RLST 152: Introduction to the New Testament History and Literature
Lecture 25 - Ecclesiastical Institutions: Unity, Martyrs, and Bishops. The Epistle of Jude can be dated to somewhere during post-apostolic Christianity and before the formation of the Canon. It refers to the apostles as representing a prior generation, yet it quotes from texts later excluded (perhaps, for example, by 2 Peter) from the Canon. The letters of Ignatius of Antioch contain evidence of a move toward the institutionalization of early Christianity. It mentions, for example, three different church offices: bishops, presbyters, and deacons. It also heavily emphasizes the authority held by those with these titles. The Didache contains liturgical and ritual instructions for rites such as baptism, the Lord's Prayer, and the Eucharist. All these documents show the change in early Christianity toward greater church structure and institutionalization. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 25 - Ecclesiastical Institutions: Unity, Martyrs, and Bishops |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. The Struggle to Maintain Unity in the Early Christian Social Movement |
| [00:09:34] | 2. The Letter of Jude: The Move towards Institutionalization |
| [00:16:07] | 3. The Letters of Ignatius and Martyrology |
| [00:24:42] | 4. The Letters of Ignatius and Church Office |
| [00:36:15] | 5. The Didache and the Development of Liturgy |
| References |
| Lecture 25 - Ecclesiastical Institutions: Unity, Martyrs, and Bishops Instructor: Professor Dale B. Martin. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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