Christian History

Dr. of Christian History Final Essay

By Rev. Patricia Buben

According to the course, Judaism gave us the most perfect system of moral philosophy in existence.  The Jews saw sin as a violation coming from an impure heart that resulted in external sinful actions. Salvation was viewed as being only from God, and not in human ethical works or subjective mystery cults.

Because of the location of Rome, at Christianity's birth and in the first three centuries of its existence, conditions were more favorable for the spread of the Christian gospel throughout the Mediterranean world than at any other time in previous eras. Of all the religions and cults practiced in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ's birth, only Judaism and Christianity have been able to successfully survive the changing course of world history and still be a major influence today.

The life, death and resurrection of Christ began the era of Christianity.  Unlike other traditions, Christ cannot be separated from Christianity.  Christ did not leave a structure—just the apostles and the Holy Spirit from which the apostles were instructed.  The entirety of the church structure came from the apostles with the Holy Spirit working through them and continues to this day.

The members of the original Christian church were Jewish.  It wasn't until the apostle Paul went out to "all corners of the earth" that the Gentiles were invited to hear the gospel message.  This work is still not complete and is the continuing goal of the Christian church.  Although there was splintering of the church, it forced the creation of a canon, organizing the content of the doctrine and eliminating heresies created by those who wanted to wield authority.  All of these challenges served to strengthen, not weaken, the church.

Over the years, many errors entered into the church as a result of pagan influence, scholarly debates and other doctrines brought into the church by St. Augustine and others.  The Protestant Reformation was an attempt at bringing the church back to the purity of salvation by grace through faith alone.

It is interesting that the dogmas and doctrines that have further "defined" Christianity were mainly a result of specific people's interpretations (personal opinions).  I always thought they were inspired by God, like the Bible.  This course gave a great overview of the historical events of Christianity giving timelines and putting everything into sequence—including how doctrines were formed, and who was involved in making these decisions.  It's interesting because these doctrines have always been communicated as fact, not the result of consensus or opinion of the church fathers.

Putting all of this information into the right context can be a challenge because of differing opinions and rhetoric.  This course was very objective in its presentation and outlined the facts.  Therefore, one gets a good sense of how Christianity developed and why it is still viable today.

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Mystical Christianity

1. How do you view the Bible and how do you use Scripture in your daily life?

HOW I USE SCRIPTURE:

I keep a small copy of the New Testament in my department jacket at all times. It has a glossary of sorts in the very beginning that guides the reader to verses that apply to a great variety of situations. When I need guidance or I need a reminder of God’s presence I turn to the constant companion I carry in my pocket.

HOW I VIEW THE BIBLE:

The Bible serves as an outstanding guideline with which one can live their life. The stories contained within provide illustrations that help illuminate some of life’s most pressing matters. We find these stories in the form of parables: the story of the prodigal son, the light and the bushel basket, and the good Samaritan, just to name a few. Here we learn that God will accept us no matter what we’ve done if we turn to him with a pure heart, we learn that God has given us his light and love and the true sin would be to hide it from others, and we also learn that even those we consider to be our mortal enemies deserve our respect and our aid should the chance to offer it arise.

2. Describe a myth that is currently a part of your life. What is its origin? How does it influence you in a positive or a negative way?

Superstitions tend to play a role in my life to some degree, and these usually contemporary myths with sometimes ancient histories. Here are just a few:

MYTH #1

It’s bad luck to put shoes on the table or a countertop.

ORIGIN:

This myth shows up in many cultures, from Hungary to Ireland. It’s origins stem not from luck, but from the fact that shoes spend much of their time in contact with the ground, which is generally quite dirty. The idea is that you don’t want the dirt from the bottom of your shoes on your table. Even still, if I buy a new pair of shoes, I will not put the box containing the shoes on the table.

MYTH #2

It’s Bad luck to toast someone with water.

ORIGIN:

From what I understand this is an old sailor’s superstition. The first incarnation seems to have centered around the idea that toasting someone with water was actually a curse designed to bring about the drowning of that person. Last I checked, drowning is incredibly unlucky…

3. As you read the first three chapters of the book of Genesis, what feelings do these words evoke? Where are these feelings coming from?

