Church History
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Early Church Fathers: St. John Chrysostom
WEEK 3: ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM AND THE LITURGY
Life of St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom was born about 300 years after the time of Christ in the city of Antioch in the land of Syria. (Locate Antioch of Syria on your maps.) His parents, Secounthos and Anthousa, were very rich. They became Christians before John was born, and John was baptized when he was very young. Secounthos died when John was a boy, and Anthousa taught him carefully about Christ Jesus and the Christian life.
Church Established: The Cappadocian Fathers
UNIT 6: THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED
Objective: Students should be able to identify several of the early church Fathers and understand their teachings, to discuss the development of monasticism and the monastic way of life, to identify and discuss the importance of such great monastics as St. Anthony the Great, St. Gregory Palamas, St. John Climacus, and St. Mary of Egypt, and to recite the Jesus Prayer.
WEEK 1: THE CAPPADOCIAN FATHERS
Church Established: Monasticism
WEEK 2: MONASTICISM
Each of the men discussed last week was, at some point in his life, a monk. What is monasticism? Why would a man (or woman) leave their homes and lives and give up all property and the privilege of marriage and having children to become a monk?
Historic perspective:
Church Established: St. Gregory Palamas and St. John Climacus
WEEK 3: ST. GREGORY PALAMAS AND ST. JOHN CLIMACUS
Triodion:
Councils
UNIT 7: THE COUNCILS
Objective: Students should be able to give date and name to all seven councils, to name the major players in each and to understand the major debates and heresies, and to discuss the decisions reached and their importance.
Byzantine Age: Fall of Rome
UNIT 8: THE BYZANTINE AGE
Objective: Students should be able to discuss the reasons for, importance of, and changes caused by the fall of Rome and the rise of Islam, the beliefs of Moslems today, the glory of the Byzantine Empire under Justinian, and the rise of the Holy Roman Empire in the West, and the role of Charlemagne in the changing of the creed.
WEEK 1: FALL OF ROME
Barbarian Invasions:
Byzantine Age: Rise of Islam
WEEK 2: RISE OF ISLAM
Historical Background:
Review the history of the Arabic peoples. Remember the Old Testament patriarch, Abraham. The children of his first son, Ishmael, became the peoples of Arabia. They were a nomadic people, living in a desert environment. They did not worship the One God of Abraham, but a variety of primitive gods – stars, stones, trees, etc. The Arabic tribes were divided; there was no central leadership.
Byzantine Age: Charlemagne
WEEK 3: CHARLEMAGNE AND THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
While we are not embarking on a detailed study of the history of Western Europe, the events discussed today will have great influence on the chain of events leading to the Great Schism, one of the saddest days of the Church. How could this have happened, when Jesus prayed so eloquently that His Church be one?
Historical Background:
Great Schism: Schism
UNIT 9: THE GREAT SCHISM
Objective: Students should be able to give dates and reasons behind each of these major historical events and their importance to history and the Church.
WEEK 1: THE GREAT SCHISM
Historical Background:
Many of the political reasons for the Schism have been discussed previously; review them:
Great Schism: Crusades
WEEK 2: THE CRUSADES
The Islamic threat: