Pergamean Church Age

The Age of Pergamos extends from 312 to 606 AD. Despite Jesus' warning of the "Seat of Satan", and of the doctrines of the "Nicolaitanes" and "Balaam", few hold fast to His name during these years.

In Pergamos, the unscriptural priesthood that was established in Smyrna (the Synagoge of Satan) becomes elevated to a position of political power (the Seat of Satan). The "deeds" of the Nicolaitanes (that began in Ephesus) also becomes the enforced "doctrine" of the Nicolaitanes. Although commanded to repent, the expansion of nominal Christianity ushers in the dark ages, and the morality of the Catholic Church disappears.

[edit] Summary

• The Ephesian Age left its first love,
• The Smyrian Age fought with Satan, and
• The Pergamian Age traded its innocence for power, mixing Christianity with paganism for political gain.

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast, not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 2:12-17

Martin of Tours (d. 397) lived independent from the Catholic Church, and became a missionary among the heathen in Gaul. While little is recorded of his teachings, he piety was not disputed, and supernatural signs and wonders followed his ministry. Martin's nephew, Patrick (d. 493), also became a missionary, preaching to the heathen in Ireland. Near the end of the 6th century, Columba (d. 597) became a missionary to Scotland, and was known as a prophet for the mighty works that followed his ministry. Each of these men developed their ministries independent of the Church in Rome, and independent of political support. It is known that both Martin and Columba did everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In response to Martin, Patrick, and Columba's influence in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church started missionary activities in these areas, and began arranging the marriages of various English and French kings to Catholic women in order to curb the expansion of Irish Christianity, which was seen as a threat to Rome.

Martin, being a man of mighty works at the start of this Age is recognized as the 'Angel' to the Pergamean Church Age.

The Age of Pergamos also marks the conversion of Ethiopia by Frumentius, and of the persecution of the Persian church from the rule of Shapur II (340 AD) to Hormizd III (c. 458 AD) as a result of the Roman Empire's favour for Christianity.

Balaam prophesied over Israel, and said "lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." (Numbers 23:9b). Just like the God's plan for Israel, the true Christians in the Pergamean Age did not join church and state, but remained independant of both political and religous hierarchies.

Nicolaitan means "to conquer the church". In the Ephesian Age, the church at Rome began celebrating the Christian Passover on the Sunday after the Jewish Passover, and tried to impose this practice on other churches. The Bishop of Rome finally agreed that each church had the authority to rule themselves only after both Polycarp and Irenaeus traveled to Rome (at different times) and rebuked the bishop. In 325, at the Council of Nicea, a canon (unchanging law of discipline) was issued giving the patriarchs of Alexandria and Rome exceptional authority over other churches in their regions. It was also decided at this council that the Christian Passover must not be celebrated with the Jewish Passover, which was the custom of the disciples.

The date of the passover marked the first victory of the Nicolaitane Church of Rome over all the other churches. The Roman Emperor Constantine enforced this doctrine (Life of Constantine Vol. III Ch. XVIII by Eusebius) by the physical suppression of forms of worship he considered unorthodox.

In the Smyrnian Age, the church of Rome had gone from the Unitarian teachings of Callixtus, to promoting the doctrine of the Trinity under Felix. In 325 the Council of Nicea also produced the Nicean Creed, which formalized the doctrine of the Trinity - another victory for the Church of Rome.

Of the 250-318 Bishops that attended the Council of Nicea (along with 1,200 deacons and accompanying laity - per Athanasius and Eusebius of Caesarea), only two Arians refused to agree with the Nicene creed. This either indicates that they all were in unity, that the creed was sufficently vague to support each of their doctrines, or that the voting was rigged. Considering that 22 Arian supporters attended, the latter two are the most likely. The fact that further councils were called to refine this doctrine, each of which have significant dissidents leads to the conclusion that the creed was at least extremely vague.

Catholic tradition records that in 451 AD, 630 Bishops declared at the council of Chalcedon that "What Leo believes we all believe, anathema to him who believes anything else. Peter has spoken through the mouth of Leo." This is Nicolaitanism.

[edit] Christians Persecuting Christians

Athanasius (d.373) and Augustine (d. 430) both supported violence against heresies. In another example of early propoganda, the Arian enemies that Athanasius taught against were not a cohesive group as he put forth, but were actually small groups of supporters that held vastly different theological views. The "Arian party" identified by Athanasius may simply be a fabrication - one which resulted in much persecution.

Regardless, Constantine's physical enforcement of orthodoxy, along with Rome, Alexandria, and other sects physically persecuting each other marked the start of a downward slide for the Christian Church.

[edit] Ecumenical Councils

1. First Council of Nicaea (325): repudiated Arianism and Quartodecimanism (Easter on the 14th of Nissan), adopted the Nicene Creed (in support of the Trinity), exceptional authority acknowledged for the patriarchs of Alexandria and Rome, for their respective regions;

1. First Council of Constantinople (381): revised the Nicene Creed into present form, and prohibited any further alteration of the Creed without the assent of an Ecumenical Council.
2. Council of Ephesus (431): repudiated Nestorianism, proclaimed the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos (Greek Η Θεοτόκος, "God-bearer" or more commonly "Mother of God").
3. Council of Chalcedon (451): repudiated the monophysite doctrine, established that Christ had two natures, human and divine; adopted the Chalcedonian Creed.
4. Second Council of Constantinople (553): reaffirmed doctrines explicated by previous Councils, condemned new Arian, Nestorian, and Monophysite writings.

Balaam was a prophet of Moab, and Balak was the King of Moab. Moab was the son of Lot (Abraham's nephew) and Lot's daughter. The Moabites worshipped the God of Abraham (among other gods), and sacrificed oxen and rams, and had a prophet. The Moabites had also joined Church and State. Balak hired Balaam to curse the Israelites, but God made Balaam bless them instead. Balaam then taught Balak how to make Israel fall in return for money and fame - he invited the Israelites to a feast of mixed worship, where the men of Israel commited adultery with the women of Moab. As a result, God killed 24,000 Israelites in a plague.

Before Balaam was allowed to prophecy good about Israel, the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam: "thy way is perverse before me".

According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), a half-pagan and half-Christian ceremony was performed at the dedication of Constantinople in 330 AD when, in the market place, the Cross of Christ was placed over the head of the Sun-God's chariot, accompanied with hymns. Instead of rebuking Constantine, the Catholic church made him a Saint. It is about this time that the first celebration of Christmas is recorded. It was celebrated as a non-Arian holiday, but simply replaced the feast of the birth of the Sun God on December 25th.

Constantine donated great amounts of money to the Church at Rome, and build the old St. Peter's Bascilica. Bishops taxes were reduced, and many pagan temples were converted into Christian Churches. While this sounds like a revival, Constantine did not care about salvation (being baptized only on his deathbed). Instead, Constantine thought to win the loyalty of his subjects by subtle manipulation: flattery, and religion.

By 400, Anastasius became the first Bishop of Rome to use the title Pope, signifying a marriage of the Church and State. The doctrine of post-milleniumism began at this time, but the Catholic Church tried to start the millenium without Jesus, and excommunicated the Holy Spirit in the process.

• Haas, Christopher, “The Arians of Alexandria”, Vigiliae Christianae Vol. 47, no. 3 (1993), 239
• Chadwick, Henry, “Faith and Order at the Council of Nicaea”, Harvard Theological Review LIII (Cambridge Mass: 1960),173

[edit] See Also

• Summary of the 7 Church Ages
• Who was St. Martin?
• The Biography of St. Martin