Lesson 12 Monasticism and the Spread of Christianity

Lesson 12: Monasticism and the Spread of Christianity

THE AGE OF JESUS AND THE APOSTLES (30 -70) THE AGE OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY (70 -303) THE AGE OF THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE (312 -590) THE CHRISTIAN MIDDLE AGES (590 -1517) THE AGE OF REFORMATION (1517 -1648) THE AGE OF REASON AND REVIVAL (1648 -1781) THE AGE OF PROGRESS (1789 -1914) THE AGE OF IDEOLOGIES (1914 -PRESENT)

MONASTICISIM THE AGE OF THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE (312 -590)

MONASTICISM IN RELIGIOUS HISTORY Oriental Hellenistic PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND OF MONASTICISIM Pagan Gnostic dualism Catholic Christian MONASTICISM IN THE BIBLE Alleged Biblical examples All are either a misuse of Old Testament examples or a misinterpretation of singular New Testament actions

MONASTIC CONFLICTS WITH THE GOSPEL It is not missionary in vision Divided Christianity into two groups: Those aspiring to perfection Those who were content with apparent ‘compromise’ SACERDOTALISM “The elevation of a priesthood above the laity” REASONS FOR THE MONASTIC MOVEMENT Secular The Roman Empire was falling apart! Spiritual It became a substitute for martyrdom “It places the great problem of Christianity not in the transformation, but in the abandonment of the world” Schaff, Vol. 3, p 159

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA FOR MONASTICISIM West East THREE PEROIDS OF MONASTIC DEVELOPMENT 1. ASCETIC PERIOD anchorite ‘withdrawn’ 2. THE HERMIT OR EREMITICAL PERIOD eremia Paul of Thebes desert Religious recluse Anthony

Helen Waddell The Desert Fathers

Questions: • How can these men be held in high regard by the Roman Catholic Church when they forsook all of the means of grace offered by the Church? • Though the piety of some hermits is to be admired, their lack of Biblical basis and practice is to be deplored 3. THE CENOBITIC PEROID OF MONASTICISM Koinos bios “common life” “An association of a number of anchorets (eremitics) of the same sex for mutual advancement in ascetic holiness” Schaff, Vol. 3, p. 157 Pacomius and the Pacomian Monasteries Basil of Caesarea

Martin of Tours Keepers of the cloak capella cappallani chapel

Jerome Latin Vulgate

4. Benedictine Era of Monasticism Benedict of Nursia

Conclusions: Men of prayer Separation: good & bad Ø Opus Dei Ø Two levels of Ø Work of learning and spirituality good works Ø Missions, especially in Ø Salvation by works the East Ø

The Spread of Christianity Persia Jacob of Nisibis Aphrahat the Persian The Demonstrations Ephraim the Syrian

Africa Axum or Ethiopia

Nubia or modern Sudan