Questions tagged [church-history]
The history of the Church following the book of Acts
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Did ancient Roman Christians celebrate any Roman national holidays?
Did ancient Roman Christians celebrate any Roman national holidays? Or were all their national holidays festivities which honored pagan gods?
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Has the age of Confirmation Catholics changed since Vatican I?
There's some movement to a "restored" order for the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation, but with some sort of assumption that it should be received as early as age seven.
I was ...
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Are the so-called Biblical Unitarians the continuation of the ancient Sabellians? [closed]
This question refers to the views of the three main Sabellians of the fourth century; Eustathius of Antioch, Marcellus of Ancyra, and Photinus of Sirmium, as elaborated in the article - The Sabellians ...
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Why was homoousios not mentioned for 20 years after Nicaea?
In the “centuries-old account of the Council of Nicaea: … The whole power of the mysterious dogma is at once established by the one word homoousios … with one pronouncement the Church identified a ...
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Did Greek weigh more heavily on Bible study than Latin historically, while it is the opposite today?
I have heard that students of Christian Theology study Latin for a better understanding the religion. I haven't heard about them learning Greek. Is it the same case for both Catholics and Protestants? ...
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Was Nestorius a Nestorian?
In classes earlier on in my life I was taught that Nestorius was a false teacher since he taught what some have called the "two board" theory. In this theory, There's two Jesuses (what's the ...
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Did the 1st Council of Nicea have a predecessor?
Prior to the First Council of Nicea was there any single meeting or ongoing group that attempted organization of the faith and its followers in any similar way ?
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On the Contributions of St. Athanasius at the First Council of Nicea?
In 325, the bishops gathered at Nicea (with Athansius present not as a bishop but as a deacon-secretary to the Bishop of Alexandria) for an ecumenical council---in which the Council declared that the ...
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From where did the tradition of erecting of three crosses around a church originate?
Apropos Ken Graham's Question of 18th August on medieval church architecture. One rarely comes across literature on the big crosses constructed around churches. For instance, you find an obelisk, a ...
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Looking for sources of Mediaeval church architecture that shows and\or explains hard to find architectural church additions?
Looking for sources of Mediaeval church architecture that shows and\or explains hard to find architectural church additions?
I can recall visiting some old Medieval churches while in France and one ...
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Since when did the Catholic church accept Protestant baptism, and what was the original rationale for accepting?
This is a historical question. I'm interested in the earliest instance that the Catholic Church (whether by the Vatican or by a bishop) accepted a Protestant baptism for a catechumen (a convert), ...
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Are there any examples of canonized saints reprimanding insubordinate women?
What are some examples of canonized saints either
educating or disciplining women over insubordination in church matters where a priest or bishop would be expected to be in charge
or
not tolerating ...
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What evidence do we have for the existence of venerated relics from the Old Testament (besides the Ark of the Covenant)?
It's not hard to understand why the New Testament might resonate more strongly for the cultivation of relics than the Old Testament over the centuries of the Church's history. To name a few:
The Holy ...
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The Early Protestant Reformers largely venerated Mary, when did this sentiment change and why?
It seems that various famous reformers venerated Mary but in my experience there is a general disregard of Mary in modern Protestant denominations. When did this sentiment historically wane?
I'm ...
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Where does the practice of sprinkling as a mode of baptism come from?
I grew up in a credobaptist tradition. Studying both Scripture and church history for myself without the blinders of tradition, I have come to accept paedobaptism, as I have come to a different ...
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What Original language used in writing the Scripture is the most accurate? [closed]
There are many translations used in writing the content of the Scripture. But can you tell us the most accurate language/translation?
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How were Bishops Appointed in England Prior to the Anglican Schism
The following question is a bit of a follow-up to On Bishops Who Refused to Sign Henry VIII's Oath of Succession?.
In an article "The Cardinal Martyr of England" found here: Catholic ...
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On Bishops Who Refused to Sign Henry VIII's Oath of Succession?
The 1534 Oath of Succession made Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, heir to the throne rather than Mary, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The oath also recognized the ...
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Do we know how many bishops attending the Council of Nicaea were victims of the Roman perscutions?
Do we know how many bishops attending the Council of Nicaea were actual victims of the Roman perscutions?
The Council of Nicaea opened on May 20, 325 AD.
The First Council of Nicaea, the first ...
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Was there any early church fathers who affirmed the Death Penalty? [duplicate]
The death penalty is clearly supported in the scriptures (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 21:12, Numbers 35:30-31, Deuteronomy 17:6, Job 19:29, Romans 13:1-4) but was there any Early Church Fathers between 80 AD ...
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Is the authorship of the New Testament Sacred Tradition in the Catholic and Orthodox churches?
For example, is the tradition that the Gospel of Matthew was "written according to Matthew" considered an infallible Sacred Tradition in the Catholic or Orthodox churches?
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Did the early church believe that Jesus was uncreated?
Among the early church there was a dispute on the nature of Christ, with some Christians claiming that Jesus was not only God but was uncreated and some like Arius believing that Jesus Christ was ...
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Paul using mystery cults to textualize his message to the Near East/Rome?
I've caught the tail end of a great lecture by a priest but have not been able to identify him or the venue. What I recall clearly is the very interesting point he brought up about the importance in ...
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Did historical protestants identify themselves as "catholics"?
Did Historical protestant churches like Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican, etc... and their founders identify themselves as lowercase "catholic"(Universal in sense) in their founding years? or ...
