tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4534583473011399766.post5251894944518621210..comments2024-01-03T13:45:30.650-08:00Comments on CONSELHO DIOCESANO DE LEIGOS: CONSTANTINO FUNDOU A IGREJA CATÓLICA? DESMASCARANDO A MENTIRA!!CONSELHO DIOCESANO DE LEIGOS/AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09270303889107606944noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4534583473011399766.post-53125089935780936632009-06-14T13:07:04.933-07:002009-06-14T13:07:04.933-07:00Considering:
a) The word ‘bishop’ (Greek ‘episkopo...Considering:<br />a) The word ‘bishop’ (Greek ‘episkopos’) was used up to circa.125 in a different meaning than ‘leader of the city-wide church’.<br />b) The existence of the early bishops is uncorroborated by ‘1Clement’ (80-81) & ‘Polycarp to the Philippians’ (circa.135). And the Ignatian epistle ‘to the Romans’ (circa.135) ignores any bishop there.<br />c) The lists of early bishops are suspect and likely produced to counteract heretics by invoking uninterrupted continuity (from dubious origins, such as Paul & Peter founding jointly the church in Rome!).<br />Then the existence of true city-wide bishops before 125 not only can be contested, but also justifiably dismissed, although some early Christians of mark (more so writers as for Clement of Rome (quasi-legendary!), Papias and Polycarp) were called bishops, either posthumously or in their latter years.<br />Could Ignatius have been the bishop of Antioch?<br />Hardly so, considering:<br />a) As explained above, true bishop did not exist during Trajan’s reign (even years after) or before.<br />b) The first three letters present him as a lesser member of a church somewhere in Syria.<br />c) Only one letter, the fourth one, mentions Ignatius as the bishop from Syria, in passing, without specifying the city and for obvious glorifying reasons.<br />d) Corroborating external evidence for Ignatius as bishop appears as late as some one to two centuries later (Origen & Eusebius), by two authors who did not agree about Ignatius’ predecessor as bishop of Antioch!<br />Who would be the authors of each of these epistles?<br />Probably the struggling proto-bishop himself, or anyone among his close associates/confidents or even any lay Christian wishing for (an “Ignatian”) unity in his city. By the time the letters were written, some of the alleged named visitors of Ignatius might have passed away, therefore unable to offer (possibly unfavorable!) testimonies.betoquintashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11000304527254896774noreply@blogger.com