Which current Christian body is the oldest?

[Florentine]

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[Van]

You have got that right, several groups claim to hold views that are consistent will the views of the Apostles, and thus trace their views back to the inspired Apostles. Other groups clearly started because they differed from what was thought to be biblical. The Reformation springs to mind.

The crux of the issue is not whether a view differs from an older group's view, but whether the view is consistent with the intended message of the Apostles and other inspired writers of the Bible. As an example of this, modern translations are based on older texts, so that fact that they are not as old as say the King James Version, does not suggest they are not closer to the original authors message.

 

[Florentine]

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[Standing Up]

Which of the existent Christian groups is commonly understood to be the oldest in terms of continued existence with consistent doctrine?

Are there other groups that are contested to be as old or older?

Of the current beliefs of these groups, which have changed the most over the ages.

I realize this is probably a bone of contention among previous groups, but I'm sure that there are a few groups that would be commonly understood to be of the oldest groups.

ty.

Presumably there was one group in the beginning that pretty much all believed the same thing (one mind, Acts). Today, there are many. The main issue is this that led to that.

In 325, the Council declared that the church would follow a man-made custom that originated around Sixtus I of Rome as regards the days/dates of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, instead of Scripture and Tradition.

In 455, Rome and Alexandria admtted to this change. Nearly to the year, the church that was one then split.

First were the Oriental Orthodox, then Eastern Orthodox, then Protestant, than Roman Catholic.

None adhere to the rule of faith as shown in Scripture and Tradition.

That's the real answer, but what else will be said from those groups is this--

Roman Catholic and Eastern/Oriental Orthodox are the oldest. The one that "stopped" with new doctrine first was OO. Then EO "ceased". RC continues "making it up". P tried to go backwards to generally like OO (first 3 to 7 councils).

 

[IreneAdler]

Some will say that The RCC or EO were first. Others say Judaic believers were first. I'm not sure it really matters, but as for documentation "proof" probably the RCC.

 

[seashale76]

The Church is Apostolic and (unfortunately) there have been schisms. The biggest occurred in 1054 when the patriarch of Rome made a schism with the other four patriarchs that made up the communion of sees which comprised the known Church. Rome went solo and the other four still stayed in communion with each other (known as the Orthodox Church).

Excerpts from the Orthodox Church by Bishop Kallistos Ware (part 1)
Excerpts from the Orthodox Church by Bishop Kallistos Ware (part 2)
http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/pocket_church_history.htm
The Fathers of the Church and The Old Testament


Jaroslav Pelikan was one of the better known and respected scholars of the history of Christianity and wrote this (if you're interested):
The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, 5 vols. (1973–1990). Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Volume 1: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition 100–600 (1973) ISBN 0-226-65371-4
Volume 2: The Spirit of Eastern Christendom 600–1700 (1974) ISBN 0-226-65373-0
Volume 3: The Growth of Medieval Theology 600–1300 (1978) ISBN 0-226-65375-7
Volume 4: Reformation of Church and Dogma 1300–1700 (1984) ISBN 0-226-65377-3
Volume 5: Christian Doctrine and Modern Culture since 1700 (1990) ISBN 0-226-65380-3

ETA: Then you have the Copts who didn't accept the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. Despite the differences, the Orthodox and the Copts are close to each other in many ways. Often, in areas where there are no Coptic churches, the laity will go to an Orthodox church.

 

[Florentine]

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[theseagullwithoneleg]

actually um my body is getting quite old

 

[Standing Up]

@ Standing Up

Thanks for your summary. Are the dates still controversial in modern communities?

Thank you for the follow up questions.

The dates are sort of still controversial. God won't be mocked.

What I mean is that at 325, they decided to force a contrived custom. One of the decisions was that "easter" should never be on the same day as the passover. If it was, they were to be excommunicated. Guess what? The church excommunicated itself numerous times over the centuries. Funny, but sad.

Most folks are aware of the Gregorian versus Julian calender issue.

Few are aware of the vernal equinox issue.

Is this "Tradition" that all those groups have deviated from recorded somewhere, or is it oral?

Of course it is recorded in scripture!

But folks don't know how to tell time anymore. Some think sunset/evening begins at 3pm.

Here's a simple, profound example.

Mark 1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

Mark 14:17 And in the evening (when the sun did set) he cometh with the twelve.

Jesus eats the Passover. Goes to the garden and is arrested.

Mark 15:1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried [him] away, and delivered [him] to Pilate.

Jesus is tried and crucified, dying at 3pm.

Mark 15:42 And now when the even was come (when the sun did set), because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

Joseph requests the body and buries it.

Hence, Jesus was buried on the preparation Friday as it began from Thursday (the day of crucifixion). NOT as it ended toward the Saturday/sabbath.

So, yes, Jesus Christ and the apostles and scripture and tradition taught the truth of the days/dates of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But at 325 they were declared heretical and excommunicated.