对许多人来说，教会历史是一个有点模糊的主题。 For many people, church history is a sort of fuzzy subject.
耶稣建立了教会，后来发生了十字军东征，人们建造了宏伟 Jesus founded the church, there were crusades, people built huge cathedrals, Protestants
的大教堂，新教徒脱离教会自立门户，后来弥撒改用英语。 broke away and started their own churches, and then the Mass was changed into English.
差不多吧？ More or less, right?
在两千年的历程中，教宗、大公会议、圣人和罪 Over the course of 2,000 years, there have been popes, councils, saints, and sinners
人都极大地影响了教会的生活。 that have greatly influenced the life of the Church.
我们经历过异端和战争，成长和衰退，创新和适应。 We've dealt with heresies and wars, growth and decline, innovations and adaptations.
要全盘掌握这一切，即使是最博学的学者也力不从心。 To have a grasp of it all is beyond even the most learned of scholars.
但这并不意味着我们不能理解基本原理。 But that doesn't mean that we can't understand the basics.
即使我们不能说出每一位教宗的名字或解释每一个事件，每个公教徒都应 Even if we can't name every pope or explain every event, every Catholic should have a
该对公教会如何从一个时期发展到另一个时期有一个大致的了解。 general understanding of how the Church has progressed from period to period.
那么，教会有哪些主要的史诗，为什么在今天研究它们很重要？ So what are the major epics of the Church, and why is it important to study today?
这里是「聚焦天主教」。 This is Catholicism in Focus.
引言 INTRO
在我们开始之前有几点需要说明。 A few notes before we begin.
首先，15分钟远远不足以涵盖哪怕是最基本的内容。 First, 15 minutes is nowhere close to enough time to cover even the basics.
必有重要的事被遗漏。 There will be important things left out.
我道歉。 I apologize.
第二，历史不是一门精确的科学。 Second, history is not an exact science.
历史学家在选择取舍史料、将事件编织成连贯的叙 In choosing what to include and exclude, weaving together events into coherent narratives,
事时，难免会带有隐含的偏见。 there is an implicit bias on the part of the historian.
我所分享的并非教会历史的教条式叙述，因为这是不可能完成 What I'm sharing is not the dogmatic telling of Church history, because such a task is
的任务。 impossible.
最后，我希望你会把这当作你的首选资源，而不是最后的选择。 Meaning, finally, I hope you will take this as your first resource, not your last.
这只是基本的介绍，并非定论。 It's a basic introduction, not a definitive conclusion.
好的。 Okay.
开始计时。 Start the clock.
我们从早期教会开始研究，这一时期常被称为教父时期， We begin our study with the Early Church, a time often referred to as the Patristic
因为当时有教会的教父们。 period after the Fathers of the Church.
这是一个成长和热诚信心的时代，但也是一个血腥和动荡的时代。 It's a time of growth and fervent faith, but also of bloodshed and turmoil.
教会虽然最终传遍天下，但起初不过是犹太教内的一个小 While the Church eventually reached all corners of the earth, it began as a small sect within
教派。 Judaism.
早期的基督徒在文化上是犹太人，并不认为自己是一个新宗教 The early Christians were Jewish in culture and did not see themselves as a part of a
的一部分。 new religion.
他们继续在殿里敬拜，遵守犹太律法。 They continued temple worship and kept Jewish law.
然而，当像保罗这样的人开始向非犹太人传福音时，却引发了一个有争议 As people like St. Paul began evangelizing non-Jews, though, this raised a controversial
的问题。 question.
当如何接纳归信者？ How are converts to be received?
有人辩称他们必须受割礼，遵守犹太人的洁净律法；也有人 Some argued that they must be circumcised and follow Jewish purity laws, while others
主张耶稣已经废除了这些行为的必要。 claimed that Jesus abolished the need for such works.
这样，教会做出了第一个重大决定。 Thus, the first major decision in the Church.
主后48年，教会领袖们在耶路撒冷开了一次大公会议，达成了一项妥协方案。 In the year 48, leaders met for a council in Jerusalem, where a compromise was struck.
新归信的人不必受割礼，但不可吃祭偶像之物， New converts need not be circumcised, but they were not to eat meat sacrificed to idols,
不可吃血，也要禁戒淫乱，这些可以说是犹 could not consume blood, and must refrain from illicit sexual intercourse, arguably
太律法中最重要的核心。 the most important core of the Jewish law.
