“A History Of Errors”

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

      I was recently reading Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, specifically the chapters involving the first few hundred years of Christian history.  I attend a local autonomous congregation whose structure seems entirely different than the hierarchical structure of the church described in the book.  They use terms like the bishop’s “see” which, when I looked up the definition, is the official seat of a bishop.  The bishop's seat is the earliest symbol of a bishop's authority.  During periods of Roman persecution, they list bishops of Rome and other cities and mention their successors.  They also describe bishops as being “appointed” and “governing the church”.  The book states that a man named Ignatius was appointed to the bishopric of Antioch next after Peter in succession.  (The same term “bishopric” in Acts 1:20 KJV describes the office of Judas).  The book also alludes to a hierarchy amongst the clergy (bishops, presbyters and deacons).  In over a dozen historical examples of Roman persecution, it is the bishop of Rome (singular) that seems to be targeted for execution.  All of this hierarchical structure pre-dated Constantine and future state involvement in the Christian Church by up to hundreds of years.  Our local congregation just has a few elders, who say they are equals, and take turns leading worship and preaching a message.  Why such a difference in church structure?

Sincerely,
History Student

Dear History Student,

The reason you see the difference is because Foxe’s Book of Martyrs covers all those who called themselves christians while the Bible specifically only follows the pattern for the church laid down by God.  Paul warned that the church would quickly be attacked by false teachers (2 Pet 2:1), and as early as the end of the first century, we see the seven churches of Asia being exhorted and rebuked by Jesus to hold to the truth in Revelation 2 and 3.  Paul told the church at Ephesus that wolves would arise from amongst their eldership to try and devour the church (Acts 20:28-31).  Your congregation is right to stick to the Bible pattern – after all, the Bible is the book that we are saved by (Rom 1:16).

Share