Friday Scholarly Notes
12/27/24
Bradshaw, Paul F. (2002). Chapter Nine: Ministry and Ordination." In The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy. (pages 192-210). Oxford University Press. (Personal Library)
Bradshaw points out, "The origins and development of Christian ministry has (sic) been an even more hotly debated topic than the evolution of Christian liturgy, and for much longer" (Bradshaw 2002, p. 192). Arguments from the time of the Reformation on have often focused on distinctions between bishops on the one hand and elders or presbyters on the other. Another important issue, especially after the publication of the Didache, was the apparent contemporaneous presence of "apostles, prophets, and teachers on the one hand; and congregationally elected bishops and deacons with administrative duties on the other" (Bradshaw 2002, pp. 192-193). The emerging descriptions of various churchly offices have been difficult to interpret. An additional complication has been the possibility that churchly offices were derived from synagogue practices, which cannot be identified with complete clarity at various dates (Bradshaw 2002, p. 193). The role of wealthy household leaders in providing a place for Christian gatherings may have been related to other elements in Christian life (Bradshaw 2002, p. 194). The relationship between hospitality and leadership is not clear. Bradshaw notes the recent debates regarding women in leadership, which have been fueled at times by the recognition of female householders in early Christianity (cf. Acts 12:12, Colossians 4:15). The potential leadership roles of these wealthy and influential women is a matter worthy of study (Bradshaw 2002, p. 195). There is a further discussion which has been growing in recent years about whether episkopoi and presbyteroi were terms originally used as synonyms, only later becoming differentiated (Bradshaw 2002, p. 196). Since both terms have a considerable semantic range, tracking the actual development of usage tends to be a challenging project.
Bradshaw considers that changes in leadership patterns could be expected to create some level of tension, as could a lack of change (Bradshaw 2002, p. 197). This tension may be visible in some literature. There is some reflection of this idea in scholarship regarding the leaders described in the Didache. Yet it is not clear that the scenarios postulated, for instance, the decline of prophets and teachers followed by their subsequent replacement by bishops and deacons, ever occurred. Bradshaw describes in turn similar debates about terms used for leadership in the Shepherd of Hermas (Bradshaw 2002, p. 195) and the First Epistle of Clement (Bradshaw 2002, pp. 199-200). The texts both suggest some level of tension among different types of Christian leaders. Bradshaw discusses (briefly) Ignatius of Antioch (Bradshaw 2002, p. w00). Bradshaw sums of the situation. "By the end of the second century . . . the threefold ministry of bishops, presbyters, and deacons does seem to have gained pre-eminence everywhere in mainstream Christianity, and the episcopate had either subsumed into itself other ministries, especially those formerly exercised by teachers and prophets . . . or at least brought them under episcopal control" (Bradshaw 2002, pp. 200-201).
The concept of the priesthood likewise poses interpretive challenges. The term "priest" is not used of a particular minister in Christianity until the third century. Bradshaw does find it referring to Christ, as well as to Christians in general (Bradshaw 2002, p. 201). The imagery of Christian leaders as priests developed rather gradually. Bradshaw notes comparisons of prophets to priests in the Didache and roles in worship of leaders in 1 Clement (Bradshaw 2002, p. 202). Bradshaw notes that while presbyters tended to be referred to as priests, deacons normally were not, although they were ordained with a laying on of hands (Bradshaw 2002, p. 204).
Bradshaw considers the Apostolic Tradition to constitute the first evidence for an ordination ritual (Bradshaw 2002, p. 206). The text of the portion regarding ordination does have significant differences in the various versions, which suggests to Bradshaw that the current versions are not the original. Some debate continued to the time of the Council of Nicea regarding presence of multiple bishops. Further, the rite in Apostolic Tradition has portions which are repeated, which strikes scholars as suggesting a clumsy redaction of two versions of the rite (Bradshaw 2002, p. 207). There are prayers for bishops, presbyters, and deacons, but these are not greatly illuminating due to their composite nature and the difficulty in ascertaining a date.
