Theology IV

[inked]

GW,

Five Centuries because of the uncontested (by Rome claimants to special official status within the Church?) theology, liturgy and polity of these times (years one through 499 or so). The developments agreed upon by all during those times were:
Sunday as the Lord's Day, the day of worship;
Church year structure for cyclic worship (Advent-Christmas-Lent-Easter-Pentecost-Trinity);
Lectionary reading structure established for worship and seasons;
liturgical worship forms rather than free worship forms;
Holy Communion on Sundays and holy days;
daily prayer in the churches; and
development of the three-fold ministry of deacon, priest, and bishop.

Also there were the considerations of liturgy matters regarding the fixed forms prior to later accretions in the East and West, the apostolic evidences from the major patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Constantinople and Rome, and their regard for the Patristic period before the sundering of the Church along political lines (the politics of Old Rome versus New Rome and the problems engendered by both). The great liturgies of St. James, St. Basil, St Chrysostom, St. Mark, and St. Clement come from this time and have remarkable coherence between them in regard to liturgy and theology. It was regarded as the purest time in the Church before the implications of state-approval and state-establishment had time to work their vitiating force.

There were many who spoke on behalf of the Scripture and a return to it other than Martin Luther, GW. He's the poster child, so to speak. And a look at the flares and speed of the Reformation in its many outposts will demonstrate the large discontent of the priest & laity with the problems of the west. In fact the Church of Rome was slow to respond to the issues at hand! There was Trent and .................................................. .................................................. ....
Vatican II.