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Lecture 1

This document provides an overview of the course "The Diversity in Early Christianity and Later Heresies". It will cover various early Christian heretical groups over 5 weeks, including the Ebionites, Marcionites, Gnostics, Nestorianism and Catharism. Key terms are defined, and the main sources from early Church fathers are outlined. Ancient viewpoints on the nature of God, Jesus, and the purpose of his death are presented. It explains that the New Testament did not yet exist as a canon, and various communities had access to different texts. Finally, it discusses the Eusebian and Bauer models for how diverse Christianities developed in the early centuries.

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340 views13 pages

Lecture 1

This document provides an overview of the course "The Diversity in Early Christianity and Later Heresies". It will cover various early Christian heretical groups over 5 weeks, including the Ebionites, Marcionites, Gnostics, Nestorianism and Catharism. Key terms are defined, and the main sources from early Church fathers are outlined. Ancient viewpoints on the nature of God, Jesus, and the purpose of his death are presented. It explains that the New Testament did not yet exist as a canon, and various communities had access to different texts. Finally, it discusses the Eusebian and Bauer models for how diverse Christianities developed in the early centuries.

Uploaded by

api-249898488
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Diversity in Early Christianity and Later Heresies

Week 1

Overview
Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: The Ebionites
Week 3: The Marcionites
Week 4: The Gnostics
Week 5: Nestorianism
Week 6: Catharism

Defining Terms
Orthodox: Right way, right belief, correct opinion
Heresy: Choice
Heterodox: Different way
Pagan: Polytheist who practices cultic acts.
Cultic Acts: Cultus dei oram Care of the Gods
Proto-orthodox: group that would, one day, become
dominant
Canon: Collection of authoritative books
Codex: form of writing that uses both sides of the papyrus
Christology: Study of the nature of Jesus Christ
Church Fathers: Prominent Proto-orthodox Christian Writers
of the 2nd and 3rd century

Our Sources
Irenaeus: Bishop of Gaul (France) about 180 A.D.
5 volume work Against Heresies

Tertullian: 160 A.D.


Wrote a five volume work The Five Books Against Marcion (earlychristianwritings.com)

Epiphanius: Bishop of Salamis, Cyprus around 340 A.D.


Compendium of heresies Panarion (Medicine Chest)
Persecuted non-Christians on the island of Cyprus
Spoke Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, Egyptian and Latin

Athanasius of Alexandria: 296-373 A.D.


1st record of our 27 books of the New Testament and only those books 367 A.D. (catholic.org)
Prominent figure in the Council of Nicea (justus.anglican.org)

Eusebius of Caesarea: 260-341 A.D.


Father of church history
Wrote 10 volume work, Ecclesiastical History, covering the time between the time of Christ until
the Council of Nicea

Nag Hammadi Library

Discovered by Muhammad Ali in 1945


West Bank of the Nile
23 leather bound codices containing 52 Gnostic writings
Coptic Gospel of Thomas

Belief Systems ( 1st and 2nd


Centuries)
Pagan no belief system at all (other than belief that the
gods existed). Inclusive. Based solely on ritual sacrifice
to the gods at prescribed times. Worship aimed at
appeasing gods for the needs in the here and now.
(Erhman, Lost Christianities)
Jewish Belief in One God, and that one had to follow the
law.
Christian Exclusive. Scripture-based, correct beliefs very
important. Hence, the need for a Canon. Notion of
Heresy arises.

Diversity in Modern Christianity


Religiou
s
Authorit
y

Catholic

Orthodo
x

Luther
an

Presbyter Episcopa
ian
lian

Methodi Baptist
st

Purgato
ry

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

Ordinati
on of
Women

No

Deaconn
ess is
being
considere
d

Yes
(ELCS)
No
(LCMS)

Yes
(PCUSA)

Yes
(ECUSA)
Some
Parishes
(CofE)

Yes

Yes (ABC)
No (SBC)

Infant
Baptism

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes
(UMC)
No (WC)

No

View of
Transubst Transubst Real
Eucharis antiation antiation Presenc
t
e

Real
Presence

Memorial

Symbolic Symbolic

Other
5 others
Sacrame

None

5 others

None

Anointing None

None

The New Testament


Four Sections
Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Acts
Acts

Epistles
13 credited to Paul
Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians,
Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon
Ephesians, Colossians, 2 Thessalonians
1 & 2 Timothy, Titus

2 credited to Peter
1,2 Peter

1 credited to James
James

3 credited to John
1,2,3 John

1 credited to Jude
Jude

1 Anonymous
Hebrews

Apocalypse

Ancient Viewpoints (2nd and 3rd


Century)
How many Gods are there?
a.
b.
c.
d.

1
2
30
365

Was Jesus human or divine?


a. Fully human, not divine
b. Fully divine, not human
c. Fully divine and human

What was the purpose of Jesus death?

Why didnt they just read the New Testament?


It didnt exist
The individual books had been written but not grouped together
until 367 A.D.
Different communities had access to only one or two books
Not all of these books ended up being in our canon

Shepherd of Hermas
Barnabas
Gospel of Peter
Coptic Gospel of Thomas
Gospel of Mary Magdalene
Gospel of Judas
3 Corinthians
Apocalypse of Peter
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
And many more

Ancient Viewpoints (2nd and 3rd


Century)
How many Gods are there?
a.
b.
c.
d.

1 Proto-Orthodox & Ebionites


2 - Marcionites
30 - Gnostic
365 - Gnostic

Was Jesus human or divine?


a. Fully human, not divine - Ebionites
b. Fully divine, not human - Marcionites
c. Fully divine and human
Proto-orthodox

What was the purpose of Jesus death?


a. Died for our sins Proto-orthodox
b. Substitute sacrifice - Marcionites
c. Didnt die - Gnostic

What was the nature of creation?


a. Created by the one true God Proto-orthodox & Ebionites
b. Created by the Wrathful god - Marcionites
c. Divine accident by the lowest of the gods - Gnostic

How did all these forms arise?


Eusebian Model
Orthodoxy was first and heresies branched off.

Bauer model

Created by Walter Bauer in 1934 Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity


Orthodoxy and other forms co-existed in early Christianity.
Bauer examined earliest writings region by region
Determined dominant form region by region

Rome - dominant form was Proto-orthodox


Egypt - dominant form was Gnostic
Palestine dominant form was Jewish Christian
Asia Minor dominant form was Marcionite

Next Week:
The Ebionites

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