一些严谨的人继续抗议这些让步，但已无法回头了。 Some rigorous continued to protest these concessions, but there was no going back.
保罗的宣教事工因环境改善而遍及地中海各地，使基督教逐渐 Paul's missionary efforts, now made easier, flourished across the Mediterranean, transforming
成为一个以外邦人为主的宗教。 Christianity into a largely Gentile religion.
在早期，人们普遍感到耶稣即将再临，因此 There was a sense of urgency in the early years that Jesus would be returning immediately,
宣教工作比建立家庭教会更为紧迫。 and so missionary work took priority over forming the domestic Church.
然而，随着岁月的流逝，教会显然需要一些架构来组织 As the decades passed, however, it became clear that structures were necessary to organize
自己。 the Church.
这包括三个发展。 This includes three developments.
1. 1.
圣职人员，即主教、长老和执事的制度，作为敬拜和服 The clergy, the institution of bishops, presbyters, and deacons to serve as permanent leaders
侍的永久领袖。 of worship and service.
二。 2.
新约圣经发展出一套权威的使徒著作清单，用于教理讲授 The New Testament, developing an authoritative list of apostolic writings for use in catechesis
和敬拜。 and worship.
三。 3.
最后，信经是核心信仰的编纂，用以教导和纠正 And finally, the Creed, the codification of core beliefs for teaching and correcting
信心。 the faith.
不幸的是，当时的教会被视为对罗马帝国的重大威胁 Unfortunately, the Church at this time was seen as a major threat to the Roman Empire,
，导致了各种形式的迫害。 resulting in various forms of persecution.
像殉道者游斯丁和爱任纽这样的人物，写作护教文章，使一些人归信，但 Figures like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus wrote defenses of the faith, converting some, but
有时也助长了敌对的火焰。 also fanning the flames at times.
基督徒明确表示，他们绝不会去拜罗马的神明。 Christians made it clear that they were never going to worship the Roman gods.
在戴克里先皇帝统治时期，基督徒遭受了最严重的迫害。他试图摧毁所有 The worst of this was under the Emperor Diocletian, who tried to destroy all places of worship,
敬拜场所，强迫基督徒交出宗教书籍，并剥夺他们集会的权利。 forced Christians to turn over religious books, and denied their right to assembly.
因此，在最初的几个世纪里，基督徒们在主教的直接带领下，主 Because of this, Christians spent the first few centuries celebrating their two core
要在家庭教会中，常常是秘密地举行他们的两个核心仪式：洗礼和圣餐， rituals, baptism and Eucharist, at the direct hand of the bishop, largely within house churches,
相对于更广阔的世界而言，他们的人数仍然很少。 often in secret, and remained small relative to the wider world.
这一切在四世纪时随着君士坦丁掌权而迅速改变， This all changed quite rapidly in the 4th century with the rise of Constantine to power,
开启了我们的第二个时期，我称之为教会制度化的 ushering in our second period, one that I'll refer to as the institutionalization of the
时期。 Church.
公元313年，君士坦丁在一场战役中获 胜后，将胜利归功于基督的神。随后，他颁 In 313, after winning a battle that he attributed to the Christian god, Constantine issued the
布了《米兰敕令》，正式承认基督教信仰的合法地位。 Edict of Milan, officially legalizing the Christian faith.
十年后的公元325年，他将基督教定为帝国的官方宗教。 A decade later, in 325, he made it the official religion of the Empire.
这很可能是教会历史上最重大的事件，它将不可挽回地改 This very well may be the most significant event in Church history, irreparably changing
变教会在世界上的地位。 the place of the Church in the world.
首先，教会立即看到新归信者涌入。 For starters, it immediately saw the influx of new converts.
有些人不再惧怕逼迫，另一些人则寻求政治上的进步，这意 Some no longer afraid of persecution, others looking for political advancement, meaning
味着敬拜的方式必须有重大的改变。 that the way of worship had to change significantly.
起初，家庭教会被罗马大厅所取代，但这些大厅的规模也不 House churches were replaced first by large Roman halls, but these too served to be inadequate
够大。 in size.
