SUBJECT - CHURCH HISTORY //UNIT - 2 // LESSON – 3 // 11TH CENTURY TO 20TH CENTURY //

 

LESSON – 3

11^TH CENTURY TO 20^TH CENTURY

 

Eleventh Century 1001-1100 A.D

The Great Schism – Division. The eastern and western churches formerly separated on 16 July 1054. Anselm became Archbishop of Canterbury and argued that Christ’s death on the cross was in order to make atonement for sin. Key Thought: I am not seeking to understand in order to believe, but I believe in order to

understand. For this I believe, that unless I believe I shall not understand. Anselm

 

Twelfth Century 1101-1200 A.D

The Crusades In this century two crusades were made to Jerusalem to dislodge the Muslims. Peter Abelard published his book of sentences which became the standard theological textbook for many centuries. Key Thought: A human being is created with an emptiness that can only be filled with an intimate personal relationship with God. Bernard of Clairvaux

 

Thirteenth Century 1201-1300 A.D

Scholasticism Francis of Assisi began his order emphasising simplicity and ministry to the poor. Dominic began an order that focused on learning, scholarship and the preaching of the gospel. Thomas Aquinas wrote Summa Theologiae which included the development of five philosophical arguments to prove the existence of God Key Thought: Prayer is communion with God in harmony with nature. Preach the gospel and if necessary, use words. Francis of Assisi

 

Fourteenth Century 1301-1400 A.D

The Babylonian Captivity Rival popes claimed they were the pope at the same time. John Wycliffe translated the Bible into English He emphasised the sole authority of the scriptures, the priesthood of believers. In this century the mystics wrote about the possibility of union with God and in the East the Jesus prayer was formulated.

Key Thoughts: Approach the word of God simply, directly and from a sincere and devout heart. John Wycliffe. Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me a sinner. The Jesus Prayer

 

Fifteenth Century 1401-1500 A.D

Renaissance Constantinople fell to the Turks 1453. An age of discovery, printing was invented, and a fresh interest in the classics was born. John Hus taught on the same lines as John Wycliffe He was condemned to be burnt and saw a vision of the reformation. Thomas A Kempis The Imitation of Christ was written Key Thought: Search for truth, hear the truth, love the truth, defend the truth until death John Hus.

 

Sixteenth Century 1501-1600 A.D

Reformation Justification by Faith In 1516 Erasmus published a Greek Translation of the New Testament which led to a re-examination of a many of the church’s teachings. In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his ninety five theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg. Luther was objecting to the selling of indulgences however his action sparked off the Protestant reformation. By 1519 he had denied papal primacy and the infallibility of church councils. By 1520 he published a further three books in which he opposed clergy celibacy and advocated that baptism and communion are the only two sacraments of the church. Luther opposed the division between clergy and laity. In his final work he advocated the freedom of the believer from doing works to receive righteousness, and the sufficiency and authority of the Scriptures. Luther emphasized that salvation came through faith alone. Many parts of Europe - Germany, Scandaniva, The Netherlands, and England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church establishing national or regional churches where the pope primacy was denied. The Swiss reformers Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin went even further in their reforms to free the church from non biblical practices which included the practice of calling upon the saints, teaching about purgatory and the use of images. Both were strong advocates of lay participation in the church. By 1525 the Anabaptists in Switzerland were teaching believer’s baptism separate on between church and state and democracy in church leadership. The Anabaptists were seen as being radical and severely persecuted. By 1529 the protestant reformation was gaining momentum and stressing the sole authority of the Scripture, justification by faith alone and the priesthood of all believers. In 1534 King Henry VIIII had his marriage annulled and declared himself the head of the church in England. Thus the Anglican Church separated itself from the Catholic Church. Later in the century the Catholic Church itself also experienced reform that in time became known as the Counter Reformation. The council of Trent (1545- 1563) upheld traditional catholic theology but freed itself from the sale of indulgences and urged the need for sexual purity in the leadership. The Catholic Church continued to pursue expansion and in 1565 Francis Xavier began a mission that would reach into South India, China and Japan.

