Key ideas in the history of Christianity from Jesus to Luther

¶ … Jesus to Luther

A Review of the Course "From Jesus to Luther"

Key Ideas of the Course

The key ideas of the course were those which were emphasized by each of the ten sessions. Each session helped break the history of Christianity into sections, beginning with Christ Himself and how He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. I found Fulton Sheen to be a complementary source when it came to understanding this sense of fulfillment: Fulton Sheen (1990) makes clear in his "Life of Christ" that the sacrifice of the Old Law finds its ultimate perfection in the sacrifice of the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ during the Passover of His 33rd year. Sheen explains the relation between Jesus' words at the Last Supper and the Passover by explaining how the Passover itself signified a new sacrifice for the Jews: "The old promise made to Israel in Egypt still held good and could be claimed, in a higher sense, by all who invoked the Blood poured out on the Cross: 'the blood will be a sign on the houses in which you are; when I see the blood I will pass over you' (Exodus 12:13)….When Christ came into the world to be the fulfillment of the order of Melchisedech…the priesthood of Melchisedech came into its own, and with it the true Holy of Holies, the true Ark of the New Covenant, the true Bread of Life" (p. 397). Here we see a kind of alignment of covenants between God and man, all leading to the covenant that Christ will make with man at the Last Supper.

Then from under Christ came the Great Preachers: Paul, Tertullian, Augustine. These preachers showed how the Spirit of the Church was alive and active and guiding these great preachers to help establish the Church on a good foundation.

Then we saw how the Persecution helped shape piety. This persecution actually begins immediately after Christ's ascension. Even Paul (then Saul) takes part in it. We see this in the stoning of Stephen. Thus, persecution and Christianity, we might say, are intimately united: if Christ is crucified for what He teaches, then so might we expect to be also. If we look at Stephen, His follower, we see how he becomes the first martyr of the Church, which shows how Christ's Church is founded by blood -- firstly by His Blood, which Stephen preaches to be the Blood of the Lamb, the Body and Blood of God. The Jews, of course, were as antagonistic to hearing Stephen preach the life of Christ as they were to Christ Himself -- Who is the way of salvation, and Whom they have rejected. Stephen's speech is fiery and full of love and fury -- love for Christ, fury for the Jews who rejected Him: "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised." (Here Stephen as much as says, "You are not real Jews. Real Jews would have recognized their Redeemer.) "You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" (Here Stephen makes reference to the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.) The reaction of the Jews is to stone Stephen to death. Stephen accepts his martyrdom and dies as Christ died, with a prayer for his persecutors -- and out of that prayer comes (through the mercy of God) the conversion of St. Paul.

The key idea we see here is that Stephen indicates the necessity of giving testimony to Christ even in the face of one's enemies -- for it is in just such circumstances that the Faith is spread: By displaying conviction in truth, for which Stephen is ready to shed his blood, we see how we must be ready to die for Christ. The 20th century found it more convenient to preach ecumenism -- which does not require sacrifice -- than to preach Christ (who does require sacrifice). Christ has enemies -- the only enemy of ecumenism is Christ. Christ asserts, Christ commands, Christ draws, Christ establishes, Christ teaches to build upwards. The Jews, looking for a political Redeemer that would set them astride the world, saw in Christ nothing more than a vagrant. But that is God's world -- born in a stable, hung upon a criminal's cross: it is a way of poverty and humility: a way of suffering. By uniting one's suffering to Christ, as Stephen does, one moves toward the salvation promised by God.

Indeed, the constant stream of martyrs that the Roman Empire was delivering over to God helped, in a sense, "water" the Church. Followers of Christianity were proving their faith by dying for their faith in a pagan land. Of course, when Constantine came to the throne, that all changed, but still that fact remained: the persecution actually helped strengthen the Church. As Justo Gonzalez (2010) states, "The more he was tortured, the more he persisted in saying nothing but these words… 'I am a Christian'" (p. 57). Here it seems is one of the most important ideas that I learned from the course: the true Christian is proven in attack (whether spiritual or physical). Thus, we see the rise of the monks -- Benedict, Gregory; the early missionaries -- Augustine of Canterbury, Francis, Dominic; the schism between Byzantium and Rome; the rise of Protestantism.

