A Source Book for Ancient Church History

The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Source Book for Ancient Church History by Joseph Cullen Ayer, Jr., Ph.D. This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license Title: A Source Book for Ancient Church History Author: Joseph Cullen Ayer, Jr., Ph.D. Release Date: April 2, 2008 [Ebook 24979] Language: English ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SOURCE BOOK FOR ANCIENT CHURCH HISTORY*** A Source Book for Ancient Church History From the Apostolic Age to the Close of the Conciliar Period by Joseph Cullen Ayer, Jr., Ph.D. Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the Divinity School of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia New York Charles Scribner's Sons 1913 Contents Errata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Bibliographical Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The First Division Of Ancient Christianity: The Church Under The Heathen Empire: To A. D. 324 . . . . . . . Period I. The Apostolic Age: To Circa A. D. 100 . . . § 1. The Neronian Persecution . . . . . . . . . . § 2. The Death of Peter and Paul . . . . . . . . . § 3. The Death of the Apostle John . . . . . . . . § 4. The Persecution under Domitian . . . . . . . Period II. The Post-Apostolic Age: A. D. 100-A. D. 140 § 5. Christianity and Judaism . . . . . . . . . . . § 6. The Extension of Christianity . . . . . . . . § 7. Relation of the Roman State to Christianity . § 8. Martyrdom and the Desire for Martyrdom . . § 9. The Position of the Roman Community of Christians in the Church . . . . . . . . . § 10. Chiliastic Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . § 11. The Church and the World . . . . . . . . . § 12. Theological Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . § 13. Worship in the Post-Apostolic Period . . . § 14. Church Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . § 15. Church Discipline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . § 16. Moral Ideas in the Post-Apostolic Period . . Period III. The Critical Period: A. D. 140 to A. D. 200 . Chapter I. The Church In Relation To The Empire And Heathen Culture . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter II. The Internal Crisis: The Gnostic And Other Heretical Sects . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 8 11 13 13 16 18 19 22 23 27 28 32 33 35 38 40 43 47 54 56 62 63 89 iv A Source Book for Ancient Church History Chapter III. The Defence Against Heresy . . . . 125 Chapter IV. The Beginnings Of Catholic Theology147 Period IV. The Age Of The Consolidation Of The Church: 200 to 324 A. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Chapter I. The Political And Religious Conditions Of The Empire . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Chapter II. The Internal Development Of The Church In Doctrine, Custom, And Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Chapter III. The First General Persecution And Its Consequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Chapter IV. The Period Of Peace For The Church: A. D. 260 To A. D. 303 . . . . . 241 Chapter V. The Last Great Persecution . . . . . . 283 The Second Division Of Ancient Christianity: The Church Under The Christian Empire: From 312 To Circa 750 . 299 Period I: The Imperial State Church Of The Undivided Empire, Or Until The Death Of Theodosius The Great, 395 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Chapter I. The Church And Empire Under Constantine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 Chapter II. The Arian Controversy Until The Extinction Of The Dynasty Of Constantine326 Chapter III. The Triumph Of The New Nicene Orthodoxy Over Heterodoxy And Heathenism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 Chapter IV. The Empire And The Imperial State Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 Period II. The Church From The Permanent Division Of The Empire Until The Collapse Of The Western Empire And The First Schism Between The East And The West, Or Until About A. D. 500 . . 460 v Chapter I. The Church At The Beginning Of The Permanent Separation Of The Two Parts Of The Roman Empire . . . . . . . . . Chapter II. The Church Of The Western Empire In The Fifth Century . . . . . . . . . . Chapter III. The Church In The Eastern Empire. Period III. The Dissolution Of The Imperial State Church And The Transition To The Middle Ages: From The Beginning Of The Sixth Century To The Latter Part Of The Eighth . . . . . . . . . Chapter I. The Church In The Eastern Empire . Chapter II. The Transition To The Middle Ages. The Foundation Of The Germanic National Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chapter III. The Foundation Of The Ecclesiastical Institutions Of The Middle Ages . . Chapter IV. The Revolution In The Ecclesiastical And Political Situation Due To The Rise Of Islam And The Doctrinal Disputes In The Eastern Church . . . . . . . . . . . Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Footnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461 . 471 . 528 . 589 . 591 . 618 . 673 . 712 . 763 . 799 [v] Errata. [Transcriber's Note: These corrections have already been applied to the text in this e-book.] Page 55, line 26. Lucian, of Samosata, does, etc.: omit commas. Page 65, lines 20, 21, 25, 27, 31, 34, 35, 36. For, Ptolomæus: read, Ptolemæus. Page 77, line 27. For, Ptolomæus: read, Ptolemæus. Page 77, line 28. Panarion, Italics. [Panarion is the title of the book.] Page 93, line 34. For, Ptolomæus: read, Ptolemæus. Page 95, lines 9, 11. For, Ptolomæus: read, Ptolemæus. Page 110, line 11. Insert after V, 24: (given below, § 38). Page 128, line 12. For, and to use it: read, and use it. Page 245, line 16. Transpose so as to read: Were the sacraments they administered to be regarded, then, Page 267, line 20. For, are: read, art. Page 273, line 1. For, is: read, are. Page 282, line 29. For, exemptions from the clergy: read, exemptions of the clergy. Page 283, line 24. For, V. supra, 58 f.: read, V. supra § 58, f. Page 299, line 18. For, Constantinople: read, Alexandria. Page 306, line 14. Add: And in the Holy Ghost. [This should stand as a sentence by itself, although there is no complete sentence.] Page 316, line 6. For, desensus: read, descensus. Page 337, line 6. For, 368: read, 378. Page 361, note. Omit all after: Council of Chalcedon in 451; changing comma to period. Page 402, line 19. For, Milcoe: read, Mileve. Errata. 3 Page 579, line 24. Insert comma after: common faith. Page 594, line 22. For, will: read, wilt. Page 603, line 31. For, rivalries: read, rivalry. Page 627, line 28. For, days: read, days'. Page 697, line 1. For, ÃÀ±Ã¼¿½: read ÃÀ±Ã¼x½. Page 705, col. 2, lines 29, 30. For, Ptolomæus: read, Ptolemæus. [vii] Preface. The value of the source-book has long been recognized in the teaching of general history. In ecclesiastical history quite as much use can be made of the same aid in instruction. It is hoped that the present book may supply a want increasingly felt by teachers employing modern methods in teaching ecclesiastical history. It has grown out of classroom work, and is addressed primarily to those who are teaching and studying the history of the Christian Church in universities and seminaries. But it is hoped that it may serve the constantly increasing number interested in the early history of Christianity. In the arrangement of the selected illustrative material, a chronological analysis and grouping of topics has been followed, according to the lines of treatment employed by K. Müller, F. Loofs, Von Schubert in his edition of Moeller's text-book, and by Hergenröther to some extent. The whole history of ancient Christianity has accordingly been divided into comparatively brief periods and subdivided into chapters and sections. These divisions are connected and introduced by brief analyses and characterizations, with some indications of additional source material available in English. A bibliography originally prepared for each chapter and section has been omitted. When the practical question arose of either reducing the amount of source material to admit a bibliography, or of making the book too expensive for general use by students, the main purpose of the book determined the only way of avoiding two unsatisfactory solutions of the problem, and the bibliography has been omitted. In this there may be less loss than at first appears. The student of ecclesiastical history is fortunately provided with ample bibliographical material for [viii]