A Simple Timeline Proves the Early Church was Catholic---revised

[stewstew03]

Christ did not leave a book of doctrine.

He lived, died, rose, and ascended. He left a community, not a book.
…

This is such an important point.

Protestants too often want to go back to the Old Covenant way of thinking – “where is X written down so that I might sit and study its meaning?” These are modern day scribes who strain out the gnat but swallow the camel. They favor bible study groups over feeding the poor. They will devote countless hours pouring over Strong’s Concordance, but won’t lift a finger to write a letter of encouragement to a prisoner. The pillar and foundation of their truth is a text – just as it was for the scribes…

 

[Kliska]

This is such an important point.

Protestants too often want to go back to the Old Covenant way of thinking – “where is X written down so that I might sit and study its meaning?” These are modern day scribes who strain out the gnat but swallow the camel. They favor bible study groups over feeding the poor. They will devote countless hours pouring over Strong’s Concordance, but won’t lift a finger to write a letter of encouragement to a prisoner. The pillar and foundation of their truth is a text – just as it was for the scribes…

Be careful not to paint with too broad of a brush.

 

[aidanbradypop]

This is such an important point.

Protestants too often want to go back to the Old Covenant way of thinking – “where is X written down so that I might sit and study its meaning?” These are modern day scribes who strain out the gnat but swallow the camel. They favor bible study groups over feeding the poor. They will devote countless hours pouring over Strong’s Concordance, but won’t lift a finger to write a letter of encouragement to a prisoner. The pillar and foundation of their truth is a text – just as it was for the scribes…

Yeah Stew this is kind of an unfair picture you are painting there.

 

[SteveVH]

Be careful not to paint with too broad of a brush.

Yeah Stew this is kind of an unfair picture you are painting there.

I agree. I know many Catholics who attend Mass every Sunday and that is the extent of their Christian life. But I also agree with the point of Stew’s post, insofar as it applies to all of us. If we do not feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those in prison…, then our Christian life is empty and we are hypocrites. We must, all of us, put flesh on the words of the Gospel.

Peace.

Steve

 

[Kliska]

I agree. I know many Catholics who attend Mass every Sunday and that is the extent of their Christian life. But I also agree with the point of Stew’s post, insofar as it applies to all of us. If we do not feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those in prison…, then our Christian life is empty and we are hypocrites. We must, all of us, put flesh on the words of the Gospel.

Peace.

Steve

I agree. We should be about the Father’s business down here which definitely includes serving others with our time, prayer, money, etc… God help us to do so.

Grace and Peace,
K

 

[SteveVH]

I agree. We should be about the Father’s business down here which definitely includes serving others with our time, prayer, money, etc… God help us to do so.

Grace and Peace,
K

 

[JustaServant]

So a quick question here, in John 21:24-25… [24] This is that disciple who giveth testimony of these things, and hath written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. [25] But there are also many other things which Jesus did; which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written.

Is it your position that since it was not written down that what Christ did and said to the Apostles after His Resurrection was insignificant and not worthy incorporating into the Christian faith?

Since BornAgainRN, aka thetazlord is no longer with us, I doubt you will get an answer. Unless he circumvents his ban again.

 

[wmscott]

Since BornAgainRN, aka thetazlord is no longer with us, I doubt you will get an answer. Unless he circumvents his ban again.

If he did answer I am sure it would have been a full page of information that does not address the question. From the responses I have received from him on other threads he was a bit condescending and hostile. It was like talking to a brick wall.

We can hope a seed was planted, and that those who may have been lurking learned a few things. There were many good responses from Catholics here that had a wealth of “correct” and truthful information that it would have been hard not to learn something new.

 

[spedteacherita]

This is such an important point.

Protestants too often want to go back to the Old Covenant way of thinking – “where is X written down so that I might sit and study its meaning?” These are modern day scribes who strain out the gnat but swallow the camel. They favor bible study groups over feeding the poor. They will devote countless hours pouring over Strong’s Concordance, but won’t lift a finger to write a letter of encouragement to a prisoner. The pillar and foundation of their truth is a text – just as it was for the scribes…

This is a very over-generalized statement because while we love to study the Scriptures it is because we love God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moves in any person who confesses Jesus is our Risen Lord and Messiah and there is fruit of the Spirit being born in both Protestant and Catholic churches.

God bless!!

Rita

 

[JustaServant]

If he did answer I am sure it would have been a full page of information that does not address the question. From the responses I have received from him on other threads he was a bit condescending and hostile. It was like talking to a brick wall.

We can hope a seed was planted, and that those who may have been lurking learned a few things. There were many good responses from Catholics here that had a wealth of “correct” and truthful information that it would have been hard not to learn something new.

Look up his posts as BornAgainRn, he did the same thing.
If he is lurking…
You’ll return to the Church someday Steve, I know I did. Best thing I ever did.

 

[JustaServant]

I appreciate that but that isn’t a convincing argument for me. I’ve heard a lot of people say that “Just because it wasn’t written down doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” That’s too easy to bring in all kinds of doctrines…

In fact, in some of my recent studying I made that note because it was stated a number of times. (I can quote them for you if you need me to)

Take care and God bless!

