, but Roman and Greek as well. His followers nearly all the elements needed
Roman Contributions: for the church:
1. A Sense of the Unity of Mankind a. The message of Salvation: Jn. 1:29; 3:3,
2. Peace 14-18; Luke 9:6; etc.
3. Roman Roads b. The two ordinances: John 4:1, 2;
4. The Roman Army Matt. 26:26-28.
5. Roman Religion c. The great commission: Matt. 28:19, 20.
Greek Contributions: d. Qualified people for membership (saved
1. Universal Language and baptized): John 4:1.
2. Greek Culture and Philosophy e. Church discipline: Matt. 18:15-20.
Definition of Philosophy: The science which f. Basic principles of church government,
investigates the facts and principles of reality independence, and democracy:
and of human nature and conduct. (Comprises Matt. 18:17, 23:8; Mark 12:17.
logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics and the g. Officers to lead the church - the Apostles:
theory of knowledge) IT IS MAN'S Luke 6:13-16; 1 Cor. 12:28.
ATTEMPT TO KNOW OR FIND GOD BY The Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20) and
HUMAN REASONING. 1 Cor. 2:14 "But the Matt. 18:17 argue for a church before
natural man receiveth not the things of the Pentecost
Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto 2. At Pentecost.
him: neither can he know them, because they If the church was not founded here, then
are spiritually discerned." surely it was accredited at this time.
3. Greek Religion Act. 2:1-6
Jewish Contributions: a. The first message, Acts 2:14-36; the
1. Religion results, v. 41.
2. Parentage b. The first description of the church,
3. The Old Testament Canon vv. 42-47.
c. The purpose of the miracles at Pentecost..
The purpose was to accredit this new
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 Church History
institution, the church, to the Jews. To d. Various estimates have placed the
show them that it was from God. membership of this first church at
1) Moses, accredited by miracles. Jerusalem from 25,000 to 50,000 - a very
Ex. 4:1-9 large church.
2) Giving of the Law. Ex. 19:16 - 20:21 e. We can assume from the account in the
(esp. 19:16-20; 20:18) Book of Acts that James the Less ( the son
3) The Tabernacle and Temple. of Alphaeus) was probably the pastor of
Ex. 40:34-35; 1 King 8:10, 11. this church.
"For the Jews require a sign ..." f. The church is still within Judaism and
1 Cor. 1:22; John 4:48 persecution is from the Jews.
C. The Continuance of the Church. Acts. 4:1-3, 18; 5:17, 18; 6:8-15; 7:57-60.
1. The promise, "the gates of hell shall not g. Peter is prominent.
prevail against it." guarantees the continual 2. The Gospel spreads to Judea and Samaria.
existence of His church in every age. Acts 8 to 12.
a "Unto him be glory IN THE CHURCH by a. Christianity is carried to other races.
Christ Jesus THROUGHOUT ALL The Samaritans - Philip, one of the
AGES, world without end." Eph. 3:21 deacons of the church at Jerusalem
b. "... and, lo, I am with you alway, even preached at Samaria. Many were saved
unto the end of the world." Matt. 29:20 and baptized thus forming a church at
2. When the Lord organized His church, He set Samaria. 8:5-12.
her in the world and she has never gone out An Ethiopian (Negro) - History reveals
of existence - she lives today. the beginning of a church in Ethiopia
3. Three ways of identifying a New Testament which started with the returning eunuch
church today. who had been baptized by Philip.
a. Historical Perpetuity. This means tracing Acts 8:26-40.
the history of a church back through 2,000 The Gentiles, Cornelius - Acts 10
years to the church Christ established. b. Persecution from the Jews scattered the
b. Doctrinal Conformity. This means Christians from Jerusalem. Acts 8:1;
comparing the doctrines of a church today 12:1-4. At first they preached only to the
with the ones in the N. T. (We call these Jews (11:19); then to the Greeks (11:20).
Baptist Distinctives; they are listed in the c. Peter is still prominent.
text on page 8) 3. Paul and his missionary journeys.
c. Spiritual Affinity. Churches after the order Acts 13 to 28.
of the N. T. church are bound together by a. Commissioned by the Antioch church.
spiritual ties, through fellowship in a Acts 13:1-4
common faith and doctrinal unity. b. Churches started around the
D. The Mission of the Church. Mediterranean Sea area (Asia Minor,
- TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL OVER THE Macedonia, Greece, Italy).
EARTH. Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8. c. Jerusalem Conference (after the first
1. The Church in Jerusalem. Acts 1 to 7. missionary journey). Report to the church
a. After the ascension of Christ there were (Acts 14:27)
120 members. Act. 1:15 First Church Council (Acts 15:1-33)
b. Three thousand were added to this number Gentiles declared not under the law.
on the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2:41 d. Paul persecuted by Jews (13:45), and
c. We have a record of 5,000 more being gentiles (13:50), and both (14:19), etc.
added to this church. Acts 4:4
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 Church History
e. Other Missionaries - Barnabas, 13:2; F. Christianity Separated from Judaism.
Timothy, 16:1-3; Silas, 15:40, Luke, etc. 1. Judaism a "legal" religion within Roman
Other Apostles are also going as Empire.
missionaries. Tradition says Thomas went a. In Acts. 18:12-16 Gallio was saying,
to India. "I can't tell Christianity from Judaism".
f. The whole world is reached. This continued from 51 - 64 A. D.
Col. 1:5-8, 23; Acts 21:27, 28 b. In 64 A. D. Nero burned Rome and
g. Paul, travelling ever westward, finally blamed the Christians (they were
reaches Rome. Acts. 27:1-ff. (Clement distinguishable from Judaism by then.)
says Paul reached Spain). 2. Council at Jerusalem
E. Christianity in the Roman Empire (Acts 15) 48 or 49 A. D. The liberation of
Rome was founded 753 B. C. Christianity from ceremonial Jewish law
Subdued Italy 343 - 272 made a further division.
Subdued Carthage (No. Africa) 264 - 246 3. Siege of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 A. D.
Subdued Greece and Asia Minor 215 - 146 destroyed the temple and the city and caused
Subdued Spain, Gaul (France, Belgium) Briton the church to flee.
(So. Britain), Tueton (Germany) 133 - 31 The church leadership moved to other cities,
The Twelve Caesars (Family name of Gaius as Antioch, Ephesis, Rome.
Julius Caesar. "Caesar" afterwards used as a 4. Jews excommunicate all deviants and put a
title given to the Roman Emperor, still later, to curse on all who follow the Nazarene (wide
any emperor.) difference between Jew and Christian now).
1. Julius Caesar, 46 - 44 B. C. G. Heresy During New Testament Days
Lord of the Roman World. 1. Judaism - legalism (Acts 15) circumcision
2. Augustus, 31 B. C. to 14 A. D. necessary, keeping the law (Gal. 1:6-9).
In his reign CHRIST was born. Peter argues against it (Acts 15:7-11) James
3. Tiberius, 12 - 37 A.. D. decides (Acts 15:13, 19). Paul later refutes
In his reign CHRIST was crucified. in Gal. 2:16; 3:24.
4. Caligula, 37 - 41 A. D. 2. The Lord's Supper perverted,
Insane part of his reign. Demanded worship 1 Cor. 11:17-22, 33, 34.
of his horse. 3. Bodily resurrection denied.
5. Claudius, 41 - 54 A. D. (It is past - 2 Tim. 2:18. It is at hand -
Enforced peace. Banned Jews from Rome 2 Thess. 2:2).
6. Nero, 54 - 68 A. D. 4. False teachers,
Persecuted Christians, executed Paul. 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1 - spirit of antichrist,
7. Galba, 68 - 69 A. D. 1 John 4:3.
8. Otho, 69 A. D. 5. Gnosticism - present in Colosse by 64 A. D.
9. Vitellius, 69 A. D. a. A duel philosophy - spirit is good, matter
10. Vespasian, 69 - 79 A. D. is evil.
Jerusalem destroyed, Jerusalem church b. Christ only a celestial being (Paul refutes
scattered (70 A. D.) in Col. 1:19; 2:9).
11. Titus, 79 - 81 A. D. c. Salvation comes by ascetic acts of bodily
12. Domitian, 81 - 96 A. D. denial (Paul refutes in Col. 2:14-17,
Persecuted Christians and all who would not 20-23).
worship the emperor. He banished John. d. Angels should be worshipped (Paul refutes
in Col. 2:8, 18, 19).
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 Church History
e. Special knowledge or "gnosis" was 13. Gallus, 251 - 253.
necessary and only revealed to the elite. 14. Valerian, 253 - 260.
Paul refutes with a statement of Christ's Persecuted Christians
position as Creator and Redeemer in 15. Galienus, 260 - 268.
Col. 1:13-20. Favored Christians.
This heresy continued to plague the 16. Aurelian, 270 - 275.
church for many years. Persecuted Christians.
II. THE PERIOD OF APOSTASY 17. Diocletian, 284 - 305.
Persecuted Christians furiously, declared
100 - 313 A. D. himself a god.
A. Rulers of the Roman Empire during this 18. Constantine, 306 - 337.
time. Professed Christianity and commanded
The Five Able Emperors (Persecution was local everyone to do so.
and sporadic until 250 with Decius) 19. Julian, 361 - 363.
1. Nerva, 96 - 98 A. D. The Apostate, sought to restore Paganism.
2. Trajan, 98 - 117 . 20. Jovian, 363 - 364.
One of the best emperors but persecuted Re-established the Christian faith.
Christians. 21. Theodosius, 378 - 395.
3. Hadrian, 117 - 138. Made Christianity the state religion,
Persecuted Christians. Was last to be called compulsory by law.
Caesar. B. The Age of the Church Fathers -
4. Antonius Pius, 138 - 161. 95 - 150 A. D.
The noblest of emperors, the golden age of 1. Name - "Father" given to bishops,
Rome's glory. He persecuted Christians. especially in the West, to express
5. Marcus Aurelius, 161 - 180. affectionate loyalty.
Persecuted Christians, blaming them for all These men were also called the Apostolic
calamities and natural disasters. Fathers.
Decline and Fall of Roman Empire . 2. Who were they? - Writers of Christian
180 - 476 A. D. literature who followed the Apostles.
(192 - 284 "Barrack Emperors" appointed by Most of them were church leaders.
the army. They were not able leaders and a 3. The writings - Obviously inferior to the
period of civil war and widespread internal writings of the Apostles.
disaster followed.) Many were "spiritual babes" with doctrinal
6. Septimius Severus, 193 - 211. problems. They wrote with no authority.
Persecuted Christians. However, their writings are very interesting
7. Caracalla, 211 - 217. and provide us with a link between the N. T.
Tolerated Christians. period and the latter part of the 4th century.
8. Elagabalus, 218 - 222. They quoted heavily from the Old and New
Tolerated Christians. Testaments. The edification of the Church
9. Alexander Severus, 222 - 235. stands out as the major objective of their
Favorable to Christians. writings. Their writings are still available
10. Maximin, 235 - 238. today.
Persecuted Christians.
11. Phillips, 244 - 241.
Very favorable to Christians.
12. Decius 249 - 251.
Persecuted Christians. 4
 Church History
4. List of the Apostolic Fathers written around 150, but not by Clement - a
a. Clement of Rome, (30 - 100). Wrote the sermon.
Epistle of Clement to the church of the These writers do believe, they are
Corinthians, or 1 Clement about 97 A. D. orthodox, but not theological. Many are
This book is the earliest of Christian already fuzzy on salvation, with the
writings outside the books of the N. T. and doctrine of works coming in. They are
holds the most prominent place among the never really sure of forgiveness of sins.
writers of the Church Fathers because of They don't have the tremendous sense of
it. Clement uses the pagan myth of the acceptance with God that you have in N.
Phoenix as an illustration of the T. writings. Instead, moralisms, "let's be
resurrection and gives an exalted position good," "let's work harder," "let's fast," etc.
of the bishop or elder i n the church. Many believed baptism was necessary for
b. Ignatius, (67 - 115). A pupil of John, and salvation. It washed away past sins, but
bishop (pastor) of Antioch. Wrote 7 letters you must be good to take care of present
about 110 A. D. to Ephesis, Smyrna, the sins.
Trallians, Magnesians, Philadelphians and C. The Age of the Apologists - 125 - 190 A. D.
others. His letters warn against the 1. Purpose: To defend Christianity to those
heresies of Gnosticism and Doceticism outside the church (to the lost).
(Christ is a purely spiritual being with no 2. Needed because of:
material body. Only a phantom suffered on a. Jewish legalism - argued that Christians
the cross). His letters show that one elder had a wrong conception of the O. T.
(pastor) in each church had become a b. Government persecutions - Pagans hated
monarchal bishop to whom fellow elders Christians for their abominations (accused
were obedient. Still no evidence that the of child eating, unnatural sexual
bishop of Rome was superior to other intercourse) called them atheists because
bishops. they had no idols.
c. Polycarp, (69 - 156). A pupil of John, and 3. List of Apologists:
bishop (pastor) of Smyrna. He wrote to a. Justin Martyr, (100 - 165). He wrote his
the Philippians about 110 first Apology to the Emperor Antoninus
d. Papias, (70 - 155). He was probably a Pius about 150 and his second to the
pupil of John and bishop (pastor) of senate and Roman people. His third, to the
Hierapollis. He wrote "Interpretations of Jews, is called "Dialogue with Trypho."
the Sayings of the Lord" to record the b. Tatian, (110 - 172). He was a pupil of
"exact words of Jesus" as given to him by Justin Martyr, he wrote to the Greeks that
the elders (older Christians who had Christianity is superior on the basis of
known the Apostles). Written about doctrine, morality and antiquity. He also
150 A. D. wrote a harmony of the 4 gospels around
e. Hermas, wrote "The Shepherd of Hermas" 150 called "Diatesseron".
between 100 and 140 A. D. This work c. Athenagoras. He was a professor at
abounds in visions and allegory (like Athens and wrote "Supplication for the
Pilgrim's Progress by Paul Bunyon) Christians" about 177 to the emperor,
f. Anonymous writings: Pseudo-Barnabas Marcus Aurelius.
(between 70-120); the Didache, or "The d. Theophilus, of Antioch wrote "Apology to
Teachings of the Twelve Apostles" Autolycus" about 180.
(between 70 and 165) not found until e. Tertulllian, (160 - 220) of Carthage: "The
1875. 2 Clement, (to the Corinthians) father of Latin Christianity." He was a
5
 Church History
Roman lawyer and wrote "Apologeticum" 2. Some of the bishops or pastors began to
to the Roman governor of his province, to assume authority not given them in the N.T.
answer charges of disloyalty. He was the a. They began to claim authority over other
first to use the word "Trinity". and smaller churches.
Many of the Apologists were not very b. Here began what resulted in an entire
good theologians, they made Christ change from the original democratic policy
UNDER God, as a second God. Many and government of the early churches.
believed baptism washes away sins. What c. This was the beginning of different orders
did they do? They explained Christianity to or ranks in the ministry that led up to the
the lost. They were trying to get legal erroneous system practiced by Methodists,
status from Rome, so the persecutions Episcopalians, Catholics, etc.
would stop. 3. Also in the first two centuries the idea of
D. The Polemicists - 190 - 250 A. D. "baptismal regeneration" began to spread in
Definition: a skilled debater or writer of polemic some churches.
discussions (disputation or controversy) a. Because of the stress the Bible places
1. Purpose: To fight false doctrine within the upon Baptism and the Christian's duty
church. concerning it, some were quick to assume
2. Needed because of the development of it must have something to do with
heresies. salvation.
3. List of Polemicists: b. This error concerning Baptism made
a. Tertullian, (160 - 220 ). He defended the necessary other errors.
Trinity. 1) Since baptism was accepted as essential
b. Iranaeus, (130 - 200). He wrote against to salvation, it naturally became neces-
Gnosticism. sary to baptize babies to assure their sal-
c. Origen, (185 - 254). He wrote "Hexapla", vation.
a comparison of Hebrew and Greek texts 2) At the beginning of these errors even
to determine the correct texts. 2/3rds of babies were baptized by immersion.
the N. T. is quoted in his writings. He 4. Thus we see that during the first 300 years
began the allegorical (symbolical, having three important and vital changes from the
another meaning as a parable or fable) teachings of Christ and His apostles had
interpretation of the Scriptures. A brilliant their beginnings.
man, he was the head of a university at 18. a. The change from the democratic idea of
d. Clement of Alexandria, (150 - 204). Head church government to clergy rule. This
of the school in Alexandria. error also resulted in one church assuming
e. Cyprian, (200+ - 258). He wrote against authority over another.
the Novatists. b. The change from the Bible teaching of
E. Development of Theology. - 150 to 300 A. D. salvation to a belief in "baptismal
(Needed because of heresy.) regeneration."
The progress of error during the first 300 years. c. The change from "believer's baptism" to
1. In the first two centuries the individual "infant baptism."
churches rapidly multiplied and some of 5. Dr. J. M. Carroll, Baptist historian, states
them grew very large. Jerusalem may have that the two errors of baptismal
had up to 50,000 members. regeneration and infant baptism have
These large churches had several preachers caused the shedding of more Christian blood
or elders (or bishops, or pastors - all mean than all other errors combined.
the same office)
6
 Church History
He says over 50,000,000 Christians died III. THE PERIOD OF OBSCURITY -
martyr deaths because of their rejection of A. D. 313 - 1638.
these two errors.
6. It is to be remembered that these errors and A. Development of the Canon.
changes from N. T. teachings were not all Definition: A list or catalogue (of books)
made in a day, nor even within a year. accepted as true, a critical standard. The
They came about slowly and NEVER collection or list of books which are received as
WITHIN ALL CHURCHES. Some of the genuine and inspired Holy Scriptures.
churches vigorously repudiated these errors. QUESTIONS:
1. Why don't we accept the 14 apocryphal
a. In 251 A. D. the loyal churches declared
nonfellowship with those churches which books of the Old Testament as the Roman
accepted and practiced these errors. Catholics do?
b. In this age as in every age, there were a. We accept the Jewish canon and the Jews
those churches that clung to the doctrines never accepted them.
and practices held by Baptists today. b. Jesus Christ and the Apostles never
quoted from them.
c. In the majority of instances the churches
of these first three centuries maintained 2. How did these 27 books come to be in the
their doctrines and practices in purity. New Testament?
7. Legalistic Heresies There are hints within the N. T. itself that,
Jews within the church - Ebionites while the Apostles were yet living, and under
(Judiazers) their own supervision, collections of their
writings began to be made for the churches
8. Philosophical Heresies
More Gentiles than Jews were won to Christ. and placed alongside the O. T. as the
Many were influenced by Greek Philosophy. inspired Word of God.
a. Gnosticism (already explained) a. Paul claimed for his teaching the
1) Docetism - a type of Gnosticism (al- inspiration of God. 1 Cor. 2:7-13, 14:37;
ready explained) 1 Thess. 2:13.
b. So did John for the book of Revelation.
2) Marcion - formed his own canon to
promote Gnostic view. He rejected the Rev. 1:2.
O. T. and all of the N. T. except Paul c. Paul intended that his epistles should be
and Luke. read in the churches. Col. 4:16;
b. Manicheanism (Mani - 216 - 275) Christ 1 Thess. 5:27; 2 Thess. 2:15
2 people (dualism) divine and human. d. Peter wrote that "these things" might
remain in the churches "after his
c. Neoplatonism - all emotions, feelings.
9. Theological Heresies. departure," 1 Pet. 1:25; 2 Pet. 1:12-15.
a. Montanism e. Paul quoted a N. T. book as "Scripture".
b. Monarchanism - stressed the unity of God. In 1 Tim. 5:18 we read: "The laborer is
Not all the truth was in the independent worthy of his hire." This sentence is found
churches only, and not all error was in the nowhere in the Bible except in Matt. 10:1
and Luke 10:7. This is evidence that Matt
"catholic" churches only. They all had many
problems in trying to figure out the Trinity. or Luke was in existence when Paul wrote
Some stressed one over the other, making 1 Tim. and that it was regarded as
them not all equal. "Scripture."
f. Peter classes Paul's epistles with "other
'Scriptures." 2 Pet. 3:15, 16.

