Early Church in 1st and 2nd Century

95121383 Jamie Wu95121383 Jamie Wu 95121373 Nancy Chen95121373 Nancy Chen

95121342 Iris Huang95121342 Iris Huang 95121314 Cathy Huang95121314 Cathy Huang

IntroductionIntroduction

Early church in the 1st and 2nd Early church in the 1st and 2nd centurycentury

1. The history of early Christianity1. The history of early Christianity 2. Apostolic Age and Acts of Apostles2. Apostolic Age and Acts of Apostles 3. Persecution in early Church3. Persecution in early Church 4. Faith in the early Church4. Faith in the early Church

The map of ChristianityThe map of Christianity

the map of Christianity

Historical introduction of Christianity

It concerns the It concerns the Christian religion and and Church

Christians believe in a triune God: Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

The largest branches of Christianity: the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Protestant Churches

Christianity’s spread: Jerusalem→ Near East →the state religion of Armenia →the state religion of the Roman Empire →common to Europe in Middle Ages → Exploration Age → become the world's largest religion

The history of early The history of early ChristianityChristianity

spans from the death of Jesus Christ (c.26-36) to the First Council of Nicaea

In the 1st part of period － the Great Commission (the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world ) of the twelve apostles

The earliest followers of Jesus The earliest followers of Jesus composed an composed an apocalypticapocalyptic, Jewish sects

Early Christianity apart from Judaism and established itself as a predominantly gentile religion

One of the earliest Christianinscriptions found, it is from theearly 3rd-century Vatican necropolis area, Rome

Apostolic AgeApostolic Age

WHAT IS THE APOSTOLIC AGE?WHAT IS THE APOSTOLIC AGE? Post- Jesus ChristianityPost- Jesus Christianity The period of the Twelve Apostles, dating The period of the Twelve Apostles, dating

from the Crucifixion of Jesus(c.26-36) and from the Crucifixion of Jesus(c.26-36) and the Great Commission until the Death of the Great Commission until the Death of John(c.100)John(c.100)

Represents the purer form of Represents the purer form of

ChristianityChristianity

Acts of ApostlesActs of Apostles

Principal source of information for the Principal source of information for the Apostolic AgeApostolic Age

Genre: “Acts” denoted a recognized genre Genre: “Acts” denoted a recognized genre characterizing books that describes great characterizing books that describes great deeds of people.deeds of people.

Source: From Oral traditionsSource: From Oral traditions Dated to the 2nd half of the first century.Dated to the 2nd half of the first century. Recounts the lives and works of the Recounts the lives and works of the

Apostles of JesusApostles of Jesus Particular emphasis on the ministry of the Particular emphasis on the ministry of the

Twelve Apostles and Paul of Tarsus.Twelve Apostles and Paul of Tarsus.

the Twelve Apostles, also called Apostolic Age － in the front row are Matthew, Peter, James and John

SignificanceSignificance

Produced writings attributed to the direct Produced writings attributed to the direct folowers of Jesus Christ.folowers of Jesus Christ.

It is the foundation upon which the entire It is the foundation upon which the entire church history is founded.church history is founded.

The Apostolic Age is particularly significant The Apostolic Age is particularly significant to restorationismto restorationism

Persecutions in the early churchPersecutions in the early church－－ Rome as persecutorRome as persecutor

The First Persecution, under The First Persecution, under Nero, A.D. 67

The Second Persecution, under The Second Persecution, under Domitian, A.D. 81

The Third Persecution, under Trajan and Hadrian, The Third Persecution, under Trajan and Hadrian, A.D. 108  

The Fourth Persecution, under The Fourth Persecution, under Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, A.D. 162

The Fifth Persecution, Commencing with Severus, A.D. 192

Trajan PersecutionTrajan Persecution

Between 109 and 111 Between 109 and 111 ADAD

Pliny was the governor Pliny was the governor sent by the emperor sent by the emperor TrajanTrajan–– ““for I held no for I held no question that question that whatever it was they whatever it was they admitted, in any case admitted, in any case obstinacy and obstinacy and unbending perversity unbending perversity deserve to be deserve to be punished.punished.””