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What was the old style of penance, before modern indulgences?
In this answer, it is mentioned that the times listed for various indulgences
corresponds not to that amount of time off Purgatory, but to a remission equivalent to what one would get from performing ...
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Did any other church father other than St. Augustine believe in the just war theory?
St. Augustine is the most commonly known inventor of the just war theory, which is that war is sometimes justified if the outcome is peace, but did any other early church father other than St. ...
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What is the earliest reference of the seven sacraments in the Orthodox Church?
In the Roman-Catholic Church, the earliest writings that explicitly mention the seven sacraments come from Peter Lombard’s “Setences”.
I am curious what are the earliest reference in Eastern-Orthodoxy ...
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Did the Early Church practice the salutation of “Peace to this House”, as had been taught by Jesus in Luke 10:5?
We Jesus instructing his disciples in Lk 10:1-5:
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them,...
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Did different Jews have different canons?
During the time of Jesus Christ and even before the time of Christ there existed different sects of Jews (the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Hellenistic Jews) but did they different sect of Jews ...
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Was "peace be with you" a common greeting in the Early Church?
In the Old and the New Testament "peace be with you" was a common greeting among Jesus Christ and the prophets (Genesis 43:23, Judges 19:20, Luke 24:36, John 20:19) but was "peace be ...
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Did any of the Early Church Fathers believe in the supremacy of St. Peter? [duplicate]
Catholics believe that the Early Church Fathers held to the primacy of St. Peter (ie that Christ gave authority to St. Peter and to his successors to lead the church), but did any of the Early Church ...
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Did only bishops preach in the early Church?
Cardinal Manning, The Eternal Priesthood p. 175 claims:
In the beginning it was the Bishops alone who preached. The needs of the faith compelled them to delegate this, their chief office, to the ...
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Did the Early Church Fathers believe in exorcisms?
Both Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe in exorcism (ie the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person), but did the ...
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The Gospel’s message for Constantine the Great
The case has been made regarding Jesus and Lazarus, that the fact that a person of substance (Jesus) should take an interest of a person such as Lazarus is perhaps a greater miracle than Lazarus’ ...
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What is the biblical and early church basis against religious tolerance?
Christianity is very often labelled as being tolerant, especially towards other religions. But is there a biblical and historical (i.e. the church fathers) basis against so called "religious ...
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History and theological purpose of the Sequence portion of the Catholic Requiem Mass liturgy
In Mozart's Requiem (K. 626), the most musically well known (apart from the Introitus) is the Sequentia portion consisting of the following sections:
Dies irae ("Day of Wrath"), 8:06
Tuba ...
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Did the early church believe that Jesus was celibate?
Jesus Christ in the gospels was never married nor did he ever have children and it is believed historically that Jesus himself was celibate but did any of the Early Church Fathers believe that Jesus ...
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What is referred to as the “Black Week” in the recent history of Catholic Church?
What is commonly referred to as the “Black Week” in regards to the Second Vatican Council in the recent history of Catholic Church?
Did it have a standing effect on the administration of the Church?
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Did the Gnostics have apostolic succession?
It is often claimed that the Gnostics had apostolic succession. In particular, Clement of Alexandria is often used to show that the Gnostics claimed apostolic succession.
Basilides, though he claims (...
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Did early Christian converts follow Kosher?
Did any in the Early Church require a kosher diet? and Did any of the early church fathers believe they had to follow dietary laws? ask about what early Christians believed with respect to Jewish ...
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Why are there astrological signs in some churches and abbeys?
There are Christian churches and abbeys including very old ones in Hungary where we can find frescos about astrological signs. These frescos are relative new, probably a few hundred years old. As far ...
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Meaning of cross with Jesus on both sides
I have a necklace that is a cross charm with Jesus Christ on the cross but on both sides. What's the meaning of this symbol?
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How did the Apostolic Church manage to integrate different Tribes and Clans under its ambit?
We read in Matt 15:24 , of the initial response of Jesus to the pleadings of the Canaanite woman
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
(NB: Some editions omit the ...
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Did Christian church find it difficult to accept Nicolaus Copernicus' heliocentric theory?
Explain the reasons for which the Christian church found it difficult to accept Nicolaus Copernicus' heliocentric theory.
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What Sunday services were held in a tyical English parish church before the Reformation?
I can find much material about monastic services, but nothing about the worship pattern in a typical rural parish. The Mass would have been celebrated, of course, but was there a morning and/or ...
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What was the first infallible statement made by a pope?
According to the Catholic Church, what was the first infallible statement made by a pope, by himself, outside an ecumenical council?
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What does Augustine mean by the "hymns and psalms" which were introduced into the liturgy?
I am puzzling over a passage in Augustine's Confessions, where he speaks of himself and his mother in the Church at Milan:
We were still cold, untouched by the warmth of your Spirit, but were
excited ...
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Did the Early Church Fathers believe that Mary was the queen of heaven?
Both the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that the blessed Virgin Mary when she ascended into heaven was crowned as the queen of heaven by our Lord Jesus Christ, did any of the Early ...
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How did the early church view transgenderism?
I know that transgenderism is somewhat a new concept, but how did the Early Church Fathers view the act of transgenderism, did they condemn it or did they interpret the verses differently than we do? ...
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According to believers in the cessation of apostleship, who was the last apostle and why?
Who is usually considered to be the last apostle, according believers in the cessation of this church office?
Why? Why would God no longer call more apostles after this person?
Lastly, what are good ...
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