Category: Schaff 2014 - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

Christ as Deity Incarnate

8/12/2019

Mondays are for Church History
8/12/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 144. Christ and the Incarnation.

After a lightly annotated bibliography about ante-Nicene understandings of the Trinity, Schaff observes that the earliest Christians clearly took Jesus’ divinity as absolutely essential to Christian teaching. “The denial of the mystery of the incarnation is the mark of antichristian heresy (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19341). Christ received the kind of “prayer, praise, and adoration which is due only to an infinite, uncreated, divine being” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19348). Schaff finds evidence from the New Testament, early liturgies, writings of the Fathers, and from unbelievers who reported the actions of Christians. The divinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit can be found from the beginning of Christianity (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19360). Schaff does, however, admit that the theological articulations are not entirely clear from the start, probably because of the logical challenges in the description.

Historic Understanding of a Fallen World

8/5/2019

Mondays are for Church History
8/5/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 143. Man and the Fall.

Concerning the sinful fallen state of the world, Schaff notes, “It was the universal faith of the church that man was made in the image of God, pure and holy, and fell by his own guilt and the temptation of Satan who himself fell from his original state. But the extent of sin and the consequences of the fall were not fully discussed before the Pelagian controversy in the fifth century” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19283). “The origin of the human soul” was another issue that did not receive very extensive discussion. Schaff introduces three theories.

“Tertullian is the author of traducianism, which derives soul and body from the parents through the process of generation” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 129286). His assumption was that part of the nature of humans was that their reproduction included production of a soul.

Aristotle’s view, adopted by many in the East and by Jerome and occasionally Augustine, “traces the origin of each individual soul to a direct agency of God and assumes a subsequent corruption of the soul by its contact with the body, but destroys the organic unity of soul and body, and derives sin from the material part” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19290). Schaff notes there has been no church-wide response to this theory.

Origen, following Plato and Philo, argued for pre-existence. “It assumes the pre-historic existence and fall of every human being, and thus accounts for original sin and individual guilt; but as it has no support in scripture or human consciousness...it was condemned under Justinian, as one of the Origenistic heresies” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19297).

Christianity insisted on man’s need for redemption and his capacity for the same. The Greek fathers emphasized the free will, which asserted the capacity for salvation. The West emphasized our need for redemption and our inability to save ourselves (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19305). Schaff notes both emphases remain and neitehr group has generally been able to persuade the others.

Christian Scholarship Based on Christian Presuppositions

7/29/2019

Mondays are for Church History
7/29/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 142. God and the Creation.

Schaff insists that a Christian view of scholarship stands apart from the views of other groups, including those of non-Christian religions. “We must ever bear in mind that Christianity entered the world, not as a logical system but as a divine-human faith; and that the New Testament is not only a theological text-book for scholars but first and last a book of life for all believers (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19235). The historic confessions of Christianity are centered on the reality of the Trinity. For this reason, Schaff says, Irenaeus begins to combat Gnosticism using the foundation of the biblical view of God and creation. A view of God is “at the bottom of all religion” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19249). The biblical view of God, then, as recognized in the New Testament and certainly by the early apologists, includes Jesus as God the Son. In creation and redemption, then, the God of Christianity is completely set apart from the gods of the Gnostics. This is clear in Tertullian, who emphasizes the corporeality of God the Son (Schaff 2014, Loc. 129256).

Schaff also observes that the unity of God, inherited from Judaism, “stands apart from the pgan polytheism and Gnostic dualism. The concept of creation out of nothing by the word of God also is strikingly different from the pagan and Gnostic teachings (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19263). For this reason, also, evil “is not an original and substantial entity, but a corruption of nature, and hence can be destroyed by the power of redemption” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19270). Redemption depends on a correct view of creation. Schaff observes that Origen’s heresy was rooted in a view of creation which had “an endless succession of time” and therefore became Platonic (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19277).

Variants on the Apostles' Creed

7/22/2019

Mondays are for Church History
7/22/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 141. Variations of the Apostles’ Creed.