12/27/24
Bradshaw, Paul F. (2002). Chapter Nine: Ministry and Ordination." In The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy. (pages 192-210). Oxford University Press. (Personal Library)
Bradshaw points out, "The origins and development of Christian ministry has (sic) been an even more hotly debated topic than the evolution of Christian liturgy, and for much longer" (Bradshaw 2002, p. 192). Arguments from the time of the Reformation on have often focused on distinctions between bishops on the one hand and elders or presbyters on the other. Another important issue, especially after the publication of the Didache, was the apparent contemporaneous presence of "apostles, prophets, and teachers on the one hand; and congregationally elected bishops and deacons with administrative duties on the other" (Bradshaw 2002, pp. 192-193). The emerging descriptions of various churchly offices have been difficult to interpret. An additional complication has been the possibility that churchly offices were derived from synagogue practices, which cannot be identified with complete clarity at various dates (Bradshaw 2002, p. 193). The role of wealthy household leaders in providing a place for Christian gatherings may have been related to other elements in Christian life (Bradshaw 2002, p. 194). The relationship between hospitality and leadership is not clear. Bradshaw notes the recent debates regarding women in leadership, which have been fueled at times by the recognition of female householders in early Christianity (cf. Acts 12:12, Colossians 4:15). The potential leadership roles of these wealthy and influential women is a matter worthy of study (Bradshaw 2002, p. 195). There is a further discussion which has been growing in recent years about whether episkopoi and presbyteroi were terms originally used as synonyms, only later becoming differentiated (Bradshaw 2002, p. 196). Since both terms have a considerable semantic range, tracking the actual development of usage tends to be a challenging project.
Bradshaw considers that changes in leadership patterns could be expected to create some level of tension, as could a lack of change (Bradshaw 2002, p. 197). This tension may be visible in some literature. There is some reflection of this idea in scholarship regarding the leaders described in the Didache. Yet it is not clear that the scenarios postulated, for instance, the decline of prophets and teachers followed by their subsequent replacement by bishops and deacons, ever occurred. Bradshaw describes in turn similar debates about terms used for leadership in the Shepherd of Hermas (Bradshaw 2002, p. 195) and the First Epistle of Clement (Bradshaw 2002, pp. 199-200). The texts both suggest some level of tension among different types of Christian leaders. Bradshaw discusses (briefly) Ignatius of Antioch (Bradshaw 2002, p. w00). Bradshaw sums of the situation. "By the end of the second century . . . the threefold ministry of bishops, presbyters, and deacons does seem to have gained pre-eminence everywhere in mainstream Christianity, and the episcopate had either subsumed into itself other ministries, especially those formerly exercised by teachers and prophets . . . or at least brought them under episcopal control" (Bradshaw 2002, pp. 200-201).
The concept of the priesthood likewise poses interpretive challenges. The term "priest" is not used of a particular minister in Christianity until the third century. Bradshaw does find it referring to Christ, as well as to Christians in general (Bradshaw 2002, p. 201). The imagery of Christian leaders as priests developed rather gradually. Bradshaw notes comparisons of prophets to priests in the Didache and roles in worship of leaders in 1 Clement (Bradshaw 2002, p. 202). Bradshaw notes that while presbyters tended to be referred to as priests, deacons normally were not, although they were ordained with a laying on of hands (Bradshaw 2002, p. 204).
Bradshaw considers the Apostolic Tradition to constitute the first evidence for an ordination ritual (Bradshaw 2002, p. 206). The text of the portion regarding ordination does have significant differences in the various versions, which suggests to Bradshaw that the current versions are not the original. Some debate continued to the time of the Council of Nicea regarding presence of multiple bishops. Further, the rite in Apostolic Tradition has portions which are repeated, which strikes scholars as suggesting a clumsy redaction of two versions of the rite (Bradshaw 2002, p. 207). There are prayers for bishops, presbyters, and deacons, but these are not greatly illuminating due to their composite nature and the difficulty in ascertaining a date.
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