SECTION 1:
The Church in the Early
Christian Centuries
SECTION 1, PART 4:
The Age of the Fathers
Introduction
• First three centuries were marked by infantile growth through periodic
persecution & martyrdom
• Fourth century marked a change which began with the legalization of
Christianity by Constantine in 313 a.d.
• Open worship & practice of the faith brought on new heresies
• The Church dealt with these new threats through:
• Ecumenical Councils & the writings of the Fathers of the Church
• The Church grew in strength & organization in fourth & fifth centuries
• The Church would fill the vacuum of leadership created
for Christians & all subjects of the Western Roman
Empire when the West fell in 476 a.d.
• Four Articles
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(A. 11) – Constantine and the Edict of Milan
(A. 12) – The Fathers of the Church
(A. 13) – Church Councils & Doctrinal Development
(A. 14) – The Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West
Article 11: Constantine and the Edict of Milan
• The Church not only survived the profound hardships of
the first three centuries but they also thrived
• By 300 a.d. in Asia Minor, North Africa, Gaul, &
the Arabian Peninsula
• Verge of transformation from challenged & persecuted minority to
highest protection in the Empire
• Lasting effect upon both & their relationship
• Tipping point was the death of Emperor Constantius in 306 a.d.
• Roman army chose his son, their general, Constantine (272-337 a.d.)
• Found a rival emperor when he marched to Rome to take power
(tetrarchs had popped up during Diocletian’s reign that ended in 305)
• Ecclesial historian Eusebius tells story of dream, Chi-Rho, & victory
• Constantine won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 ad over
Maxentius to become Western Roman Emperor
Article 11: Constantine and the Edict of Milan cont.
• Constantine & the Eastern Roman Emperor Licinius passed the Edict
of Milan in 313 a.d. to celebrate the end of tetrarchy
• Christianity along with all religions of the Empire
are now legal & no longer persecuted
• Christian clergy are now exempt from taxation
• Christian property that had been confiscated was returned
• Constantine commissioned the building of churches in
Rome, Byzantium, & Palestine
• Christian worship began to change at this time
• Worship transitioned from small secret house
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liturgies to larger public liturgies
The liturgy became more organized & ritualized
Larger church structures were now needed
Built by Constantine at first then other Christians based off the pattern of
official Roman buildings known as basilicas
St. Peter’s & St. Paul’s in Rome & Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem
Article 11: Constantine and the Edict of Milan cont.
• Constantine defeated Licinius in 324 a.d. & moved the capital to Byzantium
& named it New Rome (people named it Constantinople after his death) as
Emperor; today Istanbul, Turkey
• Empire was divided into two major centers
• Led to two major centers of Christianity that developed two distinct liturgical
& architectural styles
• Eventually would lead to two distinct but related sets of beliefs & government
• Both styles conveyed the transcendence of God
• East: large dome representing the heavens with altar behind an iconostasis;
focused on the Parousia & God’s Kingdom
• West: long tall naves, 2 or 4 vaulted aisles, with an semicircular apse at one end,
eventually trancepts would form the shape of a cross; focused on sacrifice on the
visible altar
• Both styles are essentially the same & accidentally complementary
• St. Helena, Calvary hill, temple of Aphrodite, true cross, Holy Sepulcher
(dedicated 14 Sept 335 a.d.), Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, &
arrow prayer “We adore you…”
You Tube Video: The Legalization of
Christianity
• The Conversion of Constantine
Homework
• Read AA. 12-13
• Section 1, Part 4 review question 1
Article 12: The Fathers of the Church
• The Edict of Milan moved the Church from the Apologetical to the Patristic
Period like the apologists had done for the Apostolic Period
• Define Fathers of the Church
• Tertullian (160-220 a.d) and Origen (182-254 a.d.) initiated
• Western Dates— to Isidore of Seville +636 a.d.
• Eastern Dates— to John Damascene +780 a.d.
