How does the early church differ from the current church?

Answer 1

It depends upon the modern denomination of church. According to Acts, Paul's letters and other historical and archaeological evidence, the early church was very different from its modern counterpart. To start, most churches met in peoples' houses or in meeting houses used for other community functions, and not in purpose built church buildings. So modern cathedrals, basilicas and tempples are far removed from the original Christian gatherings. Secondly, on the walls of the Roman catacombs there are paintings and carvings which suggest that Church leaders of the early Church were women as well as men (and many of Paul's letters bear this out) - the idea that women could not be 'ordained' being a much later invention. The early church also shared possessions - something that the modern church does not do to any great extent - and were more concerned with the poor, much to the modern Church's shame, even though some modern churches are active in the Fairtrade movement and in helping the poor both in their own areas and worldwide - but only some. Some modern denominations are far removed from the early church. Within the Roman Catholic Church, as just one example, doctrines have crept in such as the infallibility of the pope, the assumption of and the absence of original sin of Mary, the status of co-redemptrix of mary, the adulation of and praying to saints and so on that would be abhorrent to members of the early church. However, the practices of the early church and modern day churches, in some cases would be remarkably similar. In the Anglican Church the re-inclusion, in the 1980s, of the Peace (where Christians, having repented of their sins in a communion service and being thus justified before God, turn to their neighbours and offer the same handshake (or kiss in some circles) of reconciliation to their fellow Christians) meant that the Anglican Church wished to return to the practices of the early church rather than the more diverse and anti-papal practices of the 1662 Prayer Book. On a visit to the Roman catacombs a few years ago I was amazed to find the wall paintings and graffiti so familiar - with cross, chi-rho symbols, IHS monograms and so on abundant although these dated from the first century and are still used in churches today. I think what is important is that we do not look so inward that we continue with our development of Christian doctrine that is far removed from what Jesus instituted. We can, as Roman Catholics say, base our doctrine on scripture and also on papal pronouncements and oral tradition, but what is most important is that we should base our doctrine on the early church doctrine. After all, they were the ones closest to Jesus and closest to the Church that he instituted.

Answer 2

Belief in the Trinity, belief that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man and the only way for salvation, belief that The Bible is the inspired word of God.

Answer 3

They also have the same religion.