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Berlin Professor: There is much to learn from the early church
10-10-2008
There is much to learn from the early church, according to Professor Christoph Markschies, President of Berlin's Humboldt University, reports Wolfgang Polzer, special to ASSIST News Service.
During the first centuries Christians created social networks, provided hospitality for travelers and cared for widows and orphans, explained Markschies. Their social security systems had worked more efficiently than those of the Roman Empire, said the Protestant theologian.
He addressed a gathering of 160 young adults in Berlin, who were invited by 70 politicians of all parties represented in the federal Parliament. Most of the deputies participate in Parliamentary prayer meetings.
According to Markschies, early Christians practiced a high degree of steadfastness in their faith while showing flexibility in cultural expressions and forms. Christians of the first century were opposed to abortions, for instance, and the selective killing of first-born female babies.
They had also exercised strict church discipline against the mixing of religions, economic offenses like fraud and profiteering as well as physical abuse. At the same time the early church had shown great flexibility in spreading the faith in different languages and cultures.
According to Markschies, early Christianity shows some evangelical features. They emphasized, for example, the personal decision for God and took a critical look at high theology. Markschies is convinced that the Christian future will also display evangelical features.
