In search of authentic Christianity

[arcanum]

This is a believe a very important topic:what has survived today that was practiced and believed by the first century Christians or followers of the way as they were known.Who are it's true heirs?this is a topic that has long intrigued me and is not easily answered.We have to go back to a pre roman embrace and that's a shady area because not much of that era has survived.Where did all these rituals come from?mary worship,praying to saints,icons,communion,where these a part of early christian practice.Christianity as we know it has splintered in so many pieces it's hard to see how the original form looked like.I think some of the eastern sects might be a little closer to the early Christians,the Syrians even have a bible in aramaic,the language that jesus spoke.The coptics and the Ethiopians have very ancient lineages.I think when Christianity was romanized it lost it's jewish roots and changed it's form to the extent that it's now unrecognizable from early Christianity.what say you,does any from of Christianity we have today come close to that of the early Christians?

 

[Oberon]

sects might be a little closer to the early Christians,the Syrians even have a bible in aramaic, the language that jesus spoke

Although Jesus almost certainly spoke aramaic, all the earliest records of what he said are in Greek.

what say you,does any from of Christianity we have today come close to that of the early Christians.

That is a difficlut answer. Religion is a way of life, and virtually all Christians in the modern age, by necessity, live very differently then christians did in the first century. Also, Jesus left a lot of theological questions unanswered, which his followers then had to address. But I would say that most forms of christianity today retain many beliefs that the earliest christians had as well.

 

[sandandfoam]

.what say you,does any from of Christianity we have today come close to that of the early Christians?

I imagine none comes close. But I imagine that if we look inside we have the opportunity to see the same thing that some of them did.

 

[Darz]

In my opinion the Ebionites followed Jesus' teachings more closely than any other derivation of Christianity. In today's world, I have no idea what denomination would most closely match. I'd start my search looking for a Christian denomination that still retains much of Christianity's Jewish roots.

 

[Delamere]

Why do people imagine that because Jesus spoke Aramaic that he did not know and speak fluently the lingua franca of the Mediterranean world, namely koine Greek?

I do not believe that authentic Christianity can be found in any of the sub-Christian sects of the years after the apostolic era. It is possible that such sects influenced the early Muslims. The New Testament was written by the community founded by Jesus himself and included his disciples, friends and close relatives. It does not get more authentic than this!

 

[Scuba Pete]

Restoration Christianity has been around for a LONG time and the last revision started with Joseph Campbell.

At issue is not trying to NOT emulate the culture of the time, but the LOVE of the disciples. Too often such endeavors devolve into such an intense legalistic approach of primitive Christianity, that the adherents lose site of the FREEDOM we have in Jesus.

I have seen debates over one cup or many for communion, whether a kitchen in the church building is scriptural, can there be instruments in the church as well as many other piddly points that only serve to create LEGALISM.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Authentic Christianity doesn't exist.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Authentic Christianity doesn't exist.

Well, my friend... we disagree on that.

 

[doppelganger]

Authentic Christianity doesn't exist.

Sure it does. It doesn't exist in any tradition, social institution, list of dogmas, set of beliefs, or grouping of rituals or practices. Authentic Christianity exists in honestly reflecting from within love, compassion, peace and simplicity in one's relationships with all others (except, obviously, Florida Gator fans ).

In other words, you can only find authentic Christianity in yourself - and not from vainly trying to copy what others have said and done.

 

[Scuba Pete]

(except, obviously, Florida Gator fans ).

God is a Gator fan. That's why the sun is Orange and the sky is Blue.

Other than that misanthropic contention, I fully agree with the rest of your post!

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Sure it does. It doesn't exist in any tradition, social institution, list of dogmas, set of beliefs, or grouping of rituals or practices. Authentic Christianity exists in honestly reflecting from within love, compassion, peace and simplicity in one's relationships with all others (except, obviously, Florida Gator fans ).

In other words, you can only find authentic Christianity in yourself - and not from vainly trying to copy what others have said and done.

I was addressing the OP:

does any from of Christianity we have today come close to that of the early Christians?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I was addressing the OP:

I see that in death, you are not as wise as the mighty dopp.

