1. Lecture 5: Ministry from Jesus Christ
Dr. Ann T. Orlando
24 Feb 2017

2. Outline Key texts from New Testament: Matthew and John
Cyprian of Carthage
Early controversies
Importance of See of Rome
Assignments

3. Matthew and John
Most Church Fathers placed greatest emphasis on Gospels of Matthew and John
Both were understood as immediate followers of Jesus
Luke and Mark were understood to be disciples of Paul and Peter, respectively
Matthew and John were most often used liturgically
More extensive commentaries on these two Gospels

4. Importance of Apostolic Succession
2nd C evidence found in works already read in Patristics
Ignatius of Antioch, letters to various cities
Irenaeus, Prescription Against Heretics
Importance of Rome

5. Letters in Antiquity Private (grammaton/litterae)
See Gregory Nazianzus Letter 51 “To Nicoboulos”
Such letters should be brief, clear, and graceful
Private-Public (epistole/epistula)
Letter of instruction (I Clement)
Scholarly treatise (Origen On Prayer)
Letter from heaven (Book of Revelation)
Official
Synodal letters
Festal letters
Papal decree (usually a respondum)

6. Decian Persecutions
First Empire-wide persecutions promulgated by Emperor Decius, 250
Political instability within Empire
Increased threats from Persia and Northern barbarians
Required that everyone offer sacrifice for the Empire;
Required that everyone show their libellus (little book) or certificate to prove that they offered sacrifice
Required that Christians hand over their sacred books to be burned
Anyone who did not comply was condemned to death as a traitor

7. St. Cyprian Teacher of Rhetoric before his conversion c. 248
Almost immediately, he was elected bishop of Carthage
Tertullian was a major influence on him
During Decian persecutions, he fled Carthage, but remained in contact with the Church there
Martyred in persecutions of Valerian, 257 (as was Novation)
St. Cyprian will be a major influence on the greatest of Western theologians: Augustine

8. Cyprian’s Works De Lapsi (Concerning the Lapsed)
Written 251
Supported Cornelius (over Novation) as Bishop of Rome
Specified types of lapsed and length of repentance required for each. Example: those who lapsed under torture had least time of repentance
De catholicae ecclesiai unitate (On the Unity of the Catholic Church)
Written in 251 in support of Cornelius
Key is Chapter 4 on primacy of Peter, although there are 2 versions of this chapter
Letters
81 survive from third century

9. Novation Roman priest, opposed election of Pope Cornelius in 251
Thought Cornelius too lax in re-admitting lapsed (lapsi) Christians back into Church
Set himself up as a rival Pope, drawing support from around Empire, especially from Montanists
Driving force opposing Novation: St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage

10. St. Cyprian and Re-Baptism
As noted above, Cyprian accepted lapsed into the Church with appropriate penance
However, he did not recognize the validity of Baptism by heretics or schismatics
This put him in conflict with Pope Stephen; the Roman Church seems to have always recognized Baptism by anyone as long as water and the Trinitarian formula were used
Cyprian thought the orthodoxy and validity of the minister was important in administering the sacrament
Note, Cyprian also opposed the forgiveness of sins by martyrs (libelli martyrum) for the same reason: the validity of the minister
Cyprian, and many others, wanted Christians Baptized by heretics to be re-Baptized (see Letter 74 Against Stephen)
Pope St. Stephen prevailed

11. Cyprian and Relation of Deacons to Bishop
Letter 3
Emphasis on deacons as subservient to bishops
Argument in part based on selection of apostles (and therefore subsequent bishops) by Christ
But Apostles (bishops) chose deacons
Bishop can depose or excommunicate an ‘unruly’ deacon

12. Augustine Letter 53, written 398 Peter as first in order of bishops
Type of ‘synodal’ letter from multiple bishops in North Africa
Written to instruct a Donatist priest and encourage unity with Catholic Church
Peter as first in order of bishops
Gives line of succession to his present day
Importance of Scripture

13. Origen: Levites and Melchizedek Revisited
Commentary on John’s Gospel
Book I gives an introduction
Begins with who alone (Christ) is a priest according to Melchizedek, and who according to Aaron
What is a gospel
Importance of John’s Gospel

14. Assignments Cyprian of Carthage, Letter 51: “To Cornelius”
_____Letter 63: “To Cecil”
_____On the Unity of the Catholic Church, available at txt
_____ Letter 3: “To Rogatian” on Deacons
Augustine, ”Letter 53”
Origen, Commentary on John’s Gospel, I.1-14
Prepare Paper #5