This Bloody Baptism of the Church

Frederick Faber wrote in that great hymn:

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;

That appears to be an apt description of the era that the Apostolic Fathers wrote there timeless scripts.  "Those were times of heroism, not of words; an age, not of writers, but of soldiers; not of talkers, but of sufferers." [1]

"The Apostolic Fathers are characterized by edification as they sought to build up or strengthen believers in the faith . . .." [2] The first three hundred years after the last of the Twelve died was one wave of persecution after another. "Thus this bloody baptism of the church resulted in the birth of a Christian world."[3]  The persecutions started first with the Jews and then with the Gentiles, particularly the Roman Empire.

The Jewish hatred of Christianity was not only obvious in the crucifixion of Christ, but in the systematic elimination of many of the Twelve. "They caused the death of Symeon, bishop of Jerusalem (107); they were particularly active in the burning of Polycarp of Smyrna; and they inflamed the violence of the Gentiles by eliminating the sect of the Nazarenes." [3].

As long as the Jews received privileged protection under Rome, Christians, deemed a sect of the Jews also enjoyed that liberty.  However the decline of Judaism and the rise of Christianity soon caused the Way to stand out as a new and separate religion.  "To Christianity, appearing not as a national religion, but claiming to be the only true universal one making its converts among every people and every sect, attracting Greeks and Romans in much larger numbers than Jews, refusing to compromise with any form of idolatry, and threatening in fact the very existence of the Roman state religion, even this limited toleration could not be granted."[3]

"The emperor Trajan, in 107, came to Antioch, and there threatened with persecution all who refused to sacrifice to the gods. Ignatius was tried for this offence, and proudly confessed himself a "Theophorus" ("bearer of God") because, as he said, he had Christ within his breast. Trajan condemned him to be thrown to the lions at Rome . . . It was on the 20^th day of December, 107, that he was thrown into the amphitheater: immediately the wild beasts fell upon him, and soon naught remained of his body but a few bones, which were carefully conveyed to Antioch as an inestimable treasure."[3]

These words of Jesus have an ominous ring: ““Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:16–22, ESV)


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1. A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.,Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Location 28). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

2. Vos, H. F., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1996). Exploring church history. Nelson's Christian Cornerstone Series. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers

3. Schaff, P., & Schaff, D. S. (1910). History of the Christian church. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.



Faith of Our "Apostolic Fathers"

I recently joined a 'reading group' who have decided to read the Apostolic Fathers.  As I follow the schedule I hope to collect my thoughts in this blog.  Our gracious facilitator reminded us a couple things about these men and the era they lived in.  First of all it should be noted that they did "theology in community, not in isolation."   That is a fascinating point.   If I have grasped this right that means from the inception, to the development and even the analysis of Christian theology, it didn't occur in the sequestered life of a monastery, nor in the isolation of a seminary. Theology was understood, worked out and lived out in community. As a side-bar, I have learned of the most obscure ideas that originate in the mind of individuals who hold to private interpretation and fail to work it out in community.  

 

The second notable point was that this theology reflected a developmental journey.  For us today who have the advantage of Councils, Systematic Theologies and the like, it proves to be somewhat foreign to recognize that there was a time when our theological under-pinnings were in process. 

 

We learned that the men we now call "Apostolic Fathers" were not know this until the 17th Century.  It seems that the term is used primarily because of their relationship or proximity to the Twelve Apostles of Christ.  All the Twelve had died by 100 A.D. but at least one of the group we call "Apostolic Fathers" worked with or knew the Apostles John and Paul.  These "Fathers" were Greek speaking (therefore their work is a translation) and they all lived prior to the great Church councils.

 

Why would they be called "Fathers"?  We sing a hymn from time to time, written by Frederick W. Faber:

 

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whenever we hear that glorious Word!

Refrain

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

 

It would seem that to designate these men as "Fathers" is to anticipate their influence in our lives as spiritual parents.  This is not unlike Paul's relationship to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2) and Titus.  For example: “To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (Titus 1:4, ESV).  We then might think of these men as parenting us spiritually.  But what of Christ's admonition found in Matthew 23:9 (ESV), "⁹ And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven?"   The notation in the Reformation Study Bible is helpful here.  There we read:

 

"Jesus does not prohibit organization or the use of all titles in the church (cf. Acts 20:17; 1 Cor. 9:1; 1 Tim. 3:1, 2, 8, 12; Titus 1:5–7). His warning is against the temptation to accord human leaders the authority and prerogatives that belong to God alone—a temptation here exemplified by the use of pretentious forms of address."

The application is clear. These "Fathers" are men.  Their instruction and authority does not exceed our Lord.  They are not infallible.  Their work requires examination and testing.  As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV).  These presumes there is some elements that may be imperfect.  There is also some good that should be embraced. Our facilitator reminded us "Remember that at least some of these documents are penned by men who laid down their lives for the Lord and for their brothers and sisters.  They deserve our respect even if we don't always agree with them."