Doctrines of Church Fathers

Overview ...

An examination of what the Early Church Fathers wrote about various topics.

One thing is clear. All these doctrines developed over time, some radically so. Many were simply non-existent early. Others were present in an embryonic form early but didn't blossom for centuries.

I wholeheartedly believe that the Catholic Church is the true church founded by Jesus and the apostles, and I am 100% loyal and faithful to her teachings and laws.

Eucharist ...

The modern Catholic teaching of transubstantiation was not taught by the Early Church Fathers. The following factors were present very early ...

• Communion is in some way a sacrifice, if only because the participants remembered Christ's sacrifice.
• Christ was in some way present in the elements of communion, perhaps because of the remembrance by the participants of His sacrifice.
• Communion was a sacred event. Those who treated it as ordinary were guilty of sin.
• The leaders of the church convoked the Eucharist. Usually the bishop or priest (even deacon), but in some cases, a lay person was allowed to.
• The Eucharist was performed in the context of a weekly church service.
• The Eucharist was central to the church worship service.
• All the baptized were allowed to partake of communion.
• There was a symbolic connection between the elements of communion (bread and wine) and Christ's body and blood.
• The basic liturgical elements of the communion service.
• The elements of communion (consecrated bread) were taken to those who could not attend the worship service.

These factors didn't appear until later ...

• The "real presence", "transubstantiation", etc.
• People baptized outside the Catholic church are not allowed to partake of communion.
• The particular Eucharistic prayers and liturgy developed significantly over time.

Conclusion: The Eucharist was passed-down by the apostles and it was more than merely symbolic (as many Protestants teach).

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Priesthood ...

The concept of the priesthood developed along with the Eucharist.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Papacy ...

The modern Catholic doctrines of the papacy do not appear early. It is true that the Roman church was considered to be a source of orthodoxy, perhaps because Peter and Paul fashioned this church to be orthodox. But at first, only the bishops of Rome insisted that the "pope" (bishop of Rome) had powers beyond other bishops. After this, bishops started to agree (but many didn't). The Orthodox church never agreed.

An early interpretation of the "Peter the rock" passage ...

• The bishops have unity because Peter (who is one) was the first of the apostles. All other bishops are therefore united with each other because Peter is the source.

Conclusion: The Catholic view of the papacy developed significantly over time but its seeds appear very early.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Hierarchy ...

The idea that there is to be a church hierarchy developed rather early. By the time of Cyprian of Carthage, it is fully-developed.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Sacraments ...

The sacramental system with 7 sacraments did not appear early. Certainly the word 'sacrament' appears early but seems to merely mean the concept that physical objects in some way can have a role of the way in which God graces us. Baptism appears very early in the writings of the Early Church Fathers and is clearly a sacrament. The other sacraments are later developments.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Baptism ...

Some aspects of baptism appear very early ...

• Baptism results in the remission of sins (Epistle of Barnabas)
• Baptism is to be performed by a bishop, priest, or deacon; although allowance is made for baptism by another baptised Christian.
• There is a procedure which must be followed in baptism involving water; laying on of hands; baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; etc.

Variations ...

• No need for a lengthy period of learning about the faith for those who have learned and who have faith.
• A three-year program of catechesis.
• Infant baptism was not accepted by all.
• Those 3,000 who were joined to the church had no lengthy catechism before joining the church.

Conclusion: The Protestant notion that baptism is merely an act done in obedience is false. Baptism is a sacrament and results in the remission of sins for those who are properly disposed.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Marriage ...

There was no sacrament of matrimony in the early church. This developed later. All marriages were considered to be permanent and divorce was not allowed (except in the case of adultery, or a non-Christian spouse who left a new convert to Christianity).

Conclusion: The Catholic Church developed the idea that marriage is a sacrament much later.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Confirmation ...

No evidence from the Early Church Fathers.

Conclusion: This doctrine developed slowly. Today there are differences between the Catholic view and the Orthodox view.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Holy Orders ...

It is true that ministers were acknowledged as being validly ordained via the laying-on of hands by fellow bishops. However, this was not considered a sacrament until much later. The purpose of acknowledging who was a valid church leader was to preserve sound doctrine. Bishops were ordained by fellow bishops and there was no pope until much later. Bishops were selected by their local congregations. There were bishops who were not ordained until long after they were considered bishops by their congregations.

Conclusion: Much has changed regarding ordination since the times of the early church. These modern teachings of the Catholic Church were not merely handed-down by the apostles. The early flexibility has since become very rigid and formalized.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Healing, anointing of sick ...

There was no such sacrament until much later.

Conclusion: The Catholic Church added the idea that anointing of the sick is a sacrament much later.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Confession ...

The Catholic sacrament of confession does not appear in the early church. Here is what does appear ...

• Confession in the church service; presumably everyone confessed their sins at the same time during the church service.
• People who denied the faith when tortured had to confess their sins and their faith before being readmitted to the church.
• In order to be baptized, they would have to confess their sins (and some would be exorcised).
• In cases of extreme public sin (adultery, murder, renouncing the faith, etc.) they would have to perform public penance for years.

Certainly there was no sacrament of confession (reconcilliation) via a private confession to a priest as is now taught by the Catholic Church.

Home | North Forest | Top of page

The Infallibility of the Church ...

Did the church pass-down the teachings of the apostles (and, therefore, of Jesus)? It would seem that at least until 200 A.D. the church could be trusted. See ...

Home | North Forest | Top of page

Faith Passed-down from the Apostles ...

The Catholic Church claims to have handed-down the teachings of the apostles. Certainly some of the teachings of the Catholic Church are those which were handed-down by the apostles, but many are not. For example, the doctrine of the assumption of Mary was not handed-down from the apostles.

Origen, in 185 - 254 A.D., specifies which particular doctrines were passed-down by the apostles. His list doesn't contain the various doctrines specific to the Catholic Church. Yet he seems to indicate that all current doctrines of his day were passed-down by the apostles. This implies that all the others were added later. His list contains only those which I consider to be essential doctrines.

Home | North Forest | Top of page