HERESY: THEN & NOW
Introduction
Christianity: The First Five Centuries
The Early Days (AD 0-100)
•• During
AD 30, the
Jesus’
first
crucifixion,
century, the
Church
Pentecost
begins. Followers of Jesus
begin
to spread
out into the
• slowly
AD 46-60,
Paul’s
missionary
world,
spurred on by the sacking
journeys
of Jerusalem in AD 70. The first
• AD 64, Nero blames fire in Rome
Christian communities were
on Christians, persecution erupts,
Jewish, and were considered so by
Peter and Paul martyred
the Roman Empire. However,
• after
AD 66-74,
First
Revolt,
the loss
ofJewish
Jerusalem,
the
Jerusalem
burned
(AD and
70) further
Church
drifted
further
• from
AD 93,
these
The roots
Book of
into
Revelation
a more
Gentile
writtenchurch.
Spreading Out (AD 100-250)
the second
and third
• During
Persecution
occurs during
this
period
between
90-138,spread
161-180,more
centuries,
the church
202-211,
235-236,
249-251
and more
into the
world, and
• suffered
AD 115-117,frequently
Second Jewish
fromRevolt
• persecution.
AD 117, IgnatiusThe
of Antioch
individual
martyred
communities were socially isolated
• and
AD 150,
Justin Martyr
shunned,
leadingfirst
them to have
describes
Christian
worshipidentity
a strong sense
of shared
• as
ADChristians.
185, Irenaeus
of Lyon writes
Churches
were
regarding
connectedApostolic
throughSuccession,
letter writing,
canon
ofon
Scripture
passing
texts, and
• communication
AD 200, Tertullianbetween
first to use
the
bishops.
term ‘trinity’
This period also sees the
• emergence
AD 249-251, Emperor
of canon,Decius
creed,orders
and
systematic persecution of
episcopacy.
Christians
Settling In (AD 250-350)
• After
Decius’the
persecution,
the
AD 303-305,
Great Persecution
church
enjoyed a time of stability
under Diocletian
and peace. Churches and
• cathedrals
AD 312, Constantine
battle of
were builtwins
openly,
Milvian
after vision
convertsBridge
were made,
and of Christ
met together
inChristianity
council
• bishops
AD 313, ‘Edict
of Milan’,
to
discuss
The
favored
bypressing
Emperorissues.
Constantine
church was also shifting from
• seeing
AD 325,itself
Council
Nicea of
meets
at
as aofsociety
saints
Constantine’s
to settle
to a school forinvitation
sinners. After
a
the
debate,revival
rules on
briefArian
and bloody
of Jesus’
divinity
usingChristianity
the word homoousios
persecution,
is
recognized and officially
tolerated by the Roman Empire.
The first Christian emperor sits
on the throne and the first
ecumenical council is called.
Church and Empire (AD 350-500)
• AD
Athanasius
The367,
Church
at thisformalizes
point the New
Testament
becomes increasingly
• AD 381, Council of Constantinople,
institutionalized
and
Arianism and Apollinarianism
rejected,
Nicene-Constantinople
Creed
Romanized,
and enjoys
the
formalized
benefits of being an
• AD 394, Christianity the official state
established
religion. Many
religion of Rome
seek the
to convert,
• people
AD 410, Alaric
Goth sacksfor
Rome
• many
AD 431,reasons.
Council ofSchism
Ephesus rejects
Pelagianism
and
Nestorianism
continues to
threaten
the
• church.
AD 451, Council
of Chalcedon
rejects
The
Roman
Empire
Monophysitism
increasingly
• becomes
AD 455, Vandals
sack Rome
itsthe
borders
until it
• harassed
AD 440-461,on
Leo
Great asserts
papal
authoritythe Church on its
falls, leaving
• own
AD 476,
Western
Roman Empire
in the
a new
world.
collapses
What is Heresy?
• Heresy is a deficient understanding of the Christian faith that,
although at one time may have seemed acceptable, is later shown to
erode the core of the faith of the church.
• Not unbelief
• Not outside attack on Christianity
• It arises from within the church
Why Did Heresy Arise?
• Early uncertainty over which resources were to be regarded as
authoritative by all Christian communities
• Diversity concerning aspects of the Christian faith within the
documents that would later be gathered together as the New
Testament
• Divergent interpretations of these documents, leading to different
ways of thinking emerging within the Christian church
• Diversity of patterns within early Christian worship
• An inability to enforce uniformity
• Taken from Alister McGarth, Heresy, 46-47