Tag Archives: Clement of Alexandria

#376 – A History of the Catholic Church – Be Fruitful and Multiply

February 10, 2017 – 8:00 pm

This week we begin a series of episodes on marriage and virginity. While the Christian understanding of marriage is rooted in the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, it is also influenced by the encounter with Greek and Roman Culture as it strives to promote the importance of unity between husband and wife and the the procreation of children. Moreover, the goodness of marriage in the Christian tradition is connected with the belief in the goodness of everything God created.

Links:
Gold-Glass “Medalion” of a Christian couple being crowned by Jesus. The Latin reads “Sweetheart, may you live [long]”

Jewish Seven Blessings
Tertullian’s Ad Uxorem
Gregory Nazianzen on the marriage ritual in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire

Paulinus of Nola’s Ode on Marriage can be found in Documents of the Marriage Liturgy, Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992, pp. 30-39.

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#376 – A History of the Catholic Church – Be Fruitful and Multiply

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#330 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Thundering Legion

March 25, 2016 – 8:00 pm

thunderinglegion

The ascension of Diocletian as Emperor brought with it significant changes in the political structure of the Roman Empire – changes that would affect the nature and structure of the Church as well. Christians will wrestle over whether service in the Roman Army is acceptable.

Links:

Image: Image of the Thundering Legion from the Column of Marcus Aurelius by Cristiano64

Eusebius on the Thundering Legion

John Helgeland, “Christians and the Roman Army A.D. 173-337”, Church History, Vol. 43, No. 2, June 1974, pp. 149-163

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#330 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Thundering Legion

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#329 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Manifestation Of Our Lord

March 18, 2016 – 8:00 pm

solinvictus

The History of Religions and the Chronology Theory attempt to explain why Christians in the Roman Empire began to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th and whether there is a relationship between the celebration of the birth of Christ and the pagan celebration of the birth of Sol Invictus. The origins of Christmas and Epiphany are somewhat murky, but do shed light on the life of early Christians.

Links:

Image: Image of the Adoration of the Magi from 4th century sarcophagus

History of Religions Theory presented by Joseph F. Kelly in “The Birth of Christmas”

The Calculation Theory presented by Andrew McGowan in “How December 25 Became Christmas”.

Pope Benedict presents his support of the Calculation Theory in “The Spirit of the Liturgy” pp. 107-109.

Kurt Simmons in The Origins of Christmas and the Date of Christ’s Birth argues against both the History of Religions and Calculation theories – instead asserting that Biblical and historical evidence show likelihood of 25th of December date for Christ’s birth.

Susan K. Roll, “Towards the Origins of Christmas”, 1995.

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#329 – A History of the Catholic Church – The Manifestation of our Lord

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#328 – A History of the Catholic Church – Sol Invictus

March 11, 2016 – 8:00 pm

solinvictus

As Christianity expanded and developed in the Roman Empire it would use pagan images and symbols to express Christian theology – Christ as the Good Shepherd, Christ as the Philosopher, Christ as the Unconquered Sun. But the Christians did not simply adopt these images, they gave to them particularly Christian meanings to show how the message of Christ was different that anything that had ever happened before.

Links:

Image: Image of Christ as Sol Invictus in the Tomb of the Julii

Via Saleria Sarcophagus showing Christ as the Philosopher and as the Good Shepherd

Sarcophagus showing Jesus Christ as philosopher raising Lazarus from the dead

Coin of Vespasian with image of Sol

Coin of Caracalla with image of Sol Invictus

Coin of Aurelian with image of Sol Invictus

Coin of Probus with image of Sol Invictus

Image of Apollo riding chariot at Orbe Bosceaz, Switzerland

More information about the Tomb of the Julii/Mausoleum M and Saint Peter’s Basilica – including map of the necropolis

Sarcophagus of La Gayole

Steven Hijmans – “Christ or Sol in Mausoleum M of the Vatican Necropolis?”

Robin M Jensen, “Towards a Christian Material Culture”, The Cambridge History of Christianity: Origins to Constantine, Vol 1, New York: Cambridge, 2006, pp. 568-589.

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#328 – A History of the Catholic Church – Sol Invictus

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#327 – A History of the Catholic Church – Holding Festival In Our Whole Life

March 4, 2016 – 8:00 pm

oxyrhynchushymn

Music occupied an important place in the life of the Early Church. Good music moved the Christian closer to God, whereas bad music led the Christian astray. Some musical instruments were praised, others were condemned. There was no part of the Christian life that music did not touch.

