Community of believers

Question 1

Tvilah

Answer 1

Jewish purification ritual for new converts to judaism that requires immersion in water

Question 2

Koinonia

Answer 2

to have communion/ participate in something

Question 3

denomination

Answer 3

a recognised branch of the christian church

Question 4

liturgy

Answer 4

a form or order of christian worship laid out to be followed such as songs/ teachings/ readings

Question 5

sacrament

Answer 5

a ceremony or ritual regarded as imparting divine grace, a visible sign of God’s grace (augustine)

Question 6

ordination

Answer 6

to be commissioned as clergy

Question 7

lectionary

Answer 7

a list of portions of he bible to be read during the service

Question 8

evangelization

Answer 8

teaching and spreading the gospel

Question 9

church planting

Answer 9

process of establishing a completely new church and congregation

Question 10

acts 2:42-47

Answer 10

• “they devoted themselves to the apostels teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers”
  -“many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles”
  -““all who believed were together and had all things in common”
  -“they spent much time together in temple”
  -“broke bread at home”
  -“praising God and having the goodwill of all people”
• ” and day by day the lord added to their number those who were being saved”

Question 11

What had occured just before this snapshot of early christian life?

Answer 11

-peters big pentecost sermon
- 3000 people were baptised and converted to christianity

Question 12

did the early church identify as christian?

Answer 12

no, it was still considered jewish and didn’t separate until around 70-100 years after Jesus’ death
in the septuagint church and synagogue are used interchangeably

Question 13

they devoted themselves to the apostles teachings

Answer 13

• there was no new testament yet, the bible was the Jewish scriptures so the proclamation by the apostles was essential for christians
  -baptism is the entry requirement for christianity, symbolising accpetance of the apostles teachings and forgiveness of sins
• baptism resembled the jewish tvilah and was adopted by the early church for all members

Question 14

they devoted themselves to the apostles fellowhsip

Answer 14

• fellowhsip is practical , active and all-pervading
  -it means they
  >had possessions in common
  >shared food together
  >prayed together
  -this is seen as evidence of the Holy Spirit acting in their lives

Question 15

they devoted themselves to the breaking of bread

Answer 15

-a jewish tradition is to pray over loaves and break bread before a meal
- new christians continued Jewish practices
- there are two possible meanings for the term:
> a re-enactment of the last supper
>a shared meal
- both practices reflect a relationship with each other and with God

Question 16

they devoted themselves to the prayers

Answer 16

-jewish men traditionally prayed at the temple three times a day and this practice continued
-early christians in jerusalem would have met in solomons portico where gentiles could visit
-there were different types of prayers:
> traditional or common Jewish prayers that are likely to have been used
> there may also have been new prayers emerging such as the lords prayer or new christian hymns

Question 17

they had all things in common

Answer 17

-christians sold their possessions and goods and the proceeds were distributed to those in need
-there is no suggestion that this was enforced or compulsory
- there is no evidence of any similar communities outside jerusalem
- this kind of life may have been restricted to early christianity and failed as an initiative