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The term "Great Church" (Latin ''Ecclesia magna'') refers to a concept in the historiography of early Christianity, primarily associated with the Roman Catholic account of the history of Christian theology, but also used by non-Catholic historians. The term generally derives from the rapid growth and structural development of the Church in the period 180-313, roughly the Ante-Nicene Period, and its claim to universally represent Christianity within the Roman Empire.〔Peter Stockmeier in the ''Encyclopedia of Theology: A Concise Sacramentum Mundi'' edited by Karl Rahner ISBN 0860120066 (New York: Seabury Press, 1975) page 375-376 "In the following period, c. 180-313, these structures already determine essentially the image of the Church which claims a universal mission in the Roman Empire. It has rightly been termed the period of the Great Church, in view of its numerical growth, its constitutional development and its intense theological activity."〕 In modern Catholic usage, the "Great Church" broadly means the majority united Catholic and Orthodox Christian church continuing in authority from the Twelve Apostles to today in the West and all bishops that remained in fellowship with the Bishop of Rome.〔Roger E. Olson ''The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & ...'' 1999p278 "According to the Roman Catholic account of the history of Christian theology, the Great Church catholic and orthodox lived on from the apostles to today in the West and all bishops that remained in fellowship with the bishop of Rome have"〕 The "epoch of the Great Church" is counted as beginning about the end of the 2nd century when, despite the persecution of Christians, the religion became established numerically and organisationally,〔Peter Stockmeier in the ''Encyclopedia of Theology: A Concise Sacramentum Mundi'' edited by Karl Rahner ISBN 0860120066 (New York: Seabury Press, 1975) p 378: "The epoch of the Great Church began about the end of the 2nd century. In spite of oppressive measures Christianity became firmly established numerically and structurally and so paved the way for the Church of the empire"〕 eventually becoming the State church of the Roman Empire in 380.〔 However, at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 the Western and Eastern branches of the Great Church parted ways based on seemingly small Christological differences.〔〔〔 ==Historical references== Justin Martyr (100-165) wrote (Tertullian, ''Prescription Against Heretics'' 30 and ''Adv. Marcionem'', 4.4) that when in 144 AD Marcion was excommunicated from the fellowship of the "Great Church" he had to return the funds he had gathered.〔''Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries: From Paul to Valentinus'' by Peter Lampe (Jun 1, 2006) ISBN 0826481027 page 101〕 Towards the end of the 2nd century, Irenaeus wrote about the heretical office holders in the "Great Church".〔''Christians at Rome in the First Two Centuries'' by Peter Lampe (Jun 1, 2006) ISBN 0826481027 page 389〕 In ''Contra Celsum'' 5.61 Church Father Origen mentions Celsus' late 2nd century use of the term "church of the multitudes" or the "great church" to refer to the emerging consensus traditions among Christians at the time, as Christianity was taking shape.〔''Birth of the Church'' by I. Davidson (Apr 22, 2005) ISBN 1854246585 page 381〕〔''History of the World Christian Movement: Volume 1: Earliest Christianity To 1453'' by Dale T. Irvin and Scott Sunquist(Jan 10, 2002) ISBN 0567088669 pages 102-103〕 In the 4th century, as he commented on Psalm XXII Saint Augustine interpreted the term to mean the whole world, writing: "The great Church, Brethren, what is it? Is a scanty portion of the earth the great Church? The great church means the whole world."〔''Expositions on the Book of Psalms'' Volume I by Augustine of Hippo Henry Parker, Oxford, 1847 page 159〕 Augustine continued to expound on how various churches all considered themselves "the great Church" but that only the whole world could be seen as the great Church.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Great Church」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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