Module 2.2.1 The Council of Jerusalem

COURSE CONTENT:
Module 2.
Brief History of the Church
Lesson 2.2
Unity and Division Within the Church
Lesson 2.2 .1
The Council of Jerusalem
UNITY
is one of the most difficult things to
achieve in every group of people. Be
it in the family, in the neighborhood,
in the country or in the world, it
seems to be an elusive dream.
UNITY
What makes unity difficult to be
achieved?
UNITY
What does it take to achieve unity
in:
Family, School, Community
UNITY
What benefits are derived when
there is unity?
TASK: OUTPUT 15
Listen to the song:
ONE BREAD , ONE BODY.
Write your insights and reflections on

the song as it suggests unity and
division.
We read from the Story of Peter’s appeal to
the first Council of the Church in
Jerusalem to understand the meaning of
the unity and division within the Church.
ACTS 15:7-12
The background of the
Council of Jerusalem was the
Antiochean Dissension.
JERUSALEM was the center

of Christianity under the
leadership of Peter and the
Apostles.
The Church acted as living witnesses
of the Lord.
They celebrated the Eucharist besides
their observance of the Jewish piety.
Communal living was a mark of
being a disciple of Christ.
The internal structure of the
community was determined by
the leadership of the 12
APOSTLES. Later, with the
increasingly growing number
of converts, a new structure
developed to suit the needs of
the community
The growth in number of
Christians led into the
expansion of the organization:
1. To the founding of new
positions; and
2. The division of labor- a
process that caused some
friction in the Church
[ cf. Acts 6:1]
“At that time as the number of
disciples continued to grow,
the *Hellenists complained
against the Hebrews because
their widows were neglected
in the daily distribution.”
ACTS 6:1
* Greek converts
Because of this, apostles
appointed DEACONS to take
care of the poor and the
widows.
Thus, a new hierarchical order

of authority in the Church was
established.
BISHOPS, PRIESTS, DEACONS

HIERARCHICHAL STRUCTURE OF
THE CHURCH
POPE – universal Pastor
CARDINALS – has the right to
nominate for the Pope
BISHOPS – teachers of the Diocese
PRIESTS – helpers of the Bishop
DEACON – servants
LAITY – congregation
The Martyrdom of
STEPHEN- a deacon of the
Hellenist Christians, marked
the dawn of the spread of
Church outside Palestine.
All those who did not
conform with the Jewish law
regarding the daily temple
worship were expelled out of
Jerusalem.
JEWISH DIASPORA
They found a home in
Antioch to practice their faith
in Jesus. It was there that they
were first called Christian
believers of Christ.
ANTIOCH
Center of missionary work for
the gentiles. Second center of
Christianity next to
Jerusalem.
ANTIOCHEAN DISSENSION
Jewish Christians insisted
that the gentile converts
should be strictly be made to
observe the religious
traditions of Judaism.
1. They believed that of
gentiles were not made to
observe the Jewish law, the
Church would lose its Jewish
character.
2. Thus, the question was
whether the church was to be
EXCLUSIVELY JEWISH or a
CHURCH FOR ALL
HUMANITY
PAUL argued on behalf of the
gentiles:
He saw that the very essence of the
Gospel was at stake in the controversy.
He argued:
“If the new converts were
required to observe the Jewish law
regarding circumcision, it would be
tantamount to saying that the faith
in Christ was not sufficient for
salvation.”
Council of Jerusalem
• After debate, Peter, the Rock, set
the tone of the Council (Acts 15:7-
11), in effect deciding the issue
• Peter is joined by James, Bishop
of Jerusalem, in this decision
• Here James and Peter both seem
to exert leadership. (Peter already
speaks for the universal Church
by virtue of the commission
given him by Jesus; James speaks
as Bishop of Jerusalem.)
• A formal announcement of the
council’s conclusions as members Sts. Peter & James
(Acts 15)
“in agreement with the whole
Church” concur 27
Council of Jerusalem
Apostles and elders
arrived at the
verdict/decision that the
Gentile converts are new
members of the Church
with full participation and
privelege as members free
from the yoke or burden of
the Jewish law.
Sts. Peter & James
(Acts 15)
28
ACTS 15:7-12
v. 7 in reference to the Conversion
of Cornelius and his Baptism with
Peter.
v. 8 - Lucan universalists view of the
Church:
No barriers
The Church is for all humanity.
v. 9 - Christ removed the laws as
distinction between the clean and the
unclean.
Faith knows no barriers.
v. 10- Peter supported Paul’s refusal to
impose the Mosaic Law on the
Gentiles:
There should be no imposition on the
converts that could be a burden to them.
v. 11- Fundamental message of the
Gospel:
All humanity is called to the saving

faith in Christ.
To SUM UP:
The major causes of division :

Hierarchy
External peace
Diversified beliefs
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
[Lumen Gentium] 8
This Church, constituted and organized in
the world as society, subsists in the
Catholic Church, which is governed by the
successor of Peter and by the bishops in
union with that successor, although many
elements of sanctification and of truth can
be found outside her visible structure.
These elements, however as gifts properly
belonging to the Church of Christ, possess
an inner dynamism toward Catholic unity.
History tells us that during the
first century of the existence of
the Church, there was already
evidence of Christian disunity.
Vatican II took up every
delicate point of the
relationship of the Catholic
Church as it presently exist,
that is, governed by the Roman
Pontiff and the bishops in
communion with him and the
Church of Christ.
Vatican II declares
that the Church
survives in the world
today in its
institutional fullness
in the Catholic
Church, although
elements of the
Church are present in
other churches and
ecclesial
communities.
All institutional means of
saving grace are present in
the Roman Catholic Church:
proclamation of the Scripture
and Church Teaching,
the Magisterial Authority of
the Pope and Bishops who
compose the center of unity and
leadership of the Church
and the seven sacraments.
These institutional elements
maybe found not in the same
fullness in other Churches.
There are some churches, for
instance, that do not accept
the Pope or they believe in
scriptures but not in Church
Teachings. Others do not
accept all the seven
sacraments.
EDICT OF MILAN put an end
to the persecutions of Christians
and accorded Christians full
equality with the religion of the
empire.
Constantine’s conversion led to a new era not only

in the Roman state but also for the Church.
In the beginning, he regarded pagans with tolerance

but gradually revealed his convictions.
He publicly displayed Christian symbols and
lavished the Church with generous donations
and the erection of basilicas and churches.
He granted Christian clergy special privileges
as a distinct social class. Roman law was
modified in terms of Christian values.
Sexual offenses such as adultery, concubinage,
and prostitution was severely punished.
Sunday, the day when Christians assembled
was made a public holiday, a day of rest.
Constantine increasingly saw the interests of
the state in view of those of Christianity. He
intervened in Church affairs and used the
power of his office to ensure the unity in the
Church.
Under Constantine, the coalition of the
Church and state paved the road to the
union of Church and state in the Medieval
Ages. Whether this coalition was right or
wrong, it proved to be one of the turning
points in history of the Church and of the
world. The Church would never be the same
again, for better for worse.

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COURSE CONTENT:

Write your insights and reflections on

JERUSALEM was the center

Thus, a new hierarchical order

BISHOPS, PRIESTS, DEACONS

All humanity is called to the saving

The major causes of division :

Constantine’s conversion led to a new era not only

In the beginning, he regarded pagans with tolerance

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