Dickinson Church of Christ
2919 Main
Dickinson TX 77539
Contents and Outline of the Special Study: Church History avialable in pdf.
Table of Contents
General Outline
Lesson 1 The Ante-Nicean Church (1): Overcoming Persecutions page 9
I. The N.T. Church
A. Organization - Elders, Deacons, Evangelist
B. Membership - Saints, Disciples, Baptized
C. Doctrine
D. Worship
E. Departure
II. The Post-N.T. Church: Ante-Nicean 60-325 A.D.
A. Condition of the Roman World
B. Roman Persecutions
1.) Popular Antagonism
2.) Intellectual Assaults
3.) Physical Persecutions
Lesson 2 The Ante-Nicean Church (2): Departures From The Faith
I. Attempts To Dilute Christianity
A. Attempts to Dilute with Legalism – Judaism
B. Attempts to Dilute with Philosophy – Gnosticism
1.) Philosophy, Not Salvation
2.) Philosophical Underpinnings 1 Tim. 6:20,21
3.) Gnostics and the Divinity of Christ.
4.) Results of Gnostic Teaching
C. Effects of Gnosticism
1.) The Canon
2.) Creeds
3.) Seeds of Future Ideas
II. Struggles Over the Trinity
A. Jesus was not the Eternal Son
B. Jesus was born a man, but adopted by God, power by H.S.
C. Christ was just another name for God
D. Christ was divine, but not Subordinate – Arianism
E. Orthodox view – Christ same essence as God, and co-equal, co-eternal
III. Pagan Corruptions Intrude
A. Externalism
B. Sacerdotalism – Priestism
C. Worship Changes
D. Female Deity
E. Professionalism
IV. Struggles Against The Lowering of Standards
A. Monasticism
B. Montanism
C. Novatianism
D. Donatism
V. Organizational Changes
A. Personal Faith To Impersonal Organization
B. Rise of the Bishops
C. Council of Nicea
Lesson 3 Catholicism (1): Becoming Dominant
I. Catholic Foundations A.D. 325-451
A. Arian Controversy Concluded
1.) Athanaius 337-361
2.) Julius 361-363
3.) Results of Arianism
B. Christianity As State Religion
1.) Church/State Relations and Power Struggles
2.) Secular/Political Influence In & On the Church
3.) Massive Influx of Pagans
4.) Monasticism Explodes
II. The Bishop of Rome Why Rome?
A. They Fought For It
B. Geography
C. Appeal To Tradition
D. Doctrinal Dominance
1.) Nature of Christ Controversies
2.) Pelagian Controversy
3.) Augustine
III. Catholic Expansion A.D. 451-1050 (Dark Ages)
A. Germanic Invasions
B. Organized Monastics Into Monasteries & Orders
C. Missionary Work
D. Alliances With Kings (Charlemagne)
E. Feudalism
F. Break With The East
1.) Muslims Weaken The East – 700's on
2.) Other Differences
Lesson 4 Catholicism (2): Domination & Decline 1050-1420
I. Practices of Domination 1050-1215
A. Crusades
B. Scholasticism
C. Strong Popes
1.) Gregory VII 1073-1085
2.) Alexander III 1159-1181
3.) Innocent III 1198-1216
II. The Seven Sacraments
III. Trying To Keep Control 1215-1420
A. Papal Prestige Collapses
1.) General Discontent
2.) Financial Exploitation
3.) Boniface VIII Humiliated 1302
B. Babylonian Captivity 1309-1368
C. Two Popes, Even Three 1369-1417
Lesson 5 Clamor For Reforms & Luther (1250-1546)
I. Calls For Reform
A. Background – Renaissance & Humanism
B. Italy
C. The Holy Roman Empire (Germany)
D. England – John Wycliffe (1320-1384) & The Lollards
E. Bohemia – John Huss (1369-1415)
F. Erasmus of Rotterdam (1465-1536) Greek N.T.
G. Gutenburg's Press (1455) Mainz Germany
II. Attempts At Reform
A. Councils
B. Aftermath
1.) Strong Countries More Free of Pope
2.) Weak Countries More Oppressed
3.) Wicked Popes
C. Dissenters
III. Luther
A. Oct. 31, 1517 95 Theses Nailed To The Door
B. Luther's Time
C. Luther's Success 1520-1552
Lesson 6 Reforms Take Different Courses: Zwingli, Calvin & The Anabaptists
I. Ulrich Zwingli 1481-1531
A. Great Principles
B. Failing On Infant Baptism For Political Considerations
C. Effects & Civil War
II. John Calvin 1509-1564
A. Systematic
B. Basic Tenants – TULIP
C. Spread of Calvinism
III. The Anabaptists
A. Radical Biblicalists
B. Radical Millennialists
1.) Thomas Muntzer
2.) Melchior Hofmann
3.) Munster
C. Radical Mystics
Lesson 7 Anglicans & The English Bible
I. The Anglican Church
A. Dynastic Problems Bring Breach
B. Reforms By Henry's Children
C. Puritans & Separatists
D. The Stuarts
E. Religious Wars
II. The English Bible
A. Latin Based Bibles
B. Tyndale 1534
C. Tyndale Derivatives
D. Geneva & Others
E. 1611 King James Bible
Lesson 8 The Counter Reformation
I. Leaving the Medieval Mind Set 1517-1555
A. Political Power Greatly Diminished
B. Early Efforts at Moral Reform
C. Period of Vacillations 1517-1541
D. The Society of Jesus - Jesuits Ignatius of Loyola
E. Council of Trent 1545-1564
F. The Spanish Inquisition 1478-1820
Results: Leaner, Meaner Church
II. Period of Wars and Entrenchments 1555-1775
A. Uneasy Peace 1555-1617
B. Thirty Years War 1618-1648
C. Persecution of The Huguenots
