Lecture 2 - Mission in the Early Church

Question 1

Acts 2:42-47

Answer 1

1. devoted to teaching
2. fellowship (koinonia)
3. breaking of bread
4. prayers
5. wonders and signs
6. had all things in common
7. spent time together in the temple

Question 2

Sociocultural Context of the Roman Empire

Answer 2

Urbanisation - resulting in social dislocation
Romans let people continue worship practices
Threats to unity of empire - look to a ‘religio’ to unify the people
Jewish diaspora paved the way for christian expansion
Two epidemics contributed to destabilisation

Question 3

Missionaries in the East

Answer 3

3 types:
1. Evangelisation through ordinary people
2. Early Syrian ascetics . monastic movement
3. Missionary individuals

Question 4

Missionaries in the West

Answer 4

1. Evangelists - intinerant, poor, few
2. Bishops - Ignatius, Irenaeus, Polycarp
3. Apologists - writing to address objections etc
4. Teachers - theologians trying to evangelise. Continuities between philosophy and Christianity. Greek philosophy and Jewish law led people to Christ.
5. Martyrdom - persecutions Decius 250, Valerian 257 and Diocletian in 303
6. Primary way - Relationships - existing networks, households, urban movement, new social network included the middle to upperclass but disaffected, God-fearers, women, Hellenized Jews
7. Communal witness - commitment, egalitarian, hope, peace and patience, joy, transformation, belonging, care for sick, needy

Question 5

The beginnings of the Catecheumenate

Answer 5

• began late 2nd or early 3rd century to ensure a thorough formation
• refined in 4th century as the empire became nominally Christian
  *Didache and Epistle of Barnabas AD100 “two ways”
• Ignatius of Antioch bishop to approve people for baptism
• AD 150 Irenaeus - Salvation history approach to catechesis
• Clement and Origen (late 2 early 3) scriptural content, structurally based on philosophical schools

Question 6

4th Century Changes in Mission

Answer 6

313 Christianity becomes religion of the Empire
now advantegeous to be Christian
Monastic movement- capture the communal way of life - repeated through history
Attempts to ensure more thorough of would-be converts

Question 7

Jerusalem Background

Answer 7

• Jerusalem almost destroyed in AD70
• AD132 razed to the ground
• AD326 Helena builds churches - Holy Sepulchre, Bethlehem, Mt of Olives
• Pilgrims come, liturgical influence

Question 8

Bishop Cyril - Jerusalem Catecheumenate

Answer 8

24 catecheses presented each year
a procatechesis/Intro (need to purify motives) - I avail myself of this anglers bait), 18 catecheses - based on creed (in lent) (and 2 hours daily on scriptures)
5 mystagogical catecheses (after baptism) rich picture of what happened at baptism

Question 9

Jerusalem Catecheumenate - Initiation

Answer 9

1. entered into baptistry - renounced satan
2. Escorted into inner chamber - undressed, anointed all over, led to baptismal pool, belief in Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descended into water 3 times.
3. Linen garment, escorted into anastasis for anointing with chrism by bishop.
4. Eucharist

Question 10

Cyril’s use of scripture and sacrament

Answer 10

OT prefigures NT

NT fulfils OT in JEsus
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Sacraments

Question 11

4th Century Catechumenate

Answer 11

Precatechumenate??
Catechumenate - not permitted to stay for Eucharist
Lent - competentes, procatechesis daily in Martyrium
Mystagogia - neophytes mystagogical catechesis daily for first week of Easter in Anastasis