Although Apostle Paul said that Jesus Christ became the end of the law for the justification of all believers(Rom 10:4), the ancient church took up the laws of the OT in introducing the institutions. Whence did the double-faced attitude of the ancient church toward the OT laws result? The first question is how much the OT laws influenced the life and canons of the ancient church, in other words, how much the OT laws were taken up in the canons and customs of the ancient church. The second question is why the ancient church took up the OT laws. 1. The ancient church was not simply negative toward the OT laws in spite of the Paulinism. The Pauline assertion that men couldn't be justificated by the good deeds but by the faith, was already reduced and distorted by his disciples as Luke and Hegesippus. As a result the Paulinism compromised with the Jewish legalism. 2. Even if Jesus was critical about the legalism, his posterity could not neglect the OT laws paradoxically. While the ancient church interpreted some OT laws allegorically, it interpreted some laws verbally. The ancient church was not able to interpret all the OT laws from the point of view of prophesy and fulfillment. This was already foreseen, sofar as the christianity took up the OT as its canon. 3. The Judaizing tendency was found in the Sabbath observance, the offering of tithes and firstfruits, the dietary rules, the female ordination and the problem of easter date. The sources which we surveyed, indicated how the greatly Judaism influenced the ancient church life. I conclude that the double-faced attitude of the ancient church toward the laws had something to do partly with the flourishing of Gnosticism and Montanism and partly with the need of the age. The Paulinism which underrated the OT laws, was not useful for the great church to attack the Gnostics. Therefore the great church either rejected the Paulinism or distorted it by mixing it with legalism. The ancient Christianity which had not its own theology and tradition depended necessarily on the Jewish canon and tradition. Therefore the Christianity became the religion of canon. The Christianity needed the clergy order like Jewish priests. Maybe the early monarchic episcopacy developed under the influence of the Jewish male priesthood. And in this trend women were excluded step by step from the church ministry.
In dieser Arbeit behandelt es sich um die Frage, ob und warum der Montanismus im 2-3 Jh. tatsächlich häretisch gewesen wäre, wie die Altkatholische Kirche behauptet. Das Hauptproblem für die gegenwärtige Montanismus-Forschung liegt zwar in der mangelhaften Materiallage, trotzdem sind zu erhalten 16 Aussprüche der drei führenden Geister des Montanismus, d. h. Montanus, Priscilla und Maximilla, aber sporadisch nur durch Anti-Montanisten ausser Tertullianus. Darum beginnt dieser Aufsatz vor allem ihre 16 Aussprüche zu untersuchen, bemüht sich auch um reichenden Abhandlungen und Aufsätze der Montanismus-Experten.
Jedenfalls bezeichnet sich der Montanismus hauptsächlich als unerhörte ekstatsche Prophetienbewegung, Erklärung des bevorstehenden Chilliasmus(Joh. 20, 4f.), extreme Forderung des Moralismus, jährlich dreimalige Fasteneinhaltung und die Bedrohung bzw. Provokation gegen Priestertum der allmählich wachsenden und systematisierenden Grossen Kirche. Die Probleme der Montanisten liegen m. E. nicht nur im Inhalt ihrer Behauptungen. Vielmehr auch noch grössere Probleme beziehen sich auf die Form und Weise ihrer entzückenden neuen Prophetie, “ή νεα προφητεια”. womit sie über die Grenze und Beschränkung der Grosskirche hinausgegangen sind. “H νεα προφητεια” war sowohl quantitativ neu als auch qualitativ noch neuer. Sie behaupten also, dass zuert das Gesetz durch Moses gegeben worden sei, danach zwar das Evangelium als Vollkommenheit des Gesetzes, aber nun die Zeit der neuen Prophetie als entgültige Vollkommenheit des Evangeliums gekommen sei.
Also die Tatsache der alte Ketzerurteilung bezieht sich kaum auf die dogmatische Sache. Die Behauptung mit der fremdartige Form der entzückenden Prophetien und Ausschliesslichkeit der Geisterfahrungen muss das Priestertum der Altkatholischen Kirche provoziert haben, weil die Macht über kirchenbezogene Sachen sowie den Heiligen Geist begann immer mehr auf Bischöfe zu konzentrieren, besonderes im Bezug auf den Gnostizismus und Marcion, die die Grosskirche tödlich bedroht haben. Aber die Frage der Moraleinhaltung und Enthaltsamkeit gegen die Säkularisierung der Kirche immer noch zu hinterlassen wäre ihre Beitrag.
