This was part of a seminary assignment for historical theology in the early church.

What features of church life appear most essential for preserving Christian identity in the post-apostolic age? Consider practices such as authority, worship, moral instruction, and unity.

After reading the Didache and Ignatius’s letters to the Smyrneans and Magnesians, the overarching principle that preserves Christian identity in the post-apostolic age is embodying the faith through structured rhythms.

In the Didache, this looks like viewing your life in the context of “the two ways”​ (Did. I)¹ The opening verses of the Didache are “There are two ways, one of life and one of death; but a great difference between the two ways. The way of life, then, is this: First, thou shalt love God who made thee; second, thy neighbour as thyself; and all things whatsoever thou wouldst should not occur to thee, thou also to another do not do.” See Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., “The Lord’s Teaching through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations,” in Fathers of the Third and Fourth Centuries: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius, Apostolic Teaching and Constitutions, Homily, and Liturgies, vol. 7, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company, 1886), 377.​ and then practicing the principles of the way of life. First, one must believe that we live our lives in accordance with one of the two ways. Second, one must believe the way of life is anchored in Christ. Third, embodying those beliefs means adhering to “the teaching of the sayings,” which consists of Christ’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Did. I). ​

These structured rhythms get more and more specific throughout the rest of the Didache and Ignatius’ letters. For example, fasting is to be done 2x per week but not on the same days as “the heretics;” the Lord’s Prayer is to be recited 3x per day (Did. VIII).​

In Ignatius’ letters, these rhythms flowed out of confessing correct doctrine (Ign. Smyrn. 1–3).​ From doctrine we get practice: be subject to the bishop because this mimics Christ’s obedience to the Father (Ig. Mag. 6–7)​.

Do these documents suggest that the early church understood itself primarily as a spiritual movement or as a visibly ordered community?

These documents suggest the early church saw itself as a visibly ordered community.

Ignatius strongly emphasizes the necessity for the presence of the bishop during all church activities (Ig. Smyrn. 8; Ig. Mag. 6–7).​ The Didache also presents a strong communal identity through the structure of the Eucharist celebration. Only those who had been baptized into the church were permitted the participate in the Eucharist (Did. IX).​ This was a line of demarcation for the identity of the church. You could not participate in the life of the church if you had one foot in and one foot out.

Offer one insight from these texts that the modern church may need to recover.

I think the modern church could recover the early church’s expectation for members to embody the rhythm of belief.

These documents communicate a seriousness of participation which changes how members live their lives. Fasting is instructed and assumed; as is praying the Lord’s Prayer 3x per day.

From the modern church’s perspective, these expectations/rhythms might flirt with legalism, but I think these documents give us a blueprint for how to avoid that. The expectations/rhythms flow out of the confession of faith. We confess to believe the Apostle’s Creed (which Ignatius essentially recites in Letter to the Magnesians 11)​ and other doctrines about Christ revealed in Scripture, and these truths carry implications that genuine faith embraces.

The early church combined the embodied practices of worship, morality, and unity to form the Christian identity. We should maintain this ancient tradition.

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Select Excerpts

Example of Confessional Beliefs of the Early Church

^3.1 For I know and believe he was in the flesh even after the resurrection. ² And when he came to those with Peter, he said to them, “Take hold. Touch me and see that I am not a bodiless demon.” And immediately they touched him and they believed, being closely united with his flesh and spirit. Because of this they despised even death, and were found to be above death. ³ And after the resurrection he ate with them and drank with them as fleshly, although being united spiritually with the Father.

Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 3.1–3 (as cited in Brannan, “Apostolic Fathers in English”)

Submitting to Church Clergy Mirrors Christ’s Submission to the Father

^6.1 Therefore, since I have by faith seen and loved, in the people mentioned above, the whole congregation. I urge you: be eager to do everything in the harmony of God, the bishop presiding in the place of God, and the presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles, and the deacons, who to me are especially dear, entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ, who before the ages was with the Father and has been revealed at the end. ² Therefore you all, having received a divine agreement in your convictions, have respect for one another, and let no one consider his neighbor according to the flesh, but _⌊always_⌋ love one another in Jesus Christ. Let there be nothing in you which _⌊is capable of dividing you_⌋, but be united with the bishop and those who preside over you, as an example and lesson of incorruptibility.

^7.1 Therefore, just as the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united with him, either through himself or through the apostles, in this way _⌊you are not to do anything without the bishop and the presbyters_⌋. Do not even attempt anything that appears reasonable _⌊to yourselves_⌋, but, _⌊for the common purpose_⌋, one prayer, one petition, one mind, one hope in love in the blameless joy, which is Jesus Christ, _⌊nothing is better than him_⌋. ² You run together all as to one temple of God, as to one altar, to one Jesus Christ, who from one Father came forth, and was with the one, and returned to the one.

Ignatius to the Magnesians 6.1–7.2 (as cited in Brannan, “Apostolic Fathers in English”)