A Very, Very Brief History of the Church: Part 8 (a)

 "Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you."1Thess:5:12

When and where does Church history truly begin? The Church which emerged in the History of Salvation is more than an “institution” or “organization” it rather is a living organism, which is filled with the very Spirit life of the Great God through the Holy Spirit, who came to us and reveals himself to humanity in the person of Jesus Christ.

The History of the Church does not belong to any one denomination but is the common heritage of all believers in Jesus Christ.

Over the centuries there have been many who have served Jesus Christ faithfully even to the point of death. Many of those have done so anonymously. Some of those faithful Christians we may never know who they were this side of eternity. There are more than can be named in a short treatment of the subject.

But I would like to offer just a overview of a few who have shaped Christian thought, understanding and doctrine regardless as to where we may find ourselves in the greater body of the Church.

 We have historical records of those who came after the Apostles or and other Biblical personalities. It serves us to follow the admonition of St. Paul to be aware of the many who have proclaimed the Gospel about Jesus to the world around them and moved the Church forward in its mission to tell the world around them about Jesus Christ. 

These early Church leaders did not, and do not, belong to any one "ecclesiastical organization", but rather, predate any such humanly devised denominational structure or form. They belong to all believers in all ages under whatever name believers are gathered.

 Clement of Rome

The Early leaders of the Church are generally referred to as the "Apostolic Fathers" .

The leaders of the Church at Rome, it is believed by some, that the Apostle St. Peter is to have ordained two Bishops to oversee the Churches, Linus and Cletus. But it has been the long-standing tradition that St. Peter ordained Clement to lead the congregation in that city.

There is very little information regarding Clement other than that he had a prominent role in the Church at Rome before being ordained to lead the congregation and that he wrote to varies Churches to address situations which had developed and needed his input. 

Clement is thought to be the same Clement that is referred to in St. Paul's epistle to the Philippians: 4:3 as" a fellow servant of Christ".

There is very ancient tradition that Clement was the young child who Jesus had stood amidst the arguing Disciples who were vying for position and power. 

"Jesus took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them," Lk:9:36

In some traditions it is believed that Clement was exiled out of Rome, under Emperor Trajan to Chersonesus which is in modern Crymiea. While there Clement preformed a miracle which led to the conversion of many pagans in the region.

For the ministry that Clement conducted converting many to believe in Jesus, Clement is thought to have been arrested and bounded to ships anchor and dropped into the Black Sea. 

 Irenaeus of Lyons

Irenaeus was born around 130 AD in Smyrna in Asia Minor. He was taught by the Bishop Polycarp the disciple of St. John the Apostle. At some point Irenaeus located to Lugdunum now called Lyons in south Gaul (France) where he became an Elder of the Church.

At some point Irenaeus was dispatched to Rome with a communication for the Church leadership there. While he was in Rome persecution broke out in Lyons and Vienna against the Christians in those cities. Photinus who was the Bishop of Lyons was killed leaving none to lead the remaining Christians.

When Irenaeus returned to Lyons he was ordained to the office of Bishop. Irenaeus, however saw himself as a pastor and shepherd to care for the flock of Christians seeing to their spiritual needs rather than engaging in theological thought.  

 Irenaeus' approach to ministry was that of being a shepherd also reveals how he related to Jesus Christ, seeing Jesus as the one true good shepherd. Irenaeus also wanted those under his care to understand that they were wanted and loved by God, as such, he wanted his ministry to reflect that love.

Irenaeus' writings reflect a hesitation to engage in speculative thinking, but rather to deal directly with heretical teaching and refute it and establish orthodox Christian doctrine.  

Irenaeus believed that the free will which God had conferred upon humanity at creation gave humanity the capacity to choose to participate in becoming more like Jesus Christ. He stressed that Christians needed to be taught by way of the Scripture and the ministry of the Holy Spirit and strengthen in the Christian life through worship with a focus on the sacrament of Communion.

 Irenaeus saw God working in human history and the lives of all. That ultimately the will of God would be accomplished and his kingdom manifested in the lives of   

believers now and in the years to come. Irenaeus also had an intense focused on the Incarnation of Jesus bringing God and humanity together in Jesus.

Clement of Alexandria

Clement of Alexandria was born around 150 AD in the Greek city of Athens, his parents were pagans. Clement would have been exposed early in life to discussions of philosophy.

It is uncertain as to how when and where Clement was exposed to the message about Jesus but he became a convert and sought out a pastor or Christian teacher who could answer the deep questions that he had.

His search for a teacher took him to Alexandria Egypt, the city noted for it's educational and philosophical centers of learning. While in Alexandria Clement met Pantenus, of whom there is very little information.

Pantenus proved however, to be the teacher that Clement sought for. Clement stayed and learned from Pantenus in Alexandria until Pantenus died. 

At Pantenus' death Clement assumed his place as a teacher rather than that of being a pastor, where he taught Christian thought. Alexandria was a city that attracted people from throughout the world with its universities and schools. 

Also, Alexandria was situated on important travel and trade routs bringing many peoples and ideas into the city giving Clement a large and diverse audience to teach and expound Christian doctrine, thought and theology.

It was his hope that through teaching and reason he could bring many pagans and non-believers to the point that they would receive Jesus Christ, therefore, Clement would allude to the Greek philosophers at times such as Plato to attempt creating a dialog with pagans who had been steeped in Hellenized thought. 