As I read these words I feel a connection with whoever first put pen to paper and decided to write this account of how the world came to be and how we found ourselves in the position we’re in today. Maybe through deep contemplation, meditation, or a divine conversation with the almighty, this person was able to summarize a series of events that we humans have yet to wrap our heads around. This doesn’t just apply to the relationship between men and women or to mankind’s relationship with God; it applies to everything! Genesis, if given the chance, is a beautiful realm within scripture. It’s place where science and religion have the opportunity to share what they’ve discovered; a place where the two disciplines do not cancel each other out, but support one another. Think about the ancients that wrote these passages. There was no conception of physics, of space outside the earth, of an ever expanding universe. These are facts that we know are just as solid as the table my computer is sitting on. Maybe God, knowing that we had limited information, simply said “In the beginning there was darkness… Then I said ‘Let there be light!’ and there it was...” Darkness is nothingness and nothingness is the absence of a universe. Maybe this is just a simple interpretation of what science has come to recognize as the “big bang.” It’s just a metaphor. God and Jesus are both big on metaphors, as we can clearly see from the parables. How hard is it to believe that some of what is found within the pages of Genesis is also metaphorical?

4. What difference would it make to you as a woman or a man to re-interpret these verses of scripture as has been suggested in this lesson?

As I read through this lesson I was thrilled to hear another interpretation of the Genesis account. Throughout my life I have focused less on the equality of men and women, because I believe that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. I had no reason to examine the text in this way, because of my own controversial interpretation of what’s written, which implies our inherent equality. I believe that the creation account is the culmination of millions of years of evolution. Scientific evidence points towards evolution as the origin of our species, but that in and of itself does not by any stretch of the imagination rule out the existence and intervention of a divine being. On the contrary, it conjures the image of a God that is far more intelligent than we can even comprehend. The Bible states clearly that God created mankind in his image, however in all the years I’ve been reading and studying I have never found a recipe with which to create mankind. Scripture states that God created us out of dust and clay. It has been theorized that comets and asteroids brought the building blocks of life to this planet, which God must have orchestrated. One of these basic chemicals is carbon, upon which the foundation for all life is laid. God brought life forth from the dust of the earth, that came from space, and slowly molded that life like a sculptor molds clay, into the human form.  If we acknowledge that God is indeed all powerful, then we also realize that with that power comes the ability to do ANYTHING. Is it too far fetched to believe that he worked within the confines of the natural laws that he undoubtedly put in place to create mankind?  By that logic, if God points to a monkey and orders said monkey to evolve, it is indeed going to evolve.

Interpreting Genesis in this light negates the need to see equality spelled out in the words that it is comprised of because equality is implied. Instead we see the emergence of the human species, both male and female, simultaneously.  For scriptural evidence of this fact one need not look further than the verse that reads “in his image he created them, male and female, he created them.”  This verse is found prior to the mentioning of Adam or Eve.  Having said all that, I have to say that any interpretation of the Biblical texts that argues for equality, rather than against it, is an incredibly beautiful thing.

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As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

 

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Christian History

A Time Without Schisms AND THE "SCHISMS" CONTINUE… on and on, perhaps as long as the spirit is housed in a human body, or leaves hang on the limbs of a tree, but for sure, as long as the ego is in control of man's soul. My family came to what is now the United States in the middle 1700's.  Family oral tradition passed on stories of priest within my mother's family that broke with the Catholic church over the requirement of celibacy, but also over the political control that had replaced sincere spiritual matters.  They settled outside of Philadelphia (in Reading, Pa.) and organized the first Lutheran church and later other Lutheran churches in North Carolina and Tennessee.  As former priest, they were educated and wanted an education for their children in the new world, so they went in search in their new communities, for good teachers, as well as building new churches.  However, when two brothers moved south and married two Methodist sister (who were teachers), the family faith would have their own schisms. Again like the Eastern and Western Catholic church they would split.  Those in the North remained true to the original Lutheran believes and the two moving to the South gave way toward the Methodist faith.  Of course like myself these Methodist children would marry and the schisms of faith would continue, some believing one must have his head and body dipped under the water and other believing just a few symbolic sprinkles for cleaning was enough to show the world you had made a commitment of faith to God. Being highly developed in my right hemisphere I was not one to follow the minister or my parents when told "to do as I say for I know best."  If they all believed in the same God, how could they all be right, I questioned.  I loved my family and all the extended families.  However, I could not understand all of the many religious family members who each disliked the other - for sure they had the "one and one only" path to finding God.  Nevertheless, they all agreed on one point. "All Catholics were going to hell! Had not our ancestors risk their lives to come to a new unknown land to flee the evil Catholic Church?  I wasn't allowed to play with Catholics at school or date them in college.  I even dated a Muslim a few times and while my family did not like the idea they were sure if I brought him to church with me he could be converted. But they were equally sure that a Catholic was set in his ways and could not be changed, and thus, he was doomed to hell.   Well, I did date a Catholic even one that was studying to become a priest. (We kept his faith a secret and I did not take him home.) I learned, actually the two of us believed almost the same things.  He did not "buy into" his faith 100's anymore than I did mine.  What I knew foremost, was this guy had a soul of so much love and compassion for mankind that he could love my family even though they could never love him. Thus, I knew too, the part about all Catholics going to hell was not right. Of course the "celebrate priest" rule put limits on our relationship, but the schisms were put aside for a wonderful friendship where we both saw the honoring of Love for God, self, and mankind as equal duty, and if love always came first who need all the other "stuff."  We both felt Jesus himself, and perhaps even the Buddha had came to tell mankind we had our focus too much on the ego and it's need for power and not enough on Love, Compassion and Forgiveness.  Knowing my friend's heart to serve mankind I can see why he may have chosen the path of priest as a career path, but for me that same heart chose a path as a professional student studying psychology, philosophy and religions around the world to help find a reason for all the schisms and a way to live in peace with one another without the schisms.               I have been enrolled in two classes in the History of the Christian faith this semester.  The local class has many elder students like myself seeking answers to "why."  I wonder about my Catholic friend, the priest. Has he studied the whole history behind his church as given in these last lessons, or does he have to remain blind to it to remain Catholic.  I am finding to remain Christian harder and harder after my studies in Christian History, but then again, I have studied most world religions and could not adopted them either. In the study of religion the leaves of faith come in so many colors.  As a child most of the leaves seemed to be green.  As an elder facing the fall season of my life cycle I am finding myself less and less religious but more and more spiritual. Perhaps when the wind comes to snatch me away from the tree and gravity finds me on the ground looking up at the big tree I will finally begin to see it was never about the leaves or me but about the big picture - THE TREE.  In fact, as a creative dreamer I could see this almost as a child, but it often appears religious people know more about facts, rules and power than creative imagination that might allow them to see the whole tree before that final snip of the wind that takes them to look from below the tree and see the whole picture. There is a legend that the American Indian came to know God through the voice of Mother Nature but he allowed the coming of the big white sails (thought to be birds at first) with white men aboard to trick his vision and he gave way to their ways. However, it is predicted that a time will come when the native American Indian will remember the ways of his Father and he will teach the white man to return to listen to the voice of Mother Earth and Father Universe. Nothing is possible if mankind cannot dream of it first… Cars instead of buggies, electric lights, phones, computers etc.  If this legend should have any truth within it then I choose to dream of time without schisms….. PEACE.        Rev. L. Francis ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian History

Christian History
By Patrick Schwab

The Beginning

Since the beginning of time we have searched the heavens and within ourselves for answers to that which surrounds us. The mysteriousness of it all draws us to seek out answers that seem to be just out of our gasp as we attempt to understand the dawning of our existent. Some of us have come to the belief that religion, as we know it today is of man and in no way that of a God or gods. However from time to time there are those who come forth with an inner knowledge. People who we know as priests, ministers, Shamans, or Holy men and women who have been instrumental in aiding us in finding our way as we journey on our path of trying to understand this thing we call faith. Some of these men and women have touched the world with their beliefs and their understanding of religion. One such man steps out of the pages of our Christian Bible. We will explore Judaism through his eyes within the Laws Of Moses.

His name is Saul as we entry his story. He is a Jew of the Roman colony of Israel. He was known as Saul of Tarsus chief persecutor of the early Christians.

Shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his resurrection those who live the Laws of Moses declared war on those who profess Jesus as the messiah. Saul was an enthusiastic member of the Pharisees. A sect within the Jewish faith that promoted purity and fidelity to the Laws of Moses. He meant his means as a tent maker. Saul entries the biblical account as a silent witness to the stoning of Stephen and his blasphemy to the Law. Those who stoned Stephen laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. (Acts 8:1) According to Luke, Saul was not actual member of the Sanhedrin that condemned Stephen. But as a member of the Synagogue he may of taken part in the original dispute, and Luke suggest he gave moral consent to the execution which carried as much as the actual deed itself. After this incident Saul begins to participate in the campaign against Christians. Strange as it may sound the wakes of Moses, of Buddha, of Confucius, gave a greater influences over humanity today, than when these men were pondering over faith and happiness.

After Stephen’s stoning those of the Christians sect of Judaism were dispersed throughout the land. They were homeless and driven from Jerusalem. One of the cities where the Christians came was Damascus. A city today consider to be the oldest in existence as well as the oldest continued inhabited and now the capital of Syria. It was a main trade route between the east and west.

Saul knowing this as his reputation grew, as persecutor of Christians, went to the leaders of the synagogue the Sanhedrin and made a case to go to Damascus and bring the Christians bound to Jerusalem.

Now the Apostles (Greek apostolos [person sent]) were in Damascus. These were who Saul sought as he prepared to go.

Now most likely he was given about 20 men from the synagogue guard and they set off for Damascus. Set in their mission they had no idea what laid ahead. As they came upon a rise overlooking the city a bright light appeared. Saul was knocked down and from the light which none had saw brighter a voice came

(Acts 9: 4-9 KJV) 4. and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul why persecute thou me.

5. and he said who art thou Lord? And the Lord said I am Jesus who thou persecuted; it is hard for thee to kick against the picks.

6. and he trembling and astonished said Lord, what wilt thou have me do? And the Lord said unto him, arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7. and the men, which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.

8. and Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were open he saw no man; but they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.

9. and he was three days without sight and neither did eat or drink.

Within Damascus was a certain follower of Christ named Ananias. Ananias was a common man and when the Lord in a vision called Ananias, Behold I am the Lord (acts 9:10)

(Acts 9:11-15) [Paraphrased] arise and go to the street, which is called Straight. Now this street was like any street in our cities of the world today where the wine women and desires were plenty. One of those streets where if you wanted it and asked no question for a price it was yours. Ananias wasn’t sure of what he heard let alone of what was to come. The Lord spoke saying Ananias I want you to go to the house of Judas for one called Saul, of tarsus; for behold he prays. He knows from a vision you are coming and you shall lay hands on him and restore his sight.

Ananias wasn’t sure of what he heard. “Lord I have heard of this man how must evil he has brought against the saints in Jerusalem. I know that he has authority to bound all who call upon your name.”

The Lord spoke again to him: Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings; and the children of Israel.

Now in the story of Saul, Ananias is overlooked and cast aside in Paul’s shadow. Yet he played a very important part in what was to become the beginning of the church and spread of Christianity. Ananias was the link from the bright light on the road overlooking Damascus and the journeys to Asia Minor, Greece and into Rome.

Ananias interpreter the experience Saul had happen to him. It was he who translated the blinding light and the directions and duties, which were to come to Saul. He was far a lesser man in terms of worldwide happing but throughout our history a lesser one has launched the greater one. Who in the long run can actually say who is the lesser or the greater?

So reluctantly Ananias went to Straight Street and found the house of Judas. As the story goes he laid hands on Saul and scales fill from his eyes (Acts 9: 18). Then Saul arose and Ananias baptized him. As Saul received food and gained strength he spent days with the disciples.

The other disciples were persecuted men by the Jewish faith. Considered a sect to be destroyed. For they preached this new Messiah message of forgiveness and faith. Interesting is the fact that the Jews believed that Jesus wasn’t the messiah for they expected a warrior like god to lead them out of the roman rule. Now from the very seem ones, who persecuted them, comes into their life a man they all knew to be an enemy of their faith let alone each of them.

So Ananias introduction to them and Saul’s story of his conversion fell on deaf ears. Plus there is some conflict in Saul’s account and that of Luke in Acts.

First lets look at how Saul became Paul. Most likely Saul was his Jewish name and Paul was the name of his Roman citizenship. His Roman citizenship most likely came by mercenary services of his family within the roman army in one or more wars of the empire.

So for his own protection of the persecution he was under with the Jews as well as those of the Christian faith he took on his Roman name for it offered him protection under Roman law.

