Untitled Sermon (7)
The decree says that Christ is:
truly God and truly man
This council also decreed that the bishop of Constantinople was due all of the rights and powers bestowed upon the bishop of Rome. That as Rome ruled the West, Constantinople would rule the East.
The doctrine of Eutychus, that after the incarnation Christ had only one nature, continued after its official condemnation. This is true of all of the decisions of councils. It is impossible to change ideas through legislation. The councils accomplished nothing except to draw up a statement that might help in clarifying thinking.
It is impossible to change ideas through legislation. The councils accomplished nothing except to draw up a statement that might help in clarifying thinking.
The doctrine of Eutychus was called Monophysitism.
Monophysitism. (Mono, one; Physis, nature).
called Monophysitism
This theory so disturbed the churches in the East and persisted to such a degree that the Emperor Justinian called a council to meet in Constantinople in 553. At this time the bishops strongly condemned this theory. Before the decision was finally reached, however, the bishop of Rome as well as the Emperor and other influential leaders had changed opinions several times.
Emperor Justinian
Emperor Justinian
Constantinople
553
strongly condemned this theory.
(Mono, one; Physis, nature)
As Monophysitism had declared that the divine nature of Christ made inactive His human nature, there arose a companion theory that Christ had only a divine will. This is known as Monotheletism (Mono, one; Thelma, will). Those holding this view taught that although Christ had two natures, He had only one personality and only one will. If He had two wills He would have been two persons.
Monotheletism (Mono, one; Thelma, will).
He would have been two persons.
678
Poganatus
678
Poganatus
The idea that Christ had two wills was sustained by the council, and those who said Christ had only one will were condemned.
The chief reason for the Nicaean council of 787 was to settle a disturbance over the use of images in the church. This is known as the “iconoclastic controversy.”
“icon”
“iconoclastic controversy.”
An “icon” was a representation of a true historical person. It is believed that this type of Christian art began in Syria. One of the favorite subjects was the crucified Christ. Constantia, the sister of Constantine, wrote Eusebius and asked that he send her an “image of Christ.” Eusebius was shocked at this and wrote back that images were forbidden by the Law, that they were unknown in the churches and that to have such would be to follow pagan idolatry. He went on to say that Christians have the living Christ and do not need artificial images of Him.
From the fourth century, images and pictures came into use as teaching aids. As the study of the Bible itself declined, icons were relied upon to a greater extent.
As the study of the Bible itself declined, icons were relied upon to a greater extent.
The crucifix came into use as an aid to worship and as superstition developed these icons took on a special significance for the ignorant. People began to fondle and kiss them and bow down before them in the same way that pagans were doing before their idols.
The emperors were alarmed at this situation, but the bishops of the West, especially the pope, favored the use of the icons. They became an important part of the Roman Catholic religion eventually.
They became an important part of the Roman Catholic religion eventually.
John, bishop of Damascus, defended the use of images and said that God was in the images in the same way that Christ was in the Lord’s Supper and that the image is an actual representation of the Invisible. He believed that the common people could not visualize Christ apart from a material representation.
The emperor, however, by imperial edict cleared the churches in the East of their images. This was no sooner done than word of it reached Pope Gregory III in Rome. The pope took immediate action, and in 731 excommunicated the emperor and all church officials who would not restore the images.
754
Constantine VI
Constantine VI
754
The council restored the images to the churches but said worship should be given to God alone and the images could receive no more than veneration.
As was to be expected, this council did not solve the problem
Finally, in 860 a Council at Constantinople decreed that the images should be “worshipped with the same honor as the books of the holy gospels.”
“worshipped with the same honor as the books of the holy gospels.”
holy gospels.”
These councils reflect the confusion which arose when men tried to harmonize human philosophy and Christianity. The councils settled no problems and each controversy had to wear itself out in time. The writing of creeds, which was meant to bring unity, forced open division and crystallized the differences. No decisions were made without lengthy discussion. At times the decision was adopted by a very small majority and that obtained by the power of eloquence in one individual. With the same eloquence on the opposite side of the question the decision, condemned as heresy, might have been praised as orthodoxy. If the controversy over images had come to the front while emperors dominated the councils rather than later after the pope had gained power, one wonders how much difference it would have made in the development of Romanism.
The increase of heresy led the bishops to desire more centralization of authority and a set pattern of doctrine. The New Testament was recognized as authoritative, but they believed it needed an authoritarian interpretation.
authoritarian interpretation
authoritarian interpretation
The word Catholic began to be used in the second century. Its primary meaning is “universal.” The church from the beginning was the universal church of Christ. In this sense it may still correctly be called Catholic.
The word Catholic
SACERDOTALISM
The New Testament teaches that Christ is the only mediator between God and man.
man
soon a priestly class was developed and the priests began to do things for the common Christians that, they were told, they could not do for themselves. This was not only a retrogression to Jewish days but was also a compromise with paganism. If the ministers were to be priests they had to interpret the items of worship in such a way as to give themselves special functions and to justify their position.
