The Early Christians

 The first Christians had to endure some of the worst persecutions that the Church would experience.  Yet Christians proposed a radically new vision of human life, where its morality demanded that the believer make difficult choices concerning his witness to Jesus Christ and on vital issues that effected daily life.

 Guiding them through it all were the words and life of Christ, along with the sacraments, both of which were transmitted to them through the Apostles.  The challenges that these first Christians had to deal with in the first three hundred years of Christianity in many ways resemble the challenges we face as Christians in the 21st century.

Beliefs and Practices: The Spiritual Life of the Early Christians

1. Baptism a) A believer is forgiven of original and personal sin, begins a new life in Christ, and is incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ.

b)Initially, adult converts were baptized freely, but gradually the catechumenate develops. i.Catechumens (those being instructed) ii.Lasted Two Years; baptized at Easter Vigil Service c)Gradually, by the Middle Ages the catechumenate fell into disuse, as there were fewer adult converts; the time for instruction was shortened to 10 weeks and received any time of the year c)Gradually, by the Middle Ages the catechumenate fell into disuse, as there were fewer adult converts; the time for instruction was shortened to 10 weeks and received any time of the year.

e)The program was restored at Vatican II for adult converts and is the standard preparation today in most parishes (RCIA).

f) Infant baptism became common practice by the third century, if not before. g) Advantages to infant baptism are 1. original sin is forgiven, 2. the child is incorporated into the Body of Christ. 3. the baptismal character imprinted on the soul renders the infant a child of God who now shares in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. 4. the child receives a special grace through which he may grow more fully in Christ.

2.Agape and the Eucharist – a) “love”- refers to an early Christian religious meal that was at first closely related to the celebration of the Eucharist and often preceded this celebration.

b)The ritual of the Mass develops gradually over time, with readings from the Bible, singing of hymns, common prayers, and then the celebration of the Eucharist b)The ritual of the Mass develops gradually over time, with readings from the Bible, singing of hymns, common prayers, and then the celebration of the Eucharist.

c) Eucharist (thanksgiving) i.the central act of worship for the Church ii.where Christians received the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the true Body and Blood of Christ, under the appearance of bread and wine.

3.Churches a)Christians generally worshipped together in private homes, or in the catacombs (see p. 67); 4.It is not until the Edict of Milan (313 AD) that churches begin to be built.

5.Holy Days a) Originally, the first Christians kept the Sabbath (Saturday) holy. b) Gradually, Sunday became the day of Sabbath for Christians, being the day of the Resurrection of Christ and the day of Pentecost. c) Wednesdays (the day of Christ’s betrayal) and Fridays (the day of His death) were days of fasting and penance.

1. The Papacy a) historical sources indicate that the authority of the Bishop of Rome was the supreme authority in all Church matters from the earliest days of the Church. b) For example, The First Epistle of St. Clement I, St. Ignatius of Antioch’s Epistle to the Romans, and the writings of St. Irenaeus.

2.The Episcopacy a) refers to the bishops who were appointed by the Apostles to succeed them; they would administer the sacraments, teach the people, and administer the running of the local Church community.

3. The Priesthood a) “priest” comes from the Greek “presbyter”; b) church elders who along with the deacons helped the bishop in the running of the local Church c) there is evidence that they were celebrating the Mass by the second century.

1.Monotheism a) Christians were often at odds with their polytheistic, pagan neighbors of the Roman Empire. b) There could be no compromise on this issue of one God; they therefore rejected all acts of sacrifice and public ritual which acknowledged pagan belief.

c)This led many Christians to suffer greatly for their faith, even to the point of martyrdom, dying for the faith, particularly after the Edict of Nero, making Christianity illegal.

