PM 1 Lesson 3 Discussion: Church

Models in History
Christianity can be traced to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-
occupied Jewish Palestine about 30 CE. The Church holds that Jesus
established his disciple St. Peter as the first pope of the  church (Matthew
16:18).
Now the Church has been existing for almost 2,000 years ago. To discuss
about the history of the Church requires a lot of time so we can arrive at an
exact detail on the major events that occurred from the moment of its very
existence. Our time, however, does permit us to do so. What we can do is
focus on some highlights of those that happened within the Church at a certain
period of time. We base our discussion on the different models of the History
of the Church.
 
1st: Small Communities of Love and Sharing (33-100AD  or 1st century)
The Church was established by Jesus Himself a short moment before He died.
The gospel of St. Matthew (Mt.16:18) records the detail in which Jesus
entrusted His Church upon Peter as the first leader. The 12 apostles where the
very first believers of Jesus, thus, the first members of this so called
Christianity. 
Right after the death Jesus, the apostles were so afraid of the Roman
authorities. They met in a closed door to celebrate the Eucharist that which
Jesus first celebrated during the Last Supper. They had to continue that certain
celebration because Jesus told them to do so: "Then he took a piece of bread,
gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body,
which is given for you. Do this in memory of me'.” (Luke 22:19)
After 50 days of Jesus' resurrection, the Pentecost happened.
When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers were gathered together in one
place. Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind
blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what
looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. They
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages,
as the Spirit enabled them to speak. There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious
people who had come from every country in the world. When they heard this noise,
a large crowd gathered. They were all excited, because each one of them
heard the believers speaking in his or her own language. (Acts 2:1-6)
It was the beginning of the Church. The apostles no longer stayed in closed
room, but came to an open place and started preaching about the Good News.
A lot of people were converted to Christianity. 
From year 33-100AD, the model of the Church during this time is called Small
Communities of Love and Sharing. Why? This is best described in the Acts of
the Apostles as follows:
Many miracles and wonders were being done through the apostles, and everyone
was filled with awe. All the believers continued together in close fellowship and
shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and
possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one
needed. Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals
together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and
enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their
group those who were being saved. (Acts 2:43-47)
The first Christians were just Small Communities who share their belongings.
They were filled with joy. This is how the first Christian communities lived. This
must be a perfect community. But this Church model lasted only until year
100AD.
 
2nd: Church of Martyrs (100-300AD or 2nd to 4th century)
The word "martyr" means - a person who is killed because of their religious
beliefs.
The persecution of Christians was already happening at the early beginning of
the Church. St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. He died around 36AD.
Saul, who was later converted to Christianity with the Christian name Paul was
responsible for the death of St. Stephen. 
The persecution continued specially in 64AD where all Christians in Rome
were arrested and being put into prison. St. Peter and St. Paul were among
those who died during this time under Nero, the emperor of Rome.
In the year 100AD, martyrdom is now the model of the Church. This model is
best described in three ways:

 Dying oneself for the sake of Faith

 Christians were happy to die for Christ
 The Church, the more continued to increase in number as members were
being persecuted

 
Please click the link below so you can watch this short video on the early Christian
martyrs.
This will be one of the basis for our next quiz and maybe part of our prelim
exam.
Please watch and read the lines that every martyr is saying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4flJAgVzKw  (Links to an external site.)

 
There is another and a more detailed video on how the early Christians were
being persecuted.
Please watch ONLY the first 8 minutes of this video. The next pictures afters
after 8 minutes is no longer part of our discussion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPzvDrskhuQ&bpctr=1613015212 (Links

to an external site.)
 
The early Christians faced different kinds of brutal executions, depending on
the style of every emperor who elevates in the position.
The persecution lasted for 200 years, until such time that the Emperor himself
was converted to Christianity.
Hence, the Church model after 300AD is changed.
 
3rd: Institutional Church (300-400AD or 4th to 5th century)
What does "Institutional Church" mean?

1. An institution is an established public organization. The term institutional

church refers to organized groups of professing Christians who meet in
designated time and place.
2. Institutional Church - belief systems and rituals are systematically
arranged and formally established. The Church at this time is typically
characterized by an official doctrine or dogma,
a hierarchical or bureaucratic leadership structure, and
a codification of rules and practices.