 

[arcanum]

I'm currently reading a book called "the lost history of Christianity" which is quite interesting so far.It primarily focuses on the eastern Christians(nestorians,jabobites,coptic and ethiopians) who have been largely ignored by the west. these are ancient strands of Christianity,far older than that of rome and developed independently of rome.They are the ones who were practicing Christianity from a far more ancient tradition and closer to the actual 1st century Christians.I think it's important to have a grasp the historical development of Christianity though it's not essential to actual spiritual practice.I personally would like to know what in Christianity has been added to by outside cultural traditions and what were the first Christians actually practicing and what were their primary beliefs.this is not easily answered.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I personally would like to know what in christianity has been added to by outside cultural traditions and what were the first chrisitans actually practicing and what were it's primary beliefs.this is not easily answered.

Short answer: all of it.

 

[arcanum]

Short answer: all of it.

there is no short answer....all of it?care to elaborate?

 

[doppelganger]

I see that in death, you are not as wise as the mighty dopp.

If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

 

[ayani]

This is a believe a very important topic:what has survived today that was practiced and believed by the first century Christians or followers of the way as they were known.Who are it's true heirs?this is a topic that has long intrigued me and is not easily answered.We have to go back to a pre roman embrace and that's a shady area because not much of that era has survived.Where did all these rituals come from?mary worship,praying to saints,icons,communion,where these a part of early christian practice.Christianity as we know it has splintered in so many pieces it's hard to see how the original form looked like.I think some of the eastern sects might be a little closer to the early Christians,the Syrians even have a bible in aramaic,the language that jesus spoke.The coptics and the Ethiopians have very ancient lineages.I think when Christianity was romanized it lost it's jewish roots and changed it's form to the extent that it's now unrecognizable from early Christianity.what say you,does any from of Christianity we have today come close to that of the early Christians?

Arcanum ~

i would say that sincere, Godly, born-again Christians exist in many denominations, all over the world.

even in the first decades of its birth, Christianity was spreading all over the world and taking on the unique cultural imprints of wherever it settled. for example, the Indian Orthodox Chruch founded by the Apostle Thomas in 52 A.D. has many characteristics which make it totally unique from any other Christian body.

the Coptic Church in Egypt, the Syriac Christians in the Middle East, the Assyrian Church of the East (which sent successful missionaries to China and modern Tibet in 635 A.D.), and many other church bodies are all ancient, all unique, and all Christian.

to try and figure out which church tradition represents the "original church" would be a difficult and perhaps impossible task. what binds Chrisians is Christ- believing Him to be the unique Son of God and Messiah, believing Him to be crucified for our sins and raised from the dead, and living one's life as a committed disciple of His- spirtually, ethically, and holistically living for Him, in Him, and becase of Him (John 14:19).

 

[Scuba Pete]

Jesus gave us the universal attribute of "authentic Christians":

John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." NIV

Nothing else really matters!

Galatians 5:6 The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. NIV

 

[ayani]

I personally would like to know what in christianity has been added to by outside cultural traditions and what were the first chrisitans actually practicing and what were it's primary beliefs.this is not easily answered.

based upon the text of the NT itself, we can glean a lot concerning what early Christians believed.

Paul, in some of his letters, quotes from Christian hymns popular at his time, and from them we can learn a lot about the earliest Christian beliefs.

Phillipians 2:5-11 is often cited as being itself a Christian hymn inserted into the letter. from the text we can discern that the earliest Christians believed Jesus to be in His nature God, that He humbly came to earth appearing as a man, that He was crucified, and has a uniquely exalted place given to Him by God. the hymn cites Jesus as "Lord" and "Christ".

elsewhere in the NT we can discern that the earliest Christians believed that Jesus' death atoned for sin, and brought them near to God. they had a unique practice of calling God "Abba, Father" in personal prayer, and they believed that Jesus would come again. they had a clear belief in God the Father, His unique Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. they believed in resurrection, and in eternal life, both things possible through and becase of Christ's own triumph over death.

there was clear and firm emphasis on actively loving and serving one's fellow man in the name of Jesus, as well as an emphasis on the unity of believers, and one's forgivenes of sins through faith and baptism into the Christian body. there was also emphasis on personal prayer, the dangers of sin, and the need to confess one's sins to God, and to one's brethren.