Paul in Gal. 1:17 claims that right after his conversion he went away to Arabia. But Luke’s account in Acts is historically interesting that he went to the synagogues and immediately proclaimed Jesus. Even tho if the authorities in Damascus had authority to hand over Christians to an emissary from Jerusalem most likely they would of not let him preach the faith they persecuted.

Paul as well had physical handicaps and spiritual weakness. It is not the vessel that counts but the contents, which it holds. The vessels may crack; leak, and sometimes breaks and Paul’s handicaps seem to work against him in his new ministry. Paul as well wasn’t an eloquent speaker either as he struggled to proclaim his message. Yet these very things became his greatest strength.

Of course the first obstacle he had to overcome was his past. All those who knew him or of him held this against him. Just like today when we do wrong no one forgets and when we do right no one remembers. Just a few days before he was the Christians greatest enemy. Then as now it was know a leopard does not change his spots. Nor does a man or women change overnight.

Because of all this the Jews of Damascus plotted to do away with him. Paul having a few faithful friends among the disciples in Damascus and know this managed to get him safely out of the city. His first attempt to preach was a total failure. No one believed him because they knew his past. From Damascus he went to Jerusalem. He found that Jesus new vessel when he found the disciples there did not open their arms for him. For they had not forgotten Stephen and Paul’s part in his stoning for they believed him to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Paul knew all of this, and the Jews watched the gates of Damascus day and night waiting to kill him. So with a few faithful follows they lower him over the wall in a basket and he escaped their gasp and went to Jerusalem. Acts 9:25

We will end here and pick up the story in Jerusalem.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers hand-fasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

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Christian History Course

Master of Christian History ~ Lesson #19

(Holy Roman Empire)

by Bro. Jim DeManche

1. What factors contributed to the collapse of the Carolingian Empire?

the Vikings caused havoc in Western Europe from the late 8th century A.D. to the 10 th century. Any town or monastery along the coast or navigable river would get a visit from the Vikings. The Vikings, many of them, finally settled in England and after much fighting joined their kinsmen the Anglo-Saxons who had come earlier. As a result the Christian culture that had been established in Ireland and England during the Dark Ages was destroyed or at least set back. Other Vikings settled in Normandy from whence they came to conquer England under William of Normandy in 1066. Others journeyed across Eastern Europe and gave the foundations for Russia. Still others settled in Sicily and Southern Italy where occasionally they threatened the earthly power of the Roman pontiff. The Slavs and Magyars settled in South-Central Europe.

2. What is feudalism? How was the church influenced by feudalism? How did the church attempt to lessen the excesses of the feudal lords?

Feudalism heavily influenced the church. The church held an enormous amount of land in Western Europe by the late Middle Ages. The church got these lands from people who wanted to gain forgiveness of sins by doing some act of charity as penance. By being a great landowner, the church could not avoid being influenced by feudalism. These gifts were held in feudal tenure by abbots and bishops. As God's servants the clergy could not do military service for their feudal lord. They either had to give part of their lands to vassal knights who could do the military service for them or come up with other services. This made the church more secular, and it took attention away from spiritual things. The ecclesiastical vassal had the dilemma of divided loyalties.

3. What was involved in the investiture controversy? How did this plague church-state relations in the Middle Ages?

The row over whether the feudal lord or the Roman pontiff can invest an ecclesiastical feudal vassal with the symbols of his authority [investiture controversy] plagued the relationships between church and state in the 11 th and 12 th centuries. The ring, staff, and pallium were the symbols of spiritual authority whilst the sword and scepter were the symbols of feudal authority. Occasionally the feudal lord and the Roman pontiff at the same time claimed the right to give all these symbols. This row caused a loss in spiritual life on the part of church leaders. They neglected their spiritual responsibilities. They thought more about worldly affairs than church affairs. The Western church had to fight the influence of feudalism whilst the Eastern church failed to withstand imperial control.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity two courses in , Wicca, several in  Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.
 

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.
 

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian History Course

Master of Christian History ~ Lesson #18

(The Carolingian Empire)

by Bro. Jim DeManche

1. Is Charlemagne essential for medieval history? Why or why not?

Yes.  Clovis' sons were incompetent rulers. This made it necessary to place royal authority into the hands of a regent known as the "mayor of the palace". These mayors of the palace would exercise royal authority in governmental affairs while Clovis' incompetent successors enjoyed life in the palace. As mayors of the palace, these regents would form what would become the Carolingian dynasty. This dynasty would gain its greatest power during the reign of Charlemagne.

