Hallmarks of the Proto-Orthodox Churches
1. Martyrdom and exhortations to martyrdom
2. Hierarchical church organization with a single person at the top (the bishop)
--doctrine of apostolic succession
3. Relationship of Christianity to Judaism
--Old Testament looks forward to the New
--Old Testament provides claim to antiquity
--Jews misunderstand their own religion
--Jewish scriptures in fact reject Judaism
--Jesus's death condemns all Jews
4. the Role of Revelation: replaced by reliance upon the written word
--charismatic "gifts of the spirit"?
--angelic revelation and prophecy
5. The nature of Jesus: fully God and fully human
--If Christ did not really suffer and die, why should we? (oppostion: docetists)
--Christ was also fully divine (opposition: adoptionists)
--how then, can there be only one God?
--Early solution (Origen): God created Christ, who was related but subordinate to God (emanationist view)
6.