Anathema to Sabbath-keepers - Council of Laodicea

Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea (ca. A.D. 360) explicitly condemns the veneration of the Sabbath and enjoins working on such a day in order to show a special respect for Sunday:
Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord's Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.
Source: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3806.htm

Which churches believe this today?
Roman Catholic?
Eastern Orthodox?
Any others?

What does anathema mean in this canon?
 
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a_ntv

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The Catholic Church consider that the honour that the Jews gave to the Saturday, shall be given to the Sunday, because Sunday is the day of the risen and the day of the apparitions of Christ to the apostoles.

So on Sunday we have to go to Church to Mass, and we should not do servile works

About anathema, you can remind the use made by St Paul: (Gal 1:9): "If any one preach to you a gospel besides that which you have received, let him be anathema." (so it means accursed, overwhelmed with maledictions)

PS the council of Laodicea was not an Ecumenic Council, but simply a local Council, and so its canons are not strictly mandatory or infallible for us
 
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... PS the council of Laodicea was not an Ecumenic Council, but simply a local Council, and so its canons are not strictly mandatory or infallible for us
That's nice because these don't fit in too well today:
Canon 15
No others shall sing in the Church, save only the canonical singers, who go up into the ambo and sing from a book.

Canon 20
It is not right for a deacon to sit in the presence of a presbyter, unless he be bidden by the presbyter to sit down. Likewise the deacons shall have worship of the subdeacons and all the [inferior] clergy.

Canon 39
It is not lawful to feast together with the heathen, and to be partakers of their godlessness.

Canon 52
Marriages and birthday feasts are not to be celebrated in Lent.

Canon 53
Christians, when they attend weddings, must not join in wanton dances, but modestly dine or breakfast, as is becoming to Christians.
 
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godlovesmebest

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quote: "The Catholic Church consider that the honour that the Jews gave to the Saturday, shall be given to the Sunday, because Sunday is the day of the risen and the day of the apparitions of Christ to the apostoles" unquote.

How did they determing days back then? I didn't think they had names of days like Saturday and Sunday. The judeans or judaizers even anathemiatize themselves at one point. I still don't understand the use of that word in the Bible.

Galatians 1:9 as we have said before, and now say again, If any one to you may proclaim good news different from what ye did receive--anathema/anaqema <331> let him be!

Acts 23:14 those judeans having come near to the chief Priests and to the elders said, `With an anathema/anaqemati <331> we did anathematize/aneqematisamen <332> ourselves--to taste nothing till We have killed Paul;
 
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C

ContentInHim

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I just watched a program I had DVR'd about the Journals of the Inquisition. It was about the Spanish Inquisition which was against only the Conversos - or those Jews who were forced by economics or relationship to "convert" to Catholicism. During the inquisition they were often "outted" as still holding to Judaic ways and tortured and murdered. Interesting - not a far cry from the cries of "judaizer" in the 4th century or indeed today.

Does it not bother anybody that the Council of Laodicea might be what the Messiah referred to in Revelation? In the meantime, many celebrate the Sabbath on the Sabbath - at least until it's understood that God changed the day! :thumbsup:
 
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a_ntv

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That's nice because these don't fit in too well today:
Canon 15
No others shall sing in the Church, save only the canonical singers, who go up into the ambo and sing from a book.

Canon 20
It is not right for a deacon to sit in the presence of a presbyter, unless he be bidden by the presbyter to sit down. Likewise the deacons shall have worship of the subdeacons and all the [inferior] clergy.

Canon 39
It is not lawful to feast together with the heathen, and to be partakers of their godlessness.

Canon 52
Marriages and birthday feasts are not to be celebrated in Lent.

Canon 53
Christians, when they attend weddings, must not join in wanton dances, but modestly dine or breakfast, as is becoming to Christians.

These are pastoral canons, they are not about dogma or moral. The pastoral canons, issued by both an ecumenical or local council, are never infallible, and had to be followed till the Church change them.

The only part that is important is the base doctrine: ad instance it is clear that a deacon or a subdeacons is NOT a presbiter (priest), and he is a step down the priest (notwithstanding the Mr Luther wrong doctrine of the priesthood of all the believers).

Anyway still in the Catholic Church:
- a deacon can sit during the Mass only after the main minister (priest or bishop) is sat
- marriage cannot be celebrate during Lent, or other penitantial periods (but a few exceptions, and however without solemnity).
 
