THE ORIGIN OF DENOMINATIONS
Lesson Four
I. THE CHURCH DURING THE DARK AGES.
A. The union of Church and State.
1. God's Word teaches:
a. There is to be distinction (a separation) between civil
government and the church. Matt. 22:17-22.
b. Christians are to obey civil authority. Rom. 13:1; 1 Tim.
2:1,2; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14.
c. Submission to God's laws must take precedence over civil
laws. Acts 5:29.
d. Both the church and the state have their respective
purposes, but they are to remain separate in the affairs
of men.
2. As noted, Constantine issued his "Edict of Toleration," (313
A.D.) and rather than being a persecutor, Rome became a
protector of Christians.
a. Constantine was baptized shortly before his death,
becoming the first Roman ruler to become a Christian.
b. Church buildings began to be restored; reopened.
c. Heathenism was now discouraged.
d. Crucifixion was abolished.
e. Slavery was modified; slaves treated more humane.
3. There were also some evils that followed.
a. "The ceasing of persecution was a blessing, but the
establishment of Christianity as the State religion became
a curse. Everybody sought membership in the church, and
nearly everybody was received. Both good and bad, sincere
seekers after God and hypocritical seekers after gain,
rushed into the communion. Ambitious, worldly,
unscrupulous men sought office in the church for social
and political influence." (Hurlbut, The Story of The
Christian Church, page 79).
b. Pagan forms and ceremonies began to creep into the
worship. Images of saints and martyrs began to appear.
c. The Lord's Supper was changing from a memorial to a
sacrifice. (More on this later.)
d. The adoration of the Virgin Mary was substituted for the
worship of Venus and Diana.
e. Rather than Christianity changing the world, the world
began to dominate the church.
f. Thus, the church no longer had its distinctive plea; it
became a political machine.
B. The Rise of Monasticism.
1. As the church became more infiltrated by the world, some
rebelled against this influence.
a. Anthony of Thebes (320 A.D.) retired to a cave, seeking to
overcome these worldly evils.
b. Others, objecting to the worldliness in the church,
developed separate communities, calling themselves Monks.
c. Similar communities were established for women, who called
themselves Nuns.
2. The Word of God teaches:
a. Christians are to be salt of the earth and the light of
the world. Matt. 5:13-16.
b. Christians dwell among men, seeking to influence them for
good, while keeping themselves from the world. Jas. 1:27;
John 17:15-17.
C. The development of the Papacy.
1. We have seen the changes which took place in the organization
of the church, resulting in the development of an
ecclesiastical hierarchy.
2. In 325 A.D., Constantinople replaced Rome as the capital of
the Roman Empire.
3. Rome then began to assert her right to be the capital of the
church.
a. The five presiding (?) bishops lived in Jerusalem,
Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome were called
"Patriarchs."
b. The historian Philip Schaff states that by this time (the
fourth century) the Metropolitans ("Patriarchs"),
"rendered the final decision in church controversies,
conducted the ecumenical councils, published the decrees
of the councils and the church laws of the emperors, and
united themselves the supreme legislative and executive
power of the hierarchy." (Vol. 3, page 272.)
c. Gradually the Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople became
the two chief rivals for universal control of the church
in the sixth century.
d. The Patriarch of Rome took the title of "papa, father,"
later called "pope." A bitter conflict between the
Patriarchs followed, finally centering on the Patriarchs
of Rome and Constantinople. In 588 A.D., John the Faster,
Patriarch of Constantinople assumed the title of
"Universal Bishop of the Church." The Patriarch of Rome
contested. In 606 A.D., the emperor took the title from
John the Faster and conferred it upon Boniface III, the
Patriarch of Rome. Thus, the Papacy was formally
recognized. 606 A.D. marks the beginning of what is now
known as the Roman Catholic church, with the pope of Rome
as its head. (Taken from Church History, John D. Cox.)
Conclusion:
1. We must remember it took five centuries for this process to
fully develop. False doctrines and false practices do not
develop overnight. It takes time, often years, for a small
deviation to become a full-fledged apostasy.
2. The New Testament writers warned of this apostasy. It came to
pass exactly as they had foretold. Obviously, because the Holy
Spirit was speaking through them.
3. Not only do we see apostasy in church government, but there were
numerous false doctrines which began to surface. To these we
turn our attention in the next lesson.
Return to Index
Home