Page 70 - History of Christianity I - Student Textbook

b. Wrote famous treaty Against Heresies which would become a significant work against Gnosticism
c. Appeals to Scripture as the rule of faith – accepts the four gospels and sixteen other books as canonical
d. Does not see a conflict between Scripture and tradition
e. A disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of the apostle John
vi. 132-35 – Bar Kohba Revolt/ Second Jewish Rebellion results in the destruction Jerusalem
a. Judaism moves away from strong Messianic expectations
b. Much of the Jewish population flees into the Diaspora
vii. 140 – Marcion’s Canon of Scripture includes Luke and edited an edited version of Paul’s letters removing
favorable references to the Jewish people. Orthodoxy would eventually have to respond with their own
canon.
a. Excommunicated from the Christian Church
b. Believed Jesus did not have a real body nor a human birth due to the corruption of matter (doceticism)
c. Believed that there was no connection between the God of the Jews and Christians
viii. c. 150-215 - Clement of Alexandria
a. Teacher of Origen
b. Like Justin Martyr argued that Christianity brought to fruition the insights of Greek Philosophy
ix. c. 156 – Montanus preaches/prophesies a form of Christianity in Asia Minor called Montanism.
a. Claimed to receive new prophecies
b. Early synod condemns Montanism
x. c.160 – c.225 - Tertullian
a. First key Latin theologian – considered father of Latin theology
b. Was a Montanist for several years before conversion to Orthodoxy
c. Defended unity of Old and New Testaments against Marcion and laid foundation for the Trinity
d. Skeptical of the relationship between Christianity and Greek philosophy stating, “What is there in
common between Athens and Jerusalem? Between the Academy and the church?”
e. Attacks Monarchianism the view that one God changes his mode of being
xi. c. 175 – Tatian – wrote the Diatessaron – a harmony of the gospels
xii. c. 175-200 – Apostle’s Creed formulated with the final form in the eighth century
xiii. c. 180 – Process of Canonization largely in response to Marcionism – Irenaeus defends the four gospels.
Christians concerned with unity during this period.
xiv. 180 – Christianity all across Africa to Carthage and beyond.
xv. c.185-c.254 – Origen
a. Wrote Contra Celsus, which was a significant work against pagan and Jewish objections to Christianity.
b. Died from injuries of Decian persecution
c. Believed in the preexistence of souls
d. Accepted universalism
e. Most dominant thinker of his time
f. Judged a heretic at the Fifth Ecumenical Council
g. Helped pave the way for the doctrine of the Trinity
xvi. 196 – Controversy between East and West regarding the day to celebrate Easter.
C. Third Century (The Era of Apologetics)
i. c. 200 – The Church recognizes 23 New Testament books as canonical.
ii. c. 200 - School of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt is a key center for Christian apologetics.
a. Adopted an allegorical interpretation of Scripture
b. Some Alexandrians dabbled in Platonic dualism
c. Responsible for a number of apologists including Clement of Alexandria and Origen
iii. c. 200 – School of Antioch was a rival of Alexandria
a. Emphasized a literal interpretation of Scripture and the humanity of Christ in contrast to Alexandria’s
emphasis on an allegorical interpretation of Scripture and the deity of Christ
b. Produced a number of theologians including Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius
iv. c. 200-250 – The reemergence and prominence of Modalism advocated by Sabellius
69