Ministration of Sacraments - Early Church

Abstract

Like other societies, the Christian Society has always had its conditions of membership, its 'terms of communion,' corresponding to its presuppositions and its aims. In considering these 'terms,' as they were understood in the ante-Nicene period of the history of the Church, there are obviously three subjects to be handled. First, the terms of admission to the fellowship of the Church. And, since Baptism is the door of entrance to Christian life, we have to enquire what were the conditions on which Baptism was bestowed. Secondly, since what was required of candidates for Baptism was no passing disposition but the permanent attitude of the Christian life, and continuance in the Christian fellowship was, therefore, conditional upon the continued observance of the original terms of admission, and the grave violation of them involved the suspension of membership, in other words, excommunication; we have to consider the conditions under which excommunication was incurred.