In this section, Schaff presents a comparative table showing the Greek and Latin texts of the Apostles’ Creed at different times, also showing allusions and expansions in the rules of faith and in the Nicene Creed (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19148). Schaff helpfully provides the approximate dates of the various manuscripts. Unfortunately, in the electronic edition, the parameters of the table are not very clear. However, the texts are dated from about 170 through the Council of Chalcedon in 381. This would be a very interesting chart if it were adequately organized.

Creeds as Summaries of Doctrine

7/15/2019

Mondays are for Church History
7/15/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 140. The Rule of Faith and the Apostles’ Creed.

Schaff provides an extensive bibliography at the start of this section, with helpful annotations as usual (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19074). He goes on to observe that a “rule of faith” was commonly understood to be a summary of Christian doctrine, which would regularly be useful in catechesis prior to baptism (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19093). These would then also be used to make distinctions between those who were Christians and those who were not. There are various such documents, or fragments of accounts of the, dating back to the late 2nd century (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19105). Though they come from different authors and different places, they expressed the same version of Christianity. The development of such confessions was largely ended in the East after the Nicene Creed was widely accepted as an authoritative fundamental creed (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19110). Meanwhile, the “Roman Symbol,” which we know as the Apostles’ Creed, was more prominent in the West. Schaff thinks if it had actually been from thepen of the apostles it would have had more honor and been better preserved (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19116). However, it exists in a shorter and a longer form, with the earliest versions coming from the third or second century (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19122). The longer form is what we traditionally use now. Schaff finds that both the Apostolic and Nicene Creeds reflect the teaching of the earliest Christians and center on Christ and His work (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19132). After the sixth century, a tradition arose which assigned different parts of the Apostles’ Creed to the different apostles. Schaff provides this tradition in Latin (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19139).

Tradition as Publicly Held Truth

7/8/2019

Mondays are for Church History
7/8/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 139. Catholic Tradition.

After a brief bibliography, Schaff observes that the Church fathers considered there to be a “common faith of the church, as orally handed down in the unbroken succession of bishops from Christ and his apostles to their day, and above all [as] still living in the original apostolic churches, like those of Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Rome” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19035). Counter to the idea of tradition in Christianity, the Gnostics held secret traditions to convey secret truth. Christian tradition, and therefore truth, is held publicly (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19040). Schaff observes that Tertullian boldly said that heretics could not even appeal to Scripture because the Scripture could not be rightly understood outside the context of the Church (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19046). This may also be the root of much teaching of apostolic succession, which has to do not only with human heritage but also the work of preserving God’s Word and a proper understanding of it accurately. Schaff does caution that we should remember the Church at that time was not many generations distant from the apostles. Views of tradition and succession changed over several centuries (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19058). We are also reminded that Irenaeus and Tertullian were both known to take exception to some stands of some Church leaders, but always so as to pursue accurate and faithful understanding of Scriptural doctrine and practice.

The essence of apostolic tradition, according to Schaff, is holding faithfully to the way the Apostles interpreted Scripture. “It is one and the same gospel which the apostles preached with their lips, and then laid down in their writings, and which the church faithfully hands down by word and writing from one generation to another” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19073). This is the essence of tradition.

Canonicity Recognized

7/1/2019

Mondays are for Church History
7/1/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.
§ 138. The Holy Scriptures and the Canon.

