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The History
of the Church
Copyright by Norman L. Geisler 2006
Introduction
 “The Church persecuted is the Church
pure, and the church popular is the
Church polluted”--source unknown
A Brief Summary
• I. New Testament Church: Plurality of Elders
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in Each Independent Self-Governing Church
II. Subapostolic Church: Same as NT Church
III. Early Post-Apostolic Church: One Bishop
Over Elders in Each Church
IV. Pre-Medieval Church: Regional Bishops
Over Area Churches
V. Medieval Church: One Bishop of Rome
Over All Churches
VI. Modern Church: One Infallible Bishop of
Rome Over All Churches
The General Councils of the Church
• 1. First Council of Nicea (325)
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Condemned Arianism as heretical
Affirmed the Trinity and full Deity of Christ
Asserted that Bishops can only be appointed by Bishops
Excommunication can only be by a Bishop
Bishops have authority only over their own region
• 2. First Council of Constantinople (381)
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Affirmed Nicean Creed
Proclaimed Deity of Holy Spirit
United with Eastern Church on the Nicean Creed
Emperor Theodosius founded a Christian State
Paganism was condemned by the State
– Note: The “Theodotian Code” (438) was later modified
by the Justinian Code (539) that separated religious and
civil matters to State and Church respectively.
The General Councils of the Church
• 3. Council of Ephesus (431)
– Condemned Nestorianism (2 persons in Christ)
– Called Mary the “the God-bearer” (the “Mother of
God”) or better, of Mother of Jesus, the God-Man
• 4. Council of Chalcenon (451)
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Condemned Eutchianism (Monophysitism)
Affirmed the three previous Councils
Acknowledged an Archbishop over Bishops
Asserted its authority to excommunicate Bishops
Gave “New Rome” (Constantinople) the same
privileges as Old Rome, saying, Old Rome only had
such privileges “because it was the royal city”
(Canon 28)
The General Councils of the Church
• 5. Second Council of Constantinople (553)
– Affirmed the perpetual virginity of Mary
– Condemned Pope Virgilius as heretical
– Condemned Arianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism,
Monotholitism, and Adoptinism
• 6. Third Council of Constantinople (680)
– Reaffirmed the five prior Councils
– Condemned Pope Honorius for teaching heresy
– Condemned Monothelitism (which affirmed Christ has
only one will)
– Called Mary “Our holy Lady, the holy, immaculate, evervirgin and glorious Mary, truly and properly the Mother
of God”
– Claimed to be “illuminated by the Holy Spirit” and
“inspired by the Holy spirit” as well as “clean from all
error, certain, and infallible”
The General Councils of the Church
• 7. Second Council of Nicea (787)
– It ruled in favor of icons and venerating images
– It pronounced anathama on all who did not venerate icons
– It made a theoretical distinction between worship of God
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and veneration of images (not followed in practice)
– [An alternate (iconoclatic) Council condemned it as idolatry]
– It forbid secular appointment of Bishops (thus solidifying the
authority of the Church over the State)
– It affirmed the Primacy of Peter and apostolic succession
– It proclaimed “the holy Roman Church which has prior rank,
which is the head of all the Churches of God”
– [Note: This conflicts with the Council of Chalcenon (451)]
This is the last Council which the Eastern Church accepts
The General Councils of the Church
• 8. Fourth Council of Constantinople (869)
– Last of the Councils called by an Emperor
– It affirmed the “filiogue” clause (that the Holy
Spirit Proceeded from the Son, as well as from the
Father)
– It condemned the schism of Photius, Patriarch of
Constantinople who challenged the filioque clause
• 9. First Lateran Council (1123)
– First Council called by a Pope (Callistus)
– It affirmed the “Concordat of Worms” (1122)
which granted the Pope, not the Emperor, the
right to invest a Bishop with ring and staff and to
receive homage
The General Councils of the Church
• 10. Second Lateran Council (1139)
– Convoked by Pope Innocent II to reform the
Church
– Condemned the schism of Arnold of Bresia who
spoke against confession to a priest rather than to
another lay person
• 11. Third Lateran Council (1179)
– Convened by Pope Alexander III to counter anti-
Pope Callistus III
– It affirmed that the right to elect a Pope was
restricted to the college of Cardinals
– The vote for Pope must be by 2/3 majority
The General Councils of the Church
• 12. Fourth Lateran Council (1215)
– Called by Pope Innocent III
– Affirmed Transsubstantiation, primacy of Bishop of Rome,
and Seven Sacraments
– Set up Office of the Inquisitors to investigate heresy and
turned them over to the State for punishment
• 13. First Council of Lyon (1245)
– Convoked by Pope Innocent IV to heal “five wounds” of the
Church: 1) Moral decadence of clergy; 2) Danger of Saracens
(Muslims whom the Crusaders fought); 3) Schism with
Eastern Church; 4) Invasion of Hungary by Tartars; 5) The
Rupture between Church and emperor Frederick II