不久之后，主教已无法同时服侍所有信徒，于是便 Before long, the bishop was unable to serve all of his people at one time, and so presbyters
派遣长老以主教的名义，在称为教区的附属敬 were deputized to celebrate the sacraments in the bishop's name in satellite places
拜场所主持圣事。 of worship named parishes.
屈梭多模、莫普绥提亚的狄奥多尔、米兰的安波罗修、耶路 Figures like John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuesta, Ambrose of Milan, and Cyril of
撒冷的区利罗等人物成为教理讲授的中心领袖，制定大规模引导归 Jerusalem emerged as central catechetical leaders, forming programs and rituals to initiate
信者的课程和仪式。 converts on a large scale.
当然，宗教合法化也带来了一个令人不安的问题，那 Of course, the legalization of the religion presented an uncomfortable problem of what
就是如何处理那些在十年前因惧怕迫害而背弃信仰的人。 to do with those who renounced the faith out of fear of persecution just a decade earlier.
他们可以重新被接纳吗？ Could they be readmitted?
他们需要重新受洗吗？ Did they need to be rebaptized?
叛徒所施行的圣事真的有效吗？ Were the sacraments of traitors even valid?
简而言之，多亏了奥古斯丁，是的，不是，也是的。 In short, thanks to St. Augustine, yes, no, and yes.
这场争议被称为多纳徒派之争，是教会随着信仰的发展而面 This controversy, known as Donatism, was only one of many that the Church faced as the religion
临的众多争议之一，因此需要宣布信经和教义。 grew, requiring the declaration of creeds and pronouncements of dogmas.
尼西亚、君士坦丁堡、以弗所和迦克墩举行了大公会议，以确 Ecumenical councils in Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon were held to define
定耶稣和圣灵的本质、与圣父的关系以及全体主教的总体秩 the nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the relationship with the Father, and general
序，最终定义并打击了幻影说、孟他努派、养子说、撒伯流派 order of the Church, ultimately defining and combating heresies like Docetism, Montanism,
、亚略主义、伯拉纠派和诺斯底主义等异端。 Adoptionism, Sabellianism, Arianism, Pelagianism, and Gnosticism.
在这个时期，教会的制度化使得这个宗教很容易在古代 The institutionalization of the Church in this time made it easy for the religion to
世界扩大其影响力，从而形成了五个主要的权力中心——罗 increase its footprint across the ancient world, allowing for five major hubs of authority
马、亚历山大、安提阿、耶路撒冷和君士坦丁堡。 to develop—Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Constantinople.
几个世纪以来，各地的领袖在礼仪和灵修方面虽然多样 For a few centuries, the leaders of each represented diversity in ritual and spirituality, but
，但彼此仍然保持相通。 maintained communion with one another.
不幸的是，随着该地区政治局势的变化，这五位都主 Unfortunately, as the political world in the region began to change, so too did the
教之间的关系也发生了变化，开启了教会历史的第三个时期 relationship between these five metropolitans, ushering in a third period of Church history,
——一个孤立的王国。 that of a kingdom in isolation.
在五、六世纪期间，罗马帝国的世俗权力逐渐衰弱，最终崩溃， Over the course of the 5th and 6th centuries, the secular power of the Roman Empire weakened,
并迁都至东方的君士坦丁堡，在西方留下了一个政治真空。 fell, and moved to Constantinople in the east, leaving a political vacuum in the west.
教会如今在世界舞台上已经显赫一时，确立了地位，担当起了这个角色。 The Church, now prominent and established on the world stage, filled that role.
像良一世和额我略一世这样的教宗开始将教宗制度的影响力伸入世俗事务。 Popes like Leo the Great and Gregory the Great began to assert the papacy into worldly matters.
利奥教宗以与匈奴王阿提拉对峙而闻名，使罗马城免于攻 Leo famously had a standoff with Attila the Hun, saving the city of Rome from attack,
击。额我略教宗是杰出的行政管理者和募款人，在政府无法运作 and Gregory, a master administrator and fundraiser, almost single-handedly cared for the poor
的情况下，几乎是独力照顾穷人和维持罗马的公共工程。 and maintained the public works of Rome in the absence of a working government.