Schaff turns his attention to canonicity and the authority of Scripture because he considers it foundational to theology. He insists that Scripture is the authoritative source of doctrine (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18888). For this reason, separating canonical writings from others is very important, especially since numerous apocryphal writings exist, some contradictory to the truth. Schaff recognizes the Old Testament as we have it, along with the Apocrypha which were included in the Septuagint, as a body of work passed on to Christianity. The New Testament as we have it was gradually recognized during the 1st through 4th centuries (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18894). Marcion’s canon, from the mid second century, seems to be a reaction against a recognized collection of writings, some of which Marcion was rejecting (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18900). By the time of Eusebius, there was a recognition of the “homologoumena,” the four Gospels, Acts, thirteen letters of Paul, 1 Peter, and 1 John, recognized as authoritative (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18905). The other seven books, called by Eusebius “antilegomena,” were not as wholeheartedly recognized, but were included in the two solid old Greek New Testament manuscripts which date from Eusebius’ time (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18911). Several other documents, considered “spurious” by Eusebius, are generally not found in manuscript evidence along with the writings recognized as canonical, though some are found in some manuscripts (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18916). The canonical lists showing the New Testament as we have it now first appears in 393 in Hippo, then again in 397 in Carthage. A list from 363 in Laodicea has the same collection but omits Revelation (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18922).

Schaff recognizes that the church fathers considered that the Holy Spirit had given the text of the New Testament through the authorsin a completely accurate way but without restricting the personality and expressive mode of the writers (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18933). Some, especially in Alexandria, considered the same kind of inspiration to influence other works, but this was a rare stance, not accepted widely (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18938). The apologists Tertullian and Origen took the Old and New Testament alike as authoritative and rejected doctrines not proven from Scripture (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18944).

With the rise of Gnosticism, a different way of using Scripture grew. In the face of opposition, interpretation of the biblical text took on more of a rational and polemic tone, rather than being used for general edification (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18944). Interpretation was generally allegorical rather than being based on grammar or historical methods. The allegorical interpretation could, at times, “spiritualize away the letter of scripture” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18956), so is not broadly accepted today. While the Fathers are not unanimous in all their opinions, they do typically follow the same overall principles of interpretation.

Schaff goes on to review Eusebius’ account of how Scripture is recognized and used. Schaff quotes Eusebius (mostly in translation) in his description of the Homologoumena (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18968), summarized above. In this portion of his writing Schaff helpfully points us to the pertinent locations in Eusebius. He does the same for the antilegomena and the spurious books (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18986). Schaff closes the section by observing that the heretical books, among which he lists the “Gospels of Peter and Thomas” as “worthless and impious” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18991).

Schaff observes that the shape of the canon was apparently complete and accepted, but not discussed in detail at the 1st Council of Nicea. The Scripture was treated as authoritative and its content was not in question. However, in the second half of the fourth century lists of documents came into circulation (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18998). By this time, Revelation and the two epistles of Clement were still in some doubt, but there was very broad agreement on the other documents. Schaff notes that these questions were not a matter of debate again, but were confirmed in the 1546 Council of Trent (Schaff 2014, Loc. 19021).

A Sigh of Relief as Orthodoxy Is Articulated Again

6/17/2019

Mondays are for Church History
6/17/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 12. The Development of Catholic Theology in Conflict with Heresy” Sections 137-158, Loc. 18758-20235.

§ 137. Catholic Orthodoxy.

After a brief bibliography, Schaff states that the theological conflicts of he early Christian period, particularly with the Gnostics, provoked orthodox Christians to respond with assertions and explanations of doctrinal truth (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18763). “From this time forth the distinction between catholic and heretical, orthodoxy and heterodoxy, the faith of the church and dissenting private opinion, became steadily more prominent” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18773). The idea of catholicity, or universally held truth, was affirmed. In this process, Schaff notes the differences between Greek and Latin patterns of theological orientations also began to emerge. While in the Greek world there was more emphasis on ideas and the more abstract types of knowledge, in the Latin world the teaching tended to point more toward the practical and concrete (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18785). Schaff finds the work of Irenaeus as a strong influence to mediate between East and West. He refutes Gnosticism in no uncertain terms (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18796) even while he makesplain interpretations of ideas such as the Trinity (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18808).

