Institutionalizion of the Church

[Aaron56]

If the early church had been arranged much like it is today (meeting in buildings; public, centralized governing bodies; always on Sundays) it would have likely been eradicated. Yet, because they met where it was safe, away from persecution, the church, in a little less than 300 years, conquered the Roman Empire. By 320AD, it is estimated that Believers in Christ made up 8% to 10% of the population of the Roman Empire.

When Constantine offered peace with the believers he did so out of political expedience: had he NOT, the number of believers would have continued to climb exponentially. He knew his hold on the Empire could have waned to the point where his political hegemony would have suffered. So, when he offered believers the right to become the State church, he and his successors also made temples of Christian worship areas of cultural learning. To this end, the temples of pagan gods were retrofitted to accommodate new, Christian themes: statues of the saints and depictions of salient Biblical events were commissioned, frescoes and paintings were completed, entire ceilings of some buildings were covered in certain Biblical scenes. Paintings, statues, liturgy, robes, leadership, etc. all coalesced into what we see today as the "Institutional Church". Once this pattern was standardized it could be exported to all corners of the Empire in scope and practice.

And that's what they did.

But here's the rub:

Much of what was done to accommodate the fact that most people could not read. Therefore, pictures, and statues, and spectacular arrangements and buildings were of necessity. If they could not read, they could at least see and emotionally experience the message of "Our God is Greater than Any God and We have Monopolized Access to Him".

However, recall that the church had already spread to be the largest homogeneous group in the Empire without the ability to read. This occurred through relationships, word of mouth, testimonies; through Christ appearing in the believers as the fruits of the Spirit. THIS was the original way that Christ intended to build His church: one Living Stone at a time: connected by the Spirit one and all.

Much of the apostasy that Rome introduced remains as common practice among many denominations: hierarchy not found in scripture (pastors of programs), common meeting times, elaborate buildings, leadership chosen by education and not by examples of fruit and character, entertainment, Levitical Priesthood practices, etc.

The church was never an institution. The Lord is building a house made of living stones: saints built upon each other with Christ as the Head of the Body.

Aaron56

 

[Aaron56]

To note: This is merely a scratch on the surface of the subject.

 

[Gideon300]

If the early church had been arranged much like it is today (meeting in buildings; public, centralized governing bodies; always on Sundays) it would have likely been eradicated. Yet, because they met where it was safe, away from persecution, the church, in a little less than 300 years, conquered the Roman Empire. By 320AD, it is estimated that Believers in Christ made up 8% to 10% of the population of the Roman Empire.

When Constantine offered peace with the believers he did so out of political expedience: had he NOT, the number of believers would have continued to climb exponentially. He knew his hold on the Empire could have waned to the point where his political hegemony would have suffered. So, when he offered believers the right to become the State church, he and his successors also made temples of Christian worship areas of cultural learning. To this end, the temples of pagan gods were retrofitted to accommodate new, Christian themes: statues of the saints and depictions of salient Biblical events were commissioned, frescoes and paintings were completed, entire ceilings of some buildings were covered in certain Biblical scenes. Paintings, statues, liturgy, robes, leadership, etc. all coalesced into what we see today as the "Institutional Church". Once this pattern was standardized it could be exported to all corners of the Empire in scope and practice.

And that's what they did.

But here's the rub:

Much of what was done to accommodate the fact that most people could not read. Therefore, pictures, and statues, and spectacular arrangements and buildings were of necessity. If they could not read, they could at least see and emotionally experience the message of "Our God is Greater than Any God and We have Monopolized Access to Him".

However, recall that the church had already spread to be the largest homogeneous group in the Empire without the ability to read. This occurred through relationships, word of mouth, testimonies; through Christ appearing in the believers as the fruits of the Spirit. THIS was the original way that Christ intended to build His church: one Living Stone at a time: connected by the Spirit one and all.

Much of the apostasy that Rome introduced remains as common practice among many denominations: hierarchy not found in scripture (pastors of programs), common meeting times, elaborate buildings, leadership chosen by education and not by examples of fruit and character, entertainment, Levitical Priesthood practices, etc.

The church was never an institution. The Lord is building a house made of living stones: saints built upon each other with Christ as the Head of the Body.