This article is a speculation on the thoughts of Wyclif and his early Oxford followers. Wyclif’s reform ideas against the contemporary clerical abuses, culminating the denial of the doctrine of transubstantiation, the support for the royal intervention of church affairs gained support of the temporal rulers and expanded the influence widely at Oxford. His Oxford followers, known as academic Lollards were protagonists of early Wycliffism. Even after a series of condemnation on the ideas of Wyclif which began in 1377 till 1382 when Wyclif resigned from Oxford, his academic followers maintained their identity as church reformers constantly attacking the abuses of the church. But, Archbishop Thomas Arundel’s severe persecution on the Lollards confirmed by the establishment of the Constitutions in 1407 and 1409 proved a death blow to the academic Lollards. After the rising of sir John Oldcastle, a Lollard knight in 1412, the Oxford Lollards effectively faded out, and there was no more academic and upper class support for the Wycliffism. This broke the connection between academic and popular Lollards, and the so-called popular Lollard movement became more and more sectarian among a section of the artisan class with a considerable doctrinal divergence. The sudden fall of academic Lollard, most of whom recanted and restored their academic positions when facing condemnation tells that the academic Lollards were reform forces within the existing church and social hierarchy, and their reform ideas were principally results of academic speculations even though their assertions at times seemed beyond the acceptable boundary. That is one of the distinctive point with the popular Lollards who became anti-social, constantly denying the existing social order.
It seems that persecution is not an appropriate subject of discussion in the time of 'no' persecution. Looking back over the history of Christianity, however, one finds that persecution has been one of the main concerns for all times. Persecution for cause of personal conviction and practice has been a dark side of human history, whether religious or political. That the religion whose main teaching is 'to love God' and 'to love others' has been a protagonist of 'hating and hurting others' in history must be blasphemous to its God and hypocritical to humanity.
Baptists have been more the persecuted than persecutors in their history. Baptists were from the beginning the persecuted. Just as Anabaptists in sixteenth-century were persecuted by both Catholics and Protestants, Baptists were persecuted by both the then established church, the Church of England, and reforming Puritans. They have shaped their convictions, theology, and way of life through dealing with persecution, including the concept of religious liberty and separation of church and state.
Roger Williams initiated the movement of religious liberty in American history. From the very beginning of his life in America, he was driven to struggling for 'soul liberty' and building a 'wall of separation' between the church and the state. Persecution was always there as he fought through his activities and writings in Old England and New. Persecution was a negative experience that made Williams go beyond orthodox Puritanism and reach the idea of religious liberty and separation of church and state.
This paper is an investigation as to how persecution had an effect on Williams's view of religious liberty and separation of church and state. Chapter one is introductory comments. Chapter two sketches Williams's life around persecution and the New England situation of the time. Chapter three deals with different perspectives on his view of persecution: biblical, historical, ecclesiastical, and civil. Chapter four is implication and conclusion.
This paper analyzes the theological relationship between penitence and God's love in Luther's letter to Johannes von Staupitz (Reverendo et Vere Patri Suo Iohanni Stupitio, S. T. professori, Augustinianae familiae Vicario. F. Martinus Luther discipulus saltutem et seipsum, 1518). Luther was terrified by the word, "poenitentia," but Staupitz taught that true penitence does not come from human efforts but from God's love. The paper presents 10 theses about the contents of the letter. First, penitence begins with God's love. Second, the entire Bible teaches penitence from God's love. Third, penitence is "transformation of mind (transformatio mentis)." Fourth, the transformation of mind is testified by the whole Bible. Fifth, the medieval church made serious mistake both in defining and in translating "poenitentia." Sixth, the sales of the Indulgences degrade the true character of penitence. Seventh, Luther never attacked the papal authority in 1518. Eighth, Luther believes that he is a person like coarse weeds (corchorus), but God can use him as an effective servant. Ninth, Luther hoped that God control the mouth of the Pope. Tenth, Luther proclaims that he will praise God no matter what consequences emerge. In 1518, Luther was fatigued by threats and persecutions from his theological enemies, but he quietly awaits Pope's reply and God's providence. The paper demonstrates that Staupitz plays the critical role in Luther's discovery of the new meaning of penitence.
