It was interesting to read Per Johansson’s comment on Apostolic Christianity and would be very interested to study sources to the oral tradition.
Where can we find Apostolic Christianity? It is there in New Testament Christianity, and furthered by Christians throughout history, however preserved to different degree in different churches. The Holy Spirit sent his prophets and reformers throughout the ages to revive the Body of Christ when the love had grown cold, eg St Anthony—or perhaos Luther‚
The Oriental churches are very interesting since they might have preserved very old traditions. Then of course they, too, have been affected by culture and history. I will soon continue to publish ideas as to how I consider Apostolic Christianity.
Not all the details from the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ was written down in the Holy Bible. One example is from Mark. 6:1-6. This is, according the Orthodox tradition, an example of oral tradition.
Another example of oral tradition comes from the apostle St. Paul, who met Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus, in the second letter to Timothy, chapter 2, verse 2.
The Oriental orthodox churches have different cultures and languages, but share the common apostolic faith.
I fully agree with these so called agrapha of Jesus. What would be interesting would be sources for liturgy etc, if there is any of the oral tradition which has been written down.
During the forty days after His resurrection the Lord Christ spoke to the Apostles about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3), i.e. how to pray the liturgies, about fasting and how to practice the sacraments and other practicies in church life. St Mark, one of the seventy apostles, was a disciple of St Peter (1 Pet. 5:13). St Mark came to Egypt around year 6o, preached and instructed to his successor St Anianus what he had recieved from St Peter. The liturgy of St Mark was through oral tradition transferred through the centuries, until the fifth century, when St Cyril of Alexandria wrote it down. This liturgy of St Cyril is one of the liturgies present today in the Coptic orthodox church. Other liturgies in the orthodox churches are from St Chrysostom, St Basil of Caesarea, St James of Jerusalem and St Gregory of Nazians. Although some small differences. these liturgies have a common ground, and they are called Divine Liturgies, because of their Divine origin.
Other sources of church life are the Didache, The Lord´s teachings to the Gentiles as conveyed by the 12 Apostles; and the letters of the Apostolic Fathers
(for example St Clement of Rome who was a disciple of the Apostles Sts Paul and Peter; and St Polycarp who was bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of the holy Apostle John, the Evangelist.
some reflections after reading church history:
before two hundreds A.D. which is about 70 years after the last apostle died, Montanus and his friends were called heretics, although now they are considered nevertheless charismatics, but at that time official office was against them..
in about 295 A.D. people were tired of secularization and went to the deserts, where monasticism was established. Established churches called them lazy and running away from responsibilities..
canonized St Benedictus, who made a great improvement in the whole monastery movement was never ordained by the official church (maybe after his death
there are only few Church fathers, who didn’t comment on ‘Creation order’ and women’s evil embodiment.
In the 6th and 7th centuries lots of papas appeared on the stage of whom one later obtained privilege to be called the only Papa. And there came the St Peter’s keys… (where even simple Bible reading presumes, that Jesus said nothing about passing the keys to somebody, did Peter drop them on the ground because of the lack of administration?). And the bishops connection with the rulers and emperor what made Christianity popular and highly administrated.
But I still can’t understand, where the Apostolic church lost its eyes-light in 70 years before Montanus not to see the move of God? What Church (after 177 A.D.) are we talking about then?!
Hälsning!
Montanus and his group were schismatics, not heretics, and had a problem seeing the line between prophecy and authoritative Revelation. The Church is multi-faceted.
But there is an apostolic tradition which runs thorugh all ages, representing true Christianity.