When I did my studying Sped and came across the same thing over and over, it was generally a sign to me that maybe I need to pay attention to it.
Anyway, the problem is that is not the subject of the thread. I can start another if you like.

 

[spedteacherita]

When I did my studying Sped and came across the same thing over and over, it was generally a sign to me that maybe I need to pay attention to it.
Anyway, the problem is that is not the subject of the thread. I can start another if you like.

Bear with me one more time, Justa!! What I meant by something being stated over and over was… That the documents (whether scripture or something that the ECF wrote) didn’t say that it wasn’t written about, therefore it could have happened, therefore we teach it as a doctrine or dogma…I’m certainly confusing myself here…lol

 

[spedteacherita]

When I did my studying Sped and came across the same thing over and over, it was generally a sign to me that maybe I need to pay attention to it.
Anyway, the problem is that is not the subject of the thread. I can start another if you like.

Okay, going back to the original OP, I wanted to know at one point in this discussion where the doctrine of Mary came on the timeline…Whew!! If we need separate thread…let’s do it…but with kindness… please??? We protestants ain’t that bad, you know…

 

[stewstew03]

This is a very over-generalized statement because while we love to study the Scriptures it is because we love God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit moves in any person who confesses Jesus is our Risen Lord and Messiah and there is fruit of the Spirit being born in both Protestant and Catholic churches.

God bless!!

Rita

True - it was on over-generalization. But the point remains: if protestants – and I’m thinking of people like Jan Markell and Robert Jeffress – worried less about their differences with the Church, and devoted more energy to a living faith, they’d see how much they have in common with Catholics…

 

[Ignatius]

By request I am starting a new thread based on this subject. The original thread is five years old. Keep in mind I was a little more zealous back then than I am now. So I edited it a little so I don’t come off like triumphalist jerk.

One of the areas of Church history that has always fascinated me is the study of New Testament era chronology. Many non-Catholic scholars act as if the Bible was written like a modern novel. Starting with Matthew on. However, the writing of the New Testament was not that cut and dry. As one puts together a timeline of Church history, including works written that are not in the New Testament, one must reach a conclusion that the early Church was indeed Catholic. By the time the Gospel of John was written for example, the Church was already 50 years old (which forces a Catholic view of John 6). But more importantly, the Christians that lived at the time all have very Catholic views.

I have concocted a timeline here deliberately within a 100 year period between the Resurrection of Christ to Justin Martyr (roughly 130 AD.) Think of it from World War 2 on. There are people still alive to remember the events.
I do not claim this timeline to be exact, but its pretty close:

c. 30-33 - The death and resurrection of Jesus
c. 35 - The conversion of Paul
40s or 50s - James
c. 45-49 - Paul’s first missionary journey
Sometime between 48 and 58 - Paul writes Galatians
c. 50-53 - Paul’s second missionary journey
50s - Paul writes Titus
50s or 60s -** Mark** written (based on oral tradition set down by Peter).
50s or 60s - Matthew written
51 - Paul writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians
c. 53-57 - Paul’s third missionary journey
Spring of 55 - Paul writes 1 Corinthians
56 - Paul writes 2 Corinthians
c. 57 - Paul writes Romans
c. 60 - Paul writes Colossians, probably while in prison in Rome
c. 60 - Paul writes Philemon, probably while in prison in Rome
c. 60 - Paul writes Ephesians, probably while in prison in Rome
c. 61 - Paul writes Philippians, while in prison in Rome
Early 60s - Luke written
c. 60-70 - The Didache is written.
c. 62 - Paul is free
c. 62-64 - Luke writes Acts
c. 62-64 - Paul writes 1 Timothy
July 18-19, 64 - The Great Fire of Rome. Emperor Nero blamed the Christians, and a great persecution ensued.
Mid 60s - 1 Peter written
c. 64-68 - Paul writes 2 Timothy from prison
c. 67-68 - 2 Peter
c. 68 - Hebrews is written
June 9, 68 - The death of Nero. Sometime between the Great Fire of Rome and the death of Nero, both Peter and Paul were martyred.
c. 69 - Jude
70 - The Seige of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple
c. 70-80- The Epistle of Barnabus is written.
c. 85 - John written
Late First Century -** 1, 2, and 3 John**
95- The Epistle of Clement is written…
c. 95-96 - John writes Revelation
c. 60-120- The writings of Papias (only fragments remain).
c. 105- The Epistles of Ignatius are written as he heads for Rome for execution.
c. 105-125- The Epistle of Polycarp is written.
c. 125-130- The Letter to Diognetus is written.
c. 125-130- The Epistle of Aristides is written.
c. 130- The Martyrdom of Polycarp is written.
c. 130-150- The Shepherd of Hermas is written.
c.100-165- The writings of Justin Martyr, much of it written in the 130s.

So tell us, why is it **within a 100 year **period, does the Church look so Catholic?

Because it’s The Church that Jesus founded!