Schaff moves on to describe “heresy” as something which departs from the established opinions. Eventually it took on the additional meaning of pursuing error (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18814). Additionally, for some time Christianity was considered a sect of Judaism, but the term “sect” later came to mean a dissenting minority faction (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18820). By the late 300s, Christians had begun to systematically catalog and categorize heresies and sectarian groups. Although their definition is elusive, the practices of heretics became easier to identify (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18826). Schaff also notes that making theological speculations was not necessarily identified as committing heresy (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18831). On the contrary, Schaff admits that a serious pursuit of orthodoxy could push someone into some kind of bigotry, which would be difficult to overcome. Yet it is necessary to pass on the truth carefully and accurately (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18854).

Schaff notes that the ante-Nicene heresies and the punishments of them differed from those after the Nicene period. First, the early heresies were radical departures from Christianity, held without room for compromise (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18859). The punishment before the Nicene period was entirely churchly, culminating in excommunication, but bearing no civil penalties. After Nicea, some civil penalties tended to be added (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18865).

Antagonism between Light and Darkness

6/10/2019

Mondays are for Church History
6/10/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 136. The Manichaean System.

Schaff asserts that Mainchaeism is constructed from many different elements and that it at once seems very materialistic in nature and also opposed to materialism (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18696). It contains a strong dualism and asceticism. It rejects Judaism and th Old Testament, taking the apocryphal gospels as authoritative.

Manichaen theology is based on “an irreconcilable antagonism between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18702). This is an eternal conflict from which the current world sprang. It sees Adam as created by Satan (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18708), with Eve also provided by Satan. Cain and Abel are children of Satan and Eve, while Seth is the child of Adam and Eve. All humans have a combination of light and darkness, but males have more light. The Christ redeemed light from darkness. Manichaeism rejects any idea of an incarnation and asserts that the apostles, bound by Judaism, falsified their claims (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18713). Schaff considers that Manichaeism, “instead of being, as it pretends, a liberation of light from darkness, is really a turning of light into darkness” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18725).

Because Manichaeans considered matter to be intrinsically evil, they engaged in rigorous asceticism (Schaff 2014, Loc. 418725). The goal was to get the soul, which is good, set free from bondage to matter. This was accomplished through a threefold “seal” - purity in words and diet, purity in property, and celibacy (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18732).

The Manichaeans had a strict, heirarchical organization (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18736). There were twelve apostolic figures, 72 bishops, and, under them, various other authorities (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18740). Their worship consisted of four daily times of formal prayers, focused on honoring the sun as the redeemer-light. They held some sacraments, but those were kept largely secret, so Schaff notes we know little of them (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18748).

Manichaeism, a Gold Standard of Heresies

6/3/2019

Mondays are for Church History
6/3/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 135. Mani and the Manichaeans.

As Schaff introduces the Manichaeans he first provides a bibliography, with Islamic sources first. He then observes a number of critiques coming from Christian sources (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18615). Schaff describes Manichaeism as “the latest, the best organized, the most consistent, tenacious and dangerous form of Gnosticism, with which Christianity had to wage a long conflict” (Schaff 2014,18656). He considers both Manichaeism and Islam to be religions which invented divine revelations, but that Manichaeism was dualistic and anti-Jewish, while Islam called upon some Jewish roots and is monotheistic.

The philosophy traces roots to Mani, a third century Persian, who borrowed some elements of Christianity into his Zoroastrian sect about the year 238 (Schaff 2014,18662). He set himself up as a new apostle, then, when he fled to India and China, incorporated some elements of Buddhism into his doctrine (Schaff 2014,18668). He was eventually killed about 277. From that point the sect spread into the broader Mediterranean region, where it developed more similarities to Christianity before losing most of its popularity in the sixth century (Schaff 2014,18679).

Manichaeism had a very tight organization and made attempts at a solution for evil. It showed ascetic tendencies, persuading people of its holiness (Schaff 2014,18679). The heresy attracted Augustine for some years before his conversion, after which he wrote specific refutations of the doctrines (Schaff 2014,18685). Though the movement largely lost power in the fifth and sixth centuries, there were some features which remained influential and which lasted into the thirteenth century (Schaff 2014,18691).