• Topics: Scripture, Tradition, papacy, doctrine, liturgy, praxis
• Requirements: theologically bounded, holiness, approved by Church
• Not required but many were bishops—official teachers
• Conclusion: shaped the very Tradition of the Church they are a part of
• Some are given the special title Doctor of the Church—define & examples
• St. Athanasius (297-373)
• Alexandria, North Africa bishop
• Opposed Alexandrian priest Arius (250-336) & his heresy of Arianism—define
• Upheld Council of Nicaea (325); wrote Athanasian Creed—one being & substance
• Also wrote “On the Incarnation” & “The Life of Anthony” (of the desert)
Article 12: The Fathers of the Church cont.
• St. Basil the Great (330-379)
• Also opposed Arianism by supporting Nicaea
• Wrote theological works but especially practical works about
caring for the poor & the first rule for eastern monasticism
• Father Christmas in the East
• St. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390)
• Archbishop of Constantinople
• Classically trained philosopher & orator; Hellenism
• Famous for writings on the doctrine of Trinity
• St. Ambrose (339-397)
• Fought Arianism & paganism as bishop of Milan
• Promoted Church authority to the displeasure of Theodosius I
• Brought the Greek Fathers to the West
• Wrote “On the Duties of the Clergy” & “On the Sacraments”
• Partly responsible for converting St. Augustine
Article 12: The Fathers of the Church cont.
• St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
• Perhaps best known Father & Doctor of the Church
• Early life focused on pleasure & the search for truth
• Monica, Plato, Ambrose, & God led him to baptism in 387 by Ambrose
• Totally dedicated to God—lived like a monk & wrote prolifically
• Ordained priest in Hippo, North Africa in 391 & bishop a few years later
• Wrote “Confessions”, “City of God”, “On Grace”, “On Original Sin”, & more
• St. Jerome (347-420)
• Eremitical monk from Rome; founded a monastery
in Bethlehem in 386
• Translated the bible from Greek & Hebrew into
Latin—the Vulgate
• Still the Church’s official translation—working
on a new edition of the Vulgate
Article 12: The Fathers of the Church cont.
• St. John Chrysostom (349-407)
• Succeeded Gregory Nazianzus as archbishop of Constantinople
• Denounced abuse of authority & supported reform of the Church & State
• Lived austere & was a forceful preacher—golden mouthed to ordinary Christians
• One of Three Eastern & Orthodox Holy Hierarchs
• St. Leo the Great (440-461)
• Pope during politically turbulent; Rome had fallen & West about to
• Increased the authority of the Church/papacy in the West over Emperor
• Authority from XT to Peter to popes to bishops—emperor no jurisdiction
• Wrote “Tome” which defended Christ’s one person but two natures—Chalcedon 451
• St. Gregory the Great (590-604)
• Established papal authority in temporal affairs; leadership void of West
• Relief for poor, schools, seminaries, liturgical reforms, calendar, Rome
• Missionaries to Germanic Angles & Saxons in “England”
• Wrote “Dialogues” & is one of the greatest Father, Doctor, & Pope
You Tube Videos: Age of the Fathers
• Fathers and Doctors of
the Church
• Ecumenical Councils
A. 13: Church Councils and Doctrinal Development
• Freedom from persecution afforded followers of Christ the leisure to
start clarifying the beliefs and teachings (doctrine) of the Church
• Trinity, Jesus’s person & nature, Mary’s relationship to Christ, etc…
• Not everyone agreed at first so disputes & even heresies &
schisms ensued during the 4th & 5th century & beyond
• Church dealt with primarily through Ecumenical Councils
• 1) The Council of Nicaea (325 a.d.)
• Convened in Nicaea by Constantine not far from new capital New Rome
• Also ordered Arius’ books burned
• First Ecumenical Council—define; why not Jerusalem (49-50)?
• Addressed the issue of Arius & Arianism—only God can redeem us
• 300 bishops gathered to denounce Arius & develop a creed—Nicene
• Finished & promulgated at Constantinople in 381
• Emphasized Jesus divine nature--“begotten” & “consubstantial”
• Arianism had spread far & wide so would not relent easily
A. 13: Church Councils and Doctrinal Development cont.
• 2) The Council of Constantinople (381 a.d.)
• Athanasius & Ambrose upheld Nicaea & fought Arius after council
• Council was convened in capital not far from Nicaea to confirm the
teachings of Nicaea & Jesus’ full divinity & added city as Patriarch
• Combatted the Macedonians by affirming the divine nature of the H.S.