不久之后，教宗就被视为与皇帝和国王拥有相似的地 It didn't take long for popes to be seen as holding an office akin to emperors and
位，对其领土行使属世的权力。 kings, wielding temporal authority over its land.
他们与外国统治者谈判，指挥军队，并影响政府。 They negotiated with foreign rulers, commanded armies, and influenced governments.
东方教会并未经历同样的发展。 The Church in the east did not experience the same development.
当西方社会崩溃之时，东方却欣欣向荣，使得其余四个大 As society crumbled in the west, it thrived in the east, allowing for trade and communication
都会之间的贸易与交流得以持续，促进了共同权威而非 between the remaining four metropolitans to continue, fostering communal authority rather
专制君主的统治。 than an absolute monarchy.
我们在此看见分裂的种子开始萌芽。 It is here that we see the seeds of division begin to grow.
虽然许多人认为1054年是东西方教会分裂的时刻，但是几个世纪以 While many will look to 1054 as the moment of schism between the two churches, tensions
前就已经存在着紧张关系。 had existed for centuries prior.
随着双方越来越疏远，他们在语言、神学、礼仪、 As the two became more and more isolated from one another, diverging language, theology,
文化和管理方面开始出现分歧。 liturgy, culture, and governance began to develop.
但是仅存的一点交流也充满了困惑，有时仅仅是因为 But little communication that remained was fraught with confusion, at times falling
翻译错误就陷入瘫痪。 apart over mere mistranslations.
西方教会自视为这些大城之首，试图将自己的权威强加于东 The Church in the west, seeing itself as the first among these great cities, tried to assert
方教会的属灵事务之上，声称对整个基督教世界拥有权柄。 itself into the spiritual matters of the east, claiming authority over all of Christendom.
到了公元800年，当教宗利奥三世为查理曼加冕为新成立的神圣罗马 By the year 800, it began to assert temporal authority as well, when Pope Leo III crowned
帝国的皇帝时，公教会也开始宣称拥有属世的权柄。 Charlemagne as the emperor of the newly formed Holy Roman Empire.
彼此隔绝之下，最终到了一个地步，两者之间 Isolated from one another, it eventually reached a point that the only communication between
似乎只剩下误会和绝罚的交流。 the two seemed to be miscommunications and excommunications.
不出所料，随着教会在世俗权力上的增长，其内部的教权主义和滥用也随 Unsurprisingly, as the Church grew in worldly power, so too did the clericalism and abuse
之增加。 within it.
在礼仪中更加强调圣品阶级，使圣职人员和平信徒之间的 Greater emphasis was placed on clerical state, making clearer distinctions between clergy
区别更加明显。 and lay in the liturgy.
修道院逐渐成长为帝国内部的强大势力，积累了大量财富和土地。 Monasteries grew as powerful empires within the empire, amassing wealth and land.
鉴于主教和祭司在世上掌握着如此大的权力，关于主教 And given how much power bishops and priests held in the world, controversies arose as
的选择和祭司的派任，争议也随之而起。 to how bishops were chosen and where priests were assigned.
与今日不同的是，当时并没有神学院，教会也不 Unlike today, there were no seminaries at this time, and the Church didn't always
总是能够控制谁被选为主教。 have control over who was elected the bishop.
在这个时期，买卖圣职之风盛行，地方世俗领袖得以任命世俗和未经 Symony flourished in this time, allowing local secular leaders to appoint worldly and untrained
训练的人担任教会职位，将圣职视为单纯的政治职位。 men to church positions, treating holy orders as mere political positions.
再加上自罗马衰亡以来文化本身已经衰退，限 Add this to the fact that culture itself had declined since the fall of Rome, limiting
制了贸易、旅行、教育、交流和文化进步，由 trade, travel, education, communication, and cultural advancement, and what you get is
此开始了所谓的黑暗时代。 the beginning of the so-called Dark Ages.
然而，正如历史上任何一个时期一样，这不会持续下去。 Like any period of history, though, this would not last.
十一世纪中叶，教会和世界进入了一个新的时期，一个复兴的时期。 By the middle of the 11th century, the Church and world entered a new period, one of rebirth.
「公元一〇五九年，教宗尼古拉二世着手改革教会的管理方式，颁布法令规定只有 In 1059, Pope Nicholas II set about reforming how the Church was governed, decreeing that
枢机主教才有权选举教宗，剥夺了皇帝和贵族的此项权力。」 only cardinals elected the pope, excluding emperors and nobles.
