1. Discuss the reasons for the changes in the church by 325AD. The church had changed tremendously by 325AD. Many of the changes were positive, and many were negative. But the church still enjoyed tremendous growth and many new converts. The first reason for change was the tremendous growth of the church. The second reason was that the pagan persecutions had caused change. Third, the internal conflicts and heresies (sacerdotalism, Judaism, and Gnosticism) had caused change. Also, sacramentalism and Montanism (menial and mortal sins) had led to change. Fourth, the bishop of Rome felt superior to the other bishops and even metropolitan bishops, and this led to an internal conflict with the other pastors. Fifth, there was severe ecclesiastical competition between the five metropolitan churches in Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria.

2. Discuss the growth of the church in 325AD. Churches die naturally, but they do not grow naturally. The key to growth is hard work and evangelization to bring in new converts, and the church in 325AD worked as hard as in 100AD. In 100AD, probably 0.1% of all Roman citizens were Christian. By 325AD, probably 10% of all Roman citizens were Christians. Most Christians were in the city because evangelization works best in the city around people. Reasons for the church's growth were (1) the witness of martyrs, (2) the moral transformation in Christian lives attracted others, (3) Christianity was open to everyone great and small, (4) stringent demands on membership such as those imposed by the Montanists, (5) Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity, and (6) the Holy Spirit was meeting the needs of Christians. True religion is true, and it works because it is true.

3. Discuss the rise of the Papacy. Papacy means main papa or bishop over all. Vicar means substitute, and the church tried to find an earthly substitute to stand in for Jesus since He was gone. This movement began between 325AD and 600AD. Any of the metropolitan churches could have initiated the action, but the church at Rome was the one that did. Nothing about the Apostle Peter suggests that he ever envisioned this kind of hierarchy in the church. There were 9 factors that led to the rise of the Papacy, and the first four are: (1) Constantine brought about the union of church and state, (2) able men had occupied the Roman bishopric, (3) Rome was well positioned geographically for the movement, and (4) the capital was moved from Rome to Constantinople.

4. Discuss Constantine's role in its rise. No one can really say whether or not Constantine was a Christian. Some negative factors about his conversion were: (1) he never totally rejected the other religions of Rome (i.e., mystery religions, Greek gods, Pontifax Maxus), (2) he set himself up as the Pontifax Maxus, and (3) he was baptized on his death bed which suggests that he might have believed that baptism was part of salvation. From the positive side, (1) he ended the persecution of the church, (2) his mother was a positive influence on his life, and (3) he testified to be a Christian.

5. Discuss the able Roman bishops and how they played a part. Anicetus was said to have been the first bishop of the church at Rome from 154AD until 165AD. Innocent I, from 402-417AD, was the first to claim Apostolic Succession from the Apostle Peter, so some say he was the first pope. Leo, from 440AD to 461AD, was the first to successfully use Scriptures to claim to sit in the Petrine chain. Gregory, from 590AD to 604AD, was the first to make a political and military alliance to allow for the union of church and state. Constantine had approached this from the state's side, and Gregory came at it from the church's side. For that reason, Dr. Diemer believes that Gregory was the real first pope.

6. Discuss Rome's geographic position and how that helped. The church in Rome was in the west, and the other four metropolitan churches were in the east. When the churches had a conflict, they usually consulted one of the uninvolved churches for guidance. Since the church in Rome was so far removed from the others, it often became a common arbitrator during disputes which, in essence, gave it greater power and influence.

7. Discuss the move of the Roman capital to Constantinople and how that played a part. The capital moved further east in 330AD, and this got Constantine out of the way, which meant that the Roman bishop had more freedom with less interference.

				Tom of Bethany

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