1. Who are
the most important church fathers?
In the general collection of early church fathers, it seems that they are broken up into three groups; Ante-Nicene Fathers (Those from the beginning of Christianity to the Nicene Creed in 325AD), Nicene Fathers, and Post Nicene Fathers.
This is a list of top ten church fathers I found on a blog.Top 10 List: Church Fathers
1. Athanasius
2. Ignatius
3. Gregory Nazianzen
4. Irenaeus
5. Tertullian
6. Justin Martyr
7. Gregory of Nyssa
8. Origen
9. Athenagoras
10. Clement of Alexandria
Honorable mentions: Basil, Clement of Rome, Novatian, Polycarp, Hippolytus.
I would also add
Jerome
Augustine
Thomas Aquinas
(helpful chart here)
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/charts/church_fathers.htm
2. How do these eras deal with "faith": The Early Church, The Medieval Church, The Reformation, The Enlightenment
The Early Church (approx AD 33-325)
The beliefs of this era reflected mostly on apostolic preaching and oral tradition. Irenaeus could be considered the pinnacle of Early church theology. Of course his beliefs were developed from others but his writings in refute to the Gnostics show what the church believed and was fighting. He defended the unity and goodness of God. They had the goal of making faith the standard for the believer.
The Medieval Church
Faith and reason are connected through natural and supernatural revelation; God provides them and connects them. This view was promoted by Thomas Aquinas. They began to connect faith and reason through this process.
The Reformation
Faith hit a huge turning point in the Reformation, a large portion of the Reformation had to with what true faith was. The concept of "Sola Fide" or "by Faith Alone" emerged during the reformation, affirming that salvation was not by works but faith. It was this concept that made faith a personal act and view.
The Enlightenment
Here's where the big shift in faith happens. Because world view is turning toward self-reason, people begin to look away from faith and to what they can reason on their own. Because faith is placed in God not conjured by man and His Word to us, the enlightenment begins to deteriorate faith in the public eye. They took faith and made sure it fit with thier reason.
I wanted to include a video on the enlightenment or the effects of it, but all I found would be boring for this blog or was just plain garbage...
3.Why are the early ecumenical councils important?
The councils were important because they officially established beliefs of the church. They set the standard for what the Christian should believe normally occurring at a time when the beliefs were being challenged by an outside source.
The First Seven Ecumenical Councils
- First Council of Nicaea (325)
- First Council of Constantinople (381)
- Council of Ephesus (431)
- Council of Chalcedon (451)
- Second Council of Constantinople (553)
- Third Council of Constantinople (680)
- Second Council of Nicaea (787)
4. Why is the Medieval Church Important?
Most people say the Medieval Church was important because it provided a base for society. Everything happened through the church and most people were a part of it, the church regulated political authority, community, and provided for those who needed it. However, I think the medieval church was important because it created an environment where many people could study God and His Word. Because of this we see the emergence of many great philosophers and theologians. The general public may not have been as educated, but those who were in the Scriptures, were really in the Scriptures!
5. How did the Reformation move the Church Forward?
The Reformation moved the church forward because it got people thinking about their beliefs. Instead of blindly following Catholic order, they began to seek out Scriptural understanding and support for the religious things they did.
6. Why is Lessing Important?
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781)
Lessing was a reformation period writer of theater and philosophy. He opposed realism and sought out truth in everything. However, his quest for truth encouraged new viewpoints and did not hold to a kind of philosophy that was common. He rejected the cannon and said the "spirit" of Christianity would continue in it's true form without it. He paved the way for new theologians to explore and not follow the "rules" anyone imposes on them. This changed the way theology was being done; gave it freedom to roam wherever it pleased.
http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/clsc96.html
7. Explain Kant's contribution to philosophy and theology
Immanuel Kant (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804)
Kant could be considered the most influential person int the shape of modern philosophy. He successfully shifted the source of knowledge to one's own person. He really takes faith out of the picture completely, if the mind understands something, it is real... to that mind. Rationality supersedes all, faith could be considered wishful thinking.
In theology, this same concept is applied. God doesn't really fit, at least in the tradition sense, and He definitely doesn't apply to everyone.
I found this quote "(religion) shifted its focus from religion as divinely revealed to religion as a human phenomenon."
...here
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant-religion/supplement.html
His work gave way to German idealism, marxism, neo-kantian philosophy, and much of what we see in society today.
8. What did Hegel believe about history?
Hegel believed that history was just a movement of the Spirit of the Age or the Zeitgeist. History is looking back and seeing traces of this spirit, and history is complete when the spirit is fully realized.
9. Why is Kierkegaard important?
Basically, Kierkegaard told the church to wake up. He became sick of Christians who bore the name but not the cross. He reintroduced faith into the picture and challenged people to take a leap.Being a nominal "Christian" doesn't help anyone, in fact it would probably refute one's existence to Kierkegaard. His definition of existence followed this same pattern; you exist when you choose.
10. Who is Schleiermacher?
Friedrich Schleiermacher is the father of Modern Liberal Theology. He takes a subjective approach to Christianity while trying to "defend it against it's critics". He was a German philosopher who focused Christianity on the realm of feelings as he felt it could not hold up to modern sciences and critics.
11. Why is Schleiermacher important to Christian Theology?
He is important because he makes the jump to Christian liberalism. It takes Christianity and tries to make it "reasonable" as the world may define it. Instead of letting Christianity stand on it's own he has to take it and really make it acceptable to the thought of his time. Through his way of doing theology we can grasp a better understanding of how liberal theology works today.
12. What is your personal evaluation of Schleiermacher?
I think that Schleiermacher may have began with good intentions but fell terribly short of "defending the faith". His view doesn't involve faith, rather tries to make Christianity PC. If he could explain it in a way that doesn't offend anyone then his job was completed. There's a point where every Christian gets weak at the knees and has to make a decision to stand firm or give in. Unfortunately, Schleiermacher gave in and robbed Christianity of any power. People need to realize that they cannot hold up the Christian faith on their own power or understanding, but God can. Because Schleiermacher (and others like him) did this, we have this load of garbage called "liberal Christianity", an oxymoron at the fullest extent of the word.
Maybe people will start abolishing hell because it's not cool anymore, oh wait...
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