Aaron56

It's noteworthy that agreeing on the canon of our modern Bible did not lead to a great spiritual awakening. Rather than leading the people of God into the truth and preparing them for the work of the ministry, (Ephesians 4:11), Catholicism kept Christians in the dark. The reformation brought about much needed change. I agree absolutely that the hierarchical structure has yet to be undone, even in non-denominational fellowships.

Much of the real church meets in secret, in places like China, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and North Korea. Much of the modern Church is like Laodicea, complacent and proud, or Ephesus. Ephesus was outwardly righteous but had forsaken their first love. Charitable programs are no substitute for loving Jesus and the brethren. Laodicea and Ephesus are ruins in what is now Turkey, a Muslim nation. Makes you think............... or should.

 

[Runningman]

If the early church had been arranged much like it is today (meeting in buildings; public, centralized governing bodies; always on Sundays) it would have likely been eradicated. Yet, because they met where it was safe, away from persecution, the church, in a little less than 300 years, conquered the Roman Empire. By 320AD, it is estimated that Believers in Christ made up 8% to 10% of the population of the Roman Empire.

When Constantine offered peace with the believers he did so out of political expedience: had he NOT, the number of believers would have continued to climb exponentially. He knew his hold on the Empire could have waned to the point where his political hegemony would have suffered. So, when he offered believers the right to become the State church, he and his successors also made temples of Christian worship areas of cultural learning. To this end, the temples of pagan gods were retrofitted to accommodate new, Christian themes: statues of the saints and depictions of salient Biblical events were commissioned, frescoes and paintings were completed, entire ceilings of some buildings were covered in certain Biblical scenes. Paintings, statues, liturgy, robes, leadership, etc. all coalesced into what we see today as the "Institutional Church". Once this pattern was standardized it could be exported to all corners of the Empire in scope and practice.

And that's what they did.

But here's the rub:

Much of what was done to accommodate the fact that most people could not read. Therefore, pictures, and statues, and spectacular arrangements and buildings were of necessity. If they could not read, they could at least see and emotionally experience the message of "Our God is Greater than Any God and We have Monopolized Access to Him".

However, recall that the church had already spread to be the largest homogeneous group in the Empire without the ability to read. This occurred through relationships, word of mouth, testimonies; through Christ appearing in the believers as the fruits of the Spirit. THIS was the original way that Christ intended to build His church: one Living Stone at a time: connected by the Spirit one and all.

Much of the apostasy that Rome introduced remains as common practice among many denominations: hierarchy not found in scripture (pastors of programs), common meeting times, elaborate buildings, leadership chosen by education and not by examples of fruit and character, entertainment, Levitical Priesthood practices, etc.

The church was never an institution. The Lord is building a house made of living stones: saints built upon each other with Christ as the Head of the Body.

Aaron56

Very true and interesting subject and it may be related directly to ignorance. The powers that be in the church acted as sort of gatekeepers of knowledge and information, clutching the Holy Scriptures tightly, and only filtering the scriptures through interpretations.

If we accept that it was not until 1455 when the first ever Bible was printed, not even taking into account widespread illiteracy, a severe shortage of Bibles to distribute, non-availability of scripture in all native languages, and the ever-looming fear of capital punishment for heresy, then it was not until after approximately 1,450 years or so (being extremely conservative) that any church member could actually "Be a Berean" and "search the scriptures daily" to see if what the church was teaching them is true.

Turns out that much of what the church was teaching them then was false and much of what the church is teaching people today is false. Having access to the scriptures, enabling all to "Be a Berean" doesn't seem to be stemming the tidal wave of heresies from the church that are engulfing the world, but that isn't completely useless.

If we can easily identify what false doctrines the modern church is producing, which isn't hard, then we can more accurately find what isn't the truth. By process of elimination, examining the doctrines of literally thousands of denominations, we can obtain a wealth of information about what not to believe and about how to not read the Bible, leaving the possible true interpretations of scripture in a much less crowded pool of possibilities.

 

[wattie]

In different church history books you can find information on 'the men of the valleys' .. vallenses..

Independent christian churches who fled persecution into the alps. There they dwelt in caves and lived hard lives... but preserved a pure, bible believing faith.

It is from these kind of churches that a line comes seperate from catholism, that never was part of it or came out of it.

Another name given to these was Waldenses... after a leader in their churches Robert Waldo.

They were called heretics .. but who was writing that they are? Many who had unbiblical beliefs... or who were ignorant and only knew of the RCC.

 

[Aaron56]

It's pretty telling when the real saints had to hide from the Roman church or face certain death.