Constantine became the Western emperor in 312 and the only Roman

emperor in 324.  Constantine's mother, Helena, exposed him to Christianity.
He was, then, the first emperor to adhere to Christianity. Writing
to Christians, Constantine made clear that he believed that he owed his successes to
the protection of the High God alone. He issued an edict of Milan in 313 that
protected Christians and declared that Christianity is legal and converted to
Christianity on his deathbed in 337.
Christianity began to transition to the dominant religion of the Roman
Empire. Constantine's decision to cease the persecution of Christians in the
Roman Empire was a turning point for early Christianity, sometimes referred to as
the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church or the Constantinian shift.
With this, the Church started to acquire its power. Constantine donated a lot of
properties to the Church. He transferred authority over Rome and the western part of
the Roman Empire to the Pope.
The Church is now focused on structuring, organizing, engaging in commerce and
businesses.
 
4th: Monastic Church (500-800AD or 4th to 7th century)
A group of Barbarians from Europe descended to Rome. They were no read no
write people. The Church taught them livelihood and formed them a certain
community where their focus is on work and prayer. They are called
Monks. Evangelization, then, at this time was to meet the needs of the people.
 
5th: Christendom Church (6th-13th  C.)
The word “Christendom” means "Political Christian World"

 The Church is now possessed with power

 The Pope crowns the emperor
 Popes are sponsoring exploration, organize crusades and colonization
 The Church amassed wealth
 Corruption entered the Church
 The persecuted Church before is now the persecutor

 
The majority of the population was Christian, and “Christian” at this time
meant “Catholic” as there was initially no other form of that religion. 
The rampant corruption of the Church during this time gave rise to reformers
such as John Wycliffe (1330-1384) and Jan Hus (1369-1415) and religious
sects, condemned as heresies by the Church, such as the Bogomils
and Cathars, among many others. Even so, the Church maintained its power
and exercised enormous influence over people's daily lives from the king on his
throne to the peasant in the field.
The Church regulated and defined an individual's life, literally, from birth
to death and was thought to continue its hold over the person's soul in the
afterlife. The Church was the manifestation of God's will and presence on
earth, and its dictates were not to be questioned. 
A dramatic blow to the power of the Church came in the form of pandemic of
1347-1352. During this time, the people began to doubt the power of the
clergy. Even so, the Church repeatedly crushed dissent, silenced reformers
until the Protestant Reformation in 1517-1648 which broke the Church's
power and allowed for greater freedom of thought and religious expression.
 
Martin Luther, German, Augustinian Monk.
Martin Luther took a stand against the papal actions. He condemned the
excesses and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, especially the papal
practice of asking payment—called “indulgences”—for the forgiveness of
sins. On October 31, 1517, he composed his Disputation on the
Power of Indulgences, better known as the Ninety-Five Theses.
He argued that the practice of relying on indulgences drew believers away
from the one true source of salvation: faith in Christ.
The Church commanded him to be silent, but he refused, however, and in
1521 Pope Leo X formally excommunicated Luther from the Catholic
Church. That same year, Luther again refused to recant his writings before the
Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Germany, who issued the famous Edict of
Worms declaring Luther an outlaw and a heretic. Protected by Prince
Frederick, Luther began working on a German translation of the Bible, a task
that took 10 years to complete.
 
6th: Protestant Revolt vs. Katoliko-sarado Church (16th century)
The term “Protestant” first appeared in 1529, when Charles V revoked a
provision that allowed the ruler of each German state to choose whether they
would enforce the Edict of Worms. A number of princes and other supporters
of Luther issued a protest, declaring that their allegiance to God trumped their
allegiance to the emperor. They became known to their opponents as
Protestants; gradually this name came to apply to all who believed the Church
should be reformed, even those outside Germany. By the time Luther died, of
natural causes, in 1546, his revolutionary beliefs had formed the basis for the
Protestant Reformation, which would over the next three centuries
revolutionize Western civilization.

 The Protestants attacked the Church: its creed, code, and cult.
 They rebelled against the Pope
 They removed the Mass, burn statues, and even ridiculed our devotion
to Mary

 
Katoliko-sarado Church
The Church during this time is left without a choice but to defend herself. 

 Defensive Church
 Counter-reformation
 The Church imposed strict rules: Catholics must not associate with
protestants