7
 Church History
Tests given to the books: for the churches in the West. The churches
a. Was it written by an Apostle or one who had accepted these books for a long time
was closely associated with the apostles, before they were officially declared
such as Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Scripture by these groups.
Mark? B. Development of the Creed.
b. Did the book have the capacity to edify A creed is a statement of faith for public use; it
when read publicly? contains articles needful for salvation and the
c. Did it agree with the rule of faith? theological well-being of the Church. Creeds
d. Was it widely accepted by the churches as have been used to test orthodoxy, to recognize
Scripture? fellow believers, and to serve as a convenient
3. Who determined the Canon? summary of the essential doctrines of faith.
a. The Lord. The letters were authoritative Councilar or universal creeds made by
when they were written and acknowledged representatives of the whole Church emerged
by the church and the false rejected. during the period between 313 and 451. It must
b. People often err by thinking of the canon be remembered that by this time many
as a list of authoritative books coming independent groups of believers had ceased to
directly from heaven or as set by church fellowship with the general body over the
councils. Such was not the case, for the heresies that had developed in the church
various church councils that pronounced (works added to salvation, baptismal
upon the subject of the canon of the N. T. regeneration, infant baptism, some churches
were merely stating publicly, what had controlling others, etc).
been widely accepted by the consciousness Following is a list of people whose writings
of the Church for sometime. The and works contributed to the development of
development of the canon was a slow the early creeds:
process substantially completed by 1. Eusebius, (260-340). He wrote "History of
175 A. D., except for a few books whose the Church up to 324 A. D."
authorship was disputed. Certain practical 2. Athanasius, (296-373). He argued that
reasons made it essential that the church Jesus was the same as and equal with the
develop the list of books that comprise the Father, not a lesser being.
N. T. 3. Ambrose, (339-397)
1) Heretics, such as Marcion, were setting 4. Jerome, (342-420). Authored the Latin
up their own canon of Scripture and Vulgate (translation) used until recently by
leading people astray. the RCC. (Latin was the dominate language
2) In persecution men were not willing to by 100.
risk their lives for a book unless they People didn't even read Greek after 200,
were sure it was an integral part of the except in the East). The Vulgate influenced
canon of Scripture. early English translations. His commentary
3) The Apostles were slowly passing from on Daniel is still read.
the scene, and there was need for 5. John Chrysostom, (345-407). Chrysostom
some records that could be recognized meaning "golden mouthed".
as authoritative. He was a great preacher. His 600 sermons
c. Athanasius in his Easter letter of 367 can still be read.
mentions all 27 books and calls them 6. Theodore, (350-428).
Scripture to his churches in the East. Wrote a Bible commentary.
d. The Third Senate of Carthage in 397 7. Augustine, (354-430).
definitely fixes the 27 books as Scripture He studied doctrine, debated against errors.
8
 Church History
He was a preacher, theologian, apologist, D. The Rise of the Roman Catholic Church.
and polemicist. He founded a system of It was during this period that the apostate
theology - Augustinianism. Martin Luther churches developed into what is now called the
was an Augustinian monk. He wrote much. Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Catholic
A famous quote is "Thou hast made us for (Orthodox) Church. The bishops of Rome
thyself and our souls are restless until they claimed to have the supremacy over the other
find their rest in thee." churches from time to time. This claim was
8. Also contributing from an earlier era were generally recognized in the Western Roman
Tertullian and Origen. Empire by 440 when Leo I came to head the
C. The Seven Universal Councils. Roman Church. The RCC did not begin on a
As the problems of heresies became more certain date, but there was a gradual growth of
numerous and difficult the church attempted to error during this time, until by 440 there was a
solve them by means of Councils. While general admittance in the West of Rome's
hundreds of representatives from the various supremacy.
churches all over the empire came (hence the There is general agreement that by 600 Gregory
name, "universal"), and many true Christians I ruled as the first universal pope. (see notes on
were among them; by and large the Independent the popes).
Churches boycotted these councils, thus The period from 426 to 1628 A. D. is called the
bringing down upon their groups various "Dark Ages". One can guess why as Rome
persecutions from the main body. attempted to "put out" the light of truth
Following are a list of the Universal Councils whenever and wherever possible.
and the problems they attempted to solve: 1. With the establishing of the new Catholic
1. Nicaea (325) temporal power a bloody persecution began.
Called and presided over by Constantine to 2. Loyal New Testament churches, by whatever
settle the Arian dispute (when to celebrate name called, were hunted and hounded to
Easter). the utmost limit by this new Catholic power.
2. Constantinople (381) 3. The new established Roman Catholic
Called to assert the personality of the Holy Church began a war of extermination upon
Spirit and humanity of Christ. all who opposed her.
3. Ephesus (431) E. Factors in the Rise of the Roman Catholic
Called to emphasize the unity of Christ's Church.
personality. 1. The rise of Episcopal church government
4. Chalcedon (451) and separation of the office of bishop from
Called to state the relationship between the elder. (Titus 1:5-7; Acts 20 - they meant the
two natures of Christ (the Monophysite same thing).
dispute) Worship of Mary begins here. 2. The Doctrine of Apostolic Succession.
5. Constantinople (553) 3. Doctrine of baptismal regeneration.
Called to deal with the Monophysite dispute. 4. Allegorical interpretation of the Scriptures
6. Constantinople (680) (Origen and Jerome).
Called to condemn the Monothelites. 5. Constant addition of tradition (amplified
7. Nicaea (787) errors).
Called to deal with problems raised by the 6. Doctrine of no salvation outside the church
image controversy. Image and saint worship (Augustine).
started here. 7. Elevation of Mary and adoration of relics.
(5th century)
8. Doctrine of pentance.
9
 Church History
9. Monasteries and adoration of celibacy H. The Rise of Islam.
(Augustine). 1. Mohammed was born at Mecca, in 570.
10. Dogma of transubstantiation. In his youth he visited Syria and came in
F. Causes of the Final Division between the contact with Christians and Jews and became
Western and Eastern Churches (869 A. D.). filled with a horror of idolatry. In 610 he
1. Doctrinal differences: declared himself a prophet. He was rejected
a. The Trinity (relationship of Jesus to the at Mecca and in 622 he fled to Medina where
Holy Spirit). he was received and became a warrior. He
b. Clerical celibacy (lower clergy married in began to propagate his faith by the sword. In
the East). 630 he re-entered Mecca at the head of an
c. Use of unleavened bread. army, destroyed 360 idols and became filled
d. The date for Easter. with enthusiasm for the destruction of
e. The use of statues, idols in worship idolatry. He wrote the Koran. He called his
(only in the West). god Allah and said he had 28 prophets. Jesus
2. Power struggle between the bishops of was a prophet to the Jews, while Mohammed
Rome and Constantinople. was a prophet to the world. He believed that
Because of the decline in the Roman Empire only a likeness of Jesus died on the cross. He
and no emperor in Rome, the Bishop of died in 632. His successors are called
Rome became much more powerful, holding Caliphs.
civil authority as well as ecclesiastical power. 2. By 634 Syria was conquered by Islam;
At Constantinople the emperor was in in 637, Jerusalem; in 638, Egypt; in 640,
residence and he held the civil authority, so Persia; in 689, North Africa; in 711 Spain.
the Bishop of Constantinople had less power Thus within a short time the whole of
than the Bishop of Rome. western Asia and North Africa, the cradle of
G. The Rise of Monasticism Christianity, became Moslem. Mohammed
A reaction against the worldliness of the church appeared at a time when the church had
and, in part perhaps, a by-product of become paganized with the worship of
Gnosticism, which taught that matter was evil. images, relics, martyrs, saints and angels.
This movement started in Egypt with Anthony The gods of Greece had been displaced by
(250 - 350) who sold his property, retired to the the images of Mary and the saints. In a sense
desert and lived in solitude. Many followed his Mohammedanism (Islam) was a revolt
example. They were called "Anchorites.." The against the idolatry of the "Christian world;"
idea was to attain everlasting life by escaping a judgment on a corrupt and degenerate
from the world and mortifying the flesh in church. Islam itself, however, has proved a
ascetic practices. The movement spread to worse blight to the nations it conquered. It is
Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor and Europe. In the a religion of hate, is propagated by the
East each lived in his own cave or hut or on his sword, has encouraged slavery, polygamy,
pillar. In Europe with a colder climate they lived and the degradation of womanhood.
in communities called Monasteries, dividing 3. Why was Islam able to gain such a
their time between work and religious exercises. following in Africa and elsewhere?
They became very numerous, and there arose a. The Scriptures were never translated into
many orders of monks and nuns. When they the language of the people.
became rich they became grossly immoral. b. The RCC was not really indiginous, it
During the Reformation in Protestant countries remained a foreign religion.
they soon disappeared, and are declining in c. The RCC was divided at this time.
Catholic countries as well.
10
 Church History
d. The RCC was a religious system wherein 722 A. D. They finally became known by
most were lost and so it gave no sense of other names.
peace. b. The Novatians, 250 A. D.
e. The RCC lacked the zeal for missionary In 250 a preacher named Novatian
expansion. began protesting the lack of purity and
4. The Battle of Tours, France in 732 was one separation in the churches. He particularly
of the decisive battles of the world. objected to conditions that existed in the
Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) church at Rome. Many churches backed
defeated the Moslem army and saved Europe Novatian in his protest and these churches
from Islam which was sweeping the world became known as "Novatians." They
like a tidal wave. But for that victory flourished in many parts of the world for
Christianity may have been completely 600 years. Some claim they continued into
submerged. the 16th century. The Novatians insisted
5. The Arabians dominated the Moslem world upon true "believer's baptism" and at times
from 622 to 1058. were known as "Anabaptists."
The capital was moved to Damascus in 661, c. The Donatists, 311 A. D.
to Bagdad in 750, where it remained until Donatus was another pastor who
1258. The Golden Age of Islam was under protested the lax of discipline and the
Haroun-Al-Rashchid, (786 - 809). He was doctrinal errors in the churches. The
contemporaneous with Charlemagne in the teaching of Donatus spread over all of
West. The Turks have ruled the Muslim Africa and attracted many followers.
world from 1058 to the present time. They Crespin, a French historian, says that the
were far more intolerant and cruel than the "Donatists" held the following views:
Arabians. Their barbarous treatment of "First, for purity of church members, by
Christians in Palestine led to the Crusades. asserting that none ought to be admitted
I. Evidence for New Testament Churches into the church but such as are visibly true
from 300 to 500 A. D. believers and true saints. Secondly, for
1. See the text, page 21, #7 and 8. purity of church discipline. Thirdly, for the
a. The Montanists, 156 A. D. independency of each church. Fourthly,
The first protest in the way of they baptized again those whose first
separation from the growing corruptions baptism they had reason to doubt. They
of the times was the movement of the were consequently termed rebaptizers and
Montanist churches. The leader, Anabaptists." They flourished under this
Montanus, was a Phrygian. He was name for several centuries.
brought up a heathen but later became a d. The Paulicans. First century.
Christian. The most distinguished advocate It is to be regretted that most of the
of Montanism was Tertullian. These information concerning these people
churches were simply calling Christians comes from their enemies. Most of our
back to N. T. teachings such as: correct information comes from a Fred C.
1) A separated pure life. Conybeare who gave a great deal of time
2) Stern discipline in the church. unearthing the truth concerning the
3) True "believer's baptism." Paulicans. From his writings we can
4) A return to Bible teachings. reconstruct their history. The Paulican
5) No hierarchy of ministers. churches were of apostolic origin and were
The Montanist name clung to some of planted in Armenia in the first century.
the true loyal churches as late as They stood for the same truths as today's
11
 Church History
Baptists. They can be traced down through Constance (1414-18) To heal Papal schism.
15 centuries. Burned Hess.
e. Anabaptists. Basil (1431-49) To reform the Church.
From the time of the beginning of the Rome (1512-18) Another effort at reform.
error concerning baptism, those who Trent (1545-63) To conteract the Reformation.
insisted upon "believer's baptism" were Vatican (1869-70) To declare the infallibility of
called Anabaptist. The word means the Pope.
rebaptize. It arose from the practice of the K. The Crusades.
true churches insisting upon true baptism, The effort of Christendom (RCC) to regain the
even of those who had been baptized in Holy Land from the Moslems. There were seven
other churches (mostly as infants). The Crusades:
name Anabaptists identified the true 1. 1095 - 1099 - Captured Jerusalem.
churches right down to the Reformation in 2. 1147 - 1149 - Postponed the fall of
the sixteenth century. Jerusalem.
f. Hosuis, Letter, Apud Opera (pp. 112, 113) 3. 1189 - 1191 - Army failed to reach
Cardinal Hosuis - (Catholic, 1524): Jerusalem.
President of the Council of Trent. "Were it 4. 1201 - 1204 - Captured and Plundered
not that the Baptists have been grievously Constantinople.
tormented and cut off with the knife (Capitol of East. Orthodox Church)
during the past twelve hundred years, they 5. 1228 - 1229 - Took Jerusalem but soon lost
would swarm in greater number than all it.
the reformers." 6. 1248 - 1254 - A failure.
(1524 minus 1200 = 324 A. D.). 7. 1270 - 1272 - Also unsuccessful.
g. Einburg Encyclopedia (Presbyterian) The Crusades, though failures in the object
"It must have already occurred to our they set out to accomplish, were of influence
readers that the Baptists are the same sect in saving Europe from the Turks, and also in
of Christians that were formerly described opening up commercial and intellectual
as Ana-Baptists. Indeed this seems to have intercourse between Europe and the East,
been their leading principle from the time thus paving the way for the Revival of
of Tertullian to the present time ..." Learning.
(Tertullian was born 50 years after the Muslims today will tell you the reason they
death of John). hate Christians so much is because of the
J. Councils (Roman only) from 1123 to 1870. cruel and immoral treatment of the
Rome (1123) Decided Bishops should be Crusaders, who said they came "in the name
appointed by Popes. of the Lord."
Rome (1139) An effort to heal schism of East L. The Power of the Papacy 1054 - 1305.
and West. The papacy has never exercised such temporal
Rome (1179) To enforce ecclesiastical (civil, political) power as that which it was able
discipline. to exercise between 1054 and 1305. Hildebrand
Rome (1215) To do the bidding of Innocent III. was able to humble the Emperor of the Holy
Lyons (1245) To settle the quarrel of the Pope Roman Empire; Innocent III was powerful
and Emperor. enough to force rulers of rising nation-states to
Lyons (1274) A new effort for union of East do his will; and the papacy dominated the early
and West. part of the great war against the infidels in the
Vienna (1311) Suppressed the Templars. Holy Land. The rise of universities and
scholasticism strengthened the intellectual
12
 Church History
foundations of papal power. Monastic reform 2. Waldenses -
added to papal power by giving to the pope "In the Alpine valleys of Piedmont (same
many zealous monks who were his obedient general area as the Albigenses) there had
servants. It is doubtful whether the papacy has been for centuries congregations of believers
ever exercised such absolute power over all calling themselves brethren, who came later
phases of life as it did in medieval Europe to be widely known as Waldenses, though
during this era. they did not themselves accept the name.
The following popes were neither as able nor as They traced their origin in those parts back
resolute and soon came under the dominion of to Apostolic times. Like many of the
Philip, King of France. He even transferred the so-called Carthari, Paulician, and other
papal court to Avignon, where the pope and his churches, these were not "reformed", never
court were under direct pressure from the king having degenerated from the N. T. pattern as
whose territories were all around them. The had the Roman, Greek, and some others. But
removal of the papal seat from Rome in 1309 having always maintained, in varying degree,
was the beginning of the era known as the the Apostolic tradition. From the time of
Babylonian Captivity of the papacy. Until 1377 Constantine there had continued to be a
the papacy was the creature of the French succession of those who preached the Gospel
monarchs and lost the tremendous moral and and founded churches, not influenced by the
temporal power it had had in Europe during the relations between church and state existing at
time of Innocent III. (Be sure and read the the time.
"Pope Notes" in your additional material.) This accounts for the large bodies of
M. New Testament Churches from 1000 to Christians, well established in the Scriptures
1300. and free from idolatry and the other evils
1. "The Albigenses or Carthari (pure) in prevailing in the dominant, professing
So. France, No. Spain and No. Italy. church, to be found in the Taurus Mountains
They preached against the immoralities of and Alpine valleys." The Pilgrim Church:
the priesthood, pilgrimages, worship of R.H. Broadbent; pp. 89, 90
saints and images. They completely rejected "The historical evidence shows that they held
the clergy and its claims: criticized church to the Bible as the final authority for faith
conditions, opposed the claims of the Church and practice and that salvation was wholly of
of Rome; made great use of the Scriptures; grace through faith in Christ as Saviour.
lived self-denying lives and had great zeal for They also believed the ordinances were only
moral purity. By 1167 they embraced baptism and the Lord's supper and that they
possibly a majority of the population of were only symbolic; that only believers
South France. By 1200 they were very should be baptized, that baptism was by
numerous in Northern Italy. In 1208 a immersion, and that salvation and baptism
crusade was ordered by Pope Innocent III; a were the requirements for church
bloody war of extermination followed membership. They rejected infant baptism
scarcely paralleled in history. Town after and were condemned by their enemies for it."
town was put to the sword, the inhabitants A Brief History of the Baptists: Edward
murdered without distinction of age or sex. Overbey; pp. 48, 49.
In 1229 the Inquisition was established and "... their preaching kindled a great desire
within a hundred years the Albigenses were among the people to read the Bible. They
utterly rooted out." Bible Handbook: Henry were gradually repressed by the Inquisition
Halley; page 882. except in the Alpine Valleys Southwest of
Turin where they still are found, the only
13
 Church History
medieval sect still surviving; a story of heroic the beginning of the 16th century, the "Ana"
endurance of persecution. Now the leading was dropped, and the name shortened to
Protestant (so called) body in Italy." Bible simply "Baptist," and gradually all other
Handbook: Henry Halley; pp. 882. names were dropped. No definite beginning
3. Anabaptist - can be ascribed to the Baptists of today this
"... appeared through the Middle Ages in side of Christ himself.
various European countries, under different "Never in any age, did the Anabaptists form
names, in independent groups, representing a any hierarchy that bound their churches
variety of doctrines, but usually strongly together. No one leader ever spoke for all of
Anticlerical, rejecting infant baptism, devoted them. In every age they remained free,
to the Scriptures, and standing for absolute independent churches governed by the rules
separation of church and state: very of democracy. Not all the churches that were
numerous in Germany, Holland and called Anabaptist remained true to the N. T.
Switzerland at the time of the Reformation, Each age and each locality had its deflections
perpetuating ideas that had come down from and errors, but it is marvelous to see how the
preceding generations. They were, as a rule, truth was preserved through these churches.
a quiet and genuinely pious people, but With no connecting link of communication
bitterly persecuted, especially in the and with no history to go by, these churches
Netherlands." Bible Handbook: Henry scattered all over the world and in every age
Halley; pp. 883. all fit into the same pattern of doctrine and
"It is an established fact of history that as far practice. All this was accomplished without
back as the fourth century those refusing to any centralization of authority, establishment
go into the Hierarchy of the RCC, and of hierarchy, etc. This is the miracle of the
refusing to accept the baptism of those fulfilment of God's promise, "the gates of hell
baptized in infancy, and refusing to accept shall not prevail." Fifty Lessons On the
the doctrine of "baptismal regeneration" and Church: Norman H. Wells; pp.88, 89.
demanding rebaptism for all those who N. The Inquisition - 1184 - 1700
came to them from the RCC were called 1. The Inquisition is the most infamous thing
"Anabaptists" - rebaptizers. in all of history.
"For the first century or so, nearly all the It was instituted by Pope Innocent III and
churches remained comparatively pure in perfected by Pope Gregory IX.
doctrine and practice. With the growth of 2. It was a secret Church Court established by
error concerning church government, the Popes for the trying and punishing of
doctrine, ordinances, etc., there came a "heretics" - a heretic being anyone who did
widening of the separation between those not agree with Catholicism.
churches departing into error and those a. Under this court everyone was required to
remaining loyal. Those churches who inform against heretics and the
remained loyal were called "Anabaptists" proceedings were in secret.
from the very beginning. One of the first b. The suspected was subject to torture
great errors to divide the church was without knowing the name of his accuser.
"baptismal regeneration" and "infant c. This Church Court pronounced sentence
baptism". As all the groups who bore many and the victim was turned over to the
names held true to "believer's baptism" they church-controlled government for
were all called Anabaptists. The Montanists, execution.
Novatians, Donatists, Paulican, Henricans d. The victim's property was confiscated and
and Arnoldists were all Anabaptists. Near divided between Church and State.
14
 Church History
e. Vast multitudes of true believers were 3. Papal Taxation - became a heavy burden to
slain in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and the people of Europe.
the Netherlands. 4. The rise of Nation-States - opposed the idea
3. The picture is difficult to believe but the of universal sovereignty of the pope.
pages of history record its stark reality. P. Forerunners of the Reformation.
a. Monks and priests directing, with heartless As the papacy declined in popularity among the
cruelty and inhuman brutality, the work of people, many were interested in reform within
torturing and burning alive innocent men the RCC and there were attempts to return to
and women by order of the Pope in the the ideal of the church presented in the N. T.
name of Christ. Wycliffe and Huss were able to capitalize on
b. This Inquisition was devised by the Popes, nationalistic anti-papal sentiment during the
and used by them for 500 years to maintain period of the Babylonian Captivity when the
their power. pope was resident in Avignon.
c. For the record, none of the Popes who 1. John Wycliffe (1324 - 1384)
have followed have ever apologized." Fifty A teacher at Oxford, England, he preached
Lessons on the Church: Norman H. Wells; against the spiritual domination of the
pp. 84. priesthood, the authority of the pope,
4. Dr. J. M. Carrroll, Baptist historian says: opposed the existence of popes, cardinals,
"I again call your attention to those whom patriarchs, and monks. He attacked
the hard hand of persecution fell. If fifty transubstantiation and auricular (heard with
million died of persecution during the 1,200 the ear) confession. He advocated the
years of what are called the 'Dark Ages', as people's right to read the Bible and translated
history seems positively to teach - then they it into the English language. His followers
died faster than an average of four million were called Lollards.
every one hundred years. That seems almost 2. John Huss (1369 - 1415).
beyond the limit of human conception." He was Rector of the University of Prague,
Fifty Lessons on the Church: Norman H. Bohemia. He was a student of Wycliffe,
Wells; pp. 80. whose writings had penetrated Bohemia. He
O. The Papacy in Decline, 1309 - 1439 became a fearless preacher; attacked the
Many people think that the return to the vices of the clergy and the corruptions of the
Scriptures began with such leaders of the church; with impassioned vehemence
Reformation as Calvin and Luther. On the condemned the sale of indulgences; rejected
contrary, there were attempts before the purgatory, worship of saints and worship in a
Reformation to halt the decline in papal prestige foreign language. He exalted the Scriptures
and power by reforms of various kinds. The above the dogmas and ordinances of the
problem of a corrupt, extravagant papacy that church. He was burned alive at the stake and
resided in France instead of in Rome, provided his followers, a large part of the Bohemian
the impetus which led to reformers, such as population, were almost extirpated (all
Wycliffe, Huss and Savonarola within the RCC. killed) by a crusade ordered by the Pope.
Following are some of the reasons for the 3. Savonarola (1452 - 1498)
decline. In Florence, Italy he preached like a Hebrew
1. Failure of the Clergy - immoral and power prophet to vast crowds who thronged his
hungry. cathedral. He preached against the sensuality
2. "The Babylonian Captivity" - loss of power and sin of the city, and against Papal vice.
and prestige. The penitent city reformed and Pope
Alexander VI sought to bribe him with a
15
 Church History
cardinal's hat, but in vain. He was hanged theologian of Christendom," more than any
and burned in the great square in Florence 19 other he has guided the thinking of
years before Luther posted his 95 theses. Protestantism.
Q. The Reformation 5. Switzerland.
1. Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) Reform was started by Zwingli, and carried
(see notes in the text beginning on page 29) on by Calvin. The union of their followers in
Luther is thought by many to be (next to 1549 constituted the "Reformed Church."
Jesus and Paul), the greatest man of all the Their reforms were more sweeping than
ages. He led the world in its break for Luther's.
freedom from the most despotic institution in 6. The Netherlands.
history. He is considered to be the "Founder Here reform was received early.
of Protestant Civilization." He was Lutheranism, and then Calvinism.
excommunicated by the RCC in 1530. When Anabaptists were already numerous. Many
ordered to retract his writings against the translations of the Bible appeared here and
church he replied that he could retract the many Christians so enraged the pope that
nothing except what was disapproved by he ordered the whole population condemned
Scripture or reason: "Here I stand; I can do to death. Under Charles V and Phillip II
naught else; so help me God." He was more than 100,000 were massacred with
condemned, but escaped and founded what is unbelievable brutality. A revolt began in
now the Lutheran church in Germany. 1572 which led to independence by 1609.
2. Zwingli (1484 - 1531) 7. Scandinavia.
He became convinced, about 1516, that the Lutheranism was made the state religion in
Bible was the means by which to purify the Denmark in 1536, and in Sweden in 1540.
church. In 1525 Zurich (Switzerland) One hundred years later the king of Sweden
officially accepted his teaching. The churches helped to defeat Rome's efforts to crush
of Switzerland gradually abolished the Protestant Germany.
Indulgences, Mass, Celibacy, Images, etc. 8. France.
They began to use the Bible only. Luther's teachings and Calvin's both
3. John Knox (1505 - 1572) penetrated France and by 1559 there were
Knox was a Scottish priest until about 1544, about 400,000 Protestants (Hugenots). In
when he heard Patrick Hamilton preaching 1557 Pope Pius urged their extermination.
the views of the Reformation. He openly On August 24, 1572, 70,000 Hugenots were
professed to these views and began to preach massacred. It is still called St. Bartholomew's
them. He swayed all of Scotland for God. Massacre. The Hugenots warred against the
Mary, Queen of Scots was supposed to have king until in 1598 they were granted freedom
said she feared John Knox more than all the of conscience. By then 200,000 had perished
armies of earth. John Knox prayed that as martyrs.
well-remembered prayer, "Lord, give me 9. Bohemia.
Scotland or I die." His influence on Scotland By 1600, in a population of 4,000,000, 80%
cannot be over stated. were Protestant. When the Hapsburgs and
4. John Calvin (1509 - 1564) Jesuits had done their work, 800,000 were
Calvin was a Frenchman who accepted left, all Catholics.
Reformation teachings in 1533. He went to 10. Austria and Hungary.
Geneva in 1536 where his Academy became More than half the population had become
a center of Protestantism, attracting scholars Protestant, but under the Hapsburgs and
from many lands. Called "the greatest Jesuits they were slaughtered.
16
 Church History
11. Poland. R. National Churches
By the end of the 16th century, it seemed as 1. Wherever Protestantism triumphed a
if Romanism was about to be entirely swept National Church arose:
away, but here too, the Jesuits, by a. Lutheran in Germany
persecution, killed reform. b. Episcopal (Church of England) in England
12. Italy. c. Presbyterian in Scotland
In the pope's own country the Reformation d. Reformed in Switzerland
was getting a real hold; but the Inquisition 2. These Protestant churches carried with them
got busy and hardly a trace of Protestantism many of the errors of Catholicism.
was left.. a. Church and State combination.
13. Spain. b. Preacher-Church government.
Here the Reformation never made much c. Infant baptism.
headway because the Inquisition was already d. Sprinkling or pouring for baptism.
in force. Every effort for freedom or e. Baptismal regeneration.
independent thinking was crushed with a f. Persecution of others.
ruthless hand. From 1481 to 1808 there were 3. The name "Protestant" identified those
at least 100,000 martyrs and 1,500,000 churches who had protested the Catholic
banished. When the Reformation began, errors and separated themselves from her.
Spain was the most powerful country in the All "Protestant" churches had their beginning
world. Its present negligible standing among in the period of the Reformation or since that
the nations shows what the Papacy can do time. Baptists are not "Protestants". They
for a country. existed before the Catholics and were never a
14. The Spanish Armada, 1588. part of Catholicism.
Sent by Spain to overthrow the Protestant 4. So-called Christianity is divided into three
Queen Elizabeth of England, it met defeat in groups - or possible four.
the English Channel. "England's victory was a. Baptists
the final turning point in the great duel b. Protestants.
between Protestantism and Romanism; it not c. Roman Catholic
only assured England and Scotland, but d. Greek Orthodox Catholic.
Holland, North Germany, Denmark, Sweden IV. THE PERIOD OF TOLERANCE -
and Norway, to the Protestant cause."
(Jacobs)
1638 - PRESENT.
15. Baptists. A. Tolerance comes to England.
During the hard struggle for Reformation From about 1638 for the next 50 years there
continuous and valuable aid was given by the was a certain amount of tolerance in England.
Baptists who risked their lives, many coming This was often only for short periods of time
out of hiding, to fight bravely with the during the English Civil War and
Reformers. They hoped for more freedom Commonwealth. In 1689 religious toleration
for themselves also, but were doomed to came permanently to England.
bitter disappointment. All the leading 1. In 1534 the Church of England definitely
Reformers, who so heroically freed repudiated Papal authority (Text, p. 31) and
themselves from the Roman Catholic church settled down to an independent life under
were guilty of establishing "National the spiritual direction of the Archbishop of
Churches" which continued to persecute the Canterbury, while Henry VIII assumed the
true N.T. church as had the Catholics. title of "Supreme Head" for its temporal and
political connections.
17
 Church History
2. Those who wanted more reform were 2. The U. S. was colonized: in 1607,
persecuted and many left for other by Anglican Puritans, in Virginia; in 1615, by
countries. Dutch Reformed, in New York; in 1620, by
Out of the English Church came the Puritans Puritans, in Massachusetts; in 1534, by
and Methodists. English Catholics, in Baltimore (who could
3. See the text, pg. 38 for a short history and obtain their charter only by allowing freedom
list of tolerance acts. to all religions); in 1639, by Baptists, in
4. John Bunyan lived during this time. He was Rhode Island, under Roger Williams (pioneer
a great preacher. in advocating unlimited toleration for all
Most agree he was a Baptist, though some religions); in 1681, by Quakers, in
would argue the point. For his preaching he Pennsylvania. These were all lured to the
spent 12 years in Bedford jail where he U. S. in search of religious liberty. Thus as
wrote "The Pilgrim's Progress" an allegory the U. S. came into being, it soon (not
on the Christian life. This book became so immediately) developed the principles of
popular, with a world-wide circulation, that religious toleration for all, and absolute
only the Bible itself was more widely read. It separation of church and state. These
is still a must for every Christian today. principles are now permeating all the
5. In Wales, during this time, there were many governments of the world, so that in recent
large Baptist Churches. years, even Roman Catholic countries have
Because of persecution there whole decreed separation of church and state.
congregations migrated together to the For details of Baptist persecution in the U. S.
United States. Their presence was of great see the Text beginning on page 41.
help to the Baptists in America. 3. The Church of Christ was started in the
B. Religion in the United States. U. S. in 1811 by Alexander Campbell, an
1. The motives stimulating Anglo Irish Presbyterian.
Saxon colonization along the Atlantic C. The Sunday School
seaboard of North America varied. Many It was founded by Robert Raikes, and editor of
colonists hoped to find the western sea route Gloucester, England, in 1780 to give Christian
to the riches of Asia. Others were sent training to poor and unschooled children.
because of the belief that the colonies should Founded as a missionary branch of the church, it
absorb the excess population from the has grown enormously, and has now become a
homeland. The planting of the colonies normal part of church life. Originally church
would also help meet the military threat from attendance was required of the pupils. Reading
Spain in the New World. and other skills were also taught. Its great value
But the religious motivation was extremely is its promotion of the Bible, and its
important in the founding of the colonies. development of laymen leadership, which in the
Most of the charters mention the desire of long run will save the church from the abuses of
the stockholders to convert the natives and clerical autocracy which has been such a blight
to extend Christ's dominion. In other cases, to the RCC.
such as those of the Puritans of Plymouth D. World-Wide Missions.
and Salem, the colonists were interested in Foreign missions began in England, and the
worshipping in their own way, and it must be world owes much to that country for its
admitted, making all those who came to their foresight and vision to reach the world for
colony WORSHIP IN THAT SAME WAY. Christ.

