Confessional Lutheran
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2017
- Messages
- 867
- Age
- 51
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Gender
- Male
- Religious Affiliation
- Lutheran
- Political Affiliation
- Moderate
- Marital Status
- Divorced
- Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
- Yes
Early Christians met at the homes of their members and the major centers of the early Christian faith were in Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. They usually baptized new Christians as adults ( often on their deathbeds), as they believed that their baptism into Christ would result in all their sins beforehand being forgiven. They accepted all of the Hebrew Bible as sacred and there were a wider selection of Gospels and Apostolic letters to choose from in those days and many of these were regarded as sacred as well. The Sacrament of Holy Communion was usually included in the context of a wider meal, where everybody would assemble in fellowship.
Per the words of Christ, " this is my Body" in reference to the bread and " this is my Blood" in reference to the wine of the Sacrament, a literal interpretation was accepted by the greater part of the Roman public and hence Christians were accused of cannibalism. There is reason to suppose that the earlier priests were validly married and this didn't become an issue in the Western Church until the Middle Ages. The Roman authorities hated and feared the Christians as a potentially seditious sect that refused to participate in the Imperial Cult, worshiping One God ( Who, let it be said, they saw as being devoured by His followers) and accepting martyrdom rather than recantation. The Roman Christians would worship in the Catacombs in the face of rising persecution. The Christians were very apocalyptic, believing that Jesus would return in their lifetimes. This was especially true as the turn of the first millennium approached. Fervor was at a fever pitch and the dread was so severe that many are said to have died from sheer fright as midnight approached for the millennium. They were avid proselytizers, believing that they ought to spread the Gospel as far and wide as possible before the Second Coming.
Per the words of Christ, " this is my Body" in reference to the bread and " this is my Blood" in reference to the wine of the Sacrament, a literal interpretation was accepted by the greater part of the Roman public and hence Christians were accused of cannibalism. There is reason to suppose that the earlier priests were validly married and this didn't become an issue in the Western Church until the Middle Ages. The Roman authorities hated and feared the Christians as a potentially seditious sect that refused to participate in the Imperial Cult, worshiping One God ( Who, let it be said, they saw as being devoured by His followers) and accepting martyrdom rather than recantation. The Roman Christians would worship in the Catacombs in the face of rising persecution. The Christians were very apocalyptic, believing that Jesus would return in their lifetimes. This was especially true as the turn of the first millennium approached. Fervor was at a fever pitch and the dread was so severe that many are said to have died from sheer fright as midnight approached for the millennium. They were avid proselytizers, believing that they ought to spread the Gospel as far and wide as possible before the Second Coming.
Not quite to the death but enough to make eyebrows raise.