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Summary of Christendom
Christendom meant:
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the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of city,
state or empire; |
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the assumption that all citizens (except for the Jews) were
Christian by birth; |
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the development of a 'sacral society', where there was no
effective distinction |
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between sacred and secular, where religion and politics were
inter-twined; |
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the definition of 'orthodoxy' as the common belief, determined
by socially powerful clerics supported by the state; |
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the imposition of a supposedly 'Christian morality' on the
entire population (although normally Old Testament moral standards
were applied); |
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a political and religious division of the world into 'Christendom'
and 'heathendom'; |
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the defence of Christianity by legal sanctions to restrain
heresy, immorality and schism, and by warfare to protect or
extend Christendom; |
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a hierarchical ecclesiastical system, based on a diocesan
and parish arrangement, which was analogous to the state hierarchy
and was buttressed by state support; |
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a generic distinction between clergy and laity and relegation
of laity to a largely passive role; |
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obligatory church attendance, with penalties for non-compliance; |
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infant baptism as the symbol of obligatory incorporation into
this Christian society; |
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the imposition of obligatory tithes to fund this system. |
The basis of the Christendom system was a close partnership
between the church and the state. The form of this partnership might
vary, with either partner dominant, or with a balance of power existing
between them. There are examples from the 4th century onwards of
emperors presiding over church councils and of emperors doing penance
imposed by bishops. Throughout the medieval period, power struggles
between popes and emperors resulted in one or other holding sway
for a time. But the Christendom system assumed that the church was
associated with the Christian status quo and had vested interests
in its maintenance. The church provided religious legitimation for
state activities, and the state provided secular force to back up
ecclesiastical decisions.
Christendom seems to have no place for elements
of a New Testament vision such as:
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believers' churches comprised only of voluntary members; |
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believers' baptism as the means of incorporation into the
church; |
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a clear distinction between 'church' and 'world'; |
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evangelism and mission (except by military conquest or missions
to heathen nations); |
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the supranational vision of the new Christian 'nation'; |
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faith in Christ as the exercise of choice in a pluralistic
environment where other choices are possible without penalty. |
Other elements of New Testament Christianity appear
to be redefined within Christendom:
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'church' is defined territorially and membership in it is
compulsory; the voluntary
· communities called 'churches' in the New Testament
are now called 'sects'; |
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a preoccupation with the immortality of the soul replaces
the expectation of the kingdom of God, and the concept of the
kingdom of God is either reduced to a purely historical entity,
coterminous with the state church, or relegated to a future
realm; |
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the church abandons its prophetic role for a primarily priestly
role, providing spiritual support for groups and individuals,
sanctifying social occasions and state policies; |
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discipleship is interpreted in terms of good citizenship,
rather than commitment to the ways of the kingdom of God; |
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the church becomes primarily concerned about social order
rather than social justice; |
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persecution is imposed by those claiming to be Christians
rather than upon them. |
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