The church of Christ in Carthage, Missouri, is conducting an adult class about church history. We're calling it FIRST2000, because this class is about the first two millennia after the death of Christ. This post is intended to be a supplement to the class and the handouts. Below, you will find mostly visual aids and links. Feel free to look in on our live class at the church building.
This lesson focuses on the generation of church leaders who carried on after the last of the apostles had passed. These had connections to the apostles but were not inspired. Their writings give us insight into the early church but may have flaws and mislead the church. Note also that the artwork that appears in this lesson is not always accurate - from the wardrobes to the settings: the artwork, remember, is a result of future generations, and the artists often depend upon their current culture rather than display historic accuracy.
Clement of Rome
What do you notice in the artwork below? What do you wonder about it?
This is an image concerning the martyrdom of Clement of Rome. Clement served the church during the time of John's exile to the island of Patmos. To learn more about the faith of this man, we will consider a couple of quotes from his writing. Afterward, here is also a short video to explain more.
Clement of Rome
What do you notice in the artwork below? What do you wonder about it?
This is an image concerning the martyrdom of Clement of Rome. Clement served the church during the time of John's exile to the island of Patmos. To learn more about the faith of this man, we will consider a couple of quotes from his writing. Afterward, here is also a short video to explain more.
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Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius of Antioch was a disciple of John. What do you see in the image below? Before we learn more from his Epistle to the Magnesians, what do you wonder about what you see here?
What do the writings of Ignatius tell us about the Lord's Day during his time? Why do Christians gather on the Lord's Day?
Ignatius of Antioch was a disciple of John. What do you see in the image below? Before we learn more from his Epistle to the Magnesians, what do you wonder about what you see here?
What do the writings of Ignatius tell us about the Lord's Day during his time? Why do Christians gather on the Lord's Day?
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Polycarp of Smyrna
Smyrna was one of the churches in the opening chapters of Revelation, and Polycarp was a leader there for much of the first half of the second century. We will glimpse some of the messages in his Epistle to the Philippians, but first, look at the image below. Afterward, we'll watch the video.
Smyrna was one of the churches in the opening chapters of Revelation, and Polycarp was a leader there for much of the first half of the second century. We will glimpse some of the messages in his Epistle to the Philippians, but first, look at the image below. Afterward, we'll watch the video.
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The Didache
We have a couple of passages from the Didache that we should discuss. This was an early anonymous letter, probably intended for candidates of baptism to inform them about Christian ethics.
We have a couple of passages from the Didache that we should discuss. This was an early anonymous letter, probably intended for candidates of baptism to inform them about Christian ethics.
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Epistle to Diognetus
Another anonymous letter was written to an unbeliever. We have a lengthy passage from the letter to discuss.
Another anonymous letter was written to an unbeliever. We have a lengthy passage from the letter to discuss.
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As we close out this lesson, we will look at everything through the context of a timeline, filling in the blanks provided.
