Controversy over the Date of Easter: Difference between revisions

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 ==Gentile vs. Jewish Christians==
-The Last Supper happened at Passover, which is the 14th of Nissan.  Jewish Christians began celebrating the Lord's Supper on this date.  Gentile Christians did not follow the Jewish Calendar, and decided to celebrate Passover on the first Sunday after the full moon after the March equinox. During the early years of the church, Jews were exiled from the city of Rome.  As a result, Rome became the first all-Gentile Church for a time.
+The Last Supper happened at Passover, which is the 14th of Nissan according to the Jewish Calendar.  Jewish Christians began celebrating the Lord's Supper on this date.  During the early years of the church, Jews were exiled from the city of Rome.  As a result, Rome became the first all-Gentile Church for a time. Gentile Christians did not follow the Jewish Calendar, and decided to celebrate Passover on the first Sunday after the full moon after the March equinox.
+==Rome's Authority==
+Sixtus I was the sixth Bishop of Rome.  In 117 A.D., he declared that any Bishop visiting Rome should not be accepted back without a letter of recommendation.  This is the first time a Bishop tried exerting influence over another Bishop, and he was largely ignored by other churches at that time. Sixtus' doctrine is in contrast to the deeds of the third Bishop of Rome, Clement, who wrote the following to the Corinthians:
+:''submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent...For it is better for you that ye should occupy a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people.'' (The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, CHAP. LVII)
 ==Polycarp, Anicetus and Easter==
 Polycarp (the disciple of John) and Anicetus (the 10th Bishop of Rome) reached an agreement around 160 A.D. regarding the date of the celebration of Easter.  Their decision was to let each church decide for itself.
-However, a subsequent Bishop in Rome named Victor suddenly excommunicated all the churches in Asia Minor for disagreeing with his interpretation regarding the date of the celebration of Easter (the Sunday after the passover vs. the Jewish date of the Passover). As a result, Irenaeus addressed Victor in a letter (only a fragment of which remains), warning him that if he persisted in the course on which he had entered, the effect would be to rend the Catholic Church in pieces. In 190 or 191, Irenaeus travelled to Rome to meet with Victor, who received and accepted the rebukes of Irenaeus. The debate of the date of the passover was treated independently by each Church intil the Council of Nicea.
+==Victor and Irenaeus==
+Victor was the 13th Bishop in Rome.  He excommunicated all of the churches in Asia Minor for disagreeing with his interpretation regarding the date of the celebration of Easter. Most of the churches in Asia Minor had significant Jewish populations, while Rome had little Jewish influence.  Irenaeus addressed Victor in a letter (only a fragment of which remains), warning him that if he persisted in the course on which he had entered, the effect would be to rend the Catholic Church in pieces. In 190 or 191, Irenaeus travelled to Rome to meet with Victor, who received and accepted the rebukes of Irenaeus. The debate of the date of the passover continued to be handled independently by each Church until the Council of Nicea.
+<ref>
+:''"The pacific name [Irenaeus] bears, was rendered yet more illustrious by his interposition to compose the Easter Controversy, then threatening to impair, if not to destroy, the unity of the Church. The beautiful concordat between East and West, in which Polycarp and Anicetus had left the question, was now disturbed by Victor, Bishop of Rome, whose turbulent spirit would not accept the compromise of his predecessor. Irenaeus remonstrates with him in a catholic spirit, and overrules his impetuous temper. At the Council of Nice, the rule for the observance of Easter was finally settled by the whole Church; and the forbearing example of Irenaeus, no doubt contributed greatly to this happy result."'' [[Irenaeus Introduction|INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES]], Vol. I Ante-Nicene Fathers 309 </ref>
-Sixtus I was one of the first Bishops of Rome.  In 117 A.D., he declared that any Bishop visiting Rome should not be accepted back without a letter of recommendation.
-Sixtus' influence is in contrast to the deeds of the early Bishops of Rome, including Linus (who according to Irenaeus was mentioned by Paul in the epistle to Timothy) and Clement, the latter of which wrote to the Corinthians when they had some trouble, and said:
-:''submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent...For it is better for you that ye should occupy a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people.'' (The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, CHAP. LVII)
 decided that the date and order of the Passover/Eucharist became the first significant division within the Christian churches.
-The first internal evidence of a Bishop exerting influence over another Bishop is Sixtus I of Rome who, in 117 AD, declared  This doctrine was not accepted by the other churches at that time.
-:''"The pacific name [Irenaeus] bears, was rendered yet more illustrious by his interposition to compose the Easter Controversy, then threatening to impair, if not to destroy, the unity of the Church. The beautiful concordat between East and West, in which Polycarp and Anicetus had left the question, was now disturbed by Victor, Bishop of Rome, whose turbulent spirit would not accept the compromise of his predecessor. Irenaeus remonstrates with him in a catholic spirit, and overrules his impetuous temper. "'' <ref>[[Irenaeus Introduction|INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES]], Vol. I Ante-Nicene Fathers 309 </ref>
-:''"At the Council of Nice, the rule for the observance of Easter was finally settled by the whole Church; and the forbearing example of Irenaeus, no doubt contributed greatly to this happy result."'' <ref>[[Irenaeus Introduction|INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES]], Vol. I Ante-Nicene Fathers 309 </ref>