I am reminded of these words of the Lord:

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers. You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation."

 

[Aaron56]

FYI: when I speak about the Roman Catholic church I always call it either the "Roman church" or the "Roman Catholic church". There is a legitimate "catholic" (an adjective) church that encompasses all who are called out.

 

[Pilgrimshope]

If the early church had been arranged much like it is today (meeting in buildings; public, centralized governing bodies; always on Sundays) it would have likely been eradicated. Yet, because they met where it was safe, away from persecution, the church, in a little less than 300 years, conquered the Roman Empire. By 320AD, it is estimated that Believers in Christ made up 8% to 10% of the population of the Roman Empire.

When Constantine offered peace with the believers he did so out of political expedience: had he NOT, the number of believers would have continued to climb exponentially. He knew his hold on the Empire could have waned to the point where his political hegemony would have suffered. So, when he offered believers the right to become the State church, he and his successors also made temples of Christian worship areas of cultural learning. To this end, the temples of pagan gods were retrofitted to accommodate new, Christian themes: statues of the saints and depictions of salient Biblical events were commissioned, frescoes and paintings were completed, entire ceilings of some buildings were covered in certain Biblical scenes. Paintings, statues, liturgy, robes, leadership, etc. all coalesced into what we see today as the "Institutional Church". Once this pattern was standardized it could be exported to all corners of the Empire in scope and practice.

And that's what they did.

But here's the rub:

Much of what was done to accommodate the fact that most people could not read. Therefore, pictures, and statues, and spectacular arrangements and buildings were of necessity. If they could not read, they could at least see and emotionally experience the message of "Our God is Greater than Any God and We have Monopolized Access to Him".

However, recall that the church had already spread to be the largest homogeneous group in the Empire without the ability to read. This occurred through relationships, word of mouth, testimonies; through Christ appearing in the believers as the fruits of the Spirit. THIS was the original way that Christ intended to build His church: one Living Stone at a time: connected by the Spirit one and all.

Much of the apostasy that Rome introduced remains as common practice among many denominations: hierarchy not found in scripture (pastors of programs), common meeting times, elaborate buildings, leadership chosen by education and not by examples of fruit and character, entertainment, Levitical Priesthood practices, etc.

The church was never an institution. The Lord is building a house made of living stones: saints built upon each other with Christ as the Head of the Body.

Aaron56

really good read bro fr asks for taking the time to share

it seems we were warned ahead of time of this worldly influenced institutionalization of what God set In Order himself beforehand

“preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:2-4‬ ‭

 

[ResidentAlien]

However, recall that the church had already spread to be the largest homogeneous group in the Empire without the ability to read. This occurred through relationships, word of mouth, testimonies; through Christ appearing in the believers as the fruits of the Spirit. THIS was the original way that Christ intended to build His church: one Living Stone at a time: connected by the Spirit one and all.

Overall I agree with your post, I'd just add one thing here. They also had the apostles' writings. Koine Greek was the common language of the Roman Empire. Even if someone couldn't read or write they could still understand if the writings were read aloud.

 

[Aaron56]

Overall I agree with your post, I'd just add one thing here. They also had the apostles' writings. Koine Greek was the common language of the Roman Empire. Even if someone couldn't read or write they could still understand if the writings were read aloud.

True!

Rome's church machinery was constructed to mass produce church members and spread the new culture. It was a means to an end where the end was consolidation of empire-wide control.

 

[ResidentAlien]

There's no question that Catholicism, from its inception, was based on worldly power and control. Even the Evangelical world has become mad with power, each group trying to be the biggest, the richest and most popular. They already have their reward.

In Luke 22 Jesus said: "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves."

 

[Aaron56]

Behold, the Roman church is still asleep and reacts appropriately!

 

[Eli1]

Yay another ”I hate the church thread”.
@Aaron56 quick question for you. When you say “The church was never an institution”, what do you mean by that?
The church being political for example, instead of serving God? If that’s what you meant, then yes I agree with you.

Also do you agree that not everyone is bad in any church? Or is your view that everyone is bad?

 

[ResidentAlien]

I love the church but I hate Catholicism. There's a big difference.

 

[Aaron56]

Yay another ”I hate the church thread”.
@Aaron56 quick question for you. When you say “The church was never an institution”, what do you mean by that?
The church being political for example, instead of serving God? If that’s what you meant, then yes I agree with you.

