The early Church -A Service in Second-Century Rome

[Chuck1]

What are your thoughts on this article ? request.org.uk/main/history/romans/romans02.htm

The Early Church

After the first hundred years Christians gradually started to change the way they did things. In time, the Christian Church would become like the Catholic Church today. There was now a difference between Bishops and Elders. The church in each place came to be led by one Bishop, with a group of Elders helping him. Deacons still did the practical work.

Services came to include set forms of words (liturgy) that would be roughly the same wherever you went. Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice

The first Christian churches had looked to the twelve apostles (first disciples of Jesus) for guidance and leadership. Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere.

Early painting of the Good Shepherd, in the Catacombs in Rome
Image courtesy of Iconofile (www.iconofile.com)
A Service in Second-Century Rome:

"At the end of the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then the president of the brethren is brought bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he takes them, and offers up praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and gives thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at his hands.

“When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their joyful assent by saying Amen. (“Amen” means ‘so be it’ in Hebrew) … Then those whom we call deacons give to each of those present the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and carry away a portion to those who are absent.”

Carving of a Christian,
found in the Catacombs, Rome
“We call this food “Eucharist”, which no one is allowed to share unless he or she believes that the things which we teach are true, and has been washed with the washing that is for remission of sins and unto a second birth, and is living as Christ has commanded. For we do not receive them as common bread and common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Saviour. … For the apostles, in the memoirs called Gospels composed by them, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of me, this is my body; and that, in a similar way, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, this is my blood; and gave it to them alone.”

 

[Nicea325]

What are your thoughts on this article ? request.org.uk/main/history/romans/romans02.htm

The Early Church

After the first hundred years Christians gradually started to change the way they did things. In time, the Christian Church would become like the Catholic Church today. There was now a difference between Bishops and Elders. The church in each place came to be led by one Bishop, with a group of Elders helping him. Deacons still did the practical work.

Services came to include set forms of words (liturgy) that would be roughly the same wherever you went. Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice

The first Christian churches had looked to the twelve apostles (first disciples of Jesus) for guidance and leadership. Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere.

Early painting of the Good Shepherd, in the Catacombs in Rome
Image courtesy of Iconofile (www.iconofile.com)
A Service in Second-Century Rome:

"At the end of the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then the president of the brethren is brought bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he takes them, and offers up praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and gives thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at his hands.

“When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their joyful assent by saying Amen. (“Amen” means ‘so be it’ in Hebrew) … Then those whom we call deacons give to each of those present the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and carry away a portion to those who are absent.”

Carving of a Christian,
found in the Catacombs, Rome
“We call this food “Eucharist”, which no one is allowed to share unless he or she believes that the things which we teach are true, and has been washed with the washing that is for remission of sins and unto a second birth, and is living as Christ has commanded. For we do not receive them as common bread and common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Saviour. … For the apostles, in the memoirs called Gospels composed by them, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of me, this is my body; and that, in a similar way, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, this is my blood; and gave it to them alone.”

I merely glanced,but seems legit.

 

[St_Francis]

From the article: Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice.

Babies were baptized from the beginning.

I wouldn’t really trust this source, they do not seem to understand the importance of the Eucharist, and seem to be trying to imply that certain particularly Catholic practices didn’t show up til two centuries later.

For example: Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere. Ummm, that is *not *why we have the Pope. We have the Pope, who is also Bishop of Rome, because Rome is where the first Pope, Peter, went.

I owuld really trust this source on Church history. There are lots of much better sources.

 

[pablope]

What are your thoughts on this article ? request.org.uk/main/history/romans/romans02.htm

The Early Church

After the first hundred years Christians gradually started to change the way they did things. In time, the Christian Church would become like the Catholic Church today. There was now a difference between Bishops and Elders. The church in each place came to be led by one Bishop, with a group of Elders helping him. Deacons still did the practical work.

Services came to include set forms of words (liturgy) that would be roughly the same wherever you went. Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice

The first Christian churches had looked to the twelve apostles (first disciples of Jesus) for guidance and leadership. Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere.

Early painting of the Good Shepherd, in the Catacombs in Rome
Image courtesy of Iconofile (www.iconofile.com)
A Service in Second-Century Rome:

"At the end of the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then the president of the brethren is brought bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he takes them, and offers up praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and gives thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at his hands.

“When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their joyful assent by saying Amen. (“Amen” means ‘so be it’ in Hebrew) … Then those whom we call deacons give to each of those present the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and carry away a portion to those who are absent.”

Carving of a Christian,
found in the Catacombs, Rome
“We call this food “Eucharist”, which no one is allowed to share unless he or she believes that the things which we teach are true, and has been washed with the washing that is for remission of sins and unto a second birth, and is living as Christ has commanded. For we do not receive them as common bread and common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Saviour. … For the apostles, in the memoirs called Gospels composed by them, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of me, this is my body; and that, in a similar way, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, this is my blood; and gave it to them alone.”

Is the link a catholic source?

Other than that…I would say it is “factually” correct, except for some viewpoints expressed…like this below:

the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere.

