Provide examples of the diversity found in Christianity in its first three centuries.

Paul was responsible for spreading Jesus’ teachings amongst the Gentiles. As Paul spread the word, however, there were already opposing Christian groups forming. This was because Paul opposed the Jewish law aggressively and some early Christian groups –having been brought up with the Jewish teachings – incorporated what they considered to be Christian ideals into their Jewish life. An example of this was one of the oldest Christian communities, the church in Jerusalem, which was being led by James the brother of the Lord. 

The issue of how separate Christianity ought to be from Judaism was an important one for the early followers. Christian groups and communities started to form each with different perspectives some of which condemned the Jewish teachings and traditions like the Old Testament. A community of Christians who called themselves Gnostics did not believe or approve of the Old Testament.

The name “Gnostic” is derived from the Greek word γνωσις meaning “knowledge”. The Gnostics came into clear prominence in the 2nd century. According to the oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, a central concept for the Gnostics was the idea of “gnosis” which is what the Gnostics believe is the revealed knowledge of God and the origin and destiny of mankind. This was gained by a secret tradition or direct revelation which was given to the founder of the sect. The Gnostics could not comprehend why we were stuck in such an imperfect world. They concluded that this was because what we see and experience is an illusion, a “pale picture of reality.”

Therefore this world could not have been created by a supreme God. The Gnostics were dualists and they claimed there must be two Gods: a God of the material world in which we live in now, and a Supreme, remote and unknowable Divine Being. The God of the material world was called a “Demiurge” (a term once used by Plato) or “Creator”. The Demiurge God was the immediate source of creation and ruled the world we lived in. This God was the God of the Jews. Valentius, a Gnostic theologian, further claimed that the emergence of the Demiurge was due to the fall of Sophia the last of the three “aeons”. The spiritual world or “pleroma” is compromised of 30 “aeons” emanated by the Primal Ground of Being. Sophia was one of these “aeons”. 

The Gnostics argued that the God of the Jews either did not know about the Supreme Being or if he did know, he concealed the identity. The Gnostics went on to argue that Jesus Christ came as a messenger of the Supreme Being to bring “gnosis”. As he was Divine, he temporarily inhabited a human body which was that of Jesus. He did not die and he was not resurrected. They were just “play acting” (the doctrine known as “docetism”)

Like the Gnostics, a Christian thinker called Marcion was determined to pull Christianity away from its Jewish roots. He maintained, like the Gnostics, that the God of the Old Testament was a violent God. Jesus’ human flesh was an illusion and his “death” ought to be blamed on the Demiurge. Marcion further argued that the Old Testament had to go.

However, there was a strong opposition to the Gnostics. In particular was Irenaeus of Lyon (a member of the ministry) who argued that Gnosticism contained features of paganism. Irenaeus insisted on the identity of the creator and the Supreme God, on the goodness of the material creation, and on the reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He further maintained that man needed redemption from an evil will rather than an evil environment.His points were made clearly in his book “Against Heresies” in which he states it is through the church that is the correct and truthful method of following Jesus Christ.

In order to confront the Gnostics, a concept of unity of the Christian church was emphasised therefore increasing the ministry. A threefold ministry of bishop, priest and deacon was introduced. Irenaeus claimed that it was the office of the bishop in this threefold that was the guarantee as to its faith and genuiness as the church and bishop have received from the apostles and their disciples its faith in God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist and the symbolism which it gave to the bishop’s role were vital. Irenaeus continued saying that there are “heretics” but they are guilty of blasphemy against God and do not belong in the church. The true church has one and the same faith throughout the world. 

The ministry claimed to be the orthodox Christians and condemned those they saw as “heretics” such as the Gnostics. By setting the Canon, the ministry made strict guidelines for a way a Christian ought to act and live. (“Exegesis”).

An “apocalyptic movement” (The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed.) came into light in late in the 2nd century. This movement was called Montanism. Montanus was a native of Phrygia in the mountains of Asia Minor which had become a strong Christian centre during the 2nd century. Montanus claimed he had new revelations to make from the Holy Spirit to add to the gospel story.  He had been given a “new learning”. Montanus also proclaimed that the “Heavenly Jerusalem” would soon descend near Pepuza in Phrygia.

The Ministry did not approve of the Montanists and they were condemned by Eleutherius the Bishop of Rome. What made the movement worse, to the Ministry, was their association with women. Montanus had female prophetesses and was closely associated with women, in particular with two women called Maximilla and Prisca. The church, on the other hand, opposed to women as they claimed it was too like many pagan cults.  The church and the Montanists had different modes of authority thus causing more of a clash. The church had its threefold order of ministry while it was the random gift of prophecy that claimed position.

In conclusion, it is possible to see that religious diversity was characteristic of the church from the beginning, while having unity as a theological idea. It seems that this concept of unity could only become concrete through the development of the office of the bishop in the church. Because of this, bishops could therefore decide what practices were “orthodox” and what was “heresy”.  After Constantine, bishops were given governmental power to enforce their decisions. One could therefore argue that in a religious setting, it is the political power which then creates history’s winners.

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