Restitutio

Explore the tumultuous journey of early Christians facing severe persecution in the Roman Empire. Discover the absurdities of trials, influenced by dubious accusations and harsh governance. Dive into the courageous story of Polycarp, who stood firm in his faith to the end. Learn about the impactful sacrifices of martyrs like him and Perpetua, and how their legacies shaped the Christian community. Finally, witness the change brought by Emperor Constantine, marking a pivotal shift in the role of Christianity and prompting critical theological debates.

Discover how early Christians organized their communities and governance through fascinating church orders. Explore the vital roles of bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and the unique responsibilities of women and widows. Delve into the evolution of baptism practices and communal worship, including the significance of rituals like the kiss of peace. Uncover the debates surrounding the origins of the Trinity and how early theological concepts evolved over centuries. This journey into early church history reveals both familiar and surprising insights!

Origen of Alexandria, an influential early Christian theologian, discusses his intellectual contributions that shaped Christianity. He reflects on his ascetic lifestyle and the creation of the Hexapla, a critical synthesis of biblical texts. The conversation delves into his innovative allegorical interpretations and defense against early heresies. Origen also addresses his integration of Neo-Platonism with Christian thought, revealing how his controversial beliefs influenced theological development despite facing persecution. His legacy resonates through centuries of Christian doctrine.

Philo of Alexandria, a key figure in Hellenistic Judaism, fused Platonism with scripture, revolutionizing biblical interpretation. His allegorical methods, especially concerning Adam and Eve, set the stage for later Christian thought. Following him, Clement of Alexandria expanded these ideas to Christian scriptures, exploring the intersection of philosophy and faith. They discuss how Alexandria served as a cultural melting pot, influencing early Christianity and shaping theological debates that echoed through generations.

In the second century, Christians faced new challenges from both within and outside their community. Apologists like Justin Martyr tirelessly advocated for Christianity, confronting misconceptions and demanding tolerance. Meanwhile, heresy hunters like Irenaeus fought against the rise of Gnosticism, defending orthodox beliefs with vigor. The intricate dance between faith and heresy created a rich tapestry of theological debates, ultimately shaping the evolution of doctrines like the Trinity. Discover the passionate defense of faith during this fascinating period.

Delve into the mysterious world of Gnosticism and its secret knowledge about humanity's origins. Discover the unique beliefs of the Gnostics, including their interpretations of Christ's crucifixion as an illusion. Explore how Valentinus adapted these ideas to attract followers within early Christianity. The tension between Gnostic and Valentinian theology sheds light on divergent views of salvation and the divine. Unravel the complexities of their esoteric wisdom and its lasting influence on theological development.

This is part 4 of the Early Church History class. Our focus for this episode is the collection of second-century Christian literature known as the Apostolic Fathers. In total, there are 11 authors in this collection, 9 of whom we will briefly cover today. You'll learn about the earliest Christian documents outside the New Testament, two of  which were possibly written even before the last book of the New Testament. What did Christians write about? Although the Apostolic Fathers is far from cohesive, they do give us a great window into some of the dominant threads of Christian thought in the generation after the apostles died. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyJwqv-Y87M&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=4 —— Links —— More Restitutio resources on Christian history More classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— The Apostolic Fathers is a collection of Christian writings primarily from the second century. The Didache Epistle of Barnabas 1 Clement Shepherd of Hermas Epistles of Ignatius Fragments of Papias 2 Clement Epistle of Polycarp Martyrdom of Polycarp Fragment of Quadratus Epistle to Diognetus Sources for APF (Apostolic Fathers) Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org) Michael Holmes’ translation (available in English or English in parallel with Greek) Didache (60-150) Jewish-Christian document partly focused on righteous living and partly on church order (baptism, communion, fasting, hospitality, etc.) citations: Didache 9.1-3; 8.1; 2.1-2 Research Recommendation David Bercot’s A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs Epistle of Barnabas (70-132) author referred to as Psuedo-Barnabas allegorizing method of interpreting scripture, especially the Old Testament citation: Barnabas 10.11-12; 1 Clement (80-100) letter written from Roman leader to help church of Corinth resolve a dispute citations 1 Clement 59.4 Shepherd of Hermas (100-150) freed slave writing on holiness and repentance citation: Shepherd 59.5-7 Epistles of Ignatius (108-160) bishop in Antioch arrested and brought to Rome where he faced martyrdom three recensions survive: long, middle, and short Long Recension To the Ephesians To the M