– Only minor reforms were made
– Frederick II was condemned for imprisoning Cardinals and
Bishops on their way to the Council
The General Councils of the Church
• 14. Second Council of Lyon (1274)
– Convened by Pope Gregory X to bring union with Eastern
Church, to liberate the Holy Land, and to reform morals in
the Church
– Defined the filioque clause and achieved short-live union
with Eastern Church (which ended in 1289)
– Approved newly founded orders including Dominicans and
Franciscans (Albert the Gt. and Boniventure attended but
Aquinas died on the way to the Council
– [Aquinas affirmed the authority of Pope to form a creed]
• 15. Council of Vienne (1311-1312)
– Called by Pope Clement V to deal with Templars (a military
order of Church accused of heresy and immorality)
– It announced reforms, suppressed Templars, gave aid to
Holy Land, encouraged missions, made decrees concerning
Inquisition (which Frederick II formed in 1232)
The General Councils of the Church
• 16. Council of Constance (1413-1418)
– Convoked by Pope John XXII to end the great schism of three
Popes at once, to reform the Church, and to combat heresy
– It condemned John Wycliffe (in 1415) after his death (in 1384)
(His follower John Huss was burned at the stake)
– Claimed that an Ecumenical Council has authority over the Pope
– “This Council holds its power direct from Christ; everyone, no
matter his rank of office, even if it is papal, is bound to obey it
in whatever pertains to faith”
• 17. Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence (1431-1437)
– Convened by Pope Martin V for union with the Eastern Church
– It focused on Procession of Holy Spirit, Purgatory, and Primacy
of the Pope on which the Eastern Church temporarily agreed
– After Constantinople was taken by Turks (1453) many Eastern
Bishops recanted and pronounced the Council of Basel heretical.
– Immaculate Conception of Mary declared biblical and Catholic
– [Later declared dogma by Pope Pius IX, 1854]
The General Councils of the Church
• 18. Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517)
– Called by Pope Julius II to invalidate anti-papal Council
of Pisa convened by Louis XII of France
– A Few minor reforms were instituted.
– The main issues were not treated by the Council.
– [An Augustinian Monk named Luther did treat them in
His 95 Thesis posted October 31, 1517]
• 19. Council of Trent (1545-1563)
– Convoked by Pope Paul III to counter the Reformation
– It infallibly pronounced Purgatory, indulgences,
veneration of saints and images, prayers for the dead,
the canonicity of the Apocrypha, the necessity of good
works for salvation, seven sacraments,
transubstantiation, and tradition as a second source of
revelation.
– [1854--Immaculate Conception declared dogma by
Pope Pius IX]
The General Councils of the Church
• 20. First Vatican Council (1869-1870)
– Convened by Pope Pius IX to denounce pantheism,
materialism, and atheism
– It ruled that the Pope is infallible on faith and practice
– The Pope’s “definitions are irreformable of themselves, and
not from the consent of the Church”
– Note: this contradicts Council of Constance (1413-1418)
• [1950-- Pope Pius XII proclaimed The Bodily Assumption of
Mary a dogma]
• 21. Second Vatican Council (1962-1963)
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Called by Pope John XXIII based on inspiration from God
Failed in attempt at union with Eastern Church
Called Protestants “separated brethren”
Instituted minor changes in ritual (e.g., language of Mass)
Claimed sincere non-Christians can be saved (Inclusivism)
Note: This conflicts with earlier teaching of Rome that
there is no salvation outside the Church
A Brief Summary
• I. New Testament Church: Plurality of Elders
•
•
•
•
•
in Each Independent Self-Governing Church
II. Subapostolic Church: Same as NT Church
III. Early Post-Apostolic Church: One Bishop
Over Elders in Each Church
IV. Pre-Medieval Church: Regional Bishops
Over Area Churches
V. Medieval Church: One Bishop of Rome
Over All Churches
VI. Modern Roman Church: One Infallible
Bishop of Rome Over All Churches [Eastern
Orthodox, Anglicans, and Protestants disagree]
Universal Church
Invisible
One Church
An Organism
Only Saved Members
Dead and Living Members
Whole Body of Christ
Christ is the Invisible Head
No Elders or Deacons
No Ordinances
No Denominations
Indestructible
Local Church
Visible
Many Churches
An Organization
Saved and Lost Members
Only Living Members
Only Part of Body of Christ
Christ is the Invisible Head
Elders and Deacons
Two Ordinances
Many Denominations
Destructible
Note: All true believers belong to the same universal
(Catholic) invisible church. Differences are in the
visible church.
The Church: Unity or Uniformity
• “Unanimity means absolute concord of
opinion within a given group of people.”
• “Uniformity is complete similarity of
organization or of ritual.”
• “Union implies political affiliation without
necessarily including individual
agreement.”
• “Unity requires oneness of inner heart and
essential purpose, through the possession
of a common interest or a common life.”
(M. Tenney, Gospel of John, 248)
• Note: Jesus prayed for unity (Jn. 17:11),
not for uniformity (unanimity or union).