教会应当只由教会自己领导，而不是由世俗当局领导。 The Church was to be led by the Church alone, not secular authorities.
公元1075年，教宗额我略七世又迈出了重要的一步，颁布了《教宗 In 1075, Pope Gregory VII made yet another important leap, issuing the decree Dictatus
敕令》，重新获得了对所有主教的属灵权柄。 Pape, regaining spiritual authority over all bishops.
他们不是世俗的君主，而是属灵的牧者;因此，他们应当由教宗任命，事奉 They were not temporal princes, but spiritual shepherds, and as such were to be appointed
教宗，而不是由当地君主任命和事奉。 by and serve the pope, not the local monarch.
到了十二世纪初，教会终于明确主张并普遍实行 By the beginning of the 12th century, it was finally the assertion and common practice
由圣职人员而非世俗统治者任命主教，并授予他 of the Church that the clergy, not secular rulers, appointed and invested bishops with
们属灵权柄。 spiritual authority.
尽管很容易就中世纪早期一些主教和神父的所作 As easy it is to blame the Church for what some of its bishops and priests did in the
所为而责备教会，但事实是，他们中有许多并非 early Middle Ages, the reality is that many of them weren't, in fact, actually chosen
由教会直接选任或受雇。 by or working for the Church directly.
他们受世俗当局的控制。 They were controlled by secular authorities.
当主教不受国王摆布，不受世俗事物驱使时，情 And what a difference it makes when the bishop isn't under the thumb of a king that might
况会有多大的不同啊。 be motivated by entirely worldly things.
在随后的几个世纪里，教会在许多方面蓬勃发展。 In the succeeding centuries, the Church blossomed on many fronts.
大学先后在巴黎、博洛尼亚、萨莱诺、牛津、剑桥、萨拉曼卡、 Universities were founded in Paris, Bologna, Salerno, Oxford, Cambridge, Salamanca, Padua,
帕多瓦和那不勒斯建立，极大地提高了神职人员的神学和牧灵素质 and Naples, drastically improving the theological and pastoral quality of the clergy, but also
，同时也丰富了教会的思想宝库。 developing the riches of the Church's thought.
与亚里士多德哲学的再度发现相呼应，安瑟伦、彼得·伦巴 Coinciding with the rediscovery of Aristotle, men like Anselm, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas,
第、托马斯·阿奎那和文德等人首次帮助教会系统地 and Bonaventure helped the Church, for the first time, develop a systematic approach
阐述了三位一体、创造、道成肉身，以及最重要的圣事等教义。 to things like the Trinity, creation, incarnation, and most important of all, the sacraments.
这也是一个巨大属灵改革的时代，主要由方济各会和多明我会这两个托钵 It was also a time of immense spiritual reform, led primarily by the mendicant orders, Franciscans
修会所领导。 and Dominicans.
这些受欢迎的修士离开修道院后，过着简朴的生活，与当 Moving out of the monastery, these popular creatures lived simply, in stark contrast
时的神职人员形成鲜明对比。他们在欧洲各地设立宣教站， to the clergy of the day, setting up missions all around Europe, caring for the poor, and
关怀穷人，在民间和教义上重振信心。 revitalizing the faith, both popularly and doctrinally.
十字军东征的历史无疑是复杂的，但它代表了教 While historically complicated, to say the least, the Crusades represent a major step
会复兴的一大步，唤起了为他人服务的使命感，与东 in the Church's rebirth as well, rousing a sense of mission outside of oneself, collaborating
方的基督徒合作，夺回失去的领土。 with Christians in the East, and recapturing what was lost.
当然，我们怎能忘记文艺复兴时期本身呢？ And of course, how can we forget the Renaissance itself?
「建造大教堂、创作重要绘画、音乐的进步、城市的 The building of cathedrals, production of major paintings, advances in music, growth
发展，以及科学的早期发展。」 of cities, and early development of the sciences.
这一切都是教会出于对神和世界的敬畏之心而委托创作的。 All of this was commissioned by the Church out of a sense of wonder for God and the world.
对许多人来说，这是教会历史上最充满希望的时期之一。 For many, this was one of the most hopeful periods in Church history.
