Lesson 12: Monasticism and the Spread of Christianity

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Lesson 12 Monasticism and the Spread of
Christianity
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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)
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MONASTICISIM
THE AGE OF THE CHRISTIAN EMPIRE (312-590)
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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
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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
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GEOGRAPHICAL AREA FOR MONASTICISIM
West
East
THREE PEROIDS OF MONASTIC DEVELOPMENT
1. ASCETIC PERIOD
anchorite withdrawn
2. THE HERMIT OR EREMITICAL PERIOD
eremia desert
Religious recluse
Paul of Thebes
Anthony
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Helen Waddell The Desert Fathers
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• 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
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Martin of Tours
Keepers of the cloak capella
cappallani
chapel
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Jerome
Latin Vulgate
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4. Benedictine Era of Monasticism
Benedict of Nursia
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Conclusions

• Men of prayer
• Opus Dei
• Work of learning and good works
• Missions, especially in the East

Separation good bad

• Two levels of spirituality
• Salvation by works

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The Spread of Christianity
Persia
Jacob of Nisibis
Aphrahat the Persian
The Demonstrations
Ephraim the Syrian
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Africa
Axum or Ethiopia
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Nubia or modern Sudan