2. What helped the Roman pontiff to become even more powerful and influential in the Carolingian Era?

Pepin the Short ruled jointly with his brother Carloman from A.D. 741 to 747 when the latter went to a monastery. Pepin the Short was the first true Carolingian monarch because in A.D. 751 he took the title of king along with his authority as mayor of the palace. This came about from a request from Pope Zacharias [Zachary] for aid against the Lombards who were threatening papal authority in Italy.

3. How was Charlemagne's imperial reign a "renaissance"?

When Pope Leo III was attacked by a mob in Rome and nearly murdered, he fled Rome for the court of Charlemagne. Charlemagne went back to Rome with him. A council cleared the Roman pontiff of the charges against him. During a holy mass in the cathedral on Christmas Day in A.D. 800, while Charlemagne knelt before the altar, the pope placed the imperial crown upon his head and proclaimed him emperor of the Romans. This event united a universal church with a universal empire. Classical and Christian heritage were joined in a Christian empire. 

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Christian History Course

Universal Life Church

1. What was the nature of and what things contributed to a renewal in the Christian church just prior to the Great Schism of 1054?

Whether one terms it a 'renewal' of 'institutional advance', the Catholic church in the West underwent considerable change and reform in the two centuries leading up to the Great Schism, change which underscored the growing gulf between it and the eastern church. The inbuilt tendency towards organization and hierarchy that always operated within the Roman church contrasted sharply with the failure of the eastern patriarchates to move forward. In the West, land grants such as the Donation of Constantine allowed the Papacy to assume the role of independent potentate and to treat equally with kings and emperors whilst documents such as the 'False Decretals' were deployed to 'spin' the claims of the Roman pontiff to spiritual authority within the church and over secular rulers. The Roman church was largely free of secular interference in its affairs and was therefore able to consolidate its control over the faithful without hindrance. The emerging Doctrine of the Mass (verging upon the theology of Transubstantiation formally adopted in 1545), assisted in this process by emphasising the influence of a sacred hierarchy culminating in the Papacy which alone could admit the believer to the redemptive power of God. Continuing success in the mission field, especially in Scandinavia in the ninth and tenth centuries, further underlined Roman prestige whilst the reforms in the monastic orders, in particular the Cluniac houses, helped the papacy by enhancing the knowledge of Latin, setting higher standards for the clergy and educating more learned and devout churchmen. Fortunately, too, the supply of corrupt popes was interrupted from time to time by outstanding incumbents of the papal throne such as Nicholas I and Leo IX who were able to restore the papacy to its proper role.


2. What issues made the Great Schism of 1054 almost inevitable? What event became the 'straw that broke the camel's back'?

The two churches had been growing apart, vexatiously, for centuries before the Great Schism and it is likely that the split would have occurred eventually over some issue or other, whether major or minor. The Eastern Church had had to contend with pressure from the Muslims, interference from the Byzantine emperors who would not accept the primacy of the patriarchs and meddling by the Roman pontiffs who demanded that the weakened patriarchates should recognise their authority. The Eastern church was also riven by internecine disputes over such diverse issues as clerical marriage, independence of bishops in their sees, beards and iconolatry which the emperors had prohibited but which the Roman church continued to promote and practice. The actual schism came about as the result of a dispute over the use in the West of unleavened bread which the eastern church had disallowed. A mission sent from the West to resolve the dispute led to such an escalation of tension as centuries-worth of grievances were raised, that the Pope and the Patriarch formally excommunicated each other (actions which were only rescinded in 1965). Any contacts between the two churches thereafter were generally hostile and unproductive and they grew steadily apart.

3. What were the consequences of the Great Schism of 1054 especially as it related to Eastern Christianity?

After 1054, the Orthodox church remained isolated from the West and did not share in the developments which occurred in Western Europe such as the growth of urban life and culture, the emergence of a middle-class closely associated with the business of the church, the foundation of numerous universities and the cultural efflorescence of the Renaissance in many areas of Europe. The East remained in a time warp with little updating of liturgy or theology and such missionary activity as took place could not rival the success of the western missions. Unsupported by the authority of the wider church and the Roman pontiffs, the eastern church was prey to imperial meddling and remained both superstitious in outlook and highly parochialised.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity two courses in , Wicca, several in  Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.
 

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.
 

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