不幸的是，并非所有的事物都在这个时期得到改革。 Unfortunately, not everything was reformed in this period.
教宗制度曾一度分裂，为了土地和权力而争战。 The papacy was divided at times, warring over lands and authority.
世俗教士大多未受过良好教育。 The secular clergy remained largely uneducated.
黑死病夺去了许多乐意照顾穷人的人的性命，而那些对教会的 The Black Death wiped out many of those willing to care for the poor, and those becoming unhappy
弊端感到不满的人也日益增多。 with abuses of the Church were growing in number.
到了十五、十六世纪，我们看到一个教会，一方面在智识和文 By the 15th and 16th centuries, we see a Church, on the one hand, intellectually and culturally
化上追求前所未有的高度，而另一方面，却在最底层充斥 seeking higher than it ever had before, while on the other hand, fraught with scandal and
着丑闻和糟糕的教理讲授。 poor catechesis at the lowest levels.
赎罪券被出售，异端邪说被传播，礼仪充斥着弊端，狂欢 Indulgences were sold, heresies preached, abuses plagued the liturgy, and revelry and
和迷信弥漫于文化之中。 superstition pervaded the culture.
因此，在1517年，教会被迫为其持续的问题负责，并在接下 Thus, in 1517, the Church was made to reckon for its continued issues and for the next
来的500年里发现自己处于一个被外部世界围攻的时期。 500 years found itself in a period defined by siege from the outside world.
奥古斯丁修会修士马丁·路德发表了《九 十五条论纲》，列举了对教会的一系列指控 Martin Luther, an Augustinian friar, ushered in the Reformation with his 95 Theses, a list
，由此拉开了宗教改革的序幕。 of accusations against the Church.
方济各会内部正在进行改革，使人分心，路德的申诉又不能 Distracted by the reforms taking place among the Franciscans and unable to immediately
立即得到满足，于是一场运动很快兴起，分歧日益加深。 satisfy Luther's complaints, a movement soon developed and divisions increased.
其他改革家如加尔文和慈运理也提出了自己的不满之处，很 Other reformers like John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli appeared with their own complaints,
快地，教会就忙于应付这一切，竭力维持教会的完整。 and soon enough, the Church was left scrambling to keep everything together.
让这些改革得以蓬勃发展的一个问题是，公教会 One of the issues that allowed these reforms to flourish was the fact that the Catholic
从未正式将其教义或做法编纂成法典。 Church had never officially codified its doctrines or practices.
在此之前，教会主要是靠惯例来领导，我们总是以某种方式做 Prior to this, the Church was led largely by convention, that we'd always done something
某事，或是根据具体问题作出具体回应的特别法令。 a certain way, or ad hoc decrees, specific responses to specific problems.
此时很明显，有必要作一个完整的信仰宣言。 By now it was clear that a complete declaration of faith was necessary.
因此，在1569年，公教会召开了特伦托大公会议，以统一并编纂公教会 And so, in 1569, the Church met for the Council of Trent to unify and codify every aspect
的各个方面。 of the Church.
「神学概念被下定义，共同实践的规则被设立，改革措施也付诸 Definitions were given to theological concepts, rules were set for common practices, and reforms
实施。」 implemented.
正是在这里，一个新的礼仪被确立，取代了所有不到两 It was here that a new liturgy was defined, replacing all other liturgies less than 200
百年历史的礼仪，为要使全世界的教会完全统一。 years old, to bring absolute uniformity to the Church throughout the world.
不幸的是，伤害已经造成，在接下来的几个世纪里，教会所 Unfortunately, the damage had already been done, and what the Church experienced for
经历的是一个充满敌意的外部世界。 the next few centuries was a hostile outside world.
那是一个战火纷飞、争斗不休的时代，起初是与新教徒对抗，但最 It was a time of great war and constant strife, first against Protestants, but eventually
终却是面对一个日益世俗化的世界，试图将宗教从公共领域中驱逐 against a world growing ever more secular that sought to remove religion from the public
出去。 sphere.
科学革命、自由主义哲学、不受限制的资本主义和民主， The Scientific Revolution, liberal philosophy, unrestricted capitalism, and democracy sought
试图颠覆先前由教会权威所定义的世界。 to upend the world previously defined by the Church's authority.