Gnosticism, Radically Individualistic?

5/27/2019

Mondays are for Church History
5/27/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 134. Other Gnostic Sects.

Schaff notes that several of the Christian fathers make mention of different Gnostic groups. He describes three with brief details. The Docetists said that Christ did not have a real body. Therefore he couldn’t actually suffer and die (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18602). The Antitactes were a group of Gnostics who were radically licentious. They did not follow one particular founder. Thirdly, the Prodicians considered themselves above all the law, a special royal order (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18608). The points of similarity among many of the Gnostics is a rejection of the law and of the biblical view of one God as the creator and sustainer of all.

Hermogenes - eternal matter

5/20/2019

Mondays are for Church History
5/20/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 133. Hermogenes.

Schaff introduces his readers briefly to Hermogenes, who is commented on by both Tertullian and Hippolytus (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18590). Hermogenes was a dualist who considered the world to be created from an eternal matter, some of which resisted God so became evil. He was fairly orthodox in many ways, but did engage in speculation which went well beyond biblical ideas.

Justin the Gnostic - a footnote in history

5/13/2019

Mondays are for Church History
5/13/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 132. Justin the Gnostic.

Schaff introduces on Justin the Gnostic, a very different individual than the better known Justin the Martyr. This man’s dates and places are unknown. “He propagated his doctrine secretly, and bound his disciples to silence by solemn oaths” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18578). One of his books, called Baruch, was abstracted by Hippolytus. While Hippolytus saw him as a Naassene, he considered the serpent as the cause of evil, not of good (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18583). Justin, as is typical of Gnostics, identified multiple divinities, some good and some bad. They engage in sexual reproduction, populating the spirit world and divisions of angels (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18585). The serpent arranged for Jesus to be nailed to the cross, which freed him “from his material body” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18590). This allowed him to rise to the good God and be the deliverer.

Tatian - A Gospel Harmony, Great, But Be Sure to Avoid All Pleasure

5/6/2019

Mondays are for Church History
5/6/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 131. Tatian and the Encratites.

Schaff provides a relatively extensive, lightly annotated bibliography for Tatian (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18541). Tatian was a convert of Justin Martyr but later became a Gnostic. He rejected Jewish roots of the Christian faith and held to a severe asceticism, including a rejection of marriage and other pleasures. Schaff observes that his scholarly work, most notably a harmony of the Gospels and a treatise speaking against Gentiles do not seem to be Gnostic in nature (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18565). His followers, known as the Encratites, rejected meat, wine, and marriage, not for pragmatic purposes, but because they viewed those things as intrinsically evil (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18571). Schaff is clear that the rejection of wine or substitution of other things for it is not appropriate in communion.

Carpocrates - Jesus As Human Who Ignores the Creators of the World

4/29/2019

Mondays are for Church History
4/29/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 130. Carpocrates.

Carpocrates, probably from Alexandria, lived at the time of Hadrian. Schaff finds in his form of Gnosticism that Christ is on a level with other philosophers. Humans, like Jesus, came from a spiritual creation, but Jesus “remembered those things which he had witnessed within the sphere of the unbegotten God (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18525). This allowed him to escape the evil creators of this world. We can be like Jesus if we also despise those angelic creators of the world (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18533). This is apparently done by means of magical arts, potions, and communing with spirits, as well as by living a licentious life.

Saturninus - An Unknown Deity

4/22/2019

Mondays are for Church History
4/22/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 129. Saturninus (Satornilos).

Saturninus was a contemporary of Basilides, active in Antioch. He held to a severe asceticism and a very sharp distinction between God and Satan (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18517). In Saturninus, God is completely unknown, emanating the different sub-realms of the realm of light. At the bottom of the spectrum of creation is the God of the Jews, known as Demiurge. Satan, the opponent is outside of this realm of light. Man is created in the realm of Satan but with a spark of light. He is opposed by Satan, who cannot be overcome by the Jewish God or the prophets (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18522). Finally, the aeon Nous is sent “with an unreal body, as Soter on earth, who teaches the spiritual men by gnosis and strict abstinence from marriage and carnal food to emancipate themselves from the vexations of Satan, and also from the dominion of the Jewish God and his star-spirits, and to rise to the realm of light” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18525).

