The Development of a Centralized Church

Why it was necessary:

• Immense variety of movements ("heresies") claiming to represent "true" Christianity.

  Examples:

  • Ebionites: Jewish Christians denied virgin birth, affirmed observance of Jewish law.

  • Gnostics: Believed that Jesus was a transmitter of esoteric knowledge, that the physical world and the Old Testament were the creation of an inferior god, the "demiurge." Ascetic and libertine moralities.

  • Marcion: Rejected the Old Testament.

  • Montanism: Tried to continue prophetic experience.

  • Valentinian: Old Testament must be read allegorically.

    Responses had to be formulated to difficult theological questions (e.g., the nature of the Trinity).

• Christianity had to be defended against competing movements (Apologetics).

• Policies had to be determined about:
  • The canon (authoritative collection of scriptures).

  • The status of the Old Testament (the Law was no longer valid, but it contained prophecies about Jesus).

  • Basic rituals and sacraments, calendar, etc.

  • The imminence of Jesus' "Second Coming" (Parousia).

• Primacy of Church of Rome (connections to Peter and Paul, Apostolic succession).

  The Bishop of Rome, the Pope, headed the Church.

• Criterion of "Apostolicity" used to determine legitimacy of policies.

• Decided on official content of the New Testament, accepted the Old Testament (especially the Septuagint Greek version) as inspired.