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To: annalex
the house churches were simple assemblies of believers, with no separation between 'clergy' and 'laity' This is a Protestant myth. Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14) Why couldn's a lay relative do that?

The word is not Priest, it is elder,

The Roman Catholic NAS has presbyters, not priests.

The 'elder's were the Pastors and Deacons.

22 What, have you not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God; and put them to shame that have not? (Corinthians 11:22) Sounds like houses were for eating dinner and churches were for receiving the Eucharist

No, that verse is talking about when the local church gathered, either in a building or someone's home (Rom.16:5)

Clearly, that passage states that a church was in someones home.

And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. (Justin Martyr, First ApologyCHAPTER LXV -- ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS Looks like people had distinct roles in the Eucharist

Looks like some leaven had entered into the church.

I do not see any of that in the scriptures.

In private houses the room best suited for worship and for the love-feast was the oblong dining-hall, the triclinium, which was never wanting in a convenient Greek or Roman dwelling, and which often had a semicircular niche, like the choir290 in the later churches. An elevated seat291 was used for reading the Scriptures and preaching, and a simple tables292 for the holy communion. Similar arrangements were made also in the catacombs, which sometimes have the form of a subterranean church. The first traces of special houses of worship293 occur in Tertullian, who speaks of going to church,294 and in his contemporary, Clement of Alexandria, who mentions the double meaning of the word ekklhsiva.295

Regarding the citation by Justin Martyr, Schaff states,

We are not warranted in carrying back to this period the full liturgical service, which we find prevailing with striking uniformity in essentials, though with many variations in minor points, in all quarters of the church in the Nicene age. A certain simplicity and freedom characterized the period before us. http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/2_ch05.htm

6,034 posted on 05/09/2006 3:53:43 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? (Gal.4:16))
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To: fortheDeclaration
The word is not Priest, it is elder

Amen. More "revisions." 8~)

6,040 posted on 05/09/2006 4:12:56 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: fortheDeclaration

The three quotes I gave you show that the priests (or if you prefer, "elders") had abilities not given laity; that the church was thought of as distinct place not suitable for eating anything but the Eucharist, even if arcghitecturally or legally it was someone's private property; and that the roles during the Church service were distinct and separated laity from the president and the deacons, -- all in direct contradiction to the Protestant mythology.

"Elder" and "priest", or "president" are incidentally all translations of "presbyteros"; one uses a similar word with a Germanic root, the other the same Greek root, and the third is the corresponding Latin.


6,045 posted on 05/09/2006 4:23:31 PM PDT by annalex
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