Gnostic Snake Worshipers

4/15/2019

Mondays are for Church History
4/15/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 128. The Ophites. The Sethites. The Peratae. The Cainites.

In the early Christian period, a number of other religions based at least loosely on pagan philosophy arrived on the scene (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18477). The Ophites were serpent worshipers, finding a special secret gnosis in snakes. The serpent from Genesis 3 is seen as the one who can actually teach good and evil, making people like God (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18486). This group later branched out into several different sects, the Sethites, Peratae, and Cainites. The Sethites and Cainites had some sort of mystical view of a figure from the Old Testament who served as a forerunner of Christ. In the case of the Peratae, there were three gods, with three minds, found in three men. Basically everything was a threefold manifestation of something (Schaff 2014, Loc. 128493). Schaff observes a strong tendency in these groups to celebrate and honor as good what historic Christians have seen as bad. For instance, the Ophites revered the Serpent, and the Cainites honored the one who killed his brother (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18502). These groups were roundly rejected among Christian teachers, with some suggesting they are the target of Jude’s tirade against false teachers (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18509).

Marcion - Matter Is Evil, Only Paul Is Right

4/8/2019

Mondays are for Church History
4/8/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 127. Marcion and his School.

Marcion was an important Gnostic teacher. Schaff notes that he was opposed by Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Epiphanius (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18406). Numerous commentators have analyzed Marcion’s work. Marcion was known for a canon which rejected most of the recognized biblical writings (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18409). Schaff describes Marcion as “the most earnest, the most practical, and the most dangerous among the Gnostics, full of energy and zeal for reforming, but restless rough and eccentric” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18415). He rejected the overall harmony of the Scripture so opposed many of the writings. While he claimed Christianity to be true, he found no continuity with the Old Testament.

After being excommunicated by his father, a bishop, Marcion moved to Rome during the period 140-155, where he took up some of the teachings of Cerdo, the Syrian Gnostic (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18423). Before his death he may have been attempting to be restored to communion. He was largely and forcefully rejected by orthodox Christians.

Marcion identified the good God, evil matter, and a world maker who is Jehovah (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18430). Schaff notes this is one of the simpler, and thus more persuasive, of the Gnostic philosophies. Marcion was zealous for the distinction between law and gospel, thus Judaism and Christianity, with, according to him, different gods (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18438). The Old Testament has only justice, while the New Testament has only good. Christ has no relation to the Messiah, and has a mere appearance of a body. Therefore, he did not die. Paul is the only apostle who actually understands the divine wisdom, so the other apostles are rejected (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18446). Marcion recognized only an abridged version of Luke and ten epistles of Paul as authoritative.

Marcion was a strict ascetic, and imposed those same demands on his followers. He removed wine from the eucharist and may have allowed females to conduct baptisms (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18453). They may have engaged in baptisms for the dead as well.

The Marcionites spread and mutated a good deal in their beliefs (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18461). There are some remains of Marcionites as late as the fifth century (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18469).

Post Valentinus - Anything Goes Except Real Christianity

4/1/2019

Mondays are for Church History
4/1/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 126. The School of Valentinus. Heracleon, Ptolemy, Marcos, Bardesanes, Harmonius.