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Murdock

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Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea (ca. A.D. 360) explicitly condemns the veneration of the Sabbath and enjoins working on such a day in order to show a special respect for Sunday:
Source: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3806.htm

Which churches believe this today?
Roman Catholic?
Eastern Orthodox?
Any others?

What does anathema mean in this canon?

The Sabbath is no longer a day of the week but is now, Jesus Christ our Lord as Hebrews 4:1-9 says. The OT is a shadow of the new convenant, not the reality itself.

So that phrase is telling Christians that we are no longer under the law but under Grace. Therefore, we honor Christ everyday of the week instead of just one day. :)
 
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Albert Barnes explains Colossians 2:14-16 so very well. However, it may still be difficult to accept if one has been taught just the opposite for a number of years....as I myself had been.


Barnes' Notes on the New Testament

Verse 16. Let no man therefore judge you. See Barnes "Romans 14:10,13". The word judge here is used in the sense of pronouncing a sentence. The meaning is, "since you have thus been delivered by Christ from the evils which surrounded you; since you have been freed from the observances of the law, let no one sit in judgment on you, or claim the right to decide for you in those matters. You are not responsible to man for your conduct, but to Christ; and no man has a right to impose that on you as a burden from which he has made you free."
In meat. Marg., for eating and drinking. The meaning is, "in respect to the various articles of food and drink." There is reference here, undoubtedly, to the distinctions which the Jews made on this subject, implying that an effort had been made by Jewish teachers to show them that the Mosaic laws were binding on all.
Or in respect of an holyday. Marg., part. The meaning is, "in the part, or the particular of a holyday; that is, in respect to it." The word rendered "holyday" --\~eorth\~ means, properly, a feast or festival; and the allusion here is to the festivals of the Jews. The sense is, that no one had a right to impose their observance on Christians, or to condemn them if they did not keep them. They had been delivered from that obligation by the death of Christ, Colossians 2:14.
Or of the new moon. On the appearance of the new moon, among the Hebrews, in addition to the daily sacrifices, two bullocks, a ram, and seven sheep, with a meat-offering, were required to be presented to God, Numbers 10:10; 28:11-14. The new moon in the beginning of the month Tisri (October) was the beginning of their civil year, and was commanded to be observed as a festival, Leviticus 23:24,25.
Or of the sabbath days. Gr, "of the sabbaths." The word Sabbath in the Old Testament is applied not only to the seventh day, but to all the days of holy rest that were observed by the Hebrews, and particularly to the beginning and close of their great festivals. There is, doubtless, reference to those days in this place, as the word is used in the plural number, and the apostle does not refer particularly to the Sabbath properly so called. There is no evidence, from this passage, that he would teach that there was no obligation to observe any holy time, for there is not the slightest reason to believe that he meant to teach that one of the ten commandments had ceased to be binding on mankind. If he had used the word in the singular number --"THE Sabbath"--it would then, of course, have been clear that he meant to teach that that commandment had ceased to be binding, and that a sabbath was no longer to be observed. But the use of the term in the plural number, and the connexion, show that he had his eye on the great number of days which were observed by the Hebrews as festivals, as a part of their ceremonial and typical law-- and not to the moral law, or the ten commandments. No part of the moral law-- no one of the ten commandments -- could be spoken of as "a shadow of good things to come." These commandments are, from the nature of moral law, of perpetual and universal obligation.
 
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ArcticFox

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Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea (ca. A.D. 360) explicitly condemns the veneration of the Sabbath and enjoins working on such a day in order to show a special respect for Sunday:
Source: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3806.htm

Which churches believe this today?
Roman Catholic?
Eastern Orthodox?
Any others?

What does anathema mean in this canon?

This is typical of the decisions of those who lead the church many years ago. They were too exclusive, and tried too hard to find heretics and banish them.

Today, the problem is quite the opposite: we try too hard to get everyone to love us, and aren't willing to ostracize anyone for any reason.

My church does not believe in such a harsh treatment of anyone who, in good Christian conscience and belief, endeavors to follow the Sabbath; instead, we honor such a decision as commanded by Romans 14.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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LittleLambofJesus

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So Jesus wasn't a Jew; he didn't live a Jewish life?

Oh never mind. :doh:
Who the heck implied that? :)

Reve 5:5 And one out of the elders saying to me "no be lamenting! behold! the Lion conquers, the one out of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, to open-up the scroll and the seven seals of it".
[Hosea 13:8/Reve 13:2]
 
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