An Overview of Church History


I. DEFINITION OF THE CHURCH - (Ekklesia) - is the divine organization founded by our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation and sanctification of the faithful - guided by the Holy Spirit in order to achieve this end.

II. THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH - 30 A.D. The Day of Pentecost. (Acts: Chapter 2) "Once and forever, in the mystery of Pentecost, the Spirit-Comforter enters into the world in which He was not yet present in such manner as He is now." George Florovsky.

III. BIBLICAL BASIS FOR EPISCOPAL AUTHORITY

A.) Matt 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered in My name,  I am there in the midst of them" *The authority claimed from a synod is derived from Christ’s presence, through the Holy Spirit.

IV. THE APOSTOLIC SYNODS

A.) The replacing of Judas with Mattias: Acts 1:24 "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two, You have chosen."

B.) SYNOD OF JERUSALEM-50 A.D. (Acts 15)

1.) The Issue of Circumcision: * For St. Paul’s’ view see: Romans 3:30 and Ephesians 2:11

a.) The Book of Acts: The Pentecostal Church

  • Chs. 1-5: The Church of Jerusalem
  • Chs. 6-12: The Good News begins to spread in the world of the Diaspora
  • Chs. 13-28: Christianity spreads to the Gentile world

  • 70 A.D. and onward

     

V. TWO RESULTS OF THE COUNCILS

1.) The Christian Church became the Universal Church (Gentiles & Jews)

2.) Apostolic Council set the precedent for Church leaders to come together collectively

 

 
VI. THE BIBLICAL HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH

A.) The Bishop - (Episkopos in the original Greek, not "elder" )

I Tim. 3:1 "If a man desires the position of a Bishop (not "elder") he desires a good work."

B.) The Priest - (Presbyters in the original Greek, not "elder")

I Tim. 5:17 "Let the presbyters (not elders) who rule well be considered worthy of double honor."

C.) The Deacon - (Diakonos of diakonos) I Tim. 3:8-9  "Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience."

D.) The Role of the Bishop

1.) To safeguard unity in his community between all ministries.

2.) To safeguard Apostolic Succession linking each community with the generation before it; by offering the Eucharist and administering the local Church community.

E.) The Ordination of the Laity

1.) Through baptism and confirmation the laity is ordained to their own charismatic ministries. They exist together with the other orders.

CRITERIA FOR A COUNCIL TO BE ECUMENICAL (representing the entire Church)

1.) The number of Bishops

2.) All local Churches must be represented.

3.) Decisions of an Ecumenical Synod must be accepted by all Churches and by both the clergy and the laity.

4.) The conviction of the council itself:   Do they accept their affirmations?

5.) The issues discussed must concern the universal Church.

6.) The decisions must be accepted by the whole Church.

7.) The presence of Christ.

 

 
THE HISTORY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE

I. THE ORAL PERIOD ~ 33 AD-50 AD

II. THE WRITTEN PERIOD ~ 50 AD-100 AD

A.) The Epistles of St. Paul

III. THE GOSPELS

A.) Mark: 70 AD Matthew and Luke

B.) John: The end of the first century

IV. THE BIBLE IN ORTHODOXY

A.) "There emerges in Orthodox tradition the position that the Bible is the record if truth not the truth itself&ldots;according to the Church Fathers the Truth itself is God alone." Fr. Ted Stylianopoulos

V. HOLY TRADITION - "THE LIFE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH" LOSSKY A.) The Criticism of Orthodoxy: The Orthodox Church places Holy Tradition above or equal to Scripture

VI. THE TRADITIONS OF MEN

A.) Response: New Testament Study of the word, "Tradition"

1.) Mark 7:5-13 We agree- "no traditions of men."

2.) Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principle of the world, and not according to Christ" (We agree!)

VII. HOLY TRADITION OR APOSTOLIC TRADITION

 

A.) II Thess. 3:6 "Therefore brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by epistle."

B.) Traditions were not handed down but handed over to the Churches (II Tim.3:10-15). "Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned them[.]"

C.) Apostolic Tradition: delivered by the Apostles to the Churches which they founded.

 

 
1.) Ecumenical councils proclaimed the Holy Traditions of the Church.

2.) Theology and dogmatic beliefs-equal to scripture in authority.

IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DATES

 

  • 1821 The Greek Revolution against the Turks
  • 1864 First Greek Orthodox Parish in New Orleans
  • 1922 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Established
  • 1970 Standing Conference of all Orthodox Bishops in U.S. (SCOBA)