2.Scripture: a) First centuries of Christianity i.there was no set book for Christian doctrine; ii.the Bible was actually a number of separate books and letters, along with the Torah. b) It was also during this time that a number of books written by heretical groups were written to promote their own view of Christ, i.Ex. ~ the Infancy Gospel of Thomas written by the Gnostics.

c)Beginning of the 5th century i. formal list or “canon” of Scripture was established d)Not until the Council of Trent in 1546 that this list was considered definitive.

e) The early Christians never considered the Scriptures to have authority apart from the interpretation of the Church through her hierarchy, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. f) Here we see the importance of the Church’s Tradition which helps understand and interpret the Scriptures.

3.Slavery and Christianity: a) The teachings of Christ on the dignity of every human gradually will undermine the practice of slavery. b) Many of the first Christians themselves were slaves yet were treated as equals by their fellow Christians; the first three popes after Peter (Linus, Anacletus, and Clement) were former slaves.

4.Non-Violence: a) Differing opinions on serving in the Roman army. b) Some writers seemed to discourage it, while others outright condemned it.

c) Many early Christians did serve in the Roman army and are recognized as saints, such as St. Maurice, d) Over the centuries the Church has developed a “just war theory”, developed by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.

5.The Just War Theory – 3 Criteria a) Must be declared by a legitimate authority, not by private groups or individuals. b) It must be waged for a just cause like protecting innocent life or preserving conditions necessary to basic human life. c) It must be waged for the right intention, not for vengeance, cruelty or power.

6.Other criteria were added later. a) must be the last resort; all other avenues to peace must have been tried. b) The means used to win must be moral.

7.The State a) Followed all the just laws laid down by the state. b) The Christians would not compromise in what would go against their commitment to Christ, (polytheism & emperor worship).

8. Money Matters a) Christians tended to the material needs of the whole Christian community, engaging in education, medical care, and the distribution of alms to the poor. b) Forbidden from practicing usury (charging excessive interest on a loan).

9.Sexual Ethics a) Early Christians rejected practices which were common in Roman culture at this time: abortion, infanticide, and the use of contraception (see p. 81).

10. Women a) In Roman and Greek cultures, women were seen as inferior to men in all areas. b) Christianity greatly improves the position of women. c) Many of the great saints and martyrs of the early Church were women, and the most venerated person after Jesus was the Blessed Virgin Mary.

11. Family Life (domestic church) a) where the ideal of Christian charity took its roots, and where love and service form its base b)this contrasted with the pagan culture’s approach to the family where women and children were treated as property.

Important Writings of the Early Christian Period

1.“Apostolic Father” a)the earliest Christian writers who came immediately after the Apostles, b)some have direct links to either the Apostles themselves or the communities the Apostles founded. c)special witnesses of the faith and give the Church a record of the beliefs and practices of the earliest Christians.

1. “Apologetics” a)theology that defends and explains Christianity; from the Greek “apologia” meaning “defense”. 2. Apologists of the early period of the Church would have to face three groups which raised objections to Christianity a)Judaism, Gnosticism, and Pagansim

3. Most of the apologists of this time were merely explaining Christian practices to a culture which viewed them with suspicion. a)EX ~ St. Justin Martyr

1. The Didache (Teaching) a) known as The Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles b) it is an important work which covers early Christian views on moral life, Baptism, fasting, prayer, the Eucharist, and the developing Christian hierarchy.

2. Tertullian: a) One of the greatest early apologists, who argued that far from Christianity being a threat to the Empire, were actually a great asset to it b) left the Church to join the Montanist heresy.

3.St. Hippolytus and The Apostolic Tradition a) he gives us a lot of information on the early rituals of the Church, particularly the sacraments.

Martyrdom as the Greatest Testimony to Christianity

1. The word “martyr” means “witness”. 2. The majority of martyrs were average people who experienced the normal fears of the pain and suffering they would have to endure.

3.The martyrs would become great witnesses to the faith, who amidst the ridicule and sadistic pleasure of the crowds in their suffering, would face their death with great peace, joy, and faithfulness, often leading bystanders to conversion. 4.Christians saw martyrdom as an honor and privilege, and ultimately a gift from God, for it was seen as the surest way of entering heaven