arapahoepark
Puritan Board Professor
How is it elders were replaced with priests and bishops in the EO and RCC?
priests and bishops?
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SeanPatrickCornell
Puritan Board Junior
Bishop is just the English word for the Koine Greek "episkopos". It's where we get the words Episcopal and Episcopalian from. In most Protestant Churches we just use the word "Pastor" instead of Bishop.
As for Priests, that's the RCC/EO word for "presbuteros", or "Presbyter", also known as Elder.
As for Priests, that's the RCC/EO word for "presbuteros", or "Presbyter", also known as Elder.
Peairtach
Puritan Board Doctor
The words elder and bishop were different words for the same office viewed from different perspectives."Elder" means a respected leader with the wisdom of maturity, while "bishop"means overseer.
At some point early on in post-Apostolic history, the desire for pre-eminence in the church led to a distinguishing of the office of bishop as being something separate and above the elders.
Eventually this proud desire for pre-eminence by degrees led to the Papacy.
See a suitable church history.
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At some point early on in post-Apostolic history, the desire for pre-eminence in the church led to a distinguishing of the office of bishop as being something separate and above the elders.
Eventually this proud desire for pre-eminence by degrees led to the Papacy.
See a suitable church history.
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Hamalas
whippersnapper
From my understanding (any of the standard church history texts such as Schaff, Kuiper, or Bruce could expand on this) it was largely the result of persecution. The idea of having one man who led the believers in a given area became attractive as local leadership became difficult to implement. Some reading on men like Polycarp, or especially Ignatius of Antioch will help you to understand this issue.
Preeminence given to one man in church government in the early shows the effect of the tendency of the church to ape the secular government that surrounds it (in this case, Empire), instead of hewing strictly to the Word as normative for church government. The local minister, and beyond that the president of a synod of bishops (which we would equate to a Presbyterian moderator, something like the function of James in Act.15:13), came to be looked to as a man-above-other-men. Eventually, after the passage of a few centuries, lust for power over others led to the elimination of popular election of ministers/bishops or even acclamation of one sent to them, and the city or regional big-wig only appointed such men as he saw fit, who served at his whim.
As for the priesthood, there may have been some linguistic confusion that contributed to the adoption/attribution of the title for Christian pastors. But the bigger problem was not linguistic, but theological. As sacerdotal activity grew in importance (even in the early church), the Christian ministry began to function more and more like a priesthood. But since adopting pagan practices was out of the question, the church began to look back into the OT for precedents. As the church came again "in bondage to the law," the trappings of the Old Covenant began to be adopted and adapted into the church. As interest in the gospel waned, the Galatian heresy (in a new form) gradually overwhelmed the church.
As for the priesthood, there may have been some linguistic confusion that contributed to the adoption/attribution of the title for Christian pastors. But the bigger problem was not linguistic, but theological. As sacerdotal activity grew in importance (even in the early church), the Christian ministry began to function more and more like a priesthood. But since adopting pagan practices was out of the question, the church began to look back into the OT for precedents. As the church came again "in bondage to the law," the trappings of the Old Covenant began to be adopted and adapted into the church. As interest in the gospel waned, the Galatian heresy (in a new form) gradually overwhelmed the church.
davdavis
Puritan Board Freshman
It seems to that the concept of a priest, as opposed to an elder was a product of synchretism. All the religions of the world at that time had sacrificing priests. Sadly it appears to me the office of Elders became more and more adulterated into the priesthood. When Christianity became the official religion this probably accelerated with the tremendous influx of nominal members who would have been far more comfortable with the concept of a sacerdotal priest.
David Davis
PCA Montgomery, AL
Dave,s Ravings
David Davis
PCA Montgomery, AL
Dave,s Ravings
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