Schaff traces the development of Valentinian Gnosticism, though with some difficulty because of the ever-changing ideas of the Gnostics (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18368). In the East, the followers of Valentinus saw Jesus’ body as a pneumatic and heavenly substance, while in Italy they saw it as a psychial thing, which required the coming of the Holy Spirit. Heracleon, flourishing between 170 and 180, wrote a commentary on John, which is known to us through fragments upon which Origen commented, normally by contradicting Heracleon. Both Heracleon and Origen were highly allegorical in their interpretations (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18376). Schaff further mentions Ptolemy, who wrote the Epistle to Flora, attempting to make a convert to Valentinianism (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18383). His root argument is that because God is good He could not make a world that is so evil. Marcos, another follower of Valentinus, focused on numerology and elaborate rituals. Bardesanes, a Syrian, was prominent in the late second and early third centuries. Schaff considers him only marginally a Gnostic but certainly a heretic (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18391). Bardesanes’ son, Harmonius, was largely known for establishing Syrian hymnology, even writing a collection of 150 hymns (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18399). Schaff gives little information about what identifies these figures as Gnostic or not.

Valentinus - Soulish vs. Spiritual Emanations

3/25/2019

Mondays are for Church History
3/25/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 125. Valentinus.

Valentinus was one of the best known Gnostics. Schaff notes that Irenaeus made Valentinus the foundation of the Gnosticism which he refuted (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18277). Valentinus was probably educated in Alexandria before spending time in Rome from before 140 until at least the mid 150s. Because Rome was gaining in importance as a center of Christianity at that time, many teachers who wished to become influential went to Rome.

Schaff sums up Valentinus as follows. “His system is an ingenious theogonic and cosmogonic epos. It describes in three acts the creation, the fall, and the redemption; first in heaven, then on earth. Great events repeat themselves in different stages of being (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18285). Valentinus made his theories work by redefining important words and concepts used by historic Christianity. Starting from an original great and silent unknown which contemplated himself, eventually a succession of emanations resulted in the created order (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18295). All the created order was a matter of sexual duality in emanations from the original unknown. They finally bring forth the second and third persons of the Trinity (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18307). Eventually, Wisdom, desiring to relieve her lonliness, springs into self-dtermination, which creates an abortive offspring. After extensive wandering, Wisdom is restored by Christ and the Holy Spirit, who are the last two of the divine offspring (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18322). Of the three saviors (Christ, Jesus, and Messiah), Jesus is the one who marries Wisdom so as to redeem her (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18337). Schaff provides an extensive quotation in German from Dr. Baur, who finds Valentinian Gnosticism in Hegelian thought. Hegelian precepts of principle roots of thoughts are very similar to the Gnostic aeons (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18346). Baur also finds similarities in the way Valentinus and Hegel distinguish between “psychic” and “pneumatic” influences (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18353).

Basilides - An Unspeakable Deity Who Cannot Exist by Definition

3/18/2019

Mondays are for Church History
3/18/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 124. Basilides.
After a brief and lightly annotated bibliography, Schaff introduces us to Basilides, who was in Alexandria around the third and fourth decades of the second century. Basilides claimed to bea disciple of Matthias, the apostle. His explanation of the Gnosis “was too metaphysical and intricate to be popular” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18206). He also wrote a number of volumes of commentary on the Gospels. His views are commented on by Hyppolytus, who seems to have read Basilides himself, as well as by Irenaeas and Epiphanius (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18215). Basilides derives a philosophical system from Egyptian astronomy and from the numerology of the Pythagoreans. He is monotheistic, at least at first, which set him apart from other Gnostics (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18221). Basilides predicates the world on an ineffable God who, by definition, does not exist, speaking a world into being through a word which brings forth chaos, out of which the world develops. There is a form of sonship by which humans are eventually derived (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18222). Various circles of creation exist in this system of sonship, which, taken all together, is called the “pleroma.” All is ruled over by two archons, also called demiurges (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18230). Each begets a son more powerful than himself, who has a plan for redemption. In this redemptive sonship, which is administered through Christianity, there is a threefold Christ, son of each archon and of Mary (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18238). Through his passion, according to Basilides, the Christ was purified from those elements brought from the more primitive level of creation. As with Jesus, all others must be purified to reach their proper place (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18245). Basilides’ work was continued by his son, Isidore, who was, in Schaff’s estimation, his only important disciple (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18253). His followers replaced Jesus on the cross with Simon of Cyrene, saw Jesus as mocking those who tried to crucify him, and considered it appropriate to deny Christ when expedient due to persecution (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18261).