• Not stated by Nicaea so door to HS being Son’s creation & servant of the
Father
• 3) The Council of Ephesus (431 a.d.)
• Convened by Theodosius II in South Western Asia Minor
• Partiarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, rejected the Marian title
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Theotokos in favor of the title Christotokos
Gave rise to Nestorianism—Mary gave birth to Jesus not the Logos
Split Jesus into two persons—divine & human
Affirmed Jesus is one divine person with two natures—human & divine
Affirmed Mary is Theotokos & Christotokos
A. 13: Church Councils and Doctrinal Development cont.
• 4) The Council of Chalcedon (451 a.d.)
• Convened by Pope Leo I (the Great) across the river from Constantinople
• Developed the hypostatic union which clarified & developed Ephesus
• Some eastern church communities began separating due to Chalcedon
• Oriental Orthodoxy—Armenia, Syria, Coptic (Egypt), & Ethiopian
• St. Ephrem, Father (306-373) affirmed hypostatic union
• Decided Rome 1st & Constantinople 2nd in authority; added Jerusalem
• Punish/replace Syria & Alexandria for leaving but Leo I upset
• Emperor in East fiddle in Church more through weak Patriarchs in Constantinople
• 6 centuries of disputes would ensue before final break in 11th century
• Pope in Rome head of Latin or Roman or Western Christianity
• Emperor/Patriarch in Constantinople head of Eastern Christianity/Orthodoxy
• Theology & complicated history of Patriarchs & patriarchates
• Church’s duty of protecting the faith is ongoing process from Nicaea to
Vatican II(1962-65: Church & Modern World) & into future
• Ecumenical ongoing problem in itself—West accepts 21, East 7, & Orient 3
Homework
• Section 1, Part 4 review questions 2-3 and
6-7 (4-5 are from A. 14 and 6-7 are from A.
13 for some reason?)
• You DO NOT have to read A. 14 for
homework as you will be reading this in
class tomorrow
A. 14: The Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West
• Roman Empire flourished from 27 b.c. to 324 a.d. but
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began to decline in the fourth century & fell in the fifth
• Mediterranean = center of learning, culture,
comfort, & military supremacy
Constantine moved capital to East in 324 so East grew in power &
influence but West began to stagnate and decline
• Corrupt & ineffective emperors & barbarian invasions complicated
In 395, Theodosius I died—last strong emperor, followers were weak
• Social & moral decay, weak military, expanding empire, economic
hardships = empire vulnerable to barbarian
raids that had been ongoing
Rome sacked in 410 by Germanic Visigoths
“City of God” by Augustine
Rome falls in 455 & the West in 476—
Romulus Augustus to Odaecer
A. 14: The Collapse of the Roman Empire of the West cont.
• Byzantine Empire (476-1453 a.d.)
• Good start with strong Emperor Justinian (527-565 a.d.)
• Pushed back barbarians from North Africa, Spain, & Italy to partially
restore the Western Empire; reformed & codified Roman law that would lead to
European law, commissioned Hagia Sophia around Constantine’s burial chamber
• Byzantine culture flourished
• Weak leaders followed who widened gap between East & West
• Byzantine Empire fell in in 1453 to Ottoman Turks
• Church began to fill the vacuum of leadership in the West through tough,
intelligent, & courageous popes such as Gregory & Leo
• Stable institution who had history of caring for the poor; organized in Rome
• Supported by noble Roman Christians & Church owned farms
• Also began to educate clergy through schools; laity were also welcome
• Pope Leo the (I) Great
• Stood up to attacks to Church’s belief’s & Roman Empire in the West
to shape the papacy into a force of Western leadership
• Mediated peace between Roman governors & with Attila the Hun
• Doctor of the Church for teaching on Church authority & natures of Christ
You Tube Videos: Church Leadership
• Pope Leo the Great
• The Fall of Rome
Homework
• Section 1, Part 4 review
questions 4-5 (4-5 are
from A. 14 and 6-7 are
from A. 13 for some reason?)
• Make sure the Section 1, Part 4 review
questions are ready to turn in tomorrow
• Study for the Section 1, Part 4 quiz
tomorrow