Development of Church Government

Intro/New Testament

In the New Testament Jesus did not create a specific pattern of leadership for the Church
"The Church appeared as a spiritual fellowship under the immediate direction of the Apostles." - Lightfoot.
Acts displays a gradual development of Chruch government e.g. Peter's designation as the first bishop.
Pauline literature shows us that both a charismatic and official ministry existed at the same time.
In general the NT shows a move from charismatic to ordered ministry.

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1 Clement - first text to develop the twofold ministry of bishops and deacons and the idea of apostolic succession.
Didache - reports tension between the settled clergy and the itinerant preachers - shows nature of Church Government was becoming more rigid.
Ignatius - developed monoepiscopacy - threefold ministry of Bishop, Presbyter, and Deacon which emphasised the role of Bishop - "Follow you Bishop as Jesus Christ followed the Father" (Ignatius)

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In the 2C the role of the bishop was enhanced further with the clear establishment of the threefold ministry.
Tertullian expounded the principle of apostolic succession.
He argued that Bishops were the direct successors of the Apostles that founded the Churches.
To support this he produced lists of bishops tracing their origins back to the original 12.
The role of women in ministry was diminished.

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Irenaeus also wrote lists of apostolic succession against the Gnostics.
He believed it meant that the teaching of the Church was consistent with the teaching passed on to the first Apostles from Christ.
His episcopacy was diocesan - a Bishop in charge of a number of Churches
He used the term Bishop and presbyter interchangably - shows there was no clear distinction between the two.

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Cyprian - bishop of Carthage and important theologian.
His writing De Unite lead the Church to be more hierarchical and institutional.
"Ignatius of the West" - emphasised the importance of Bishops.
He believe the Bishop was sovereign within his own diocese.
Although he had a dispute with Stephen over the issue of heretical baptism "he felt himself to be senior and more experienced" (Lietzmann)

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The nature of the Church Government became "gradually less charismatic and more institutional" (Barclay).
The biggest change was the role of the Bishop:
Ignatius - as the focus of Church unity.
Irenaeus and Tertullian - as the guardian of apostolic succession.
Cyprian - as the representative of Christ's authority.

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