18
 Church History
1. The Society for the Propagation of the about 2%. (Figures taken from 1975
Gospel in Foreign Parts was founded by the statistics)
Anglican Church (Church of England) in 2. The RCC, dominant since 1600, declined in
1701. They sent 300 missionaries to the the late 19th and early 20th centuries
colonies. because of its association with the Spanish
2. The Baptist Missionary Society was founded colonial regime.
in 1792 in Kettering, England by William Many of these were converted to the
Carey (1761-1834). nationalistic Aglipayan movement at the
He helped open India to missionary work in same time. The principle of the separation of
1813 and translated the Bible into the Indian church and state is recognized in the 1973
tongue. A famous quote of his is: "Expect Constitution.
great things from God. Attempt great things 3. Before the arrival of the Spaniards most
for God." Filipinos practiced a polytheistic religion in
3. London Missionary Society of the which gods, spirits, and men were under the
Congregationalists was founded in 1795. rule of a supreme being.
It did work in many parts of Africa. Prayers and sacrifices were offered routinely
4. The Scottish Missionary Society and the to the numerous lesser deities and to
Glasgow Missionary Society were ancestor spirits, considered benevolent or
founded by Scotch Presbyterians in 1796 malevolent depending on whether they came
and 1797 respectively. from one's own or an enemy's tribe. Many
5. Church Missionary Society was founded by rituals had the curing of illnesses as their
the Evangelicals in 1799, who also did early principal purpose, ritual drinking to the point
work in Africa. of drunkenness was prevalent. The sun,
6. Wesleyan Missionary Society was founded moon, rainbows, rivers, mountains, plants,
by Methodists in 1817. caves, trees, and certain animals were objects
7. The first American Missionary Society was of worship. Carved idols used in religious
founded in 1810. ceremonies were representations of ancestor
Other denominational boards were created spirits who were intermediaries between man
until missionary work by Americans swelled and the supernatural. Reward or torments
into a great tide by 1900. To help in this after this life was a dominant belief. Filipinos
effort the American Tract Society was commonly resorted to magical practices. The
founded in 1825, and the American Bible priestly class, where it existed, was
Society was organized in 1858. composed predominantly of elder women.
8. China was opened to missionary work in 4. Serious efforts to Christianize the
1858. Philippines began in 1565 with the arrival
9. Grenfell was the greatest Baptist Missionary of the Miguel Lopez de Legazpi expedition
Explorer. from Mexico.
He mapped the Congo River in Africa in Muslim influence was already spreading
1880-1890. northward from Indonesia but was firmly
E. Religion in the Philippines. established only in Mindanao and the Sulu
1. Approximately 83% of the population of the Archipelago. Muslim communities in Luzon
Philippines is Roman Catholic. and Cebu were quickly expelled by the
Indigenous Christian cults, about 6%. Spaniards.
Muslim, 5%. Protestant Christianity about The conquest to Catholicism of the Filipinos
3% and Indigenous beliefs (mountain tribes) was accomplished with little violence. Only
in Mindanao and Northern Luzon did
19
 Church History
Muslims and Igorots successfully defy the F. Conclusion
Spanish. Elsewhere the new religion was From the days of Paul the gospel has spread
combined, in most cases, with many elements ever Westward; from the Middle-East, to
of non-Christian origin. Europe; from Europe to America; from America
5. Large numbers of Protestant missionaries to Far East Asia. In these last days we see the
from the U. S. began arriving in 1899 at a gospel has almost died out in Europe and
struggles in America. Will we of Asia be the
time when the prestige and influence of the
next group to carry the torch of Christianity to
RCC was at a low ebb. the West again? God grant that we accept our
The decline of the Aglipayans was closely responsibility and rise to the challenge of
connected with the rise of the Iglesia ni sending out Filipino missionaries to a lost
Kristo, by far the fastest growing, most world. One thing we know, that the Church of
dynamic, most disciplined, and most unified Jesus Christ, His true Church lives on, and will
of all religions in the Philippines. Church ever live. May we, as Baptists, be proud of our
leaders claim a following of 4 million (1975). heritage, and of our freedoms; bought with
Extremely anti-Catholic, the church was fearful price. May we never forget those who
founded in 1913 by Felix Manalo Ysagun went before us. Truly, the words of Christ have
been proven true - "... I will build my Church;
and claims to be "the only continuation of the
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Church of Christ in Jerusalem." Moreover, (Matthew 16:18).
unlike other churches on the islands, the
church possesses a highly political
orientation and played a direct and
formidable role in Philippine electoral politics
before martial law.
6. Wheras Spain introduced Roman
Catholicism to the Philippines, Protestant
religions accompanied the arrival of the
U. S. as Spain's colonial successor in the
islands.
The Presbyterians arrived in 1899;
Methodists and Baptists in 1900;
Episcopalians, United Brethren, and
Disciples of Christ in 1901; and
Congregationalists in 1902. Several other
church groups followed.
After W. W. II a variety of Evangelical and
Pentecostal missions and Cults were
introduced
7. The public school system introduced by the
Americans and staffed by several hundred
American volunteers was also an important
vehicle for conversion of Filipinos to
Protestantism.
Many teachers were ministers or former
ministers; most were hostile to Roman
Catholicism.
20
 Study Questions for Church History
1. The outline as given in the printed notes is: 1) ______________________________
2)_________________________________ 3) ___________________________________
4) _________________________________
2. What is the Church? ______________________________________________________________________
3. When did the Church begin? ________________________________________________________________
4. What is the mission of the Church? ___________________________________________________________
5. Who were the two great missionaries in the book of Acts? _________________________________________
6. What heresies were present during N. T. days? __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
7. The Church was founded during the __________________ Empire.
8. Christianity became a legal religion in _________ when ______________ became a Christian.
9. What did the "Church Fathers" do? ___________________________________________________________
10. What did the Apologists do? _______________________________________________________________
11. What did the Polemicists do?_______________________________________________________________
12. Why don't we accept the Apocryphal books? 1) ________________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________________________________________________
13. Who determined the books in the N. T. Canon? ________________________________________________
14. What is a creed? _________________________________________________________________________
14. The Canon was substantially completed by _____________ A. D.
15. What 3 errors marked the beginning of the RCC? 1) ____________________________________________
2) __________________________________________ 3) ______________________________________
16. The first universal pope was _________________ in _________ A. D.
17. The great threat to Christianity in the 6th century was ___________________________________________
18. Two early names given to churches with Baptist beliefs were ______________________________________
and _____________________________
19. What is monasticism? ____________________________________________________________________
20. What was the "Babylonian Captivity of the papacy? _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
21. The brutal method the RCC used to try to stamp out Christians was ________________________________
22. Who were the forerunners of the Reformation? 1) ______________________________________________
2) _______________________________________ 3) _________________________________________
23. Who was considered the "Founder of Protestant Civilization?" ____________________________________
24. List the protestant denominations that came out of the Reformation?________________________________
25. Why was America settled? _________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
26. Religious freedom came to America with the first settlers. True _____ False _____
27. When was the Sunday School started? __________________
28. The first Baptist Foreign Mission Society was founded in _________ (date)
by________________________ who later went to ___________ as a missionary.
25. What % of the population of the Philippines is considered Catholic? _________%