Reasons for persecutionReasons for persecution

Hatred against Hatred against Christians Christians

Caesar is LordCaesar is Lord

--155AD --155AD

Martyrdom of Martyrdom of PolycarpPolycarp

SaintsSaintsSaint Irenaeus, Martyr

Saint Clement of Rome, Martyr

Saint Ignatius, of Antioch

Saint Polycarp, Martyr

Justin MartyrJustin Martyr

100AD-- Justin 100AD-- Justin Martyr is bornMartyr is born

Good educationGood education

-Stoicism, -Stoicism, Pythagoreanism, Pythagoreanism, PlatonismPlatonism

130AD-- 130AD-- ConversionConversion

Justin MartyrJustin Martyr

153AD-- 153AD-- Writes Writes First First ApologyApology

160AD-- 160AD-- Writes Writes Dialogue with Dialogue with Trypho Trypho

165AD-- 165AD-- MartyrdomMartyrdom

The martyrdom of St. Clement The martyrdom of St. Ignatius

The martyrdom of St. Justin The martyrdom of St. Polycarp

FaithFaith——the faith of the early the faith of the early

ChristianityChristianity

Edward Gibbon, (1737-1794 Edward Gibbon, (1737-1794 A.D.)A.D.)

The History of the The History of the Decline and Fall of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empirethe Roman Empire

Conclude 5 reasons Conclude 5 reasons why make the why make the Christianity so Christianity so successfulsuccessful

1. Christians are extremely 1. Christians are extremely enthusiastic in their religionenthusiastic in their religion

Christians are not narrowed in only JewChristians are not narrowed in only Jew’’s, s, instead, they share the bliss to every people instead, they share the bliss to every people in the world and emphasize that people are in the world and emphasize that people are brothers and sisters with each other.brothers and sisters with each other.

However, they wonHowever, they won’’t compromise the belief t compromise the belief and canon to anyone.and canon to anyone.

e.g. Marcus Aurelius, (121-180 A.D.) thought e.g. Marcus Aurelius, (121-180 A.D.) thought that theythat they’’re too stubborn to insist their own re too stubborn to insist their own religion. And abandon any kinds of the way religion. And abandon any kinds of the way which Heresies live with.which Heresies live with.

Christian live in a unique and stubborn way, Christian live in a unique and stubborn way, that they know very well about their own that they know very well about their own religion and will never mix up with any religion and will never mix up with any others.others.

2. The loyalty to waiting for the 2. The loyalty to waiting for the MessiahMessiah

This attitude is quite important for This attitude is quite important for Christian, because the situation of Christian, because the situation of Rome Empire is turbulent. Their firm Rome Empire is turbulent. Their firm will of waiting for the Messiah help will of waiting for the Messiah help Christian to tolerant towards all the Christian to tolerant towards all the difficulties.difficulties.

This kind of attitude toward the life This kind of attitude toward the life make the belief more powerful and make the belief more powerful and positive.positive.

3. They believe in the miracle of 3. They believe in the miracle of HolyHoly

The prophets, the beatitude, the The prophets, the beatitude, the healing power, to expel the healing power, to expel the demonsdemons

These kinds of super-nature These kinds of super-nature power and miracle is an power and miracle is an important experience within their important experience within their belief. And lots of Christian do belief. And lots of Christian do rely on these miraculous miracle.rely on these miraculous miracle.

4. The early Christians ask 4. The early Christians ask themselves to live with a holy, themselves to live with a holy,

pure, and conscientious lifepure, and conscientious lifeWe canWe can see 4 steps of training insee 4 steps of training in““The The

Didache of the Twelve ApostlesDidache of the Twelve Apostles””

1) abandon the bad habbits1) abandon the bad habbits

2) learn to obey the law 2) learn to obey the law (commandments)(commandments)

3) to pray3) to pray

4) to reject the circumambulate4) to reject the circumambulateA seeker should be training step by step A seeker should be training step by step

for 3 years then can enter the groupfor 3 years then can enter the group

5. The fellowship5. The fellowship

The follower will love and take care The follower will love and take care to each other. And thereto each other. And there’’s no any s no any barrier between them, everyone is barrier between them, everyone is equal and can share with each equal and can share with each other.other.

The member in the fellowship is The member in the fellowship is like a big family that they like a big family that they encourage each other to conquer encourage each other to conquer the obstacles in the life.the obstacles in the life.

Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention