Early Church History: Class 4 – The 3rd Century

CLASS FOUR – VIDEO, NOTES & QUIZ

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Here are some relevant notes from this class:

The Third Century (AD 200-299)

• Persecution Intensifies
• Growth of Theological Thought
• Development of Monasticism

Key Themes:

1. Rise of Christian Population
   • Estimated 10% of the empire.
2. Rise of Scholarship
   • Figures like Cyprian and Origen wrote extensively.
3. Rise of Empire-Wide Persecution
   • Begins under Emperor Decius (249 AD).

Empire-Wide Persecution (Decius and Beyond)

• Pre-Decian Persecution: Local and ad hoc (e.g., Nero, Domitian, etc).
• Post-Decian Persecution: Systematic and empire-wide.

Decius’s Policy:

• Sacrifice to Roman gods to prove loyalty.
• Certificates (libelli) issued for compliance.
• Christians who refused faced imprisonment or death.

Key Points:

• First empire-wide persecution marks a turning point in Christian history.
• Christians blamed for societal problems (e.g., invasions, disasters).

The Lapsi Controversy

• Definition: Debate over Christians who denied their faith during persecution.
• Types of Lapsed Christians:
  1. Sacrificati: Offered sacrifices to pagan gods.
  2. Thurificati: Burned incense in pagan ceremonies.
  3. Libellatici: Obtained certificates falsely or under duress.

Key Figures:

• Novatian: Advocated strict exclusion of the lapsed.
• Cornelius & Cyprian of Carthage: Advocated inclusion after repentance and acts of penance

Growth of Theological Thought

Key Figures:

1. Clement of Alexandria:
   • Integrated Greek philosophy with Christian theology.
2. Origen:
   • Developed systematic theology (On First Principles).
   • Advocated for allegorical interpretation of Scripture.
3. Tertullian
   • Opposed integrating Greek philosophy with Christian theology
   • Father of Latin Christianity.

Development of Monasticism

Key Points:

1. Origins:
   • Hermits like St. Anthony sought deeper devotion through isolation.
   • Early monastic life was unstructured and extreme.
2. Pachomius’s Reform:
   • Structured life with shared work, worship, and discipline.
   • Introduced communal monasticism (320 AD).