Read the Letter of Clement, successor to Peter as bishop of Rome, to the Church at Corinth…and see that Clement is addressing an issue there instead of the Apostle John, who was still alive at this time:

earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-lightfoot.html

 

[SonCatcher]

It doesn’t seem to have correct understanding of how long infants have been baptized nor of how the Bishop of Rome became the First among all bishops. Other than that, it makes for some nice reading. I wouldn’t use it as a source for any apologetic purposes.

 

[TheDoors]

From the article: Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice.

Babies were baptized from the beginning.

I wouldn’t really trust this source, they do not seem to understand the importance of the Eucharist, and seem to be trying to imply that certain particularly Catholic practices didn’t show up til two centuries later.

For example: Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere. Ummm, that is *not *why we have the Pope. We have the Pope, who is also Bishop of Rome, because Rome is where the first Pope, Peter, went.

I owuld really trust this source on Church history. There are lots of much better sources.

The Orthodox also have the Pope, who is also bishop of Alexandria, because Alexandria is where Saint Mark went. The titles came into use for the bishops of Rome and Alexandria at about the same time, late in the third century.

 

[Hamlet123]

What are your thoughts on this article ? request.org.uk/main/history/romans/romans02.htm

The Early Church

After the first hundred years Christians gradually started to change the way they did things. In time, the Christian Church would become like the Catholic Church today. There was now a difference between Bishops and Elders. The church in each place came to be led by one Bishop, with a group of Elders helping him. Deacons still did the practical work.

Services came to include set forms of words (liturgy) that would be roughly the same wherever you went. Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice

The first Christian churches had looked to the twelve apostles (first disciples of Jesus) for guidance and leadership. Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere.

Early painting of the Good Shepherd, in the Catacombs in Rome
Image courtesy of Iconofile (www.iconofile.com)
A Service in Second-Century Rome:

"At the end of the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then the president of the brethren is brought bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he takes them, and offers up praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and gives thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at his hands.

“When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their joyful assent by saying Amen. (“Amen” means ‘so be it’ in Hebrew) … Then those whom we call deacons give to each of those present the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and carry away a portion to those who are absent.”

Carving of a Christian,
found in the Catacombs, Rome
“We call this food “Eucharist”, which no one is allowed to share unless he or she believes that the things which we teach are true, and has been washed with the washing that is for remission of sins and unto a second birth, and is living as Christ has commanded. For we do not receive them as common bread and common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Saviour. … For the apostles, in the memoirs called Gospels composed by them, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, This do in remembrance of me, this is my body; and that, in a similar way, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, this is my blood; and gave it to them alone.”

A number of theologens do a superb job of presenting a compelling argument that Rome was to be the center of the Church NOT especially because it was the centre of the world, but because there is solid evidence in the bible for it to be the fourth place were the gospel was to be presented to leaders of the world. First Assyria (Jonah), then Babylan (Cyrus), then (I do not remember) finally Rome.

I heard part of this presented in Scott Hahn’s CD program on the Book of Romans.

One last note: This presentation seems too materialistic, too History Channelish. Just a feeling.

 

[Eldee]

It seems a pity that because of political circumstances, to include the spread of Islam, the Christian faith had to become so far removed from its early geographic and liguistic roots like Nazareth/Jerusalem and Aramaic. But what is not a pity is that it did, and does still, spread so far and wide with a mission to satisfy the call to, “go and teach ye all nations”.

 

[ConstantineTG]

For example: Because Rome was the centre of the empire, the Bishop of Rome became increasingly important in giving a lead to churches everywhere. Ummm, that is *not *why we have the Pope. We have the Pope, who is also Bishop of Rome, because Rome is where the first Pope, Peter, went.

From my readings their description of how the Pope of Rome gained prominance is quite accurate.

 

[ConstantineTG]

The Orthodox also have the Pope, who is also bishop of Alexandria, because Alexandria is where Saint Mark went. The titles came into use for the bishops of Rome and Alexandria at about the same time, late in the third century.

Actually the title Pope was first used in Alexandria. And the Alexandrian Pope is not like the Roman Pope. Pope doesn’t mean “supreme universal head” as Roman Catholics understand it today. Pope just simply means “Father” or “Papa”.

 

[Ubenedictus]

Actually the title Pope was first used in Alexandria. And the Alexandrian Pope is not like the Roman Pope. Pope doesn’t mean “supreme universal head” as Roman Catholics understand it today. Pope just simply means “Father” or “Papa”.

i believe almost everybody on CAF know the literal meaning of the word ‘pope’. And for catholic while the word ‘pope’ literally means father, the pope of rome is “supreme universal head”.
Peace

 

[Cavaradossi]

From the article: Adults becoming Christians would still be baptised, but Christian parents wanted their children to be part of the Christian church and they were being baptised at very young ages until infant baptism became a normal practice.

Babies were baptized from the beginning.

Infant baptism most certainly was not universally practiced in the early Church. St. Basil, for example, who was born into a Christian family, was baptized in adulthood. Another Cappodocian, St. Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzen) wrote in his oration on baptism that the best time for baptizing children was around the age of three, unless there was a danger of imminent death. That being said, eventually, the baptism of infants became standard because it was understood that baptism is the initiation into a new life in Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and so the Church saw no reason to keep infants from it (this is, for example, St. John Chrysostom’s rationale for infant baptism).