This is part 3 of the Early Church History class. Today we begin to look at the second century. We’ll start by considering Jewish Christian movements, including the Nazarenes and the Ebionites. Next we’ll shift gears and explore the cultural pressure of asceticism and how it began infiltrating Christianity. We’ll briefly survey the influence of Marcion and his followers before sketching out the various christologies of second century. This episode is a hodgepodge of unrelated topics that overlap in the same time period. This will serve as a good introduction before we get into other topics in the second century. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts —— Links —— More Restitutio resources on history More classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Outline Jewish Christianity Asceticism Marcion Gnostics Christologies in the 2nd c. Jewish Christianity Patricia Crone: “Originally, the bastion of law-observing Christianity was the Jerusalem church, the undisputed center of Christianity until the first Jewish war with Rome (AD 66–70). When this war broke out, the Jerusalem Christians reportedly fled to Pella (Ar. Fiḥl) in the Decapolis in Transjordan, and though some returned to the devastated city in 70, they were expelled again after the suppression of Bar Kokhba’s revolt in 135, when Hadrian forbade Jews to reside in Jerusalem. Thereafter, Jewish Christians were concentrated in the Aleppo region in northern Syria, in the Decapolis around Pella…and in the Dead Sea region, as we know from Epiphanius (d. 403) and Jerome (d. 420). They would seem also to have been present in the Golan, where excavators of an abandoned village have found lintels decorated with a combination of crosses, menorahs, and other mixed Jewish and Christian symbols, probably indicating that the building was a Jewish Christian synagogue. After Epiphanius and Jerome, however, we have no certain evidence for the existence of Jewish Christians in Greek, Latin, or Syriac sources written before the rise of Islam.”[1] For Nazarenes see Epiphanius, Panarion 29.7.1-6; 29.9.2-4 For Ebionites see Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.27.1-6 Asceticism ἄσκησις, askesis = exercise, training asceticism is the rigorous pursuit of discipline in avoiding bodily pleasures Examples Acts of Paul and Thecla Proto-Gospel of James Acts of John Marcion of Sinope Lived from 8

This is part 2 of the Early Church History class. Before the great revolution of 66 in which the Jewish nation declared independence from the Roman empire, no fewer than five micro-revolution occurred between 4 BC and 58 AD. In the years that led up to the first Jewish-Roman war (66-73), incompetent Roman governors repeatedly and egregiously antagonized the Jewish populous until there was no turning back. After the war that destroyed the temple that Herod had renovated, Christians and Jews began parting ways. This episode will briefly cover the three Jewish-Roman wars and how Christians and Jews gradually began to separate. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ9ExalbABs&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=2 —— Links —— More Restitutio resources on history More classes here Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library. Who is Sean Finnegan?  Read his bio here —— Notes —— Flavius Josephus (AD 37-100) primary source for first-century Jewish history Antiquities of the Jews The Jewish War Revolutionary Movements Athronges (4 BC) Judah the Galilean (AD 6) The Samaritan Prophet (AD 36) Theudas (AD 45) The Egyptian Prophet (AD 58). Four Types of Judaism Pharisees Sadducees Essenes Fourth Philosophy Sicarii The First Jewish-Roman War (66-73) Began in 12th year of Nero’s rule anti-taxation protests Roman governor, Gessius Florus, plundered the temple rebellion took Antonia fortress, forcing King Agrippa II and his government to retreat from the city Nero sent Vespasian with four legions In 69 Vespasian went to Rome to become emperor, leaving his son, Titus, to conquer Jerusalem Titus breached the city in 70 He plundered and burned the temple, leaving for Rome in 71 at the head of a Roman triumph The last holdouts fell at Masada in 73 Christians Fled from Jerusalem Jesus warned his followers to flee “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies” (Luke 21.2-24) Eusebius (AD 324) and Epiphanius (AD 375) both mention the desertion of Christians from Jerusalem Exclusion of Christians from Synagogue Berkat haMinim = blessing the heretics actually a curse upon Christians whom the Jews called “Nazarenes” late first century or early second century In AD 160, Justin Martyr mentions the curse in the synagogues Rabbinic Judaism

This is part 1 of the Early Church History class. Introducing Early Church History Get answers to questions, like: Did early Christians prophecy and perform miracles? How do I research church history for myself? How did heaven replace paradise on earth? What happened to the Jewish Christians? How did the Trinity become mainstream? How did Constantine affect Christianity? Who were Dynamic Monarchians? Who were the Gnostics? And so much more... Some people believe the strand of Christianity that eventually merged with the government and became dominant is the authentic original form. Others believe Christianity got off track immediately after the first century and has not been restored until recent times. This class will put you in touch with what really happened. As it turns out, there were quite a few Christian groups that competed for adherents in the first few centuries. Some of these groups maintained key New Testament beliefs and practices while others mutated under pressure from philosophy, society, and the government. This class will cover what happened in the main Christian groups in the first five centuries of our history in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Part 1: Christianity in the First Century In this episode you'll learn why Church history matters, why primary sources are king, and how historical dating systems work. In addition to introducing this class, we'll also briefly cover the life of Christ and the early growth of the church in the Greco-Roman world. Lastly, we'll look at early persecution, including the fire that decimated Rome and the emperor Nero's viscous pogrom of the Christians in that city. Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etUHkoDdevU&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=1& —— Links —— Access the class on the historical Jesus on the web, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Check out the church history class on the last 500 years (from Martin Luther to Joel Osteen) on the web, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube More Restitutio resources on history Support Restitutio by donating here Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)