The priestly idea grew up with the episcopacy
The priestly idea grew up with the episcopacy. The administration of the Lord’s Supper and baptism became the sole privilege of the bishop. As the bishop enlarged his responsibilities he authorized elders to perform these services. The services then became official in nature and could be performed only by a specially ordained individual. From this point on the full priesthood required only a little time to develop. Along with these developments was a general increase of ceremonialism. Simple services became ritualistic.
Easter and on Pentecost
In the Apostolic period baptism was a simple act of initiation into Christ. Faith in Jesus as the Son of God and desire to be baptized were the only things necessary. Later baptism became a ceremony that could be performed only by an approved official. It was performed only on Easter and on Pentecost. The candidates were required to go through a period of training before baptism was permitted. The act itself became an elaborate ceremony where the candidate renounced the Devil, had salt sprinkled on his head and after his immersion received milk and honey as a token of entering the spiritual promised land. The baptized were then dressed in white robes and paraded home wearing crowns of victory.
In some places the baptisms were performed by three immersions. Once for each member of the Godhead, but the general practice was one immersion into the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
In some places the baptisms were performed by three immersions. Once for each member of the Godhead, but the general practice was one immersion into the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Infant baptism was occasionally practiced before 325, but it was not until after Augustine, about 450 that it became common practice.
Augustine, about 450 that it became common practice.
Sprinkling for baptism was accepted during this period only on an emergency basis.
The first known case of this was Novatian in 251.
The first known case of this was Novatian in 251.
The first known case of this was Novatian in 251.
the Lord’s Supper was a memorial service
the Lord’s Supper was a memorial service conducted in a simple way in harmony with the universal priesthood of all believers. However, the seed for the Roman doctrine of the Eucharist were planted early.
It was a small step from this to the idea that the gift was a sacrifice as well as an offering.
Justin and Irenaeus both speak of the Lord’s Supper as an offering, somewhat as the Jews offered incense unto God. Members of the church began to bring bread and wine and give it to the bishop who in turn presented it to God and a portion was used in the communion service. This took the form of an oblation or offering. It was a small step from this to the idea that the gift was a sacrifice as well as an offering
God
In this the priest takes the place of Christ, the emblems stand for the body of Christ and the priest offers the body and the blood for the sins of men. This is the idea of sacrifice. Tertullian believed that the bread and wine were only symbols, but that the Lord’s Supper could also be applied to the dead.
Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386) was the first to clearly advocate that the Eucharist had power to help the dead.
had power to help the dead.
Augustine supported the idea that the Supper is a sacrifice, and by the time of Gregory the Great (540–604) the sacrifice of the mass was fully established.
John of Damascus (700–750) seems to be the first to clearly defend a literal change from elements into actual flesh and blood.
John of Damascus (700–750) seems to be the first to clearly defend a literal change from elements into actual flesh and blood.
This idea was first accepted by the church in the East and then gradually accepted by the West and read into the statements of Ambrose and Augustine. It is interesting that the bishop of Rome, Gelasius (496), who later was claimed to be in the line of Popes, definitely stood against the idea of transubstantiation.
Ambrose
who later was claimed to be in the line of Popes, definitely stood against the idea of transubstantiation.
In the idea of sacrament there is suggested the relationship of an outward sign to the spiritual purposes of God.
idea of sacrament there is suggested the relationship of an outward sign to the spiritual purposes of God.
As the priesthood developed the bishop authorized his subordinates to perform the act of baptism, and he later confirmed the baptism as valid. Also, as infant baptism came into common practice, after the middle of the fifth century, it was believed necessary to have a confirmation service for such children after they became old enough to realize the nature of worship. This ceremony consisted of the laying on of hands by the bishop. Soon the bishop began also to anoint the child with oil in this ceremony. This was considered necessary before the child could partake of communion. With this development confirmation was given the status of a sacrament.
confirmation was given the status of a sacrament.
It became the duty of the priest to determine whether the contrition was genuine and whether or not the church should require some proof of good intentions before it would grant readmittance to its membership. The priest might require the penitent to make some satisfaction for the sin he had committed, and then after all requirements were fulfilled he would pronounce the sinner absolved from his sin and readmitted to his place in the church. This was a big step in increasing the power of the priests. It gave them a fourth sacrament with which to subject the common Christians to their dictates. Gregory the Great was the first to clearly set forth penance as a sacrament.
contrition
satisfaction
absolved
Gregory the Great was the first to clearly set forth penance as a sacrament.
In keeping with the growing power of the priesthood it was believed that through special ceremony the sick could be anointed with oil and receive special grace. Also, by anointing a baptized person just before death all sin would be removed. This became the sacrament of unction.
Tertullian was the first to apply the term sacrament to significant Christian rites.
Tertullian was the first to apply the term sacrament to significant Christian rites.
He gave some definitions and said the word sacrament indicated a visible sign of an invisible grace.
the word sacrament indicated a visible sign of an invisible grace
seven sacraments
seven sacraments