26. What % of the Trail of Blood did you read? _________%

27. What % of the printed notes did you read? _________%

21
 Additional Material for Church History
HISTORY OF THE PAPACY AND OF THE POPES
The Papacy was a gradual development.
First appearing as World Power in 6th century.
Reaching Height of its Power in 13th century.
Declining in Power from 13th century to present time.

PETER
The RCC tradition that Peter was the first pope is a fiction pure and simple. There is no historical evidence
whatever that he was ever bishop of Rome. Nor did he ever claim for himself such authority as his "Successors"
have claimed. It seems that Peter had a divine foreboding that his "Successors" would be mainly concerned with
"Lording it over God's flock, rather than showing themselves examples." (1 Peter 5:3)

EARLY ROMAN BISHOPS

Linus, 67 - 70 A. D.? Cletus, 79 - 91?
Clement, 91 - 100. His letter to the Corinthian church gives no hint of papal authority.
Evaristus, 100 - 109. Alexander I, 109 - 119. Sextus I, 119 - 128.
Telesphorus, 128 - 139. Hyginus, 139 - 142. Pius I, 142 - 154.

BEGINNING OF ROME'S DOMINEERING POLICY

Anicetus, 154 - 168. Tried to influence Polycarp to change date of Easter; Polycarp refused.
Soter, 168 - 176. Eleutherus, 177 - 190.
Victor I, 190 - 202. He threatened to excommunicate the Eastern churches for date of celebration of Easter. Was
rebuked for trying to dictate to them. Zephyrinus, 202 - 218.

GROWING INFLUENCE OF ROME

Calixtus I, 218 - 223. He was first to base claim upon Mt. 16:18. Tertullian called him a usurper.
Urban I, 223 - 230. Pontianus, 230 - 235. Anterus, 235 - 236.
Fabian, 236 - 250. Cornelius, 251 - 252. Lucius I, 252 - 253.
Stephen I, 253 - 257. Objected to certain baptismal practices in the No. African church. Cyprian, Bishop of
Carthage, contended that each bishop was supreme in his own diocese, and refused to yield to Stephen.
Nevertheless, the feeling grew that Rome should be head of the Church as it was of the Empire.
Sextus II, 257 - 258. Dionysius, 259 - 269. Felix I, 269 - 274.
Eutychianus, 275 - 283. Caius, 283 - 296. Marcellinus, 296 - 304.
Marcellus, 308 - 309. Eusebius, 309 - 310. Miltiades, 311 - 314.

UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE

Silvester I, 314 - 335. Was bishop of Rome when Constantine made Christianity the state religion. Constantine
presided over the Council of Nicaea, 325 where there was not even a hint that any other province was subject to
Rome.
Marcus, 336 - 337. Julius I, 337 - 352.

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 Additional Material for Church History
THE FIVE PATRIARCHS
By the end of the 4th century the churches were dominated by five great centers, Rome, Constantinople,
Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria whose Bishops had come to be called Patriarchs. Each was equal to the
others in authority and had full control over his own Province
After the division of the empire, 395, into East and West, the Patriarchs of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria
gradually acknowledged the leadership of Constantinople and the struggle for leadership of Christendom
between Rome and Constantinople began.

DIVISION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Liberius, 352 - 366. Damascus, 366 - 384. Siricius, 385 - 398. The Empire divided during his
reign, making it all the more difficult for the Roman Bishop to get the East to recognize his authority.
Anastasius, 398 - 402. Innocent I, 402 - 417. Zosimus, 417 - 418.
Boniface, 418 - 422. Coelestine I, 422 - 432. Sixtus III, 432 - 440.

IMPERIAL RECOGNITION OF THE POPE'S CLAIM.

Leo I, 440 - 461. Called by some historians the first pope. He claimed he was, by divine appointment, Primate of
all bishops, Lord of the Whole Church with universal authority. The Emperor Valentinian III, 445 acknowledged
his claim, the churches at the Council of Chalcedon, 451, did not, but gave the Patriarch of Constantinople equal
prerogatives.

FALL OF ROME
Hilarus, 461 - 468. Simplicius, 468 - 483, was Roman Bishop when the Western Empire came to an end
in 476. This left the popes free from civil authority and gave them more power.
Felix III, 483 - 492. Gelasius I, 492 - 496. Anastasius III, 496 - 498.
Symmachus, 498 - 514. Hormisdas, 514 - 523. John I, 523 - 525.
Felix IV, 526 - 530. Boniface II, 530 - 532. John II, 532 - 535.
Agapetus I, 535 - 536. Silverius, 536 - 540. Vigilius, 540 - 554. Pelagius I, 555 - 560.
John III, 560 - 573. Benedict I, 574 - 578. Pelagius II, 578 - 590.

THE FIRST REAL POPE.

Gregory I, 590 - 604. He is generally regarded as the first pope. He was a strong leader, influenced kings and
established for himself complete control over all the churches of Italy, Spain, Gaul, and England. He was a good
and pius man who labored untiringly for the purification of the church, justice and charity.
Sabinianus, 604 - 606. Boniface III, 607. Boniface IV, 608 - 614.
Deusdedit, 615 - 618. Boniface V, 619 - 625. Honorius I, 625 - 638.
Severinus, 640. John IV, 640 - 642. Theodore I, 642 - 649.
Martin I, 649 - 653. Eugenius I, 654 - 657. Vitalianus, 657 - 672.
Adeodatus, 672 - 676. Donus I, 676 - 678. Agatho, 678 - 682.
Leo II, 682 - 683. He pronounced Honorius I a "heretic."
Beneduct II, 684 - 685. John V. 685 - 686. Cono, 686 - 687.
Theodorus, 687. Sergius I, 687 - 701. John VI, 701 - 705.
John VII, 705 - 707. Sisinnius, 708. Constantine, 708 - 715.
Gregory II, 715 - 731. Gregory III, 731 - 741. Zacharias, 741 - 752.

23
 Additional Material for Church History
THE POPE BECOMES AN EARTHLY KING.
Stephen II, 752 - 757. Pepin, King of the Franks conquered a large part of Italy and gave the land to the Pope.
This was the beginning of the "Papal States" or "Temporal Dominion" of the Popes. This Papal Kingdom lasted
1100 years, until 1870.
Paul I, 757 - 767. Stephen III, 768 - 772. Adrian I, 772 - 795.

PAPAL POWER GREATLY PROMOTED BY CHARLEMAGNE..

Leo III, 795 - 816. This Pope conferred on Charlemagne, 800, the title of "Roman Emperor" thus combining the
Roman and Frank realms into the "HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE." The capitol was moved from Constantinople to
West. Germany. Charlemagne was one of the greatest influences in bringing the Papacy to a position of world
power. He helped the Pope and the Pope helped him.

"THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE"

This re-establishment of the Western Empire, by Leo III and Charlemagne, with German Kings on the throne
bearing the title of Caesar, which was conferred by the Popes, was supposed to be a continuation of the old
Roman Empire. It gave the Pope control, in spiritual matters, of a vast area. This "Holy Roman Empire" lived a
thousand years, until Napoleon brought it to an end in 1806. "Into this Empire all the life of the ancient world
was gathered; out of it the life of the modern world arose." - Bryce.
Stephen IV, 816 - 817. Pascal I, 817 - 824. Eugene II, 824 - 827.
Valentine, 827. Gregory IV, 827 - 844. Sergius II, 844 - 847.
Leo IV, 847 - 855. Benedict III, 855 - 858.

PSUDO-ISIDORIAN DECRETALS HELP PAPACY.

Nicholas, I, 858 - 867. He was the greatest pope between Gregory I and Gregory VII, the first to wear a crown.
He "discovered" the "Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals," a book that appeared in 857, containing documents, letters
and decrees of bishops and councils of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, all exalting the power of the Pope. They were
deliberate forgeries and corruptions of ancient historical documents, but this was not discovered for several
centuries. The object was to antedate by 5 centuries the Pope's temporal power, which in fact rested on the
donations of Pepin and Charlemagne. It was the most colossal literary fraud in history and strengthened the
Papacy more than any other one agency, and forms to large extent the basis of the canon law of the RCC.

THE GREAT CLEAVAGE OF CATHOLIC CHRISTENDOM.

Nicolas undertook to interfere in the affairs of the Eastern Church. He excommunicated Photius, Patriarch of
Constantinople, who in turn excommunicated him. The division of the Catholic church followed in 869
(completed in 1054). Although the Empire had been divided since 395, with East and West struggling for
supremacy, the church had remained ONE. Both had attended the Councils. The Council of Constantinople, 869,
was the last Ecumenical council. From this point, West and East each held their own Councils and the breach has
grown wider through the years.

24
 Additional Material for Church History
DARKEST PERIOD OF THE PAPACY.
Adrian II, 867 - 872. John VIII, 872 - 882. Marinus, 882 - 884. The 200 years between Nicholas I
and Gregory VII (870 - 1070) are called by historians the "Midnight of the Dark Ages." Bribery, corruption,
immorality and bloodshed make it just about the blackest chapter in the history of the RCC.
Adrian III, 884 - 885. Stephen V, 885 - 891. Formosus, 891 - 896.
Boniface VI, 896. Stephen VI, 896 - 897. Romanus, 897. Theodore II, 898.
John IX, 898 - 900, Benedict IV, 900 - 903. Leo V, 903. Christopher, 903 - 904.

RULE OF THE HARLOTS

Sergius III, 904 - 911. He had a mistress, Marozia. She, her mother Theodora (wife or widow of a Roman
Senator), and her sister, "filled the papal chair with their paramours and bastard sons, and turned the papal
palace into a den of robbers." This is known in history as the Pornocracy, or Rule of the Harlots (904 - 963).
Anastasius III, 911 - 913. Lando, 913 - 914. John X, 914 - 928. He was brought from Ravenna to Rome
and made pope by Theodora (who had also other paramours) for the more convenient gratification of her
passion. He was smothered to death by Marozia, who, then, in succession, raised to the Papacy her creatures:
Leo VI, 928 - 929, and Stephen VII, 929 - 931, and John XI, 931 - 936, her own illegitimate son. Another of
her sons appointed the four following.
Leo VII, 936 - 939, and Stephen VIII, 939 - 942, and Martin III, 942 - 946, and
Agapetus II, 946 - 955. John XII, 955 - 963, a grandson of Marozia, was guilty of almost every crime; he
violated virgins and widows, high and low; lived with his father's mistress, made the papal palace a brothel, and
was killed while in the act of adultery by the woman's enraged husband.

