Christianity
History, Beliefs, and Denominations
INT-244 Topic 1, Day 3 “History of the Christian Church”
Beth El Congregation
Torah scroll
Sacred Text


First Five Books of Moses


Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus


Numbers, Deuteronomy
Ark
Sacred Place


Stores the Torah Scroll
Ark
Sacred Place


Stores the Torah Scroll
Siddur
Sacred Text


The Prayer Book
Tallit
Sacred Object


Prayer Shawl


With the fringers commanded


In the Book of Numbers
Shabbat
Sacred Time


Seventh Day of the Week


Commanded to rest


Pray to God


Spend time with Family
What is the oldest Church?
Aqaba Church in Aqaba, Jordan (293 - 298 AD)
Rose, Mark. (December,1998). Early church at Aqaba. Archaeology 51(6).
https://archive.archaeology.org/9811/newsbriefs/aqaba.html
Jordan
Aqaba Church
Thin italics
• 85 X 53 ft.

• Mud brick

• Red / Black

• Lamps, box for coins, baptismal, nave
Mission San Miguel
Built in 1610


Older one in St. Augustine, but no
longer stands
Mission San Miguel,
New Mexico
Built in 1610


Older one in St. Augustine, but no
longer stands
Layout of Southwest
Missions
Franciscan missionaries in N America
Protestant Church
Review:


Roman Catholic Doctrine
Roman Catholicism
1. Primacy of the Pope: Pope is Vicar (mouthpiece) of Christ


2. Apostolic succession: Chain of authority from Peter


3. Immaculate Conception: Mary was born without sin


4. Veneration of Saints: asking saints to intercede


5. Purgatory: Temporary place baptized Christians go
Roman Catholicism
6. Transubstantiation: Bread & wine become body & blood


7. Sacraments vehicles for grace, sacri
fi
ce of the Mass


8. Word of God: Bible + Papal decree + Church Councils


9. Celibacy: Priests cannot marry


10. Latin Bible: only authorized Canon
7 Sacraments
1. Baptism


2. Eucharist (Communion)


3. Con
fi
rmation


4. Confession


5. Anointing sick


6. Marriage


7. Ordination
The Reformation
Latin Vulgate
Only authorized Bible
Erasmus (1469 — 1536)
First Edited Hebrew & Greek Bible
Martin Luther
1483 - 1546


Augustinian Monk
⸀λογιζ
ό
µεθα ⸁γ
ὰ
ρ δικαιο
ῦ
σθαι ⸂π
ί
στει
ἄ
νθρωπον⸃ χωρ
ὶ
ς
ἔ
ργων ν
ό
µου.


For we hold that one is justi
fi
ed by faith
alone, apart from works of the law.


(Romans 3:28 ESV)
WORKS
MERIT Salvation
Teaching of the Church
Salvation
Salvation
Salvation
Salvation
Teaching of Paul
Salvation
Salvation
Salvation
Saving Faith
WORKS
MERIT
Luther (2003)
95 Thesis
31 October 1517


Wittenberg Church Door
Protestant Faith
1. Bible alone — Sola Scriptura


2. Faith alone — Sola Fideo


3. Priesthood of all believers


4. No purgatory


5. No papal authority


6. No veneration of saints


7. Two sacraments: Baptism &
Communion


8. Church is ALL Christians
Differences Between Protestants
1. Can we baptize infants?


2. Is communion symbolic or mystical?


3. Can a person lose their salvation?


4. What happens when Christ returns?


5. Which church government?


6. Is there a 2nd experience AFTER conversion?
Protestant Denominations
Lutheran Church
Martin Luther (1483-1546)
Reform Churches
Presbyterian Churches

Christian Reform Churches
John Calvin (1509 - 1564)
Mennonite Churches
Mennonite, Amish
Menno Simons (1496-1561)
Church of England
Episcopal Church in US

Anglican Church Worldwide
King Henry VIII
Puritan Churches
First churches in New England

Congregational Churches
William Perkins (1558-1602)
Baptist Churches
Baptist Churches
Roger Williams (1602-1683)
History of Pentecostalism
Methodist Church
Methodist Churches

Holiness Churches

Church of the Nazarene
John Wesley (1703-1791)
Holiness Church
Wesley taught there was a second
experience after salvation called
“Holiness”

Holiness grew in US in 1800s

Holiness attracted Black Americans
Azusa Street Revival
1906

Downtown Los Angeles

William Joseph Seymour (1870-1922)
Apostolic Faith Mission
312 Azusa Street, Los Angeles

