Why Early Christians worshipped in synagogues?

[Not David]

*You are in the Orthodox Forum*
And why did they stop?

 

[ArmyMatt]

because Christianity is fulfilled Judaism.

they left because they were kicked out, and because Judaizing was a terrible heresy.

 

[Tone]

Early "Christians" didn't, but the early sect of the Natsarim did...until expelled as traitors...as far as I know.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Early "Christians" didn't, but the early sect of the Natsarim did...until expelled as traitors...as far as I know.

Hello and welcome to TAW.

And yes, the early Christians continued going into the Temple, etc. Mentioned in the book of Acts, and known history of the Church.

Just want to head off any possible debate and so that no one thinks you're calling Christians "not Christian".

Basically what @ArmyMatt said ...

because Christianity is fulfilled Judaism.

they left because they were kicked out, and because Judaizing was a terrible heresy.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Early "Christians" didn't, but the early sect of the Natsarim did...until expelled as traitors...as far as I know.

no they did, they just went to preach Christ. they go into the synagogues all over the place in Acts.

 

[FenderTL5]

When you read the book of Acts you can see the transformation taking place. In the early chapters, you often read about them meeting in the Temple, or going to the temple to pray. It's noticeably mentioned less after Stephen's martyrdom.

 

[Monk Brendan]

*You are in the Orthodox Forum*
And why did they stop?

Even before the expulsion of Christians from synagogues around 95 or so, Christians would still meet in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist.

 

[buzuxi02]

They jewish-christians worshipped in synagogues but also met on Sundays. They were either finally thrown out of the synagogues, or remained and blended in while still advocating the keeping of the Law. .
Now if you read Justin Martyr Dialogue with Trypho, He seems to suggest that there were still Jews who remained in the Synagogue and confessed Christ but had little contact with Christians. These people over time simply re-assimilated into the mainstream judaism of the synagogues.

 

[HTacianas]

*You are in the Orthodox Forum*
And why did they stop?

The first Christians were Jews, and converts considered themselves Jews. Even as late as the Revelation the writer says of heretics:

Rev 2:9 - “... I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not,

Christians adopted the term gentiles to describe non-Christians and you still find that in some Catholic writings today.

 

[Not David]

because Christianity is fulfilled Judaism.

they left because they were kicked out, and because Judaizing was a terrible heresy.

If they weren't kicked out, would it had been permissible to remain there? Because Paul went to synagogues after converting, and he still went to the temple.

 

[ArmyMatt]

If they weren't kicked out, would it had been permissible to remain there? Because Paul went to synagogues after converting, and he still went to the temple.

probably, only that the Temple wouldn't have been the only area for sacrifice.

 

[Not David]

probably, only that the Temple wouldn't have been the only area for sacrifice.

Why would they continue going to the temple?

 

[ArmyMatt]

Why would they continue going to the temple?

maybe (who knows, either way the Romans destroyed it), but that would not be the only place. remember what Christ told the woman at the well in John's Gospel.

 

[abacabb3]

Now if you read Justin Martyr Dialogue with Trypho, He seems to suggest that there were still Jews who remained in the Synagogue and confessed Christ but had little contact with Christians. These people over time simply re-assimilated into the mainstream judaism of the synagogues.

Can you quote that in dialogue with trypho? I don't remember that. I remember him (scandalously!) speculating it was perhaps possible for pious Jews to be saved without being Christians.

Honestly, I don't think we have an answer to the OP. Ultimately, it was the diaspora that broke the back of Judaism and led to the Church being a separate entity.

As we see in the Scriptures, even St Paul's churches were synagogues. Sosthenes was the head of Corinth's synagogue and later its Bishop. Scholars speculate as much as 10% (!) of ancient Rome was "Jewish," which clearly could not be ethnically Hebrew. paul was going with synagogues full of God-fearing gentiles.

In short, Christianity had a built-in audience (Gentiles who identified as "Jews" but could not participate in the Jewish sacrificial system) and so I think before the diaspora, unless they were expelled from the synagogue, they maintained their regular worship patterns and community. We even see in Acts, that the Jews of Rome were not even opposed to Saint Paul and Christianity, even though Christianity had been there sometime later.

In short, it seems that Jews schismed from the Church after that diaspora and refused to worship with the true Israel of God, faithful Christians.

 

[buzuxi02]

If you read canon 59 of Laodicea it passes a prohibition against the reading and singing of private psalms. The NT contains fragments of these psalms composed by the earliest Christian's. The pre-Pauline hymn of Phillipians 2:6-11 is one and the confession of 1Timothy 3:16 is another. The hymn Gladsome Light is the most ancient hymn still in use today dating to the primitive church, etc. Individual.christians penned hymns used in the 1st and 2nd century some caught on and some didnt.

 

[buzuxi02]

Can you quote that in dialogue with trypho? I don't remember that. I remember him (scandalously!) speculating it was perhaps possible for pious Jews to be saved without being Christians.

Yes it is in chapter 47 of his dialogue with Trypho, he seems to say Judaizing Christian's can be saved and the reason they are judaizers is influence from actual Jews who still Confess Christ but have little contact with actual christians :

. ...But if, Trypho, some of your race, who say they believe in this Christ, compel those Gentiles who believe in this Christ to live in all respects according to the law given by Moses, or choose not to associate so intimately with them, I in like manner do not approve of them. But I believe that even those, who have been persuaded by them to observe the legal dispensation along with their confession of God in Christ, shall probably be saved..

 

[abacabb3]

Yes it is in chapter 47 of his dialogue with Trypho, he seems to say Judaizing Christian's can be saved and the reason they are judaizers is influence from actual Jews who still Confess Christ but have little contact with actual christians :

. ...But if, Trypho, some of your race, who say they believe in this Christ, compel those Gentiles who believe in this Christ to live in all respects according to the law given by Moses, or choose not to associate so intimately with them, I in like manner do not approve of them. But I believe that even those, who have been persuaded by them to observe the legal dispensation along with their confession of God in Christ, shall probably be saved..

Those who "do not associate" sound like Jews who are not cut off from the Church geographically, but rather refuse to associate with Gentiles due to old prejudices. But thanks for the citation.