Controversy and Departure (Timeframe AD 100 - 150)

 

If you recall our timeline, (See blue box above), today's lesson doesn't move us very far along, but it is critical to understanding how the church moved away from the pattern of living, worship, organization that we read about in the book of Acts and the letters of the Paul, Peter, James and John.

The writings of the Apostolic Fathers was not inspired by the word of God and some of the writers even point that out. In addition, the main take away is that for the first 50 years after the death of the last apostle, the church still practiced a plurality of elders in each congregtion, baptism by immersion and there is no mention of Peter or Rome having any importance or power over other congregations or elders.


Reference Material:

Mattox, FW. The Eternal Kingdom. chapter 4.

Wikipedia article on ICOC  - This is a sidenote to give the learner information on an example of how some modern day fellowships of churches of Christ moved a bit back towards the NT pattern, but also then fell backwords by changing some NT practices.


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