MANY IMPORTANT EVENTS TOOK PLACE DURING THE EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor
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This week in the history of the Christian Church: An American missionary leaves for Africa, becoming the first woman ordained as an Anglican priest.
The commemoration of outstanding historical events, tragedies, victories, births, and deaths is carried out weekly.
History for more than two centuries may make some events familiar to many, while others may become unfamiliar to many.
The following pages discuss important events in Christian history that took place this week. These included Pelagius being disfellowshipped, a black missionary leaving for Africa, and the ordination of the first female Anglican priest.
This Sunday is the anniversary of Lott Cary, a former slave who became the first African-American missionary to Africa. He traveled to Sierra Leone to establish a mission post.
Lott Cary leaves America for Africa – Jan. 23, 1821
Lott Cary (circa 1780-1828), a former slave born in Virginia who became the first African American missionary to Africa and acting governor of Liberia. | Wikimedia Commons
Along with a number of other missionaries, Cary left the country with his wife and three children, but he quickly ran into financial difficulties.
"After they arrived in Sierra Leone, they were faced with financial difficulties when they discovered that the American Colonization Society had neglected to purchase land, which left the team without any support," said Lesley Hildreth of the Southern Baptist Convention International Mission Board in 2018.
During his time as a missionary, Cary served as a health officer and inspector for the Liberian government. While he lived in the Liberian capital, Cary pastored several churches and founded the Monrovia Mission Society among Liberian Christians. The organization was founded with the goal of increasing support for missions and sharing the needs of Christians in America.”
Florence Li Tim-Oi of Hong Kong, the first woman to be ordained a priest of the worldwide Anglican Communion, had a birthday this week.
First woman ordained in Anglican Communion – Jan. 25, 1944
A painting of Florence Li Tim-Oi (1907-1992), the first woman to be ordained a priest in the Anglican Communion. | Anglican Communion News Service
Ordination in Macau took place amid great chaos during World War II and the unstable Japanese occupation of much of China. Bishop Ronald Hall was responsible for the ordination.
Li continued to work for the Chinese Communist regime after the war. However, in response to opposition from the wider Anglican Church leadership, he agreed to renounce his priestly vows.
In 2018, Li became the first African-American woman to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church. He, along with former Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and Pauli Murray, were added to the calendar of minor feasts and fasts of the Saints of the Episcopal Church.
This Sunday is the anniversary when Pope Innocent I excommunicated a writer and the first church thinker known as Pelagius. This pope is famous for supporting erroneous ideas about the nature of sin.
Pelagius excommunicated – Jan. 27, 417
A circa 17th century illustration of Pelagius (born circa 354), an early church writer and thinker whose work would eventually be denounced as heretical. | Wikimedia Commons
Although Pelagian emphasizes how important free will is for salvation, he rejects the doctrine of original sin, which states that humans are inherently inclined toward sin because Adam fell in Genesis.
Saint Augustine of Hippo and other North African bishops denounced Pelagianism; Augustine wrote many extensive refutations of Pelagius' work.
Finally, a regional council of bishops from North Africa gathered in Carthage and denounced Pelagius' doctrine. According to Fred Sanders, a theology professor in 2009, Augustine continued to fight for the power of the bishop of Rome, Pope Innocent I, behind the decisions of the local council.
After reading the views of Pelagius, the Pope was offended that such things were taught. On January 27, 417, he wrote five letters condemning Pelagianism as heresy and wrong in the doctrine of human nature.
News Sources: https://www.christianpost.com/news/this-week-in-christian-history-us-missionary-leaves-for-africa.html?page=4
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