Preaching for 7 weeks revival

1,000 interracial attendance

Integrated
Revival broke out
April 6, 1906

Everyone began speaking in tongue’s
Amy Simple McPherson
1890-1944

Founded Angeles Temple in Los Angeles

Founder of Foursquare international
Pentecostal Theology
Baptism of the Holy Spirit after conversion

Speaking in tongues

Prophecy and Healing

Miraculous signs as a regular part of worship
Pentecostal Churches
• Egalitarian — Equality between women and men

• Interracial — brought together Black and White Christians

• Addressed Community Needs — poverty, sickness, food insecurity
Pentecostalism Explodes in 1960s & 1970s
• Pentecostal denominations grew rapidly in 1970s

• Mainline Christians looked for spiritual experience

• Charismatic Movement spread within mainline Christianity

• Distinctly Pentecostal seminaries and Bible colleges founded
How did American Christianity
get Whitewashed?
Puritans in New England Franciscan Missionaries in Southwest
Early Christian slave gatherings in the South
Bethel African American Episcopal
Philadelphia, 1794
Black Church in America
• Holiness Churches

• Methodist Churches

• Baptist Churches
Frederick Douglass
Ordained Minister
African Methodist Episcopal
Dr. King, Ebenezer Baptist Church
Where all Christians Agree
The Apostolic Creed
Apostle’s Creed (3rd century)
I believe in God, the Father almighty,


      creator of heaven and earth.


I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,


      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit


      and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruci
fi
ed, died,
and was buried; he descended to hell.


On the third day he rose again from the dead.


He ascended to heaven


and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty.


From there he will come to judge the living and the
dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal*
church, the communion of saints, the
forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the
body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
What doctrines are contained?
Nicene Creed (325 AD)
• Son eternally existed (not created)


• Son same essence as the Father


• Literal return of Christ


• Literal reign of Christ
TRINITY
Atonement
OT & NT
Baptism
Jesus’ Return
Resurrection
First Order Things
ALL Christians Believe
TRINITY
Atonement
OT & NT
Baptism
Jesus’ Return
Resurrection
Baptism by


Immersion
Baptism by


sprinkling
Lose your


salvation
Election
Sunday
Saturday
Bishops
Elder Led
Second Order Things
First Order Things
Distinguishes Denominations
Communion
TRINITY
Atonement
OT & NT
Baptism
Jesus’ Return
Resurrection
Baptism by


Tribulation
Ammillennial
MAGA
ESV
NIV
Funny


Sermons
Hell


Fire


Sermons
Second Order Things
First Order Things
Third Order Things
Modern Preferences
No


Dancing
No


Drinking
Communion
TRINITY
Atonement
OT & NT
Baptism
Jesus’ Return
Resurrection
Baptism by
1768-1834
Modernist / Fundamentalist Schism
1920s
Liberal Theology
• Bible is only a human book

• Miracles are not historical

• Authorship is unknown
Bart Ehrman, Duke University
BBC, 2011 “The Weekly”
What is a Liberal (Mainline)
Protestant Church Like?
Mainline Protestant Church
• Promote social justice


• Promote moral teachings of Jesus


• Promote compassion, mercy, and
human dignity


• Promote inclusive Christianity


• Reject historicity of the Bible
Mainline Protestant Church
• Liturgy and Sermons contain accepted
beliefs of Protestantism


• Reject that the beliefs are objectively
true or rooted in history
Mainline Protestant Church
• Preach an Easter Message


• Reject an historical Jesus
American Churches Today
Mainline / Evangelical
• Mainline — Theologically liberal, critical view of Scripture

• Evangelical — Theologically conservative, a high view of Scripture
Liturgical / Non-Liturgical
• Liturgical Churches — recite speci
fi
c prayers, ornamental services

• Non-Liturgical Churches — informal, less formal prayers
Pentecostal / Cessationist
Pentecostal — Miraculous gifts, including tongues, operate in church

Cessationists — Miraculous gifts ended when the NT was completed
Eschatology — End of the World
Amillennial — Jesus returns, judges the earth, the end.
Premillennial — Jesus returns, reigns 1000 yrs, judges, The End

Dispensational — Rapture, Tribulation, Armageddon, Return, 1000 yrs,
judgment, The end…sort of.
High Church (Liturgical)
Low Church (Non-Liturgical)
Mainline
Evamgelical
LCMS Lutheran
Anglical Church (outside U.S.)
ELCA Lutheran
Episcopal Church (in U.S.)
United Methodist Church
PCUSA Presbyterian
PCA Presbyterian
Southern Baptist
Northern Baptist
Pentecostal Churches
Friends (Quakers)
Progressive Mennonite Calvary Chapels
Christian Reformed
Disciples of Christ Church of Christ

INT-244 Topic 1c Christianity