Here are the completed notes from the evening service August 9, 2015:
VII. A Brief Survey of Church History – Part #2
The Seven of Asia Minor Churches and Their Correspondence with Church History:
Scripture: Revelation Chapter 2 and 3
1. Ephesus 2:1-7 (7 verses)
Period of Church history – Apostolic Church (Early Church) – in a Rut
2. Smyrna 2:8-11 (4 verses)
Period of Church history – Suffering Church
3. Pergamos 2:12-17 (6 verses)
Period of Church history – State Church (Compromising Church)
4. Thyatira 2:18-29 (12 verses)
Period of Church history – Papal Church (Tolerant)
5. Sardis 3:1-6 (6 verses)
Period of Church history – Reformed Church (dead)
6. Philadelphia 3:7-13 (7 verses)
Period of Church history – Missionary Church (Faithful)
7. Laodicea 3:14-22 (9 verses)
Period of Church history – Apostate Church (Lukewarm)
C. Medieval Church History (AD 590-1517)
Events that occurred during this period:
The development of the Roman Catholic Papacy
At the heart of the Roman Catholic Church is their claim to apostolic succession. There is the chain men who go back to Peter who handed down authority in matters of doctrine, faith, and practice
Apostle is a man who saw the Resurrected Christ
The Supremacy of the Papacy (AD 1054-1305)
The Medieval church was “a corporate hierarchical sacramental monopoly of salvation”
The Moral Corruption of Priests. 1 Timothy 3:2
Names to be familiar with from this Period:
Gregory the Great (AD 540-604) Roman Bishop AD 590
Mohammed
- Lived in Mecca
- AD 510, Mohammed claimed that the angel Gabriel had entrusted him with a message from Allah, the one true God
- In AD 638 Jerusalem fell to the Muslims. Galatians 1:8-9
Terms to be familiar with from this period:
The Crusades
- Many People from this period believed that could prove their desire to turn from sin by going on a “pilgrimage.” Pilgrims would typically travel local shrines. But many would make the supreme trip to Jerusalem.
- To impede their trip, from the medieval church’s standpoint, was to imperil that person’s salvation.
- Since AD 638, Muslims controlled Jerusalem and the roads that led there.
- Muslim converts (known as the Turks) began to force Christian pilgrims to pay large taxes to travel their roads.
- 1095 AD, Pope Urban II reacted to this practice preached a message which encouraged the destruction of the “vile race from their land!”
- This led to a campaign as they saw it, both pilgrimage to Jerusalem and a was against “the infidels.”
- The Pilgrims agreed to gather in Constantinople
- In 1095 and 1291 there were a series of crusades which were vicious against heretical Christians, Muslims. And Slavs
- This was initiated by the church to defeat their enemies in the east.
During this period there was an absence of truth – The Word of God was rare. Scripture had taken a lesser importance to the Traditions of men.
Early Reformers
John Wycliffe (AD 1320-1384) II Chronicles 1:9
Educated at Oxford University and received a doctor of the theology degree in 1372
According to the Roman Catholic Church only the true church could correctly understand the Scriptures
Wycliffe agreed but got his definition of church from the New Testament instead of Church tradition
Wycliffe’s position was that the church was not built on popes, priests, or sacraments
He maintained that no pope or council was infallible, and that if their views contradict the bible, those views were wrong.
*Some contents adapted from Dr. Harold Willmington’s notes on the church