自从早期受迫害的时代以来，外部世界从未像现在这样被视为危 More than in any other time since the early days of persecution, the outside world was
险和混乱不堪，教会成为真理和美善的唯一庇护所，一个完美的社会， treated as dangerous and disordered, the Church the only refuge of truth and goodness, a perfect
世界无法提供她所缺乏的任何事物。 society lacking nothing the world could provide.
《谬误录》是这一时期最具代表性的文件，它确切 A quintessential document that captures the vibe of this period is the Syllabus of Errors,
地列出了世界上的种种弊病。 a literal list of everything wrong with the world.
有点自相矛盾的是，这也是教会历史上传教热忱最高涨的 Somewhat paradoxically, it was also the period of greatest missionary fervor in the Church's
时期。 history.
受到一种认为教会之外的一切事物和所有人都被诅咒的世界 Motivated by a worldview that saw everything and everyone outside of the Church as damned,
观的驱使，方济各会、多明我会和新成立的耶稣会等传教修会前往 missionary orders like the Franciscans, Dominicans, and the newly formed Jesuits traveled to Asia,
亚洲、非洲和美洲，迫切希望拯救尽可能多的人。 Africa, and the Americas, desperate to save as many people as possible.
对于今天的一些人来说，这代表了天主教的最高境界。 For some today, this represents the height of Catholicism.
一丝不苟地安排礼仪，清晰明确的教义陈述，迫切而 Meticulously ordered liturgies, clear and certain doctrinal statements, urgency and
有使命感，宏伟壮丽的堡垒将危险阻挡在外。 mission, and large beautiful fortresses to keep unwanted dangers out.
毫无疑问，这是历史上在使命和身份方面界限最为分明的一 There is no doubt that it was a time in history with the clearest boundaries both in mission
个时期。 and identity.
当然，即便是最美好的时代也有其问题，这个时期也不例外。 Of course, even the best of times has its issues, and this time period is no exception.
有时，一致性导致了僵化，甚至对人为律法的偶像崇拜。 At times, uniformity led to rigidity, even idolatry to human laws.
确定性抑制了探索和适应。 Certainty inhibited exploration and adaptation.
社会助长了急躁之风，忽略了真正的归正。 Society fostered impatience and overlooked true conversion.
把一切都拒之门外，就意味着错过了世界上一些真正美好的事物。 And keeping everything out meant missing out on some truly good things about the world.
十九世纪末，教会开始深入反思自身，质疑自己 By the end of the 19th century, the Church had begun to look deeply at itself and question
在世上的身份和使命。 its identity and mission in the world.
如此，现代时期开始了。 So begins the modern period.
对许多人来说，这是一个更新的时期，是适应世界变化的时期。 For many, it's a period of updating, of adapting to the changes of the world.
对其他人来说，这是一个开放和对话的时期，不仅是与外人，也是与我 For others, it's a period of openness and dialogue, not only with outsiders, but with
们自己的历史。 our own history.
仍有更多人称之为改革的时代，而另一些人却只看到所有美 Still more call it a time of reform, while others see nothing but the undoing of all
善圣洁之事被毁。 that is good and holy.
现在大家很难在任何事情上达成一致，不是吗？ It's really hard to agree on anything these days, isn't it?
鉴于它不到一百年的历史，而我们仍生活在其中，我认为对这个 The fact that it's less than a hundred years old and we're still living in it, I think
时代在历史上将如何被铭记，现在下定论还为时尚早。但很明显 the jury is still out on how this time will be remembered in history, but it's clear
，这是一个巨大变革的时代，无论是在教会内部还是外部。 that it is a time of immense change, both inside and outside of the Church.
二十世纪中叶的世界，与中世纪的世界全然不同。 The world of the mid-20th century looked nothing like the world of the Middle Ages.
早期人文主义的努力，为新教徒和天主教徒之间带来了一丝和平的迹象。 Early efforts at humanism brought a semblance of peace between Protestants and Catholics.
科技革新了交通、通讯和日常生活。 Technology revolutionized travel, communication, and daily life.
教会不再受到外国列强或文化革命的攻击，世界满 The Church was no longer under attack from foreign nations or cultural revolutions, and
怀希望地期待着一个更加团结的生活。 the world was looking, with hope, towards a more unified existence.