DEPTHS OF PAPAL DEGRADATION

Leo VIII, 963 - 965. John XIII, 965 - 972. Benedict VI, 9772 - 974.
Donus II, 974. Benedict VII, 975 - 983. John XIV, 983 - 984.
Boniface VII, 984 - 985. He murdered Pope John XIV and maintained himself of the bloodstained papal throne
by a lavish distribution of stolen money. The Bishop of Orleans, referring to John XII, Leo VIII, and Boniface
VII, called them "monsters of guilt, reeking in blood and filth; Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God."
John XV, 985 - 996. Gregory V, 996 - 999. Sylvester II, 999 - 1003.
John XVII, 1003. John XVIII, 1003 - 1009. Sergius IV, 1009 - 1012.
Benedict VIII, 1012 - 1024. He bought the office of Pope with open bribery. This was called "Simony", that is,
the purchase or sale of church office with money.
John XIX, 1024 - 1033. He bought the papacy. He was a layman, and passed through all the clerical degrees in
one day.
Benedict IX, 1033 - 1045. He was made Pope as a boy of 12 years through a money bargain with the powerful
families that ruled Rome. He surpassed John XII in wickedness; committed murders and adulteries in broad
daylight, robbed pilgrims on the graves of martyrs; a hideous criminal, the people ran him out of Rome.
Gregory VI, 1045 - 1046. He bought the papacy. Rome swarmed with hired assassins, the virtue of pilgrims was
violated, even the churches were desecrated with bloodshed.
Clement II, 1046 - 1047. He was appointed pope by Emperor Henry III of Germany "because no Roman
clergyman could be found who was free from the pollution of simony and fornication."
Damascus II, 1048. Loud protests against papal filth and infamy, and the cry for reform found an answer and a
leader in Hildebrand.

25
 Additional Material for Church History
GOLDEN AGE OF PAPAL POWER.
Hildebrand, a member of the Reform Party, a zealous advocate of papal absolutism, led the papacy into its
Golden Age (1049 - 1294). He controlled the five successive popes before him. They were: Leo IX, 1049 -
1054; Victor II, 1055 - 1057, last of German Popes; Stephen IX, 1057 - 1058; Nicolas II, 1059 - 1061, under
him the election of popes was taken from the Emperor and put in the hands of Cardinals (Popes since, with few
exception, have been Roman); Alexander II, 1061 - 1073. Gregory VII (Hildebrand), 1073 - 1085. His great
object was to reform the clergy of immorality and Simony, its two greatest sins. He insisted on celibacy and
resisted the right of Kings and Emperor to appoint or sell church offices. In anger, Henry IV, Emperor of
Germany tried to depose Gregory, who excommunicated and deposed him, in turn. War followed and finally
Gregory was driven from Italy. He did, in large measure, free the Papacy from Imperial power.
Victor III, 1086 - 1087. Urban II, 1088 - 1099. He continued war with the Emperor, became leader in the
Crusade movement.
Pascal II, 1099 - 1118, He continued the war with the Emperor of Germany over church appointments.
Gelasius II, 1118 - 1119. Calixtus II, 1119 - 1124. He reached compromise with German Emperor, which
brought peace after 50 years' war.
Honorius II, 1124 - 1130. Innocent II, 1130 - 1143. He maintained his office by armed force against
anti-pope Anacletus II, who had been chosen by certain powerful families in Rome.
Celestine II, 1143 - 1144. Lucius II, 1144 - 1145. Eugene III, 1145 - 1153.
Anastasius IV. 1153 - 1154. Adrian IV, 1154 - 1159. He was the only English Pope, he gave Ireland to
England, This was carried out in 1171.
Alexander III, 1159 - 1181. He was greatest pope between Gregory VII and Innocent III. He was in conflict
with 4 anti-popes and renewed battle with Emperor of Germany for supremacy. After many terrible battles made
Peace of Venice, 1177. He was driven from Rome and died in exile as many popes have done.
Lucius III, 1181 - 1185. Urban III, 1185 - 1187. Gregory VIII, 1187.
Clement III, 1187 - 1191. Celestine III, 1191 - 1198.

THE SUMMIT OF PAPAL POWER

Innocent III, 1198 - 1216. He was the most powerful of all popes. He claimed to be "Vicar of Christ, " "Vicar
of God," "Supreme Sovereign over the Church and the World", the right to depose kings and princes; that "All
things on earth and in heaven and in hell are subject to the Vicar of Christ." He brought the church into supreme
control of the state. Practically all monarchs of Europe obeyed his will. He ordered two Crusades, decreed
Transubstantiation, confirmed Auricular Confession, declared papal infallibility, condemned the Magna Carta,
forbade reading of the Bible, ordered the extermination of Heretics, instituted the INQUISITION, ordered the
massacre of the Albigenses. More blood was shed under his direction, and that of his immediate successors, than
in any other period of church history, except the effort to crush the Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries.

PAPAL POWER MAINTAINED BY THE INQUISITION.

The Inquisition, called the "HOLY OFFICE", was instituted by Innocent III, and perfected under the second
following Pope, Gregory IX. It was his effort to exterminate Heretics. Later on the Inquisition was the main
agency in the Papacy's effort to crush the Reformation. It is stated that in the 30 years between 1540 and 1570
no fewer than 900,000 Protestants were put to death in the pope's effort to exterminate the Waldenses.

26
 Additional Material for Church History
CONTINUED WAR WITH GERMAN EMPEROR.
Honorius III, 1216 - 1227. Gregory IX, 1227 - 1241. Innocent IV, 1241 - 1254.
Under these three popes, Frederick II, Emperor of Germany, one of the most determined foes the Papacy ever
had, led his Empire in its last great struggle with the Papacy. After repeated wars the Empire was humbled and
the Papacy emerged supreme.
Alexander IV, 1254 - 1261. Urban IV, 1261 - 1264. Clement IV, 1265 - 1268.
Gregory X, 1271 - 1276. Innocent V, 1276. John XXI, 1276 - 1277.
Nicolas III, 1277 - 1280. Martin IV, 1281 - 1285. Honorius IV, 1285 - 1287.
Nicolas IV, 1288 - 1292. Celestine V, 1294.

BEGINNING OF PAPAL DECLINE.

Boniface VIII, 1294 - 1303. He was so corrupt that Dante, after visiting Rome, called the Vatican "a sewer of
corruption," and assigned him, along with Nicolas III and Clement V, to the lowest parts of hell in his poem
"The Divine Comedy". Boniface received the Papacy at its height; but he met his match in Philip, King of France,
who humbled him to the dust.

FRENCH CONTROL OF THE PAPACY.

The Papacy had been victorious in its 200-year war with Germany, but now the King of France became the
leading monarch of Europe, and he took up the struggle. The Papacy was brought into complete submission to
the state after the death of
Benedict XI, 1303 - 1304. At this time the Papal Palace was removed from Rome to Avignon in So. France and
for 70 years the papacy was a mere tool of the French court.

"BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY" OF THE PAPACY.

70 years (1305 - 1377) in which the Papal Palace was in Avignon.
Clement V, 1305 - 1314. John XXII, 1316 - 1334. He was the richest man in Europe.
Benedict XII, 1334 - 1342. Clement VI, 1342 - 1352. Innocent VII, 1352 - 1362.
Urban V, 1362 - 1370. Gregory XI, 1370 - 1378. The greed for money of the Avignon popes knew no
bounds. Burdensome taxes were imposed, every church office was sold for money, new offices were created to
sell and fill the coffers of the popes and support the luxurious and immoral court. Petrarch accused the Papal
household of rape, adultery and all manner of fornication. Laymen insisted on priests keeping concubines as a
protection for their own families. The "Captivity" was a blow to Papal prestige.

THE PAPAL SCHISM

40 years (1377 - 1417) in which there were two sets of Popes, one at Rome and one at Avignon, each claiming
to be "Vicar of Christ" and hurling anathemas and curses each at the other.
Urban VI, 1378 - 1389. He re-established the Papal Palace at Rome.
Boniface IX, 1389 - 1404. Innocent VII, 1404 - 1406. Gregory XII, 1406 - 1409.
Alexander V, 1409 - 1410. John XXIII, 1410 - 1415. He is called by some the most depraved criminal
who ever sat on the Papal throne. He was guilty of rape and seduction of more than 200 women, he lived in
adultery with his brother's wife, committed sodomy and many other vices
Martin V, 1417 - 1431. He healed the Papal Schism, but the scandal and loss of prestige could not be repaired.
Eugene IV, 1431 - 1447.

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 Additional Material for Church History
THE RENAISSANCE POPES, 1447 - 1549
Nicolas V, 1447 - 1455. He authorized the King of Portugal to war on African peoples, take their property and
enslave their persons.
Calixtus III, 1455 - 1458. Pius II, 1458 - 1464. He had many illegitimate children, spoke openly of the
methods he used to seduce women, encouraged young men to, and even offered to instruct them in methods of
self-indulgence.
Paul II, 1464 - 1471. He "filled his house with concubines."
Sixtus IV, 1471 - 1484. He sanctioned the Spanish Inquisition and decreed that money would deliver souls from
purgatory. He was implicated in a murder plot and used the papacy to enrich himself and his relatives. He made
8 of his nephews cardinals, some while mere boys, lived in lavish luxury to rival the Caesars.
Innocent VIII, 1484 - 1492. He had 16 children by various women, decreed the extermination of the Waldenses,
sold papal offices for money, ordered all rulers to deliver up heretics to him. and was the background for
Savonarola's thundering against Papal corruption.
Alexander VI, 1492 - 1503. He was the most corrupt of the Renaissance Popes, licentious, avaricious, depraved,
he bought the Papacy, sold cardinal's hats, had a number of illegitimate children whom he appointed to high
church office while they were yet children. He and they murdered a number of cardinals and others. He had for
mistress a sister of a Cardinal who became next Pope, Pius III, 1503, and whose husband he appeased with
gifts.

POPES IN LUTHER'S DAY.

Julius II, 1503 - 1513. He was the richest of the Cardinals and bought the Papacy. He issued indulgences and
was pope when Luther visited Rome and was appalled at what he saw.
Leo X, 1513 - 1521. He was pope when Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation. He was only
interested in wealth and was in endless negotiations with kings and princes, jockeying for secular power. He was
utterly indifferent to the religious welfare of the church.
Adrian VI, 1522 - 1523. Clement VII, 1523 - 1534.
Paul III, 1534 - 1549. He had many illegitimate children, was a determined enemy of Protestants, offered Charles
V an army to war on them.

ENTER THE JESUITS

Rome's answer to the Lutheran Secession: the INQUISITION under the leadership of the JESUITS, an order
founded by Ignatius Loyola (1491 - 1556), a Spaniard, on the principle of absolute and unconditional
OBEDIENCE to the Pope, having for its object the recovery of territory lost to Protestants and Muslims and the
conquest of the entire heathen world for the RCC. Their supreme aim, the destruction of heresy; for the
accomplishment of which anything was justifiable, deception, immorality, vice, even murder. Their motto: "for
the greater glory of God". Their methods: schools for the ruling class in which to gain absolute mastery over the
pupil; the confessional especially for rulers to gain their favor; fierce, persuading rulers to execute the sentences
of the Inquisition. In France they were responsible for St. Bartholomew's Massacre, Religious Wars, persecution
of the Hugenots, the Revocation of the Toleration Edict of Nantes, and the French Revolution. In Spain,
Netherlands, South Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Poland and other countries they led in the massacre of untold
multitudes. By these methods they stopped the Reformation in So. France, and virtually saved the Papacy from
ruin.

28
 Additional Material for Church History
COUNTER REFORMATION POPES
Julius III, 1550 - 1555. Marcellus II, 1555
Paul IV, 1555 - 1559. He established the Roman Inquisition.
Pius IV, 1559 - 1565. Pius V, 1566 - 15722. Gregory XIII, 1572 - 1585. He celebrated, in
solemn Mass, with thanksgiving and joy, the news of St. Bartholomew's massacre; urged Phillip II to proceed in
war against England.
Sixtus V, 1585 - 1590. He issued his own edition of the Vulgate final; it had 2000 mistakes
Urban VII, 1590. Gregory XIV, 1590 - 1591. Innocent IX, 1591.
Clement VIII, 1592 - 1605. Leo XI, 1605. Paul V, 1605 - 1621.
Gregory XV, 1621 - 1623.
Urban VIII, 1623 - 1644. With the Jesuits, he blotted out Protestants in Bohemia.

MODERN POPES
Innocent X, 1544 - 1655. Alexander VII, 1655 - 1667. Clement IX, 1667 - 1669.
Clement X, 1670 - 1676. Innocent XI, 1676 - 1689. Alexander VIII, 1689 - 1691.
Innocent XII, 1691 - 1700. Clement XI, 1700 - 1721. Innocent XIII, 1721 - 1724.
Benedict XIII, 1724 - 1730. Clement XII, 1730 - 1740. Benedict XIV, 1740 - 1758.
Clement XIII, 1758 - 1769. Clement XIV, 1769 - 1774. Pius VII, 1775 - 1799.
Pius VII, 1800 - 1820. Issued a Bull that "Bible Societies are a fiendish instrument for undermining the
foundation of religion."
Leo XII, 1821 - 1829. He and the 4 following him condemned Bible Societies, reading of the Bible, and other
expressions of religious freedom being offered by Protestants and Baptists all over the world.
Pius VIII, 1829 - 1830. Gregory XVI, 1831 - 1846.
Pius IX, 1846 - 1878. He decreed Papal infallibility, the immaculate conception of Mary and deified her. He lost
the papal states to Italy by vote of the people. Thus he lost his earthly kingdom and became a subject of another
government. His temporal power was restored on a miniature scale in 1929, by Mussolini, and though the
Vatican City is only 100 acres, the Pope is again a Sovereign, king, subject to no earthly authority.