Cerinthus - Making Different Deities

3/11/2019

Mondays are for Church History
3/11/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.
§ 123. Cerinthus.

Cerinthus, an early Gnostic, “appeared towards the close of the first century in Asia Minor, and came in conflict with the aged Apostle John” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18173). Schaff observes the great concern the orthodox had about gnostic techings, as John made every effort to avoid Cerinthus for fear of God’s judgment. According to Epiphanius, Cerinthus was an Egyptian who studied in Alexandria. He was likely one of the people who opposed Paul in Galatians 2:4 and 2 Corinthians 11:13. He rejected the New Testament and taught the Mosaic Law (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18182). As a Gnostic, he took the God of Israel to be separate from the maker of the world. He also separated Jesus from the Christ, denying the deity and humanity of God the Son (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18190). Some have assigned the fourth Gospel and Revelation to Cerinthus rather than John (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18197). Schaff sees Cerinthus as the last of the proto-Gnostics of the first century.

Nicolaitans - Self Abuse through Sensuality

3/4/2019

Mondays are for Church History
3/4/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 122. The Nicolaitans.

Schaff classes the Nicolaitans among the various types of Gnostics. They are identified in Revelation 2:6, 15, and allegedly stem from Nicolas, found in Acts 6:5, who may “have apostatized from the true faith, and taught the dangerous principle that through sensuality the flesh must be abused” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18165). Schaff adduces Irenaeus and Hippolytus, who comment that the Nicolaitans abused themselves by indulgence, such as adultery and eating things sacrificed to idols (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18173). Counter to this view, Clement of Alexandria says Nicolas’ statements about abusing the flesh were misunderstood by his disciples.

Simon the Sorcerer in Legend

2/25/2019

Mondays are for Church History
2/25/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 121. Simon Magus and the Simonians.

Simon Magus appears in Acts 8, where he is engaged in sorcery and has a conflict with the apostle Peter (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18133). Schaff finds some debate, even in the first and second centuries, about whether he corresonds with particular figures known to that time. Simon’s conflict with Peter was probably about the year 40. His views that the Gospel would be complemented or managed alongside magical arts classed him as the first of the heretics, as well as a proto-Gnostic (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18142). In later writing, Simon Magus is considered the father of all heretics, where he and Peter frequently square off against one another in different places (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18149).

Schaff observes that the church fathers considred Simon and his followers to have a primitive and crude form of Gnosticism. They did have a central idea of a great power, but it was not well elaborated (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18157). There were some offshoots, which mostly died out by the end of the third century.

Try to Identify That Form of Gnosticism!

2/18/2019

Mondays are for Church History
2/18/19

Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Amazon Kindle Edition, 2014.
Volume 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, “Chapter 11. The Heresies of the Ante-Nicene Age” Sections 112-136, Loc. 17655-18757.

§ 120. Schools of Gnosticism.

Because Gnosticism was very speculative, Schaff notes that there were multiple schools of thought within it. In general, he divides Gnosticism into two groups: Egyptian and Syrian (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18117).The Egyptian school showed a great influence of Platonism and the idea of emanations, while the Syrians were characterized by Parsism and dualism. Schaff also finds in Asia Minor a group following Marcion.

From a doctrinal point of view, “Gnosticism appears in three forms, distinguished by the preponderance of the heathen, the Jewish, and the Christian elements respectively in its syncretism” (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18125). Schaff continues by listing no less than sixteen streams of Gnostic thought, dividing them doctrinally, before reminding the reader that all forms of Gnosticism are, in essence, non-Christian.

Schaff further finds three branches of ethics in Gnosticism. There is a theosophic version, a more ascetic version, and an antinomian version (Schaff 2014, Loc. 18132). In future sections, Schaff will begin tracing Gnostic developments chronologically.