07-24-2013, 02:32 AM
Iasou Mike,
As you are probably aware, the CoE was in a different empire altogether. So, the isolation was a reality from the very beginning. (Imagine the apostles crossing over to that other world.) The only commonality was the Jewish culture present in those areas, and the language of the empire was Aramaic (something the apostles had in common with them.)
I would say all of the factors that you mention contributed, secondary of course to the reality of empire described above.
The only exception I would mention is Ephesus. As you know, that was a council for the western empire and its community. We had no participation in that council, and although it did not help to bring the Persian empire's church closer, it was not the primary cause of that isolation which was a reality from the beginning.
+Shamasha
As you are probably aware, the CoE was in a different empire altogether. So, the isolation was a reality from the very beginning. (Imagine the apostles crossing over to that other world.) The only commonality was the Jewish culture present in those areas, and the language of the empire was Aramaic (something the apostles had in common with them.)
I would say all of the factors that you mention contributed, secondary of course to the reality of empire described above.
The only exception I would mention is Ephesus. As you know, that was a council for the western empire and its community. We had no participation in that council, and although it did not help to bring the Persian empire's church closer, it was not the primary cause of that isolation which was a reality from the beginning.
+Shamasha