An Historical View of Church Discipline and Restoration

The Council of Carthage (251 A.D.)

A key figure to the early development of the language used for organization and implementation of Church Discipline is Cyprian of Carthage (210-258 A.D.). He “developed a system based on Roman civil government that became normative for the Church for the next 1200 years until the Reformation in the 16th century”  . He did not create a new episcopal system; rather laid a better operating foundation.  During the time of Emperor Decius of Rome (201 -251 A.D.) there was widespread persecution of Christians. Christianity was still an illegal religion. The Romans believed that the gods were angry at them because they were not receiving proper honor, especially from the Christians. “In January 250, the Emperor ordered everyone throughout the empire to sacrifice to the pagan gods of Rome and to get an official written certificate from a locally established commission confirming that they had complied with the edict” . These certificates were called “Libelli”. According to Balfour , there had not been widespread persecutions of Christians in Carthage for decades – the result was a move for so-called Christians to comply with the edict (as many as three quarters of some congregations), sacrifice to the Roman gods, and bribe magistrates to falsify Libellis. These “compromising Christians were called the “Lapsed”. Many refused and were tortured, and imprisoned. The persecution lasted for 14 months. Those who kept the faith under duress were called “Confessors”. Emperor Decius’ successor Trebonianus Gallus, discontinued the policy of persecuting the Christians. The question became – What about the “lapsed”? How would the Church deal with this issue? There was much at stake here. There were those who “asked for readmission due to impending death from persecution and wished to die in the fellowship of the Church” .

There were many voices at the table. The Confessors believed their obedience to the faith “earned the right to decide the faith of the lapsed” . After-all, they took the easy path. They did not receive torture, imprisonment, deprivation of food, water, fresh air and light. They got off easy by recanting. It was the Confessors who should decide the fate of these traitors, not the Bishops. Another issue on the table was “When (if ever) should they be re-admitted?” 

At Carthage, Cyprian organized the lapsed into four (4) categories:

1)  Anyone who had been tortured and given in should be treated leniently using an appropriate system of penance

2)  Anyone who had purchased a Libelli would do more penance and could be received back into the Church

3) Anyone who had participated in heathen sacrifices “were to continue penance on understanding that they would be received back into the church only as death approached – not before” .

4) Any member of the Clergy who was comprised, could be re-admitted, but only as a layman, and     from any further duties.

There was fallout from Cyprian’s rulings – ensuing schisms. There were those who did not agree with his ascension to the bishopric and this ruling further solidified their hatred. Cyprian was charged with over-severity, there were attempts to undermine his position and rival congregations were formed in the city. He called together all the eighty-eight (88) bishops to the Council of Carthage (251-252 A.D.) to consider the treatment of the lapsed. It is especially significant to note that “until this time, churches had been linked together loosely for Christian fellowship, but till Cyprian, there was no organization, administration to make binding decisions” . The structure of “the rulings set in place the penitential system to include confession to a priest, doing penance imposed by him and receiving absolution” .        

A summary of the rulings for Church discipline from the Council is as follows:

                               

Council of Carthage - Rulings

1.  Bishops alone decide on re-admission. This cannot be left up to the Confessors.

2.  Bishops alone grade the terms of admission, based on the seriousness of the sin

3.  Bishops alone can grant absolution from sin (once the terms were met in penance)

There would be later Councils (two more All-African Councils in 256 A.D.) as a result of the Carthage rulings. “Those in opposition to Cyprian teachings set up rival churches with their own bishops”. The Cyprian called councils would preside over these matters. Of primary concern to Cyprian was the unity of the “true church”. Cyprian sought to “secure unanimous support for his policy that those who would not accept the teaching of the bishops in the mainline church, on this and any other point were to be “excommunicated” . The organized structure would now be called “Synods”, with groups of bishops meeting regularly. Other names for these gatherings were “College of Bishops” and “Episcopal College” . It was Cyprian’s intent that the gathering “look like the government of secular Roman Africa, with its sense of unity, and emphasis on law and order, its magistrates, consuls and pro-consuls. This was a novel and specifically Western way of organizing Church affairs” . Years later, Roman Emperor Diocletian (244 – 311 A.D.) “divided the Roman empire into twelve (12) administrative areas, calling them “dioceses”, which the church adopted. 

Cyprian’s ecclesiology stated :

1.  “Where the bishop is, there is the Church”

2.  “ The bishop of the chief city in the Province is the senior bishop of that Province”

By 256 A.D., Emperor Valerian (253-260), resumed policies of persecution of Christians. Cyprian was arrested on August 30, 257 A.D. Christians leaders who refused to renege/abandon their faith were executed. Cyprian was interviewed on September 12, 258 A.D. He refused to deny his God. He was sentenced to which he replied, “Thanks be to God”, and was beheaded the next day in the garden of the consul” .

                                                    Bibliography

Balfour Ian. Cyprian At Carthage And Church Government. Accessed May 13, 2018. http://www.ianbalfour.co.uk/wp-content/Church%20History/08_Lecture_06.pdf

Mutetei, Philip. “The Proper Procedure For Discipline In The Church,” 110, accessed May 13, 2018, https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/ajet/18-2_107.pdf

Mack, Wayne A. “Biblical Counseling and Inducement.” In Counseling: How To Counsel Biblically, Edited by John MacArthur and The Master’s College Faculty. United States: Zondervan Publishing House, 2005.

 Studylight, A Dictionary of Early Christian Biography:“Maximinus ii., Emperor,” accessed May 13, 2018, https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hwd/m/maximinus-ii-emperor.html

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Written By Pastor Kevin Hall   (May 13, 2018)