10 articles.
The Modern Era has seen significant advancements in practical pneumatology, which elaborates on who the Holy Spirit is and explains how He strengthens or sanctifies Christians. He is the root and cause of sanctification. Jonathan Edwards explains it well:
This brief essay will examine some of the distinctives of Baptist leadership in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and compare them with Baptist convictions today. The primary focus will be on lay leadership, which is explicitly concerned with the Baptist doctrines of regenerate church membership and the priesthood of all believers.
Curialism is the position that the Roman Pontiff or Pope has ultimate authority over the church and is "the vicar of Christ on earth… entrusted with the keys of the kingdom as Peter's proper heir. Therefore, he ha[s] final authority, even over the gathered consensus of councils." Conciliarism, on the other hand, posits that "church councils were to be the voice of tradition, wielding authority over the most prestigious of popes." These two positions clashed on many occasions, two of which were the "Great Western Schism" (1378-1417) and the Council of Constance (1414-1418), the latter in which it had seemed that conciliarism had won.
The Medieval Era, also known as the Middle Ages, spanned from the late fifth century to the late fifteenth century. After the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, Europe entered a period of profound change, affecting various aspects of society, including religion. Of course, "the church itself was a political and culture-shaping enterprise," entangled with society, yet changing along with it, developing in new ways while striving to remain faithful to the Christian message of Christ crucified for the salvation of sinners.
"Hippolytus (c. 170-235) was the bishop of Rome in the third century and composed an important manual of church order titled On the Apostolic Tradition," in which he presents a peculiar formula for the catechesis and baptism of new converts. Following an examination period of three years and a time of fasting and prayer, the new Christians were immersed in the waters of baptism threefold, once for each person of the Trinity, while simultaneously replying that they believe in each person.
Grandmasters spend much time behind the chessboard, and aspiring grandmasters spend much time behind the board, staring over the backs of those who have reached the coveted rank. Likewise, "the onlooker [of any chess game] is forced to survey the chessboard and make an assessment of what has happened, who is winning, whose turn is next, and who has the advantage. The onlooker observes the game in progress, and, using her knowledge of the game, evaluates the strategies in play to appreciate what is happening." Historical theology is much the same as this game of chess: "Christians of the present and future, once they start their journey in the Christian life, either as individuals or in local churches, are put in the position of the onlooker.
The Westminster Confession of Faith systematically represents the Christian faith and doctrine. Since its conception, it has been well received by Christians of all denominations and remains relevant for Christians and churches worldwide today. Primarily, the Confession "[is] as much used now in Anglo-Presbyterian Churches as ever, and [has] more vitality and influence than any other Calvinistic Confession."
While sin and temptation are Satan's tools against individual Christians, sinful theological liberalism has been his main weapon against the Church as a whole for several hundred years. Influenced by philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, who "declared his age 'an age of criticism' and called readers to reject the authority of the church and the Bible," Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (1768-1834) is known as the "father of modern theology" and, more specifically, the "father of modern liberal theology." While it can be said that theological liberalism began with Schleiermacher, events before his life contributed to the infiltration of liberal theology into the church.
In the fourteenth and early fifteenth century, the Roman Catholic church was haunted by a period of papal contest. The papacy's move to Avignon was one that was supported by many and condemned by others. These events lead to two popes within Catholicism: a pope in Rome and another in Avignon.
The early church was characterized by both success and hardship. Christianity successfully took its place as a leading world religion despite persecution from the Roman Empire and later the Muslims. However, physical suffering was not the only issue that early Christians faced.