The Importance of the Second Century in Christian Formation

I have frequently heard it said in Christian circles that the Church lost its way in the second century, deviating from the Apostolic Faith and falling into an intellectual works-righteousness spirituality which was contrary to the Gospel. By implication, then, the Church supposedly lost a Faith which was not to be recovered until the Reformation.

This viewpoint, of course, is not accurate. The second century serves as a pivotal century for the Church in that much of later Christian accomplishments were based upon the work done in the second century TO PRESERVE THE APOSTOLIC FAITH. The canon of the New Testament, the formulation of the Apostles and Nicene Creeds, Bible translations and commentaries, Christian schools, all have their origins in the second century.

For example, prior to the second century, there was no New Testament as we know it. The books of the New Testament had been written, but there had been no formal collection, and few , if any, of the Churches had copies of all of the books in their possession. Furthermore, there were many other books available which were NOT representative of the Apostolic Faith, but which purported to be so, and which found their way into the churches. It became imperative to declare which books were truly reflective of the message of the Gospel as handed down from the Apostles. When a Gnostic named Marcion, who denied the importance [or the existence] of the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, declared that three of the four Gospels, and all the non-Pauline epistles of the Church were not true reflections of Christian belief, something had to be done. It was in the second century that Christians in various parts of the Church refuted Marcion by declaring that there were four Gospels which were officially recognized and well as epistles from other apostles. The various declarations were strikingly similar, reflecting a common mind among Christians about what WAS “inspired.” Of course, the “canon” of the New Testament was not completed, officially, until 325 A.D., but the second century Christians laid the groundwork for that canon, which we all use today.

It was in the second century that the first known commentary on the New Testaments books was written. Bishop Theophilus of Antioch, Syria, wrote a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, as well as several other commentaries. The first harmony of the Gospels was also written in this century, i.e., by Tatian of Rome. It still exists and is called “Diatessaron.” These were the beginnings of centuries of Bible commentaries, parallel Bibles, translations and harmonies which we all take for granted today.

We all like to read of those who were so zealous for Christ that they were willing to die for Him. The second century produced the first major recordings [called “martyrologies”] of those who were willing to give their lives for Jesus Christ. Not wanting the martyrs to be forgotten, churches in Asia Minor, France and North Africa compiled these martyrologies and we can still read of the bold witness to Jesus Christ of the Christians in Lyon, [France], Smyrna [modern day Turkey], and Scillium, North Africa.

The second century produced the first generation of Christian writers who dared challenge the viewpoints of the world around them. Whereas the Apostles and the first generation after them had written only to the churches themselves, those second century Christians known as “Apologists” dared to tell the Roman world that rejection of Christianity, both spiritually and intellectually, was a grave mistake. Some of these writers had the audacity to write to the emperors, knowing full well that this would cost them their lives. They came from all walks of life; there were bishops and laymen, philosophers and teachers; they hailed from North Africa, Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome. They represented some of the finest minds of the second century Church.

The first forms of Christian creeds were formulated in the second century. Challenges to essential doctrines such as the Divinity and humanity of Christ, the reality of His life, death and resurrection, the goodness of God’s creation, and even the principles of Christian discipleship, demanded a formal response and a “litmus test” of sorts. Structured statements of necessary Christian beliefs were collected and formulated; by the end of the second century, the first form of what was later called the “Apostles’ Creed” was in place. Many of us take the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds for granted, but their foundations were laid in the second century.

We know of many Christian “schools” today, from parochial schools to colleges and Seminaries, but the first Christian schools were formed in the second century. The intention was originally to train new converts in the elements of the Christian Faith. In time, however, it became necessary to also train Christians academically so as to enable them to argue the Faith to a pagan world. Out of this endeavor, the Schools in Rome and Alexandria, Egypt were born. Rome was not to last more than a decade, but the school in Alexandria survived several centuries and produced some brilliant Christian minds and Saints.

Obviously, this century was not one in which Faith was lost, but a century in which the prime endeavor was to preserve the Apostolic message as purely as possible, and to make that message known, in its purest form, to a world which, for all practical purposes, rejected it. Under terribly adverse circumstances, the second century Christians did their job well, and much of what we modern Christians take for granted is based upon their contributions.

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