Clement would teach in Alexandria until the persecution under Emperor Septimius Severus broke out in 202 AD. This persecution forced Clement to leave the city of Alexandria. Clement untimely traveled to Asia Minor and Syria and stayed there until his death in 215 AD.

Tertullian of Carthage

Tertullian who was born around 160 AD. He was from Carthage in North Africa and lived most of his life there but it was when he traveled to Rome that he became converted and believed in Jesus Christ.

Before Tertullians conversion it is possible that he had been an attorney, he appears to have had the thought processes of a trained legal mind. It is also possible that he was schooled in oratory and rhetoric.

When he returned to the city of Carthage, he engaged in writing a series of works to defend Christian belief from the attacks of pagans and heresies which had arisen against accepted orthodox Christian belief and understanding.

Tertullian presented arguments and reasons in defense of the doctrine of the Church against the challenges of unorthodox teachers explaining accepted Christian understanding and the Church's right to teach and defend that orthodox doctrine.

Tertullian showed how that the Church being the heirs of the work of God through Jesus had authority to interpret Scripture and as it was the Apostles who wrote the Gospels and the Epistles conferred ownership of those writings to the Church orthodox and not to groups which emerged apart from the understood body that comprised the Church for two centuries. 

All that Tertullian worked at to keep heresies out of the Church makes it hard to grasp why he would join himself with extra-orthodox group started by Montanus. It may have been the high moral standard that Montanus held and taught that attracted him to them.

Even after Tertullian joined with Montaus, he still wrote to deal with heresies and wild speculation. Eventuality he would, after a time, find the rigors of the Montanus movement unrealistic and unworkable. 

Tertullian would find himself in a disagreement with a Bishop whom he referred to as "devil in Rome”.

Tertullian would leave the Montanus group  and continue his cause for sound doctrine among Christians. He wrote regarding the nature of Jesus who being both divine and human. Tertullian led in helping to define the Church's understanding of the Trinity and founding sound Christian orthodox understanding.

Athanasius of Alexandria

Athanasius' birth date and location are not recorded, it is possible that he was born around 296 AD in Alexandria. He arose out of the Coptic people of Egypt, most likely from a small and poor village somewhere along the Nile River. Due to his dark complexion and short stature, he would become known as the "Black Dwarf" by some. 

Athanasius, in his younger life, became familiar with the monks, called "the Desert Monks" who lived in the desert and who spent their time studying Scripture and in prayer. It is recorded in his own works that he knew and visited the monk Anthony, and another record tells us that Athanasius gave a cloak to Paul the Hermit.

Athanasius' relationship with "the Desert Monks" would help shape his understanding, thought and theology which has impacted the Church throughout the centuries even to this present time. 

From "the Dessert Monks" he would acquire his austerity that many found worthy of admiration. Athanasius' influence in the greater Church arose out of the humility and unpretentious genuine faith that he lived out each day and the bond that he had with the common people from which he came.

Athanasius had a zeal for Jesus and deep-rooted convictions which focused his mind upon Jesus Christ as the very eternal Son of God come in the flesh.

Athanasius saw all history as the outworking of God all revolving around the person of Jesus.

Athanasius was among those who withstood the teachings of the Arians. This controversy arose around 325 AD. Arius who disputed the orthodox view of the person of Jesus and the nature of God which had come down through the years. This controversy which arose and was led by Dr. Arias.  

The clash in theological thought began in Alexandria Egypt when Bishop Alexander argued with a popular Bishop named Dr. Arius. Arius maintained that in eternity before the creation of the world God created "the Word" who became Jesus in the Incarnation, this meant, that Jesus was not "God" eternally as the Church and Scripture presented Jesus to be. Arius maintained that Jesus is "God" but not "God"  as the Father was "God", that Jesus was somehow less "God" than the Father.

This controversy began to not only effect the Church but the general public as well, so great was the debate. Arguments would flare up in the streets and market place especially after Dr. Arius was removed from being a Bishop. 

Even the Emperor Constantine was drawn into the discussion. The Emperor, seeing that the divide which threaten public tranquility and the integrity and unity of the Empire in the east , Emperor Constantine asked the Church leadership to meet in convocation and resolve the issues among themselves. 

All of this as well, led to the convening of Council of Nicea in Asia Minor in the Spring of 325 AD. This gathering of Bishops resulted in having developed the Nicean Creed which reaffirmed the historic teaching of the Church; that Jesus is, has always been, and will be eternally fully God and in the incarnation assumed humanity making Jesus fully human as well. Athanasius had served as a Deacon at the Council of Nicea and had a central role in defining not only the nature of Jesus, but the Trinity as well.

At the death of Bishop Alexander, it was assumed that Athanasius would take his place. But Athanasius instead fled into the desert to avoid being ordained to that office. After much resistance to being placed in Alexanders office, Athanasius finally conceded and accepted the ordination.

As the politics both within the Church and Empire vacillated and views shifted over the years Athanasius would find the orthodox and historic understanding would be challenged on occasions thus thrusting him often into the debate regarding the nature of Jesus and the Trinity. He would be plotted against during his life and ministry and face exile from Alexandria and faced arrest and was many times assailed by his opponents.

Athanasius gave the Church at large a deeper more vibrant understanding of the God and Savior who speaks out of the Holy Bible and who came to humanity in the person of Jesus.

Athanasius died in Alexandria Egypt in 373 AD .

To Be Continued....

Benediction: May we each and all, thank God, for the faith servants which have proceed us thru out history and who helped to shape the understanding for the Greater Body of Christ, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma