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Church History - Introduction
- PURPOSE OF CHURCH HISTORY – or, why study history?
- To Obey God in Studying History (Deuteronomy 32:7Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
See All...; Job 8:8-10 [8] For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: [9] (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) [10] Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
See All...; Psalm 78:2-3 [2] I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: [3] Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
See All...) - To Understand and See God’s Plan for the Ages (Ephesians 1:9-10 [9] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
[10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
See All...) - To More Fully Understand the Bible (Daniel 8; Revelation 2-3)
- To Understand People: Biography (James 5:11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
See All...,17) - Individuals – psychology
- Groups – sociology
- To Understand Christian Experience (Hebrews 11:33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
See All...,38) – Spiritual Biography or Autobiography, like Out of the Depths by John Newton or Grace Abounding by John Bunyan - To Provide Illustrations and See Bible Principles Exemplified (Romans 15:4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
See All...; 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 [6] Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. [7] Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. [8] Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. [9] Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. [10] Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. [11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
See All...) - To See Error and How It Develops (Galatians 5:9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
See All...) - To See God’s Providence (Psalm 75:6-7 [6] For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
[7] But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
See All...; Isaiah 46:9-11 [9] Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, [10] Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: [11] Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
See All...; Daniel 2:21And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
See All...; Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
See All...) - To Give the Believer Stability and Roots (Psalm 11:3If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
See All...) - To Explain Present Conditions (Deuteronomy 8:11-18 [11] Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
[12] Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
[13] And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
[14] Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
[15] Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
[16] Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
[17] And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
[18] But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
See All...; Isaiah 51:1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
See All...) - To Foresee Future Conditions and Events (Ecclesiastes 1:9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
See All...) - To Follow the Example of Christ and the Apostles (Matthew 23:35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
See All...; Luke 13:1-4 [1] There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. [2] And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? [3] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. [4] Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
See All...; Acts 7) - DEFINITION OF CHURCH HISTORY
- Negatively
- Not the study of World History
- Not the study of Religion
- Not the study of the Roman Catholic Church
- Not the study of the Universal, Invisible Church
- Specifically: the study of the true Bible-believing churches from apostolic times until now
- Acts 2:47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
See All...; Acts 8:1; Acts 9:31; Acts 11:26; Acts 14:23; Acts 15:41; Acts 16:5; Acts 20:5; Acts 20:17, 28 - The Book of Acts Extended (Acts 1:1The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
See All...) - Generally: the study of the history of Christianity—true and false.
- NOTE: This is a general study of church history with special emphasis on Bible-believing Christians and churches
- BRANCHES OF CHURCH HISTORY
- History of Revivals
- History of Missions
- History of Persecution
- History of Denominations
- History of Church Leaders
- History of Worship
- History of Christian Life
- History of Doctrines
- History of Heresies
- History of Bible Believers or Baptists
- SOURCES IN CHURCH HISTORY
- Ecclesiastical History
- By Eusebius of Caesarea (260-340)
- Called “the Father of Church History”
- A favorite of Emperor Constantine
- The Early Church Fathers Set
- Original works by early Christian authors down to about 600AD
- Divided into three sections called Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
- Nicene refers to the Council of Nicea in 325AD
- Contains a total of 38 volumes
- Institutes of Ecclesiastical History
- Originally published in 1755; translated into English in 1832
- By Johann Mosheim, a German Lutheran (1694-1755)
- He is called “the father of modern ecclesiastical history”
- History of the Christian Church
- Eight volume work which ends at 1600
- Written by Philip Schaff (1819-1893)
- An American theologian and church historian
- A Presbyterian who advocated ecumenicalism and opposed revivalism
- He helped in the preparation of the English Revised Version (1881-4)
- A Manual of Church History
- Two volumes first published in 1899
- By Albert Henry (A. H.) Newman (1852-1933), a Baptist historian and educator
- A History of the Expansion of Christianity
- Seven volume work published 1937-1945
- Written by Kenneth Latourette (1884-1968), a liberal Baptist
- Emphasizes the missionary expansion of Christianity
- The History of the New Testament Church
- Two volumes completed in 1984
- By Peter S. Ruckman
- New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge
- First published in 1908 in 13 volumes
- A two-volume supplement was published in 1955
- Excellent source of biographical and historical information
- Fox’s Book of Martyrs
- By John Foxe (1517-1587); notice that he was born in the same year in which Luther published his 95 theses
- Both the original title ( Acts and Monuments… ) and the original book were much longer than we see today. The 1563 edition of the book contained almost 1800 pages.
- Along with the Bible and Pilgrim’s Progress , this was one of the three most read books by early Americans
- The Great Works of Christ in America
- In two large volumes first published in 1702
- Written by Cotton Mather (1663-1728) who was probably the most influential clergyman and historian in colonial America. He is said to have written 382 books.
- The book gives stories and anecdotes from early colonial America and is the only source for much of its material
- The Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church
- A one-volume dictionary of over 2,000 biographies of those of interest in church history
- Published by Moody Press in 1982
- A History of the Baptists
- A two-volume work originally published in 1890 by Thomas Armitage (1819-1896)
- A Baptist history beginning with Jesus Christ
- A General History of the Baptist Denomination
- A two-volume work originally published in 1813 by David Benedict (1779-1874)
- Although it begins in apostolic times, the majority of the work deals with the Baptists in America before 1813
- A Short History of the Baptists
- Originally written in 1907 by Henry C. Vedder
- Gives a concise summary of the development of the principles of Baptists and their history
- A History of the Baptists
- A two-volume work published in 1926 by John T. Christian
- Traces the Baptists from apostolic times to the mid-nineteenth century in America
- A History of Fundamentalism in America
- Written by George W. Dollar
- Published by Bob Jones University Press in 1973
- Great history of fundamentalism up to the time it was written
- In Pursuit of Purity – America Fundamentalism Since 1850
- Written by David O. Beale
- Published by Bob Jones University Press in 1986
- Traces the fundamental movement in all denominations. Much broader that Dollar’s book.
- GENERAL OUTLINE OF CHURCH HISTORY NOTE: The three ages of both the Ancient Period and the Modern Period could be summarized as 1) Revival; 2) Growth; 3) Apostasy.
- Ancient Period (1-590AD)
- Age of Apostles (1-150AD) –see Joshua 24:31And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
See All... - Age of Martyrs (150-325AD) –also called Ante-Nicean Age
- Age of Unification (325-590AD) –also called Post-Nicean Age
- Medieval Period (590-1517AD)
- Age of Seclusion (590-1216AD) –true churches went underground
- Age of Preparation (1216-1517AD)
- Modern Period (1517AD-present)
- Age of Reformation (1517-1689AD) –Luther’s theses to the Act of Toleration
- Age of Evangelism (1689-1881AD) –Act of Toleration to Revised Version
- Age of Ecumenicalism (1881AD-present)
- IMPORTANT DATES IN CHURCH HISTORY
- Council of Nicea - 325
- Fall of Rome – 476
- Birth of Mohammed – 570
- Gregory I – 590 (becomes first absolute pope)
- Charlemagne – 800 (crowned emperor)
- Innocent III – 1198-1216 (most powerful pope)
- Birth of John Wycliffe – 1324
- Ninety-five theses of Luther – 1517
- Council of Trent – 1546
- King James Bible – 1611
- Act of Toleration in England – 1689
- Revised Version – 1881
- TRENDS IN CHURCH HISTORY
- Direction
- History always follows a natural line of degeneration (Ecclesiastes 10:18By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
See All...) - The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that all systems have a tendency to degenerate from a level of higher energy to a level of lower energy and from order to disorder (Ecclesiastes 1:14-15 [14] I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
[15] That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
See All...; Ecclesiastes 2:11; Ecclesiastes 3:20) - Apostasy is a falling away from the faith by those who are in the faith (Galatians 3:3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
See All...; Galatians 4:9; Galatians 5:7-9; 1 Timothy 1:19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
See All...; 1 Timothy 4:1) - Three Lines
- Biblical Line – grows by:
- Revival
- Evangelism
- Compromising Line
- Led by good-hearted people who want to get along with everyone
- Leads to anti-biblical line
- Individual believers and churches will pull back to the Biblical line
- Anti-Biblical Line – grows by:
- Apostasy (by way of the compromising line)
- Assimilation
- Heathenism (becoming more and more like the world)
- Humanism
- Aggression (politics, force)
- Dangers
- Traditionalism (Colossians 2:8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
See All...) - Traditions become more important than the clear teachings of God’s word (Matthew 15:3But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
See All...,6,9) - Formalism takes place of the leadership of God
- “We’ve always done it this way” becomes the authority
- Emotionalism
- Orients everything toward feelings
- A continual seeking for an experience
- “I saw/felt it happen” becomes the authority
- Intellectualism
- Puts the emphasis on man’s mind
- Leads to rationalism (putting all things under logical analysis) and philosophy (love of wisdom)
- “Does it make sense to man’s intellect?” becomes the authority
- Materialism
- Puts the emphasis on worldly possessions
- “How much does it cost?” becomes the authority
- Worldliness
- A compromising position that makes the church like the world
- “Everyone else is doing it” becomes the authority
- Ecumenicalism
- Puts the emphasis on removing or ignoring differences
- “Can’t we all be friends?” becomes the authority
- Denominationalism
- Puts the emphasis on denominational headquarters
- “Let’s see what they say” becomes the authority
- Cycle of Church History
- Separation
- Preaching and Prayer
- Revival
- Evangelism
- Education
- Culture
- Apostasy
- Ecumenicalism (towards Rome)
- Unification (with government)
- Paganism
- Five Stages of a Religious Movement
- A Man – preaching
- A Movement – teaching
- A Machine – culture
- A monument – apostasy
- Materialism – paganism
- QUOTES ON HISTORY
- J Frank Norris (1877-1952) – Said that there are three things every preacher needs to know: the English language, the English Bible and history
- Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) – “What are all histories but God manifesting himself, shaking down and trampling under foot whatsoever he hath not planted?”
- Clemens Metternich (1773-1859) – “The men who make history, have not time to write it.”
- Joseph Anderson (1836-1916) – “There is nothing that solidifies and strengthens a nation like reading the nation’s history.”
- Cicero (106-43BC) – “Not to know what has been transacted in former times is to be always a child.”
- Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) – “History maketh a young man to be old, without wrinkles or gray hairs, privileging him with the experience of age, without either the infirmities or inconveniences thereof.”
- “The only thing man learns from history is that man never learns form history”
Proverbs 11:11
By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.