PRESENT-DAY POPES
Leo XIII, 1878 - 1903. Pius X, 1903 - 1914. Benedict XV, 1914 - 1922.
Pius XI, 1922 - 1939. Pius XII, 1939 - 1958. John XXIII, 1958 - 1963
Paul VI, 1963 -

29
 Exam Questions for Church History
Student's Name:_________________ Teacher's Name:_____________ Date: / /
1. The outline as given in the printed notes is: 1) ______________________________

2)_________________________________ 3) ___________________________________

4) _________________________________

2. What is the Church? ______________________________________________________________________

3. When did the Church begin? ________________________________________________________________

4. What is the mission of the Church? ___________________________________________________________

5. Who were the two great missionaries in the book of Acts? _________________________________________

6. What heresies were present during N. T. days? __________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

7. The Church was founded during the __________________ Empire.

8. Christianity became a legal religion in _________ when ______________ became a Christian.

9. What did the "Church Fathers" do? ___________________________________________________________

10. What did the Apologists do? _______________________________________________________________

11. Why don't we accept the Apocryphal books? 1) ________________________________________________

2) ___________________________________________________________________________________

12. Who determined the books in the N. T. Canon? ________________________________________________

13. The Canon was substantially completed by _____________ A. D.

14. What 3 errors marked the beginning of the RCC? 1) ____________________________________________

2) __________________________________________ 3) ______________________________________
 Exam Questions for Church History
15. The great threat to Christianity in the 6th century was ___________________________________________

16. Two early names given to churches with Baptist beliefs were ______________________________________

and _____________________________

17. What is monasticism? ____________________________________________________________________

18. Who were the forerunners of the Reformation? 1) ______________________________________________

2) _______________________________________ 3) _________________________________________

19. Who was considered the "Founder of Protestant Civilization?" ____________________________________

20. List the protestant denominations that came out of the Reformation?________________________________

21. Why was America settled? _________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

22. Religious freedom came to America with the first settlers. True _____ False _____

23. When was the Sunday School started? __________________

24. The first Baptist Foreign Mission Society was founded in _________ (date)

by________________________ who later went to ___________ as a missionary.

25. What % of the population of the Philippines is considered Catholic? _________%

26. What % of the Trail of Blood did you read? _________%

27. What % of the printed notes did you read? _________%

CHURCH
HISTORY This material is
copyrighted and
Compiled by
used by

Carol L. Brown permission.

B.A.M.A. Bible Institutes, Inc.

(Baptist Asian Missions Association, Inc.)
133 Isarog Street, LaLoma, Quezon City 1114 R.P.
 Teacher Helps for Church History
(Give one copy to the teacher only)

In Galatians 4:4, Paul calls attention to the B. Peace

historical era of providential preparation that The division of the ancient world into small jealous
proceeded the coming of Christ to earth in human units, city states or tribes, hindered travel and the
form: "When the fulness of the time was come God spread of ideas. With Roman power came a period of
sent forth his Son . . . ." Mark also emphasizes the peaceful development in the countries surrounding the
coming of Christ when all was made ready on this Mediterranean. Pompey had swept the pirates from the
earth (Mark 1:15) Consideration of the events that Mediterranean, and Roman soldiers kept the peace
preceded the appearance of Christ upon this earth lead upon the roads of Asia, Africa and Europe ...
the sober student of history to acknowledge the truth C. Roman Roads.
of the statements of Paul and Mark. The Romans developed an excellent system of
In most discussions of this subject it has been roads radiating out from ... Rome to all parts of the
forgotten that not only Jew but also Greek and Roman Empire. The main roads were built of concrete to serve
contributed to the religious preparation for the for ages ... A study of the journeys of Paul will leave
appearance of Christ. Greek and Roman contribution, the impression that he made great use of the excellent
it is true, was negative, but it still aided in bringing road system to get from strategic center to strategic
historical development to the point where Christ could center of the Roman Empire ...
make the maximum impact upon history in a way not D. The Roman Army.
possible before or since the time of His birth. The The Romans adopted the custom of using
discussion of the preparation for Christ's coming will provincials in the army ... some of these men became
be organized under the political, intellectual and converts to Christianity and spread the Gospel to areas
religious contributions of the great peoples of the first where they were assigned for military duty. It is
century preceding the Christian Era. probable that the earliest introduction of Christianity to
Britain was a result of the efforts of Christian soldiers
Roman Contributions who were stationed there ...
I. POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS E. Roman Religion.
Roman conquests led to a loss of belief by many
The political contribution to history preceding the
peoples in their gods because the gods had not been
coming of Christ was primarily the work of the
able to keep them from defeat by the Romans. Such
Romans. This people, who followed the way of
people were left with a spiritual vacuum that could not
idolatry, mystery religions and emperor worship, were
be filled satisfactorily by the religions of the day ...
thus used by God to bring about the fulfillment of the
The worship of Cybele, the great earth mother, was
will of the God of whom they were ignorant.
brought to Rome from Phrygia. The worship of this
A. A Sense of the Unity of Mankind.
goddess of fertility had in it rites, such as the drama of
The Romans, as no other people up to their time,
the death and resurrection of Cybele's consort, Attis ...
developed a sense of the unity of mankind under a
The worship of Isis, imported from Egypt, was similar
universal law. This sense of the solidarity of man
to that of Cybele with its emphasis upon death and
within the Empire created an environment favorable to
resurrection. Mithraism, an import from Persia, made a
the reception of a Gospel that proclaimed the unity of
special appeal to the soldiers of the Roman Empire. It
the human race in the fact that all men are under the
had a December festival, an evil one, a miraculously
penalty of sin and in the fact that all are offered a
born savior - Mithra, a savior-god - chapels and
salvation which makes them a part of a universal
worship. All of these religions emphasized the
organism, the Christian Church, Christ's body ... The
savior-god ... When many found that the bloody
application of the Roman law to citizens in all parts of
sacrifices of these religions could do nothing for them,
the Empire was daily pressed upon the Romans and the
they were led by the Holy Spirit to accept the reality
subjects of the Empire by the impartial justice of
offered to them in Christianity.
Roman courts ... A further step in the fostering of the
idea of unity was the granting of Roman citizenship to
non-Romans ... all men were under one system of
law and citizens of one kingdom. 1
 Teacher Helps for Church History
(Give one copy to the teacher only)

Greek Contributions showing the inability of human reason to reach God.

A. Universal Language. And the mystery religions, to which many turned,
The universal Gospel was in need of a universal accustomed the people to think in terms of sin and
language if it was to make maximum impact upon the redemption. Thus when Christianity appeared, people
world. Men have sought since the Tower of Babel to within the Roman Empire were more receptive to a
create a universal language so that they might religion that seemed to offer a spiritual approach to
communicate their ideas freely to one another. Just as life.
English has become in the modern world and Latin
became in the medieval scholarly world, so Greek had Jewish Contributions
become in the ancient world, by the time the Roman A. Jewish Religion.
Empire appeared, the universal tongue. Most cultured The Jewish people in contrast to the Greeks did not
Romans knew both Greek and Latin. seek to discover God by processes of human reason.
The New Testament was written in Greek. The O. T. They assumed His existence and granted to Him
was translated into Greek by 70 scholars in the 3rd readily the worship that they felt was His due. They
century B. C. It is called the Septuagint. were influenced toward this course by the fact that
B. Greek Culture. God sought them and revealed Himself to them in
Greek philosophy may be considered as negative history by His appearances to Abraham and the other
preparation for the coming of Christianity. Whoever great leaders of the race. Jerusalem became the symbol
came to know its tenets, whether Greek or Roman, of a positive religious preparation for the coming of
soon found that this intellectual discipline made his Christianity.
polytheistic religion so rationally unintelligible that he B. The Old Testament Canon.
turned away from it to philosophy. But philosophy The Jewish people still further prepared the way for the
failed to satisfy his spiritual needs, so he either became coming of Christianity by providing the infant Church
a skeptic or sought comfort in the mystery religions of with a sacred book, the Old Testament. Even a casual
the Roman Empire. At the time of Christ's advent, study of the New Testament will reveal Christ's and the
philosophy had declined from the peak reached by apostles' deep indebtedness to the Old Testament and
Plato to a system of selfish individualistic thought, such their reverence for it as the Word of God to man. The
as Stoicism or Epicureanism. Moreover, philosophy Jews also provided an institution that many Christians
could seek for God and posit Him as an intellectual forget was most useful in the rise and development of
abstraction; it could never reveal a personal God of early Christianity. This institution was the Jewish
love. This bankruptcy of philosophy by the time of the synagogue. Born of necessity during the enforced
coming of Christ disposed men's minds toward a more absence of the Jews from the temple at Jerusalem
spiritual approach to life. Christianity alone was during the Babylonian captivity, the synagogue became
capable of filling the vacuum in the spiritual life of the an integral part of Jewish life. It was also the place to
day ... Greek culture, because of its own inadequacy, which Paul first went to preach in all the cities he
had created many hungry hearts. reached in the course of his missionary journeys.
C. Greek Religion. Earle E. Cairns, Th.B., Ph.D.; Christianity Through
The Greek people also contributed in a religious The Centuries; pp. 37-47.
way to making the world ready to accept the new B. When Did the Church Begin?
Christian religion when it appeared. The advent of 2. At Pentecost "For the Jews require a sign ..."
materialistic Greek philosophy in the sixth century The Purpose of the Miracles - This event was to
before Christ destroyed the faith of the Greek peoples accredit this new institution, the church, to the Jews. It
in the old Polytheistic worship ... was to show it was of God. The Jews saw what the
The people then turned to philosophy; but it, too, soon church was doing and Peter explained their
lost its vigor. Both the Greek and Roman systems of supernatural power as coming from Jesus Christ who
philosophy and religion thus made a negative was at the right hand of God the Father. God gave this
contribution to the coming of Christianity by institution, the church, the message of Christ to
destroying the old polytheistic religions and by 2 preach and gave it supernatural power to accredit it.
 Teacher Helps for Church History
(Give one copy to the teacher only)

He by-passed the temple and other divinely given II. THE PERIOD OF APOSTASY
institutions of the past signifying this was the A. Rulers of the Roman Empire
institution He would work through now. 2. Trajan
Divine Institutions in the Past Accredited - This "The first organized persecution, which resulted
supernatural accreditation was to be expected. God from definite governmental policy, took place in
had always in the past accredited His institutions by Bithynia during the governorship of Pliny the Younger
supernatural events. Notice the beginning of the Jewish about 112. Pliny wrote a rather interesting letter to
nation. The nation's leader, Moses, was accredited by Emperor Trajan, in which he gave information about
miracles, Ex. 4:1-9. The giving of the law to the Jews the Christians, outlined his policy and asked Trajan for
was accredited by supernatural occurrences, his judgment concerning the matter. He wrote that "the
Ex. 19:16-20:21. The tabernacle and temple were also contagion of this superstition (Christianity) had spread
accredited, Ex. 40:34-35, 1 Ki. 8: 10-11. God chose in the villages and rural areas as well as in the larger
the Jewish people to be the channel through which His cities to such an extent that the temples had been
truth was to come to all. Every institution of theirs had almost deserted and the sellers of sacrificial animals
supernatural accreditation so that none could have impoverished." Pliny went on to inform Trajan of his
good reason for not accepting them as of God. The procedure in treating Christians. When someone
Jewish institutions such as the temple, the sacrifices, informed upon a Christian, Pliny brought the Christian
etc. had been fulfilled in Christ. God had chosen to before his tribunal and asked him if he were a
reveal His truth by a new institution, the church. This Christian. If he still admitted the charge after three
church had been built during Jesus' personal ministry such questions, he was sentenced to death. In his
and now at Pentecost it was to be, so-to-speak, answer Trajan assured Pliny that he was following the
unveiled before the Jews and approved of God. The correct procedure. No Christians were to be sought
Jews could never be expected to accept this new out, but if someone reported that a certain individual
institution if it were not supernaturally approved of was a Christian, the Christian was to be punished
God as there other institutions had been. unless he recanted and worshipped the gods of the
Miracles were not to Continue - Some have Romans. It was during this persecution that Ignatius
thought the miracles of tongues, healing, etc. were to lost his life.
continue and have sought to do those things, although Another persecution took place at Smyrna about
without success. They have not understood that these the middle of the second century. It was at this time
supernatural events were not to continue. When God that Polycarp was martyred as an enraged mob brought
accredited His institutions in the past He did not the Christians before the authorities.
continue the supernatural events. The unusual Local calamity, such as the fire in Rome, or the activity
occurrences attending the giving of the law were not of a conscientious governor were the causes of
continued. Every generation did not have the law persecution up to the reign of Marcus Aurelius
accredited. Once was enough. The accreditation of the (161-180). Marcus Aurelius was a devout Stoic who
tabernacle and temple was not continuous. We have had been biased against Christianity by his teacher
the inspired record of these accreditations so God does Fronto. Inclined to ascribe the natural and man-made
not repeat them to every generation. The accreditation calamities of his reign to the growth of Christianity, he
of the church at Jerusalem was not just for that one gave orders for persecution of the Christians. Justin
particular church but for every church of that kind. It is Martyr, the great apologetic writer, suffered
the only institution in the New Testament proclaiming martyrdom in Rome during this persecution.
the truth God that has Divine approval. Cairns; p. 99
Edward H. Overbey; A Brief History of the Baptists;
pp. 32, 33. 17. Diocletian
Diocletian became Emperor in 284 and began a
furious persecution.

