St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans: A Practical Exposition. Vol. IIGore, Charles
Religion
St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans: A Practical Exposition. Vol. II
Gore, Charles
Bible. Romans -- Commentaries
Yet the bishop adds, 'appointed days are indispensable to her
efficiency.' This was soon found to be the case. Probably before the
end of the first century, the _Didache_ mentions not only the
observance of Sunday by the eucharistic service, but the observance
also of the Wednesday and Friday fasts. Clement, about the same date,
strongly emphasizes the principle of order in place and time, as still
belonging to Christian worship. 'They, therefore, that make their
offering at the appointed seasons are acceptable and blessed.' The
Canons of Hippolytus show that by the end of the second century there
must have been a great development of ecclesiastical regulations, so
far restraining the individual {154} liberty of the earliest days, and
that, as far as we know, without protest or sense of alarm. Nor need
St. Paul have been in opposition to such church rules. The spirit of
regulation is strong in him[32]. On the other hand, there is no doubt
that the Church has not generally, one might say has hardly ever, been
conscious, as St. Paul was, of the danger of religious regulations as
such. It is so much easier to keep certain rules than to acquire and
maintain a certain mind and spirit and principle of action. In the
history of the Church St. Paul, we feel, would very often have been
saying, 'I am afraid of you: the rules are good in themselves, but
there are dangers attaching to all rules of which you seem to be quite
unconscious. There is a lower sort of religion of forms and
observances, and you may fall back into it as easily as the Galatians.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account