Church History Part 8

Church History Part 08 Fall of Rome & Rise of Monasticism

Last time we looked at some of the critical thinkers including both heroes and heretics! We also looked very briefly the councils as the church formulated its thinking in regards to what the Gospel is and for true doctrine in a bid to counteract the indefatigable rise of heretical teaching such as Gnosticism and Arianism. 

All Emperors of the Roman Empire following the death of Constantine were nominally Christian. In the last half of the 4th Century, the northern borders of the Roman Empire were under intense pressure from invading forces - Vandals, Huns & Goths. Eventually the great city of Rome, the centre of the Roman Empire, was plundered in 410 & 455, before finally falling in 476. 

Some of the major reasons for this to occur include:

• Strong pressures from Northern tribes.
• Within the Roman Government there was a great love and passion for luxury & corruption was rife.
• There was weak leadership, as the Christians tended to avoid public life.
• The West was less wealthy than the East. While the Empire declined, the Bishop of Rome grew more powerful, and Rome became the spiritual centre of the Western Church.

~ While all this was going on, there was a new movement within Christianity. We call this the Monastic Movement. The word monk, derives from the Latin word “monachoi” which means ”people who live alone”)

~ Reasons for rise of monasticism

• In the 4th century, there was major increase in pagan influence in the Church. Many people tried a solitary life as a means of achieving a purer devotion to God without outside pressure.
• Both Eastern & Greek thinking stressed that the physical was evil and that was to be suppressed. Inevitably this flowed into Christian thinking.

~ Benefits

• Many monasteries were centres for missionary training & care for the community, by helping with medicine, agriculture & education.
• Many people did indeed achieve a genuine devotion to God, a dedication to prayer and Bible study – all of which were strongly encouraged.
• Another benefit was that it encouraged a disciplined spiritual lifestyle.

~ However as well as significant benefits as we have seen, it also brought with it severe disadvantages. ~

Disadvantages

• It meant in many cases, Christians withdrawing totally from society, and retreating from their local community, instead of ministering to and being of encouragement to their community or society.
• There arose a kind of spiritual elitism. Many joined the monasteries because it became the thing to do, "the in thing" and was seen as fashionabler. “Look how good I am by withdrawing from you to dedicate my life to prayer and worship.”
• There was a tendency to wealth & degeneration after the original founders of monasteries died.
• Many equated spirituality with physical discipline. For example, Scripture promotes marriage & the physical side of life as being given by God. It is to be enjoyed rather than nullified and suppressed.

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