3
 Teacher Helps for Church History
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1. A legion of soldiers, consisting of about six beginning of a development which finally

thousand men were all Christians. It was called resulted into what is now known as Catholicism.
the Thebian legion. The indefinite beginning of Catholicism was at
2. Maximian, the Emperor's chief general, ordered the close of the second century when the errors
these men to take an oath to help drive out concerning bishops and preacher-church
Christianity. They refused. government began to form.
3. Maximian ordered every tenth man to be C. Let it be remembered that many churches
executed. The remainder still refused. refused to attend this meeting or to be identified
4. A second time every tenth man was executed. with this new group.
Again the remainder refused. D. True New Testament churches, (Baptist)
Finally the entire six thousand were executed and not were in existence before the error of Roman
one man faltered. Catholicism ever began.
Norman H. Wells; Fifty Lessons on the Church; p. 70 E. At the time of this meeting Constantine did
not claim to be a Christian but that he intended
18. Constantine. to be one.
I. CONSTANTINE RULED AS EMPEROR OF THE 1. The erring churches who went with him into
ROMAN EMPIRE FROM 306-337 A.D. AND HIS this organization taught the heresy of
REIGN WAS TO MARK ONE OF THE GREAT "baptismal regeneration."
TURNING POINTS IN CHURCH HISTORY. 2. A serious question arose in the mind of
Constantine, "If I am saved from my sins by
A. Constantine engaged in several wars with baptism, what is to become of my sins which
competitors in order to establish himself firmly
I may commit after I am baptized"?
on the throne.
Constantine decided to wait till just before
B. On the eve of one of these battles at Milvain
he died to be baptized
Bridge, just outside Rome, on October 27, 312
A.D., he had a vision and saw in the sky a III. CHRISTIANITY IN THE FAVOR OF THE
flaming cross and above it the words, "By this WORLD.
sign thou shalt conquer." A. Constantine granted many special favors to
1 . He decided to fight under the banner of Christians.
Christ, and he won the battle. 1. He filled the chief offices of the government
2. Constantine interpreted this to mean he with Christians.
should become a Christian. 2. He exempted ministers from taxes and
3. Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to military service.
publicly accept Christianity. 3. He compelled his court to embrace
II. THE MARRIAGE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE Christianity.
AND CHRISTIANITY. B. In 25 A.D. he issued an edict to all his
subjects commanding them to embrace
A. In 313 A.D. Christianity. Wells; p. 74,75
Constantine gave a call for the coming together
of all the churches or their representatives.
B. Age of the Church Fathers
1 . Many, but not all of the churches came to
c. Polycarp (A.D. 69-156). Pupil of the Apostle
this council. Many true churches would have
John, Bishop of Smyrna. In the persecution
no part in this error.
ordered by the Emperor he was arrested and
2 . At the assembly of the churches in 313 A.D.
brought before the Governor, and, when offered
Constantine gave the favor of the Empire to
his freedom if he would curse Christ, he replied
Christianity and pronounced himself as the
"Eighty and six years have I served Christ and
head of the churches.
He has done me nothing but good; how then
B. This hierarchy (body of church rulers)
could I curse Him, my Lord and Savior?" He
formed by Constantine was the definite 4 was burned alive.
 Teacher Helps for Church History
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b. Ignatius (67-110). A pupil of John; bishop of themselves, nor use a peculiar tongue, nor lead a
Antioch. The Emperor Trajan, on a visit to singular mode of life. They dwell in the Grecian
Antioch, ordered Ignatius to be arrested; himself or barbarian cities, as the case may be; they
presided at the trial, and sentenced him to be follow the usage of the country in dress, food,
thrown to the wild beasts at Rome. En route to and the other affairs of life. Yet they profess a
Rome, he wrote a letter to the Roman Christians wonderful and confessedly paradoxical conduct.
begging them not to try to procure his pardon; They dwell in their own native lands, but as
that he longed for the honor of dying for his strangers. They take part in all things, as
Lord; saying, "May the wild beasts be eager to citizens; and they suffer all things, as foreigners.
rush upon me. If they be unwilling I will compel Every foreign country is a fatherland to them,
them. Come, crowds of wild beasts; come, and every native land is a foreign. They marry,
tearings and manglings, wracking of bones and like all others; they have children; but they do
hacking of limbs; come, cruel tortures of the not cast away their offspring. They have the
devil; only let me attain unto Christ." (He was table in common, but not wives. They are in the
the first to want to die - he thought there was flesh, but do not live after the flesh. They live
merit in martyrdom) upon earth, but are citizens of heaven. They
d. Papias (About A.D. 70-155). Another pupil obey the existing laws, and excel the laws by
of the Apostle John; bishop of Hierapolis, about their lives. They love all, and are persecuted by
100 miles east of Ephesus. He may have known all. They are unknown, and yet they are
Philip, whom tradition says died in Hierapolis. condemned. They are killed and are made alive.
He wrote a book, "Explanation of the Lord's They are poor and make many rich. They lack
Discourses," in which he says he made it a point all things, and in all things abound. They are
to inquire of the Elders the exact words of reproached, and glory in their reproaches. They
Jesus. He suffered martyrdom at Pergamum, are calumniated, and are justified. They are
about same time as Polycarp. Henry H. Halley; cursed, and they bless. They receive scorn, and
Halley's Bible Handbook; p. 763 they give honor. They do good, and are
f. Anonymous writings; punished; when punished, they rejoice, as being
1. Didache made alive. By the Jews they are attacked as
About Roving Teachers: The church was to aliens, and by the Greeks persecuted; and the
judge them by Scripture and help them on their cause of the enmity their enemies cannot tell."
way. It warned against false teachers (those who Mark Sidwell, editor; Faith of Our Fathers:
stay more than one day and ask for money). Scenes from Church History; p. 7

the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. in running C. The Age of the Apologists
water. If there is none, use other water - cold. If a. Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-167). Born at
no cold water, then use warm. If no water, then Neapolis, ancient Shechem, about the time John
pour three times on the head. died. Studied philosophy. In youth saw a good
About Fasting: Fast before baptism. Don't fast deal of persecution of Christians. Became a
on Mondays and Thursdays as the Pharisees do convert. Traveled in a philosopher's robe,
(they are hypocrites) but on Wednesdays and seeking to win men to Christ. Wrote a Defense
Saturdays. of Christianity addressed to the Emperor. One
About Prayer: Pray the Lord's prayer three of the ablest men of his time. Died a martyr at
times a day. Rome. Showing the growth of Christianity, he
2. Epistle to Diognetus (tutor of Marcus said that already, in his day, "there is no race of
Aurelius 161-180) men where prayers are not offered up in the
"The Christians are not distinguished from other name of Jesus." Halley; p. 763
men by country, by language, nor by civil
institutions. For they neither dwell in cities by 5
 Teacher Helps for Church History
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D. The Polemicists and that it was still binding upon man. They believed
b. Iranaeus - "Matthew published his gospel that Jesus was a man who became the Messiah by
among the Hebrews (Jews) in their own tongue virtue of his complete fulfillment of the law. They
... Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, upheld, therefore, the teachings of Matthew's Gospel,
himself handed down to us in writing, the but they, disliked, the writings of Paul. Some of the
substance of Peter's preaching. Luke, the more moderate members of the sect believed that the
follower of Paul, set down in a book the gospel law was binding only upon Jewish Christians; others
preached by his teacher. Then John, the disciple insisted that Gentile as well as Jewish Christians were
of the Lord who also leaned on his breast still bound by the law of Moses and that there was no
(Jn. 13:25; 21:20) himself produced his gospel salvation apart from circumcision and the law of
while he was living at Ephesis in Asia." (His Moses. After the destruction of the Jerusalem by the
reminiscence of Polycarp) "I remember well the Romans in 135 they ceased to have much influence,
place in which the holy Polycarp sat and spoke. but their existence and beliefs showed that the Church
I remember the discourses he delivered to the had repeatedly to fight for the principle that faith in
people, and how he described his relations with Christ alone justifies the individual before God...
John, the apostle, and others who had been with
the Lord; how he recited the sayings of Christ 8. Philosophical Heresies.
and the miracles he wrought; how he received "A far greater threat to the doctrinal purity of the
his teachings from eyewitnesses who had seen Christian faith came from Greek philosophy. Many
the Word of Life, agreeing in every way with more Gentiles than Jews were won to Christianity.
the Scriptures." Halley; p. 764 Among these there were many philosophers who
Here is Justin Martyr's picture of early Christian wanted to make Christianity a system of philosophy.
worship: "On Sunday a meeting is held of all who live A. Gnosticism, the greatest of the philosophical
in the cities and villages, and a section is read from the threats, was at its peak of power about 150. Its
Memoirs of the Apostles and writings of the Prophets, roots reached back into New Testament times.
as long as time permits. When the reading is finished, Paul seems to have been fighting an incipient
the president, in a discourse, gives the admonition and form of Gnosticism in his letter to the
exhortation to imitate these noble things. After this we Colossians. Christian tradition related the origin
all arise and offer a common prayer. At the close of the of Gnosticism to the Simon Magus whom Peter
prayer, as we have before described, bread and wine had to rebuke so severely.
and thanks for them according to ability, and the Gnosticism sprang from the natural human
congregation answers, 'Amen.' Then the consecrated desire to create a theodicy, an explanation of the
elements are distributed to each one and partaken of, origin of evil. The Gnostics, because they
and are carried by the deacons to the houses of the associated matter with evil, sought a way to
absent. The wealthy and the willing then give create a philosophical system in which God as
contributions according to their freewill; and the spirit could be freed from association with evil
collection is deposited with the president, who and in which man could be related on the
therewith supplies orphans, widows, prisoners, spiritual side of his nature to Deity. It was also a
strangers, and all who are in want." Halley; p. 764 logical or rational system that illustrated the
human tendency to seek answers to the great
7. Legalistic Heresies questions of the origin of man. It sought to do
Ebionites - " ... groups of Ebionites persisted in this by combining Christianity and Hellenistic
Palestine and nearby countries for over two centuries philosophy. The Gnostics, like the Greeks of the
after the suppression by the Roman authorities of the first two chapters of 1 Corinthians, sought by
rebellion of Jews under Bar Cocheba between 132 and human wisdom to understand the ways of God
135. These people emphasized the unity of God and with man and to avoid what seemed to them to
His creatorship of the universe. They believed that be the stigma of the Cross. It took all of the
the Jewish law was the highest expression of His will 6 intellectual skill and spiritual power of the
 Teacher Helps for Church History
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polemicist Irenaeus and the development of a The claim of the Dutch Baptists to apostolic origin
rule of faith and a canon of Scripture by the was made the object of a special investigation in the
Church to overcome the threat to Christianity in year 1819 by Dr. Ypeij, Professor of Theology in
this movement. Cairns, pp. 104, 105 Gronigen and the Rev. J. J. Derinout, Chaplain to the
2) Marcion - He said the Christian gospel is King of the Netherlands, both of whom were learned
only of love, not law. He rejected the O. T. members of the Reformed Church. Many pages might
because he couldn't reconcile it with the N. T. be filled with the reports that they made to the King. In
He had only 11 books in his Bible (no O. T.) the opinion of these writers:
Luke and Paul (minus the pastoral epistles). He The Mennonites are descended from the tolerably
tried to take Judaism out of Scripture (he died pure evangelical Waldenses, who were driven by
in 160). persecution into various countries; and who during the
latter part of the twelfth century fled into Flanders; and
3. Who determined the Canon? into the provinces of Holland and Zealand, where they
b. 1) Marcion - His doctrine spread all over the Med. lived simple and exemplary lives, in the villages as
area. 2) False letters - 2 Thess. 2:2 (3:17 Paul's farmers, in the towns by trades, free from the charge of
signature) Tertullian tells of one who admitted writing any gross immoralities, and professing the most pure
an "epistle of Paul". Eusebius states a bishop (pastor) the simple principles, which they exemplified in holy
did also. conversation. They were, therefore, in existence long
before the Reformed Church of the Netherlands."
C. The Seven Universal Councils We have now seen that the Baptists who were formerly
1. Nicaea - Easter - Jewish Christians wanted it 3 days called Anabaptists, (and in later years Mennonites,)
after the Passover (14th Nisan) no matter what the day were the original Waldenses, and who have long in the
of the week. Gentile Christians (Roman) wanted Fri - history of the church received the honor of that origin.
Sun after the March full moon (always Easter on On this account the Baptists may be considered as the
Sunday - date varies) only Christian community which has stood since the
days of the apostles, and as a Christian society which
I. EVIDENCE FOR N. T. CHURCHES FROM 300 TO has preserved pure the doctrines of the Gospel through
500 A.D. all ages. The perfectly correct external and internal
economy of the Baptist denomination tends to confirm
f. Cardinal Hosius, a member of the Council of Trent,
the truth, disputed by the Romish Church, that the
A.D. 1560, in a statement often quoted, says: "If the
Reformation brought about in the sixteenth century
truth of religion were to be judged by the boldness of
was in the highest degree necessary, and at the same
which a man of any sect shows in suffering, then the
time goes to refute the erroneous notion of the
opinion and persuasion of no sect can be truer and
Catholics, that their denomination is the most ancient
surer than that of the Anabaptists since there have been
(Ypeij en Dennout, Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche
none for these twelve hundred years past, more
Hervormde Kerk. Berda, 1819).
generally punished or that have more cheerfully and
This testimony from the highest authority of the
steadfastly undergone, and even offered themselves to
Dutch Reformed Church, through a Commission
the most cruel sorts of punishment than these people."
appointed by the King of the Netherlands, is a rare
(Hosius, Letters Apud Opera, 112-113. Baptist
instance of liberality and justice to another
Magazine CVIII, 2781. May 1826.
denomination. It concedes all that Baptists have ever
That Cardinal Hosius dated the history of the
claimed in regard to the continuity of their history. On
Baptists back twelve hundred years, i.e. 360, is
this account State patronage was tendered to the
manifest, for in yet another place the Cardinal says:
Baptists, which they politely, but firmly declined."
"The Anabaptists are a pernicious sect. Of which kin
Overbey, pp. 62, 63.
the Waldensian brethren seem to have been ... and have
united with the Anabaptists." (Hosius, Works of the
Heresaeics of our Times, Bk. 1. 431. Ed, 1584).
7