The Essentials of the Faith
Copyright by Norman L. Geisler 2006
Doctrinal Essentials of the Christian Faith
1. Human depravity
2. Mary’s virginity
3. Christ’s purity
4. Christ’s deity
5. Christ’s humanity
6. God’s unity
7. God’s tri-unity
8. The necessity of God’s grace
9. The necessity of our Faith
10. Christ’s atoning death
11. Christ’s bodily resurrection
12. Christ’s bodily ascension
13. Christ priestly intercession
14. Christ’s bodily return
All Major Sections of Christendom Affirm These
(Disagreements are about Gov’t and Practice)
The Apostles’ Creed
• I believe [9] in God [6], the Father Almighty, the
Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His
only Son, our Lord [4]: Who was conceived of the
Holy Spirit [7], born of the Virgin Mary [2, 3], suffered
[10] under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died [5], and
was buried. (He descended into hell.) The third day
He arose again from the dead [11].
• He ascended into heaven [12] and sits at the right
hand of God the Father [13] Almighty, whence He
shall come to judge the living and the dead [14]. I
believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic [universal]
church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness [8]
of sins [1], the resurrection of the body, and life
everlasting [14]. Amen.
Conclusions
• 1. The true church is not an organization (like
Roman Catholicism) but an organism (the
spiritual body of Christ).
• 2. Essential doctrinal unity exists among all
the major branches of Christianity.
• 3. The differences are primarily in church
government and practices.
• 4. The Reformation was needed because of
doctrinal and practical abuses).
• 5. Modern Restorationalist had the right
goal--to restore NT Christianity.
• 6. Today’s Independent and Baptistic type
churches come closer to the NT model.
The Gradual Development of the
Roman Catholic Church
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325--Bishops have authority over a whole region
381-- Emperor Theodosius founded a Christian State
451--Archbishop established over other Bishops
553--Perpetual virginity of Mary pronounced
680--Council claimed to be “illuminated by the Holy Spirit” and
“clean from all error, certain, and infallible”
–
Mary called “Our holy Lady, the holy, immaculate, ever-virgin
and glorious Mary, truly and properly the Mother of God”
• 787--It ruled in favor of icons and venerating images
– It pronounced anathama on all who do not venerated icons
– It forbid secular appointment of Bishops (thus solidifying the
authority of Religion over the State).
– It affirmed the Primacy of Peter and apostolic succession
– It claimed “the holy Roman Church which has prior rank,
– which is the head of all the Churches of God”
The Gradual Development of the
Roman Catholic Church
• 869--It condemned the schism of Photius, Patriarch of
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Constantinople who challenged the filioque clause.
1123--First Council called by a Pope (Callistus).
• It affirmed the “Concordat of Worms” (1122) that the Pope,
not the Emperor, the right to invest a Bishop with ring and
staff and and receive homage
1139--Established right of priest, rather than God, to receive
confession of sins by condemning those who opposed it
1179--Convened by Pope Alexander III to counter anti-Pope
Callistus III
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It affirmed that the right to elect a Pope was restricted to
the college of Cardinals by 2/3 majority
1215--Affirmed Transsubstantiation, primacy of Bishop of
Rome, and Seven Sacraments
– Set up Office of the Inquisitors to investigate heresy and
turned them over to the State for punishment
The Gradual Development of the
Roman Catholic Church
• 1245--Frederick II was condemned for imprisoning Cardinals
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and Bishop on their way to the Council.
1274--Aquinas affirmed authority of Pope to form a creed
1312--Affirmed decrees concerning Inquisition (which Frederick
II made in 1232)
1415--It condemned John Wycliffe after his death (in 1384)
(His follower John Huss was burned at the stake)
– Claimed Ecumenical Council has authority over the Pope
– “This Council holds its power direct from Christ; everyone, no
matter his rank of office, even if it is papal, is bound to obey
it in whatever pertains to faith”
1431-1437--Affirmed Purgatory, and Primacy of the Pope
– Immaculate Conception of Mary declared biblical and Catholic
[Later declared dogma by Pope Pius IX, 1854]
The Gradual Development of the
Roman Catholic Church
• 1512-1517--Pope Julius II invalidated anti-papal Council of
Pisa convened by Louis XII of France
– A Few minor reforms were instituted
– The main issues of reform were not treated by the Council.
– [Luther treated the issues in his Reformation by posting his
95 Thesis posted October 31, 1517]
• 1545-1563--Convoked to counter the Reformation
– It infallibly pronounced Purgatory, indulgences, veneration
of saints and images, prayers for the dead, the canonicity of
the Apocrypha, the necessity of good works for salvation,
seven sacraments, transsubstantiation, and tradition as a
second source of revelation
• 1869-1870--It pronounced the Pope is infallible on faith
and practice: The Pope’s “definitions are irreformable of
themselves, and not from the consent of the Church”
The Gradual Development of the
Roman Catholic Church
• 1950--The Bodily Assumption of Mary proclaimed dogma
by Pope Pius XII
• 1962-1963--Failed in attempt at union with Eastern Church
– Called Protestants “separated brethren”
– Instituted minor changes in ritual (e.g., Mass in local
languages)
– Claimed sincere non-Christians can be saved
[This conflicts with earlier teaching of Rome that there is
no salvation outside the Church]
• Note: No real change of objectionable
doctrines was made!