Key Ideas from Lecture 3: The Early Expansion of the Church

•    Johannes Blauw- Missionary Nature of the Church- in the OT- the mission was come to us; in the NT- the misson shifts to Go Out
•    Galatians 4:4- in the fullness of times
•    Three major churches in the ancient world: Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome all established by people whose names we do not know
•    Methods of expansion in early church:  missionary bands, settled ministry, non-professional/lay witness
•    In culture where civilization in decline- troubled sexually, frequent divorce, low view of marriage, old gods discredited, empty profession, temple prostitution with fertility cults, unwanted infants disposed of, half population were slaves

• Xnty offered- life in community, cared for one another, cared for poor- slave equal to master, quality of life and witness, miracles and power, intellectual pursuit of life’s basic questions, high ethical standards, message God acted in history and brings hope for hopeless and love for unloveable

•    Contantine transformed XN movment from politically subversive force to politically powerful force (Edict of Milan in 311 gave toleration; 312- Milvian bridge; 313- freedom of religion)
•    Pre-constantine- new oppts to evangelize and penetrate culture; post-contantine- new temptations to be penetrated by culture and lose evangelistic force