Also do you agree that not everyone is bad in any church? Or is your view that everyone is bad?

The Roman Church was not created by Christ but buy the Roman government.

Institutionalization, at its core, makes the form greater than its parts. You may clearly see this in legal proceedings, where the church name or group, properly registered with the state, is found in the documents apart from any person's name. That's how you know you are dealing with an institution. Furthermore, institutions are charged with protecting the survival of the institution. This is how centuries of child rape go unreported or properly dealt with: far from bringing all matters into the light.

Institutions are not inherently evil. That's silly (I'm not suggesting you said this). The institutionalization of the church, however, is evil. In the U.S. churches that want tax exemption must agree to 501(c)3 whereby they are granted status from the government.

Rome did this: the church had already conquered Rome through the power of the Holy Spirit. What Rome offered was authority granted to them by the decree of the government of Rome. The church supplanted their power in the Spirit for the power of the State. The State, then, defined the role of the Roman church, not Christ. Soon after its offer, the Roman government required codification of Roman church beliefs. This is the origin of modern day by-laws and belief statements. This was all designed so that the church could be handled and directed by governmental means, terrestrial powers.

 

[Eli1]

The Roman Church was not created by Christ but buy the Roman government.

Institutionalization, at its core, makes the form greater than its parts. You may clearly see this in legal proceedings, where the church name or group, properly registered with the state, is found in the documents apart from any person's name. That's how you know you are dealing with an institution. Furthermore, institutions are charged with protecting the survival of the institution. This is how centuries of child rape go unreported or properly dealt with: far from bringing all matters into the light.

Institutions are not inherently evil. That's silly (I'm not suggesting you said this). The institutionalization of the church, however, is evil. In the U.S. churches that want tax exemption must agree to 501(c)3 whereby they are granted status from the government.

Rome did this: the church had already conquered Rome through the power of the Holy Spirit. What Rome offered was authority granted to them by the decree of the government of Rome. The church supplanted their power in the Spirit for the power of the State. The State, then, defined the role of the Roman church, not Christ. Soon after its offer, the Roman government required codification of Roman church beliefs. This is the origin of modern day by-laws and belief statements. This was all designed so that the church could be handled and directed by governmental means, terrestrial powers.

Okay, thanks for explaining all that.
What would be the perfect church to you? Can you give me one or a few examples?

 

[Aaron56]

Okay, thanks for explaining all that.
What would be the perfect church to you? Can you give me one or a few examples?

This is a very good question. I will get back to it hopefully this evening.

 

[wattie]

There are marks of a true church.. (not perfect but sticking to the Word)

Baptism of believers only by full immersion

Salvation by grace thru faith in Christ

Independence of the local church from state control

Belief in the one triune God

Belief that Jesus is God and rose again.

Belief in the 2nd coming

There are other features but these are key ones

 

[Ted01]

Very interesting read, I enjoyed reading it!
I do have a question though if you don't mind me asking? - don't mean to be nit-picking, just insatiable curiosity.

How did you come to this conclusion that Rome was conquered by Christians in/around 300 AD? Most historians claim that it was more or less conquered by the Germanic tribes in/around 476 AD...?

Yet, because they met where it was safe, away from persecution, the church, in a little less than 300 years, conquered the Roman Empire.

Also, the info below seems very intriguing to me! What source did you use to find this info?

By 320AD, it is estimated that Believers in Christ made up 8% to 10% of the population of the Roman Empire.

Hope to hear back and see more great stuff!!
God bless!

 

[Aaron56]

Very interesting read, I enjoyed reading it!
I do have a question though if you don't mind me asking? - don't mean to be nit-picking, just insatiable curiosity.

How did you come to this conclusion that Rome was conquered by Christians in/around 300 AD? Most historians claim that it was more or less conquered by the Germanic tribes in/around 476 AD...?




Also, the info below seems very intriguing to me! What source did you use to find this info?




Hope to hear back and see more great stuff!!
God bless!

Of course.

It’s a matter of perspective.

The church did not conquer to overthrow, much like Christ ruled with the certainty of a lion but also as a lamb that had been sacrificed.

I should have said, ”even under severe persecution and when faith in Christ was outlawed by the penalty of death, the church grew from within the Roman empire to be the largest homogeneous group of the Empire by 325 AD.“ Rome’s offer was contrition after their centuries of church persecution ended with believers who had spread to all corners of their empire.