D. Jesuits Suppressed 1721-1775
Lesson 9 Denominationalism (1): Thru First Great Awakening
I. Lutheranism After Luther
A. Wars (1550-1650)
B. Pietism
C. Moravian Brethren
D. Rationalism
II. Society of Friends – Quakers
A. George Fox (1621-1691)
B. Inner Light
C. Emphasis On Social Concerns
D. Pennsylvania
III. Episcopalians & Methodists
A. Established Church
B. Diesm
C. Great Awakening (1725-1750)
D. John & Charles Wesley
IV. Congregationalists
A. Egalitarian Roots - Church & State Separate
B. Influence
V. Calvinist Churches
A. Dutch Reformed
B. Presbyterians
C. Baptists
VI. Limited Effect of Great Awakening
A. Churches & Universities Established
B. Need For Second Great Awakening
Lesson 10 Denominationalism (2): Second Great Awakening To Present
I. Second Great Awakening 1815-1850
A. The Need For A Second
B. Conservative Denominations Explode
C. Millennial Madness
1.) Miller
2.) Seventh Day Adventists
3.) Mormons
D. Barton Stone & Alexander Campbell
II. Renewal of Rationalism 1840-1920
A. Higher Criticism
B. Darwin & Evolution
C. Social Gospel
III. Later Developments 1870-Present
A. New Heresies
1.) Jehovah's Witness 1874 (1931)
2.) Christian Science 1876
B. Continuing March of Rationalism
C. Therapy As Gospel
D. Ecumenicalism
IV. Conservative Reaction
A. Fundamentalism/Premillenialism
B. Charismatics/Pentecostals
Lesson 11 New Testament Christianity: Campbell & Stone (1790-1840)
I. Early American Efforts To Restore N.T. Christianity
A. Need Clearly Seen
B. Common Principles of Restorationists
1.) Christ and New Testament Only Authority
2.) Distinction Between Old and New Testaments
3.) Unity of All Christians Jn. 17:20,21
4.) Autonomous Congregations Using N.T. Pattern
II. Influential Preachers Before A. Campbell
A. James O'Kelley 1794
B. Abner Jones 1800
C. Barton W. Stone 1804
D. Thomas Campbell – Declaration and Address
Lesson 12 New Testament Christianity: From Campbell To Christian Church (1812-1906)
I. Life and Work of Alexander Campbell
A. Early Life
B. Uneasy Joining With the Baptists
C. Campbell's Fame as Preacher
D. Campbell The Writer
E. Results
II. Churches Mature, Some Drift
A. Hard Style or Soft
B. Institutions - Societies
C. Organs
D. Colleges
E. 1906 Christian Church Denomination
Lesson 13 New Testament Christianity: Between The Christian Church & Institutional Departures
I. Regrouping & Growing Greatly (1900 to 1920)
A. Rapid Rebuild Following Christian Church Split
B. New Problems of Growth
II. Fractures & Factions
A. No Bible Class
B. No Located Preacher
C. “One Cup”
D. Premillennialism
E. “Unity” with Christian Church & Denominations
Lesson 14 New Testament Christianity: Institutionalism
Prologue: The Spirit of The Age: Social Gospel
I. Institutionalism
A. Early
B. Restudying The Work of the Church
1.) There Is A Pattern & Silence Not Permissive
2.) Pattern For Work of the Church
a.) Edification
b.) Evangelism
c.) Benevolence
C. Sponsoring Churches
D. Restudying the Organization of the Church
II. Institutional Churches Keep Moving On
A. Deemphasis of Bible, More Social, Less Gospel
B. Changes In Worship
C. Morphing Into Denominationalism
D. Max Lucado: The Most Well Known Man In The Church
Lesson 15 New Testament Christianity: 1960's To Present (1)
I. Garrett, Ketcherside & Fudge: Grace-Unity
A. Background: Protestant Ecumenicalism
B. Arguments Used To Support This In The Church
1.) Gospel/Doctrine Distinction
2.) Continuous Cleansing
3.) Reinterpreting 2 Jn. 9-11
4.) Imputation of Christ's Righteousness
5.) “Honorableness” of Evil Workers
C. We Cannot Sacrifice Truth For Unity
1.) Importance of Unity
2.) Sin Breaks This Unity and We Must Recognize It
II. MDR: Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage
A. Background: Society Awash in Divorce
B. The Gospel Standard
C. Variety of False Theories & Theorists
D. Homer Hailey
Lesson 16 New Testament Christianity: 1960's To Present (2)
I. Fellowship Again
A. Personal Defense of Hailey
1.) Ed Harrell, Christianity Magazine (Nov. 88)
2.) Arguments Used For Bro. Hailey
a.) False Teacher is a Good Person
b.) Not An Appeal Based On Scriptures
c.) Appeals to the “Autonomy” of Congregations
B. Perversion of Romans 14
1.) Ed Harrell “Bounds of Christian Unity #1-16” Christianity Magazine, Feb. 1989 - May 1990
2.) Others
3.) Consequences of Putting Sin in Romans 14
C. Redefining of False Teacher To False Person
D. Why Can't These Arguments Be Used For All Teachers & Doctrines?
II. Florida College: Another Cause For Concern On Fellowship
A. 1999 Hill Roberts, Shane Scott & Days of Creation
B. 2001 Defended Those Who Broaden Fellowship – Attacked Man Who Exposed Them
III. Miscellaneous Other Dangers
A. Worldliness
B. Borrowing Ideas From Denominations