Another idea that I found was key to understanding this course was the way in which faith, Tradition, and Scripture played an integral role in the formation of Christian identity and culture. I even pursued this idea on my own because it brought up many questions about authority and interpretation that I myself had always had. For example, Vernon Staley (1894) states that "it is upon the authority of the Church, and upon that alone, that we know what is Scripture, and what is not" (p. 320). The meaning of this statement is bound up the Church's formula of Faith, Tradition, and Scripture -- for as some Protestants make Scripture their rule of Faith, the Church has never done so: Staley quotes Dr. Pusey, who says, "We acknowledge that Holy Scripture is the source of all saving truth; but it does not therefore follow that everyone, unguided, is to draw for himself the truth out of that living well" (p. 322). The deposit of Faith was passed down from Christ both through Scripture and Tradition: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen" (John 21:25). Thus, while the Church Fathers gathered the books of Scripture together, they also passed on through Tradition the deposit of Faith to which all Christians should adhere.

Likewise, the authors of the pages of Scripture make mention of the act of passing on: St. Paul says, "For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you…" (1 Cor. 11:23). And it is St. Paul who disputes with Peter the correct way to approach both Jews and Gentiles in order to convert them. Thus, while even the Apostles of Our Lord contended among themselves, the Spirit of the Church has always been protected by the Holy Ghost, which guides the Church in Her pronouncements concerning that which is necessary for salvation (matters of faith and morals). I found that this idea was not only key but also essential to understanding the development of Christianity from Jesus to Luther.

How This Course Has Impacted Me

One of the greatest things this course has done for me has been to open my eyes about the history of Christianity. By looking at the history, I have a greater sense of what Christianity itself is all about. The great preachers help explain the mystery of Christ and help answer new questions that were coming at them in each time period. Others helped guide the Church through times of great difficulty.

I think this course will be relevant for my life because it will help serve as a good foundation for preaching Christ. I now have a better idea of Who Christ is and how His mission and messaged has been spread throughout the world. I have developed, I believe, a deeper appreciation for the truths found in Scripture as well. Scripture, I feel, can be a great valuable resource for drawing nearer to God. Christians have always had the Epistles and the Gospels to guide them: in fact, they were written for that exact purpose -- so that the followers of Christ might know how to conduct themselves: Concern yourself with what is necessary for attaining salvation, and prepare yourself for the next world, "and all else shall be added unto you" in this life, says the Bible. Jesus shows His desire to see us come to Him and through Him to the Father: he shows that we are to follow Him through the ways of life -- "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6) -- and by doing so our own interior life is brought to perfection.

Jesus Christ tells us He is God in Scripture. In the Gospel of John alone there are several references to the divinity of Christ: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12); "Truly I say to you, before Abraham was I am" (John 8:59); "The Father and I are one" (John 10:38); "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Scripture does not hide the fact that Jesus has authority. But an interesting corollary to Christ's authority is here: what authority does Scripture have over us?

I can definitely see this course having an impact on my ministry. I can now visualize my ministry as being an extension of all the missions that came before me. I see the struggle I must take on to devote first and foremost myself to drawing nearer to God before I can expect to draw others. That is an important point for me to remember -- that holiness must start with me, first.

One may also see how his life must be centered on prayer. If even Jesus Christ Who was God, and all the saints and preachers and missionaries, who were great men, had need to prayer -- how much more so should I? Through prayer, we unite ourselves to God, and make ourselves able to follow God's commandments and understand His teaching. Jesus did not institute a Church so that all its followers may fight amongst themselves and argue over doctrine -- Jesus was clear, concise, and He put the keys of His Church into the hands of St. Peter. Those keys, today, appear to have been neglected -- who has them? Where are they? How are they being made use of? One may look to history for answers -- but they are not necessarily comforting. Today, we must rely on developing an interior life -- a spiritual life in which the wickedness and temptations and assaults of the world cannot touch us -- a life in which we can sustain God in our souls. A steady and constant communion with God, through prayer, is a major way in which this is afforded.

One other thing I think may be helpful in my ministry is what St. Paul says about how the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. St. Paul underscores this idea by asserting the fact that we are all guilty before the Law -- but that God forgives our guilt if we are sorry for it and ask Jesus for forgiveness. However, because we fail to be sorry and are too proud to ask for forgiveness, Paul references the Old Testament: "There is no fear of God before their eyes." If there were fear, we would not hesitate to know the full ramifications of our actions -- how they offend God, how we are in danger of being excluded from union with Him, how appalling we are in the eyes of God, who will cast us off if we do not turn to Him. Paul exhorts us all to turn to Him, to put aside our wicked ways, to humble ourselves, to see ourselves as God sees us, and to ask His mercy. Just as David was King, so too is Christ our King. One does not stand above his king, but bends his knee before him and bows his head in humble supplication. I think that by keeping this reflection in mind, we might be better able to humble ourselves before the Truth and put on Christ and act as a better conduit of mercy and charity in the world, which I see as say badly wanting today.

To better serve our community is to better serve Christ. What my local church can do to better communicate God's love to my community is simply this: each member should "put on Christ" as St. Paul tells us. Rather than attempting to imitate the celebrities we see on TV or the persons we read about in books, we should be trying to become like Christ -- after all, we are Christians.

This course has helped me see that Christianity is for everyone. Christ is the model for all mankind. Therefore, to be Christian one must be willing to let his faith shine in public; he must want to see it spread; he must make an effort to be Christian always. It cannot be something that one does only on Sunday, only in church, only for a few hours -- and then for the rest of the week that person acts like someone who has no faith or belief in Christ. Christ wants us to be with Him always.

A church must necessarily commit to a Christian worldview. It must want to preach Christ: its members must want to know, love, and serve God; and it must want to love and serve the community as well. Its first obligation, of course, is to provide for itself -- because if it does not look after its own and help it to grow, how will it be able to sustain others? But it is a dynamic that works both ways: if the Church is not looking outward, it is not looking inward; and if it is not looking inward, it is not looking outward; but if it is doing one, it is doing the other.

Making the Course Richer

It would be difficult to make this course richer, because it already contains so much. But, then again, there is so much that could be studied about the history of Christianity that we might for a moment contemplate what else could have been studied in the time from Jesus to Luther. One thing that might receive a lot more attention is the actual lives of the many several different saints during this period. That could provide an interesting assortment of food for thought on the many different ways in which Christ's message has been transmitted by holy men. Another thing that might make an excellent addition is an extensive study into the scholastics of the medieval age, for they took a great interest in the pagan philosophical writings of Aristotle and Plato -- and these are two serious philosophers who could helpful in conveying to the world the existence of the soul and of God by the use of natural reason. Indeed, Thomas Aquinas spent a lot of time attempting to convey the relationship between faith and reason. Today, so many people seem to deny this relationship. A good place to start, then, might be with Aquinas and the emphasis he places on the Greeks.

After all, Christianity, in one sense, owes a debt to Aristotelian ethics. All the same, Christianity is founded not upon Greek philosophy, but upon Christ Himself -- both his teachings and his works. Still, as the medieval scholastics showed, the Christian worldview is one in which, as St. Basil said, we may "trace out a kind of rough sketch, as it were, of what virtue is according to the teaching of the pagans. For by those who make it their business to gather the benefit to be derived from each source many accretions from many sides are won't to be received, as happens to mighty rivers."

By keeping in mind what Basil has to say about studying pagan literature and pagan philosophy, we may help make the soil of our souls a good receptacle for the Seed of Christ. The Greeks could certainly help us prepare our souls for Christ, I think, as Aquinas shows.

For example, as Aristotle himself intimated, discernment of right and wrong is not always easy; in similar instances, the rightness or wrongness of an action may be more easily determined; but in unique instances, which may be many, the rightness or wrongness of an action may not be so easily determined. Thus, there are various shades of gray. Nonetheless, Aristotle advocates refinement of soul and character as tools for proper discernment.

The strength of Aristotle's argument rests in the observation of humankind's ability to act nobly and with magnanimity of soul as well as humankind's ability to act with meanness. Aristotle sees that one's free will may be lost through the acquisition of vice, and Augustine likewise assents to this proposition. The will is free only to move into the good; it is not at liberty to do that which is bad, even though it may choose to do so; doing so, however, results in punishment through slavery of the mind to the passions.

Of course, we might spend a lifetime meditating on these concepts as well -- and they may not all fit into a course that already is composed of so many different parts. However, if we allow ourselves to be pointed in these particular directions, then we can pursue study of these ideas on our own -- and that is what is most important, I think.

Reference List

Basil. (n.d.). Address to Young Men on reading Greek Literature. Retrieved from http://anaphorapress.com/music/education/articles-and-essays/address-to-young-men-on-reading-greek-literature/

Gonazalez, J. (2010). The Story of Christianity. NY: HarperCollins.

New Revised Standard Version Bible. (2009). New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Sheen, F. (1990). Life of Christ. New York, NY: Doubleday.

Staley, V. (1894). The Catholic Religion. London, UK: Mowbray.