Links:

Image: Section of the Oxyrhynchus Hymn

An example of ancient Greek music in a Chromatic scale

A presentation on ancient Greek music in the Enharmonic scale and Dorian mode

An example of ancient Greek music in an Enharmonic scale

An example of the Greek Aulos/Auloi instrument

The Oxyrhynchus Hymn as it might have sounded

The Phos Hilaron Hymn

W. J. Holleman, “The Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 1786 and the Relationship Between Ancient Greek and Early Christian Music”, Vigiliae Christianae 26, 1972, 1-17.

Christopher Page, The Christian West and its Singers: The First Thousand Years, Yale University Press, Yale, 2010.

Kristen L. Southworth, Music in Early Christianity and Its Cultural-Historical Context

Calvin R. Stapert, A New Song for an Old World: Musical Thought in the Early Church, William , Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, 2007.

David VanBrugge, An Analysis of the Ancient Church Fathers on Instrumental Music

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#327 – A History of the Catholic Church – Holding Festival In Our Whole Life

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#326 – A History of the Catholic Church – Natalia And The New Eve

February 26, 2016 – 8:00 pm

annunciation

Just as the Early Church arose from its belief that Christ has risen from the dead, so did the Church believe that those Christians who died would inherit eternal life – first those who were martyrs and then the rest of the faithful. These saints, especially the Virgin Mary, would play an important role in the spiritual life of the Church and in the teaching of its doctrines.

Links:

Image: Painting of the Mary nursing Jesus in the Catacomb of Saint Priscilla

Examples of Acts of the Martyrs

Carvings of prayers to the saints from the catacombs

Painting of the Annunciation in the Catacomb of Saint Priscilla

Painting of the Adoration of the Magi from the Catacomb of Priscilla

Image of the Adoration of the Magi from a Christian sarcophagus

The Sub Tuum Praesidium Prayer

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#326 – A History of the Catholic Church – Natalia And The New Eve

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#320 – A History of the Catholic Church – How Man Should Become Godly

January 15, 2016 – 8:00 pm

teacherandstudents

As Christians move to play a greater part of the Greco-Roman culture, they not only sought to demonstrate that the Christian faith was compatible with the best of human reason, but to show Christ as the source and fulfillment of the quest for wisdom.

Links:

Image: Teacher and pupils from Catacomb of Saint Priscilla

Willem H. Oliver “The Catechetical School in Alexandria” and “The Heads of the Catechetical School in Alexandria”

Willem H. Oliver and Mokhele J. S. Madise “The Formation of Christian Theology in Alexandria”

Tadros Y. Malaty “The School of Alexandria: Before Origen” and “The School of Alexandria: Origen”

Frances M. Young. (2006). Towards a Christian paideia. In: Margaret M. Mitchell and Frances M. Young (eds.) The Cambridge History of Christianity. pp. 484-500. [Online]. Cambridge History of Christianity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps Podcast

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#320 – A History of the Catholic Church – How A Man Should Become Godly

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#305 – A History of the Catholic Church – A Christian Space

October 2, 2015 – 8:00 pm

perpetuaandfelicity

The end of the second century/beginning of the third brought with it continued suffering of persecutions and martyrdoms. The example of Perpetua and Felicity show us not only the practice of the faith in Carthage, but also show us how the important call to martyrdom was experienced from a first hand account.

The end of the second century/beginning of the third will also bring with it the rise of the catacombs – places where Christians can celebrate the example of the martyrs and where Christian art will have its beginning.

Links:

Image – Perpetua and Felicy by Lawrence OP

The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity

Interesting article by William Tabbernee on the Church of Carthage at the time of the martyrdoms of Perpetua and Felicity

Travel through the Catacombs of Saint Priscilla via Google Maps

Christian symbols and art in the catacombs

Image of Orpheus, Endymion sleeping under a Tree, Jonah being spat out of the whale and Daniel in the lions’ den in Catacombs

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podcasticon#305 – A History of the Catholic Church – A Christian Space

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#304 – A History of the Catholic Church – Having Preeminent Authority

September 25, 2015 – 8:00 pm

jesusandthekeys

Having looked at several different heresies and the responses of the Church authorities to that – emphasis on the monepiscopacy, apostolic tradition and the development of the New Testament Canon. In this episode, we reflect on the growth and continuing importance of the authority of the bishop of Rome. We also look at the struggle about inculturalization – how much should the Church adapt to the Hellenistic culture?

We will also look at the Church of the East and see how it dealt with many of these same issues.

Links:

Image – Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter by Pietro Perugino

Eusebius on the Quartodeciman Controversy

A Map of Parthia showing Media and Bactra where Christianity had spread by this time can be found here.

Another map showing the spread of Christianity by 200 AD.

The Diatesseron of Tatian

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podcasticon#304 – A History of the Catholic Church – Having Preeminent Authority

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