Key Thought: Luther discovered the verse “The one who is righteous will live by faith” from Romans 1:17 he felt himself to be have been born again. For Luther this verse meant that we are made right with God by grace through faith, apart from the works of the Law. One incomparable benefit of faith is that it unites the soul with Christ as a bride is united with her bridegroom… Accordingly, the believing soul can boast of and glory in whatever Christ has, as though it were it’s own, and whatever the soul has Christ claims as his own…Christ is full of grace, life and salvation. The soul is full of sins, death and damnation. Now let faith come between them and sins, death and damnation will be Christ’s while, grace life and salvation will be the souls. Martin Luther

 

Seventeenth Century 1601-1700 A.D

 

The church expands by emphasizing personal encounter with the Living Christ. In 1608 John Smith began to teach adult baptism in England this would in time lead to the formation of the Baptist churches. In 1611 King James Version published In 1620 the Pilgrim Fathers sailed to New England to establish a Christian community. 1618-1648 Thirty Year War. In 1647 George Fox had a personal encounter with Christ and began the Quaker movement. The puritans prepare the Westminster confession of Faith and John Bunyan writes Pilgrims Progress. Phillip Spener brings revival to the Lutherans by teaching people to personally read the scriptures and meet together in small groups for prayer and fellowship.

Key Thought: The word of God remains the seed from which all good

in us may grow. If we succeed in getting the people to seek eagerly and diligently in the Book of Life for their joy, spiritual life will be wonderfully strengthened and they will become all together different people. Phillip Spener.

 

Eighteenth Century 1701-1800 A.D

Protestant Revivals begin by emphasising Personal holiness and Devotion to Christ John Wesley begins the group called the Methodist after their methodical pursuit of personal holiness. George Whitfield preached extensively in America upon the holiness of God, the sinfulness and helplessness of man and the righteousness of Christ available through his atoning sacrifice. Jonathan Edwards ignited a revival by Preaching Sinners. In The Hands Of An Angry God Count Zinzendorf helps the Moravians to establish a hundred year prayer movement. The Sunday school movement begins in 1780 and William Carey sails for India in 1793.

Key Thought: “ O Lord, give me souls or take my soul” George Whitfield Walking with God not only implies, that the prevailing power of the Enmity of a man’s heart be taken away, but also that a person is  actually reconciled to God the Father, in and through the all-sufficient Righteousness and atonement of his dear son” George Whitfield

 

Nineteenth Century 1801-1900 A.D

 

Century of Missionary Endeavour Revival, missions and holiness.

The church faces the advent of new ideas in the form of deism, humanism and scientific rationalism. Many national Bible Societies were formed to translate and publish Bibles. D L Moody, Charles Finney and Spurgeon were all leaders of revivals. Each had a different style and different emphasis. Moody stressed evangelism, holiness and living the Spirit filled life. Finney was dramatically converted and his ministry featured revival campaigns which included the use of altar calls, his campaigns were backed up by extensive prayer. Many new denominations were formed in this century including the Plymouth Brethren (1830) the Salvation Army (1865) Considerable attention was given to Missions- David Livingstone went to Africa (1840) and Hudson Taylor to China (1853) Parachurch organizations began their missions including YMCA (1844), the World Evangelical Alliance (1846) and Scripture Union (1879). Key Thoughts: Salvation only comes through the active acceptance of God’s grace. Charles Finney.  The paramount importance of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to lead others to Christ Charles Finney Faith is the link that binds every promise of God Dwight Moody Our life is found in looking to Jesus not in looking to our own faith Charles Spurgeon

 

Twentieth Century 1901-2000 A.D

The Holy Spirit comes afresh to the church bringing expectancy and

Empowerment During 1901-1906 Pentecostal groups began to teach that the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was speaking in Tongues. Charles Parham and William Seymour were significant people restoring this truth to the church. In 1934 Cameron Townsend founded the Wycliffe Bible Translators with the purpose of translating the Bible into every language group in the world. In 1948 Billy Graham began his evangelistic ministry. In the 1960s the Charismatic renewal movement occurred which began to cross denominations bringing a greater sense of unity between churches. In the 1960s and the 1970s a movement known as the Jesus movement saw many young people been won to Christ. People began to be able to communicate over vast distances through radio and television and people such as Oral Roberts, C S Lewis and Mother Teresa began to live the Christian life in front of a worldwide audience. Key Thoughts: It is essential that each individual should himself possess the baptism of the Holy Spirit John G Lake

The essential characteristic of God is holiness... the purpose of God in Mankind is to produce a kindred holiness. John G Lake

We shall never truly know the truth until we are taught directly by the Holy Spirit RA Torre. If the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person and we know it not, we are robbing a divine being of the love and adoration which are His due. It is of the highest practical importance whether the Holy Spirit is a power that we, in our ignorance and weakness, are somehow to get hold of and use, or whether the Holy Spirit is a personal Being…who is to get hold of us and use us. It is of the highest experimental importance… many can testify to the blessing that came into their  lives when they came to know the Holy Spirit, not merely as a gracious influence… but as an ever-present, loving friend and helper. R A Torrey