FIRST KINGDOM TO RECEIVE CHRIST

By Eric R. Carter

Australia

 

QUOTATIONS SHOWING THAT THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND can claim apostolic foundation, unbroken continuity, and scriptural authority as the sole basis of its rule of faith and its form of government.

Tertullian. A D. 155-222. The Church’s first great genius after the Apostles wrote “The extremities of Spain, the various parts of Gaul, the regions of Britain which have never been penetrated by Roman arms have received the religion of Christ.” (Tertullian Def. Fidei, p. 179).

Eusebius. A D. 260-340 . The Church’s first great historian, wrote “The Apostles passed beyond the ocean to  the  isles   called   the   Britannic   Isles.”   (De Demonstratione Evangelii, Lib. III).

St. Dorotheus. Bishop of Tyre , A.D. 303 said: “Aristobulus, whom Paul saluted, writing to the Romans (Romans ch. 16, v. 10) was Bishop of Britain” (Synopsis de Apostol. Synops 23 “Aristobulus”). He also mentions by name another Disciple as visiting Britain. “Simon Zelotes preached Christ through all Mauretania , and Africa the less. At length he was crucified at Britannia, slain and buried.” (Synopsis de Apostol. Synops 9. “Simon Zelotes.”)

Theodore the Blessed, Bishop of Cyrus in Syria, writing A.D. 435, said, “Paul, liberated from his first captivity at Rome, preached the Gospel to the Britons and others in the West. Our fishermen and publicans not only persuaded the Romans and their tributaries to acknowledge the Crucified and His laws, but the Britons also and the Cymry” (the Welsh). (D. Civ. Gracae Off. Lib. IX).

St. Athanasius. An outstanding leader of the Early Church against heretical doctrine, writing A D. 353 , describes the Churches of Britain as adhering to the faith of the Council of Nicaea, AD. 325. (vide Ussher. De Brit. Ecc Primord Cap viii).

St. Chrysostom. Patriarch of Constantinople, A.D. 347-407, writes “Though thou shouldest go to the ocean to the British Isles, there thou shouldest hear all men everywhere discoursing matters out of the Scriptures with another faith, with a different tongue but the same judgment.” (Chrysostomi Orat. O Theos Xristos) .

Gildas (Albanicus) the Wise. A,D. 425-512, the early British historian wrote, “Christ, the True Son afforded His light, the knowledge of His precepts, to our Island in the last year, as we know, of Tiberius Caesar.” (De Excidio Britanniae, Sec. 8, p. 25). This was in A.D. 37, only four years after, the Crucifixion!

In the Diocletian Persecution A.D 300, there were martyred in Britain, Stephen and Argulius, both Bishops of London; Socrates, Bishop of York; Amphibalus, Bishop of Llandaff; Nicholas, Bishop of Penrhyn (Glasgow); Melior, Bishop of Carlisle; St. Alban; Julius and Aaron, priests of Caerleon; and 889 communicants in different grades of society (Gildas. De  Excidio Britannia, Sec, 10, p.10. Ma rtyrology of Notker Balbulus, A.D. 894. Haddan and Stubbs. Vol. l, p. 32. Also Sozomen, circa A.D. 436, list. Eccl. Vol. 1, p. 6).

The British Bishops Eborius of York, Restitutes of London and Adelfius of Caerleon were present at the Church Council of Aries in A.D . 314. British Bishops were also present at the Councils of Nicaea , AD. 325, Sardica in Illyria, A.D. 347, and Ariminium.in Italy, A.D. 359, (Mansi, Concilia, Vol. II, pp. 476-477. Haddon and Stubbs, Vol. 1, p. 7).

It was over Five Centuries after the founding of the early British Church that the first representative of Roman Christianity came to these islands. The Monk, Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory, arrived in Kent in the year A.D. 597.

St. Augustine, writing to Pope Gregory about  the early British Church in A.D. 600 said : “In the Western confines of Britain, there is a certain royal island of large extent, surrounded by water, abounding in all the beauties of nature and necessities of life. In it the first neophytes of catholic law , God beforehand acquainting them, found a church  constructed  by  no  human  art, but the hands of Christ himself, for the salvation of His people.”. (Spelman, Concilia. p. 5).

William of Malmesbury. 1080-1143 the best British historian of his day, and who was asked by the monks of Glastonbury to write their history, says that after the Crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea came here with 11 missionaries and that the King gave them 12 Hides of land. (De Antiquitate Glastoniae Cap . 1).

Maelgwyn of Llandaff. A.D. 450. Lord of Anglesey and Snowdonia, and Uncle of St. David of Wales, who foreswore his realm in order to become a monk, has left these words: “Joseph of Arimathea, the  noble decurion, entered his perpetual sleep with his XI Companions in the Isle of Avalon.” (Thick Vellum Cottonia M.S. See also Ussher, Antiq., p. 12. Ed. 1687).

Polydore Vergil, a learned Italian historian in England, 1470-1555 , wrote “Britain, partly through Joseph of Arimathea … was of all kingdoms the first that received the Gospel.” (Lib. II).

Superior Dignity and Antiquity was claimed for our National Church at the Church Councils of Pisa 1409, Constance 1417, Sienna 1424 and Basle 1434, on the grounds that “the Churches of France and Spain must yield in points of antiquity and precedence to that of Britain as the latter Church was founded by Joseph of Arimathea immediately after the passion of Christ.” (Disputatio super Dignitatem Angliae et Galliae in Concilio Constantiano. Theodore Martin, Lovan, 1517).