Augustine has been claimed to be the progenitor of the theory of just war in Christianity. In the medieval age his position was taken advantage of by the Roman Catholic Church to justify the persecution of heresies, the crusades, and other wars. It is true that especially in his controversy with the Donatists, he articulated the reasons and methods of religious coercion. Yet he did not advocate relgious coercion outrightly.
Augustine, who valued the universal nature of the Catholic Church, abhorred the provincial character of the Donatist Church. He took notice of escapism in the Donatists' understanding of religious purity. Moreover, Augustine chided them for practicing rebaptism. This rite had been confirmed in North Africa, but not anywhere else. Augustine asserted that though the baptism administered in the Donatist Church was valid, it was not efficacious. So long as they remained separated from the Catholic Church, their baptism did not work remission of sins.
Augustine believed that for the maintenance of order and peace, religious coercion can be exercised to schismatics. The Christian order ushered in by the advent of Constantine should be preserved not only in the world but also in the church. Furthermore, Augustine thought that as a means of discipline religious coercion is necessary. Yet, it is not for punishment or persecution per se but for correction and education. He even believed that it is a means of love. Because people who love never do evil, even their coercive measure can be justified.
Bei diesem Aufsatz geht es um die Untersuchung der Entwicklung des Konflikts zwischen der Hallischen Pietismus Pietismus und dem Herrnhutertum von N. L. von Zinzendorf. Am Anfang war Zinzendorf beeinflußt von A. H. Francke und dessen Hallischen Pietiesmus. Aber die Gründung Herrnhuts began den Konflikt der beiden Seiten zu verursachen. Alle Versuche einer Verständigung scheiterten. Die Gräben zwischen den beiden miteinander konkurrienden Typen des deutschen luthrerischen Pietismus zu tief. Der Prozeß der Trennung zeigt das Zusammenspiel unterschiedlicher Motive und Faktoren, die eng miteinander verflochten sind:
1. Urteil über die Person Zinzendorfs, die durch sein Verhalten mannigfache Bestätigung zu finden schienen, bestimmten das Mißtrauen Halles gegen ihn und seine Unternehmungen.
2. Die kirchenpolitischen Spannungen entzündeten sich an dem Engagement Zinzendorfs bei der Emitionen von Mähren und Zinzendorfs eigenwilligen Gemeineinrichtungen, die von den traditionellen Strukturen einer lutherischen Gemeinde abwichen. Die Rivalität wurde deshalb als besonders bedrohlich empfunden, weil Zinzendorfs Freizügigkeit im Umgang mit Heterodoxen und Separatisten den Pietismus als kirchlich-etablierte Richtung zu diskreditieren und zu gefährden schien.
3. Mit den kirchenpolitischen Spannungen waren die theologischen Differnzen eng verknüpft. Neben den Herrnhuter Gemeineinrichtungen und ihrer unklaren Stellung zur lutherischen Kirche ließen auch unorthodoxe Äußerungen von Zinzendorf und Herrnhuter Brüdern begründete Zweifel daran aufkommen, ob die Bekenntnisgrundlage der lutherischen Kirche gewahrt blieb. Hinzu traten vor allem die Differenzen im Verständnis der Heilszueignung (“Blut-und Wundenkult” versus “Bußkampf”) und daraus resultierenden Frömmigkeit und Ethik, die in der Folgezeit zu einem Hauptunterscheidungsmerkmal wurden.
This essay is to investigate how the vision of Four Living Creatures in the Book of Ezekiel was interpreted in the History of Christians. Ezekiel as well as the book of Revelation report that there are creatures with four faces of man, lion, ox, and eagle around the throne of God in heaven. In ancient period of Old Testament, animals were often used as symbols to represent divine natures. For example, lion signified royal power while eagle velocity and dignity.
It was Irenaeus, for the first time, which suggested the connection between the four living creatures and the four gospels. He viewed that face of Human represents the gospel of Matthew; eagle the gospel of Mark, ox the gospel of Luke, and that lion represents the gospel of John. However, Augustine assigned lion to Matthew, man to Mark, ox to Luke, and eagle to John. It was Jerome's idea that prevailed throughout the following hundreds years in Christian arts and architectures. The church father claimed that face of man signifies Matthew, lion Mark, ox Luke, and eagle to John. Almost all of the Eastern Church's art depicts Jerome's idea about the Four Living Creatures.
Nevertheless, the reformers such as Luther and Calvin including later church leader, Wesley did not employed the Jerome's interpretation. They agreed to view the four living creatures as nature of divinity not as prophesy of the four gospels.