Antioch - Canon 15

If any bishop, lying under any accusation, shall be judged by all the bishops in the province, and all shall unanimously deliver the same verdict concerning him, he shall not be again judged by others, but the unanimous sentence of the bishops of the province shall stand firm.

Associated with the previous canon, this addressed the case where a unanimous verdict delivered by the local body of authority was binding with no appeal.  Noteworthy in both canons was the insistence of unanimity.  The practice of majority rule is relatively new in the church and most likely an outgrowth of the democratic process found in Western culture.  Most, if not all, church groups have a voting process with its ugly offspring politicking.  The majority rules rather than seeking a consensus.  Certainly, the latter can be more difficult, even strenuous, but the decisions are more binding and results more long-lasting.  Numerical advantage may change between divergent groups in a simple election, and political alliances are both tenuous and fleeting.  Better to work beyond a super-majority to the place where all in leadership can operate under the established decisions and guidelines.

Antioch - Canon 14

If a bishop shall be tried on any accusations, and it should then happen that the bishops of the province disagree concerning him, some pronouncing the accused innocent, and others guilty; for the settlement of all disputes, the holy Synod decrees that the metropolitan call on some others belonging to the neighboring province, who shall add their judgment and resolve the dispute, and thus, with those of the province, confirm what is determined.

This canon recognized that the local church should be administering its own affairs, but there may be times when the council of others is needed in order to proceed on an issue.  This is not a sign of failure but recognizing a shortcoming in experience.  Wisdom recognizes when help is needed and sought.  This in no way removes the place or responsibility of the local church leaders for they will be held responsible in the final decision.

Spiritual Warfare - Spiritual Disciplines

How do we build up one another in Christ?  What steps can we take in response to the manifold grace of God poured out on us and in the continual struggle with spiritual wickedness in high places?  This lesson was an attempt to show believers how they could order their lives.

I was unable to get through all the material of this final session in my series.  The Kleinig MP3 intended for the end of part five of the series was used at the beginning of this part instead.  Here are my notes for this lesson.  There were no handouts or PowerPoint.

Some books were mentioned as resources:
Carson, D. A.  A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul And His Prayers.  Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992.
Vos, Howard F.  Effective Bible Study: A Guide to Sixteen Methods.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan. 1956.
Arthur, Kay.  How to Study Your Bible.  Eugene: Harvest House, 1994.

Books I did not get to but are worthy of investigation:
Law, William.  A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life.  n.d., 1729.
Hughes, R. Kent.  Disciplines of a Godly Man.  Wheaton: Crossway, 1991.
Kleinig, John W.  Grace Upon Grace: Spirituality for Today.  St. Louis: Concordia, 2008.

Antioch - Canon 13

No bishop shall presume to pass from one province to another, and ordain persons to the dignity of the ministry in the Church, not even should he have others with him, unless he should go at the written invitation of the metropolitan and bishops into whose country he goes.  But if he should, without invitation, proceed irregularly to the ordination of any, or to the regulation of ecclesiastical affairs which do not concern him, the things done by him are null, and he himself shall suffer the due punishment of his irregularity and his unreasonable undertaking, by being forthwith deposed by the holy Synod.

This canon prevented one overseer to visit the area served by another overseer with the intent of ordaining someone to a position.  An entourage would have the semblance of authority, but the practice was still condemned.  Only with the express written invitation of the overseer or metropolitan could such an ordination be practiced.  Any outside attempts was considered seditious and carried whatever punishment was considered apropos.  The force of the canon allowed the spiritual authority in a region to conduct affairs without interference from wolves rising up to devour the flock.  The unhindered work allowed long-range planning and removed fear of an ecclesiastical interloper.

Because of fragmentation within the local (i.e., city) church today with varied denominations vying for the attention of the local church, sheep-stealing has become the norm.  A church perceives an unmet need or service area and exploits it so that those around are attentive to the "up and coming" work.  The notoriety draws unsatisfied believers into their midst where they are summarily fed the latest staple that neither fills nor satisfies the soul, and the cycle begins once again with a new ministry start-up.  Shame on us for not respecting the work of the local church already established in a city.  Lack of attention by the believers in a locale to a particular ministry area does not automatically give another group the right to move in and begin operations as the next big thing.  As per the canon, do not go to establish something new unless the local church gives its blessing.

Of course, what happens if the local church is not doing the work that Christ intended?  Or what if they have abandoned the cause of Christ (as is too often the case).  Here there is clear testimony of scripture that we are to obey God rather than men.  Do the work the Lord Jesus gave you to do.

Who Is Our God? John of Damascus Answers

We believe, then, in One God, one beginning having no beginning, uncreated, unbegotten, imperishable and immortal, everlasting, infinite, uncircumscribed, boundless, of infinite power, simple, uncompound, incorporeal, without flux, passionless, unchangeable, unalterable, unseen, the fountain of goodness and justice, the light of the mind, inaccessible; a power known by no measure, measurable only by His own will alone, creator of all created things, seen or unseen, of all the maintainer and preserver, for all the provider, master and lord and king over all, with an endless and immortal kingdom: having no contrary, filling all, by nothing encompassed, but rather Himself the encompasser and maintainer and original possessor of the universe, occupying all essences intact and extending beyond all things, and being separate from all essence as being essential beyond and above all things and absolute God, absolute goodness, and absolute fulness: determining all sovereignties and ranks, being placed above all sovereignty and rank, above essence and life and word and thought: being Himself very light and goodness and life and essence, inasmuch as He does not derive His being from another, that is to say, of those things that exist: but being Himself the fountain of being to all that is, of life to the living, of reason to those that have reason; to all the cause of all good: perceiving all things even before they have become: one essence, one divinity, one power, one will, one energy, one beginning, one authority, one dominion, one sovereignty, made known in three perfect subsistences and adored with one adoration, believed in and ministered to by all rational creation, united without confusion and divided without separation.

John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book I, Cap. 8

Spiritual Warfare - Armor of God

God has equipped each child of his with the protection necessary to do spiritual battle.  These can be found in Ephesians 6:10-20.  What I found remarkable is that the first three mentioned (belt, breastplate, shod feet) are presented as things already placed on us, we having been placed upon us when believing on the redemptive work of Christ.  Those that follow are implements we consciously employ in the battle.

Notes

Handout

Audio – Bryan Wolfmueller, "Stand"; Dr John Kleinig, "Sentry Duty and Prayer"

No PowerPoint for this lesson.


During my research I stumbled on several good materials dealing with this passage from the church fathers (John Chrysostom has three homilies beginning here) to D. A. Carson and John MacArthur, Jr.  There is much good, sound, free teaching on the subject.

Increased Blog Traffic

Usually, traffic to my blog comprises my mother, sister, and a couple of friends who are as Bible-geeky as I am.  Not so this weekend and following.  Suddenly, traffic jumped ten-fold specifically for the John Chrysostom post on husbands treating their wives well.  I did a bit more nosing around and discovered that my post had been selected for Issues, Etc. Blog of the Week (as in the widget you see in the sidebar).  I was surprised and have already thanked the host.

Traffic will certainly die down again to family and friends, but I can rest assured that all the men who read the post are already making plans as to how best they can implement the sage advice from centuries past.  Right, guys? Right?!

Antioch - Canon 12

If any presbyter or deacon deposed by his own bishop, or any bishop deposed by a synod, shall dare to trouble the ears of the Emperor, when it is his duty to submit his case to a greater synod of bishops, and to refer to more bishops the things which he thinks right, and to abide by the examination and decision made by them; if, despising these, he shall trouble the Emperor, he shall be entitled to no pardon, neither shall he have an opportunity of defense, nor any hope of future restoration.

Whereas the previous canon was directed to the overseers, this addressed the elders and deacons who were considering or actively engaged in seeking the help of civil authority for church matters.  These together were intended to prevent any ordained person from operating independently, not recognizing the unity and cohesion of the church as it was intended to be—an organic, living thing whereby each part works in harmony with the whole.

Antioch - Canon 11

If any bishop, or presbyter, or any one whatever of the canon shall presume to betake himself to the Emperor without the consent and letters of the bishop of the province, and particularly of the bishop of the metropolis, such a one shall be publicly deposed and cast out, not only from communion, but also from the rank which he happens to have; inasmuch as he dares to trouble the ears of our Emperor beloved of God, contrary to the law of the Church.  But, if necessary business shall require any one to go to the Emperor, let him do it with the advice and consent of the metropolitan and other bishops in the province, and let him undertake his journey with letters from them.

This somewhat restrictive canon attempted to thwart church officers from appealing to civil authorities even as rulers were attempting to hold sway over the church.  The rightful role of church discipline and authority as established by the apostle Paul (1 Cor 5:3-5; 6:1-11) was being circumvented.  The modern church would do well to understand that civil authority has no jurisdiction in church matters.  To go before the legal system of the land is tantamount to saying that Christ is insufficient for all things concerning his very body on earth of which he is head.  How short we fall when the elect cannot, will not, or is not allowed to adjudicate a just, loving, and binding verdict.

Antioch - Canon 10

The Holy Synod decrees that persons in villages and districts, or those who are called chorepiscopi, even though they may have received ordination to the Episcopate, shall regard their own limits and manage the churches subject to them, and be content with the care and administration of these; but they may ordain readers, sub-deacons and exorcists, and shall be content with promoting these, but shall not presume to ordain either a presbyter or a deacon, without the consent of bishop of the city to which he and his district are subject. And if he shall dare to transgress [these] decrees, he shall be deposed from the rank which he enjoys. And a chorepiscopus is to be appointed by the bishop of the city to which he is subject.

This extended some clarification to the previous canon by stating which offices can be appointed by the country overseer without the metropolitan.  Low-level assistants did not require a higher level approval while elders and deacons needed input presumably so that all things were done in good order.