APPENDIX A. List of the more important' dissensions' within the Church; from A.D. 30 to the present time. FIRST DISSENSION (First Century): the 'Judaizing' controversy. B. The Ebionites 1. a. The Gnostics. This controversy turned on the question, whether the Church was so far bound by the letter of her old Scriptures as to remain virtually a Jewish sect; or was free to incorporate the best ideas of the day,-Greek, Roman, Indian, &c.,-which were floating especially in the studious air of Alexandria The Council of Jerusalem, A.D. 50, virtually settled the question in favour of the latter alternative: but demanded conciliatory conduct towards the Jews. Extreme parties seceded on opposite sides into Dissent. SECOND DISSENSION (Third Century): the 'Puritan' controversy. B. The Montanists. a. The Donatists. The point here was, whether purity and enthusiasm were not better marks of the Church of Christ' than the mere outward features of Ecclesiastical Polity. The Council of Arles, A.D. 314, virtually decided in favour of the latter theory; but without denying that Church-discipline and warmth of personal feeling were both indispensable to Christ's kingdom. THIRD DISSENSION (Fourth Century): the 'Trinitarian' controversy. a. The Arians. B. The Sabellians. The problem was, how best to retain Monotheism while accepting our Lord's miracles in the Synoptical Gospels. and the Logos-doctrine of St. John. The Council of Nicæa, A.D. 325, faithfully held fast to both sides of The extreme tendencies marked (a) in the following list denote those of a more intellectual or rationalistic' character: those marked (B) are of an imaginative or mystical' type. It is hoped that this rough sketch, though not strictly accurate in detail (especially in No. VII.), may be at least suggestive of the truth in each case. the ineffable mystery; and raised the whole question above the low levels of mere logical discussion, by pointing out that eternity' and 'infinity' were factors in the problem; inasmuch as He was begotten from everlasting of the Father.' FOURTH DISSENSION (Fifth Century): the Free-will' controversy. 8. The Fatalists. a. The Pelagians. The difficulty arose as to where the line should be drawn at which human agency, in the soul's redemption, ended and divine agency began. The Church virtually decided that, in a question lying so deep among spiritual mysteries, no line could be drawn at all by human reason. FIFTH DISSENSION (Fifth Century): the 'Incarnation' controversy. a. The Nestorians. | B. The Eutychians. This opened the question, how can we form any clear conception of a God-man? The Church again replied by holding fast to both sides of the mysterious truth; and combining them under the conception of a single 'personality' in Christ. SIXTH DISSENSION (Eighth Century): the Iconoclastic' controversy. a. The Iconoclasts. I B. Image-worshippers. Christendom has now entered the dark night of Barbaric invasion. Saracenic baldness and sterility infect the Eastern Church; Gothic rudeness and ignorance deluge the Western Church. The unity of East and West sinks henceforth into abeyance; and, in default of unity, only provisional and local settlements become possible. In the West, images are restored; in the East, pictures only. SEVENTH DISSENSION (Ninth Century): the 'Sacramental' controversy. a. The Greeks regard them rather as ' symbols.' B. The Latins rather as mysterious 'realities.' Again no permanent decision was possible; and the Western Church, lacking balance from the East, fell into great superstitions. EIGHTH DISSENSION (Eleventh Century): the 'Scholastic' controversy. a. Nominalists. 1 B. Realists. The question was one of subtle logic and word-fence; training mankind to grapple with the new facts, both in nature and history, which would ere long be presented to it. The Nominalists-following Aristotle-defined generic expressions (such as 'animal,' 'plant,' &c.) as merely mental conceptions in man; the Realists-following Plato-thought of them as true, though ideal, realities in God. The Latin Church leaned strongly towards Realism. In theology, the controversies concerning the Trinity and the Eucharist were those mainly affected by this, essentially logical, dissension. NINTH DISSENSION (Fifteenth Century): the 'Church-reform' On this question the Western Church split yet farther into pieces. The German races favoured the more prosaic and ethical view of the Church; the Latin race preferred a striking and organized unity. TENTH DISSENSION (Nineteenth Century): the Church-and-State' controversy. a. The Independents. B. The Ultramontanes. This is the dissension with which the Church has to deal at the present day. LECTURE II. THE INDEPENDENTS. A.D. 1568. Leading Idea:-'Purity' of the Church,—especially in its external relations. Method adopted :-Dissolution of the Ecclesiastical Polity into a multitude of small republics. Διὰ μικρὰς καὶ τυχούσας αἰτίας, τὸ μέγα καὶ ἔνδοξον Σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ τέμνοντας καὶὅσον τὸ ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἀναιροῦντας. (Irenaeus, iv. 53. 7.) A. D. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 100. Gnostics, oppose the organized Church. 120. Marcion, especially, opposes St. John's arrangements in Asia Minor. 800. The Paulicians, in the East. 1200. The Albigenses, &c. in the West. 1400. The Lollards, Hussites, &c. 1567. Independent (Dutch Anabaptist) meeting in London dispersed. 1568. First regular Independent congregation in London. 1571. Robert Browne appears in public. 1584. Queen Elizabeth exasperated: five Independents suffer. 1620. Pilgrim Fathers sail for America. 1641. Independent Meeting,' held openly in London. 1643. Westminster Assembly (five Independents present). 1645. Church of England overthrown and proscribed. 1653. Independent 'coup d'armée'-Cromwell Protector. 1654. Triers' (Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists) appointed, to superintend Church patronage. 1658. An Independent Establishment' attempted. 1662. Ejectment of Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, from Church benefices. Venner's insurrection: Charles II. and James II. try to stamp out 1672. Proposed comprehension of the Church with Presbyterians and Independents (against James II. and Romanism). 1689. Toleration Act (Romanists and Unitarians excluded). Proposed comprehension once more: (a) of Church, Presbyterians, fail. 1723. George I.'s 'regium donum' to English Dissenters. 1732. The Dissenting Deputies' (Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists) established. 1828. Test Act repealed. 1868. Church Rates abolished. 1870. Irish Church disestablished. 1871. Attack on the English Church in Parliament defeated. |