Sermon Tone Analysis

During the four centuries from the deaths of Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure in 1274 to the births of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frederick Handel in 1685, Western Christianity experienced fundamental and far-reaching changes in the interpretation - indeed, in the very definition - of church and dogma.

[Jeroslav Pelikan]

a) Fall of Jerusalem in 70AD

Whatever validity there may be to such a concentration on the sixteenth century, however, the place of the Reformation in the history of the development of Christian doctrine becomes clear only in the context of that history.

i) Jesus enters the temple with a controversial cleansing ()

ii) He leaves the temple with a controversial prophecy of destruction

iii)

iv) Twelve Tribes who are scattered

v) to elect exiles

vi)

b) Council of Nicea (321) & Constantine (325)

i) Theological Issues

(1) The nature of the Son of God

(2) Arius – Arianism (256-336)

(a) Accused Alexander of Alexandria of Sebellianism

(b) Claim: Jesus was created from nothing before the universe was made.

(3) Sebellius – Sebellianism – Modalism (late 2nd-early 3rd century)

(a) Modern Modalist – TD Jakes

(4) Athanasius – Orthodoxy (Alexander’s defender) (296-373)

(a) Bishop of Alexandria

ii) Political Issues

(1) Last major persecution of the church by Diocletian (303)

(2) Constantive’s victory over Maxentius – Milvian Bridge (312)

iii) Jerome – Latin Vulgate (347-420)

(1) Learned Hebrew as a hermit in the Syrian desert in 374

(2) Hardly any Christians knew Hebrew

(3) Pope Damasus asked him to prepare a new Latin translation of the Bible

(4) Jerome argued that Christians must only accept the books of the OT that the Jews included in their canon.

(5) Jerome found it easy to pick a quarrel and turn it into an all-out war.

iv) Augustine (354—430)

(1) Converted in a garden reading after hearing a child saying: Tolle Lege – Take up and read.

(2) Augustine v Pelagius

(a) Beliefs about human nature proved heretical

(i) Humans are born sinless

(ii) Adams fall did not corrupt human nature

(iii) Sinless perfection in this life was possible

(iv) Pelagius believed that God’s grace meant two things:

1. God’s gift of natural free-will

2. God’s gift of moral law and the example of Christ

3. The ecumenical Council of Ephesus condemned Pelagisianism as heresy in 431

(v) Much of Augustine’s writings were against Pelagius

b) Council of Chalcedon 451

i) The nature of Christ – if Jesus was fully divine, God from God, of the same substance as the Father, then how was he human?

ii) Jesus is one person existing in two natures – hypostatic union

c) The Monastic Rescue – Benedictine’s Option

i) Benedict of Nursia (480-547)

ii) Educated in rhetoric and law at Rome

iii) Established a Monastery at Monte Cassino in 520

Introduction to the subject for the next five weeks.

Work through the creeds and confessions of early Christianity as well as spend some time discussion Augustine and Wycliffe.

Second, we will devote some attention to Medieval Roman Catholic Theology and interact with the life and teachings of Martin Luther.

Third, I want to spend some time briefly covering Ulrich Zwingli, Phillip Melancthon, Heinrich Bullinger, and John Calvin along with their contributions to the reformation.

Fourth, we will dedicate an entire Sunday to the history of the Bible from the original to modern translations as well as what a good theology of Scripture looks like and how to defend the orthodox Christian belief about the Scripture.

Fifth, we will close the final Sunday of October talking about the fruit of the Protestant Reformation: the Five Solas.

[Sola Gratia; Sola Fide, Solus Christus, Sola Scriptura, Soli Deo Gloria]

I) The Creeds of Early Christianity

15 minutes

What is a confessional Christian?

Creeds and confessions that have proved useful over the centuries are clearly immune to the passing fads and tastes of the present.

Hence, such creeds and confessions are profoundly countercultural in a biblical way.

[Carl Trueman, The Creedal Imperative]

A) The ecumenical councils of the church

When was the first council of the Christian church actually convened and what was the primary issue?

When was the first council of the Christian Church and what was the issue?

What is your source?

i) The Council of Jerusalem ()

(1) Concerned the inclusion of Gentiles in the church

How do we know that Christ died for all men without distinction?

ii) “R” or The Old Roman Creed (2rd century)

Write these elements on the board.

(1) The Trinity

(2) Virgin birth

(3) Divinity of Christ

(4) Death, burial, resurrection, and ascension

(5) Sitting at the right hand of God

(6) The second coming

(7) The holy Church

(8) Remission of sins

(9) Resurrection of the flesh

iii) The Council of Nicaea & The Nicene Creed (325)

(1) A response to controversy concerning the nature of Christ

(a) Arius claimed that Christ was God of a different substance, lessor than the Father.

(2) Another important matter was fixing Easter on the calendar (Rome (Western) and Alexandria (Eastern) could not agree)

(a) The absolute sovereignty of God and God as creator of all things visible and invisible

(b) The virgin birth of Christ

(c) The humanity and divinity of Christ

(d) Death & resurrection of Christ

(e) The divinity and work of the Holy Spirit sent from the Father

(f) In one holy, Catholic Church

(g) One baptism for the remission of sins

(h) Future resurrection

iv) The First Council of Constantinople (381)

(1) Dealt with Arianism & Sebellianism

(a) Arianism – Christ was God but of a different substance

(b) Sebellianism – Modalism (modern day Jesus’ only movement)

Can you think of any modern-day preachers who would affirm modalism?

What cult claiming to be Christian believes that Jesus is God, but not like the Father?

There is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in three manifestations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

[Source: http://thepottershouse.org/explore/belief-statement/]

In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: