[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by zeek

But I think the wheels of Christianity were in motion several centuries before Constantine. Two Pre-Constantine trends that I would point to are the development of hierarchical authority and the work of church fathers.

I would agree with citing "the development of hierarchical authority" as an catalyst towards the formation of institutional Christianity. "The work of church fathers" was not institutional per se, but they were certainly influential in the formation of most of the seminal doctrines of the Christian faith. So I guess I would agree with your first proposition, but I would strongly disagree that the work of the church fathers had any negative affect. Even the doctrinal errors of some of the church fathers brought forth the opportunity for clarification and correction, and thus even the errors of some turned into great profit for all concerned.

As a personal observation, I have witnessed a great move in modern Church in general, and in Protestantism specifically, of a turning away from "institutional" Christianity. It's rather hard to define this as a "movement" because it has taken it's form or made it's influence in so many different arenas of the Christian church. All the way from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and the Jesus Movement, to the resurgence of a decidedly creedal/reformed form of teaching/practice/worship. Much to the chagrin of our dear Local Church brothers and sisters, God has apparently chosen to do a "recovery" among those in "poor, poor Christianity" after all.
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