在教会看来，研究和学术有了突飞猛进的发展。 From the Church's perspective, research and scholarship had grown leaps and bounds.
仅在十九世纪末和二十世纪初，就有重要的早期手稿被重 In just the late 19th and early 20th centuries alone, significant early manuscripts had been
新发现。 rediscovered.
圣经的历史研究开始蓬勃发展，教父著作的译 The historical study of scripture had begun to flourish, and translations of the patristic
本也越来越广泛。 writers were becoming widespread.
因此，礼仪学、圣经学、教父学和合一运动等领域，都受到学者 As a result, the fields of liturgy, scripture, patristics, and ecumenism all experienced
和信徒的热烈欢迎，焕发出新的活力。 renewed fervor from academics and the faithful alike.
这个传统，看来比我们简单的公式和统一的礼仪所让我们 The tradition, it seemed, was far more expansive and complicated than our simple formulas and
相信的要广泛和复杂得多。 uniform liturgies had led us to believe.
需要更新。 An update was needed.
第二次梵蒂冈大公会议召开了。 Enter the Second Vatican Council.
从1962年到1965年，公教会颁布了几项宪章，呼吁全面 From 1962 to 1965, the Church issued constitutions calling for the complete reform of the liturgy,
改革礼仪，重新定义公教会的本质，阐释研读圣经的角色和过程 redefining the nature of the Church, explaining the role and process of studying sacred scripture,
，并更新公教会在世界上的使命。 and updating the mission of the Church to the world.
教会不再是一座自卫抵御世界的堡垒，而是要成为世界 No longer a fortress defending itself against the world, the Church was to be a sacrament
得救的圣事。 of salvation to it.
这个任务似乎主要要由平信徒来完成，胜过其他一切。 More than anything else, it seems, this was to be accomplished by the laity.
几乎在每一份文件中，首次明确关注的是，如何将非受圣职者 In almost every document, explicit focus is given, for the first time, to including, preparing,
纳入、预备并差遣他们参与教会的生活。 and commissioning the non-ordained to the life of the Church.
大公会议的精神基础包括：普世蒙召走向圣德之路， Things like the universal call to holiness, the use of the vernacular in lay ministers
在平信徒事奉和礼仪中使用白话文，在礼仪和法规中为文 and liturgy, room for cultural adaptations to liturgy and law, the importance of scripture,
化差异预留空间，重视圣经，以及平信徒的专属职责。 and responsibilities exclusive to lay people underpinned the spirit of the Council.
这的确在文化上引起了重大的转变。 And boy did it create a major shift in culture.
一方面，非洲、东南亚和南美洲的教会空前繁荣昌 On the one hand, the Church in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America flourished like never
盛。 before.
如今地方社区拥有更多自主发展的自由，创意如雨后春笋般涌现。 Local communities, now with more freedom to develop individually, have exploded with creativity.
在深度和本地化方面的收获，远远弥补了在统一性上的损失。 What was lost in uniformity was more than made up for in depth and enculturation.
另一方面，分裂和滥用现象也在蔓延。 On the other hand, disunity and abuse have flourished as well.
没有了从前严格的指导方针，有些人已经远远超出了大公会 Without the strict guidelines of before, some have gone far beyond the intentions of the
议的本意，破坏传统，传播谬误。 Council, undermining tradition and teaching error.
自从大公会议以来，走向极端的竞争使教会难以维系合一 A race to the extremes has left the Church struggling to maintain unity since the Council,
，有人感到我们正处在另一次分裂的边缘。 leaving some to feel as if we're on the brink of another schism.
现在，有人可能会争辩说，这更能反映当今世界对话的状态， Now, this, one could argue, is more reflective of the state of dialogue in the world today
而不是公教会所做的任何事情，但问题仍然存在。 than anything the Church has done, but the problem does still exist.
有人以为第二次梵蒂冈大公会议是在一夜之间出现的，强行推 While some would like to think that the Second Vatican Council appeared overnight and artificially
行教会改革，但事实上，尽管这次大公会议带来了翻 forced reforms on the Church, the reality is that the Council, while sweeping in its
天覆地的变化，却是数十年来在大学和地方教会团体中已经进 changes, was the result of many decades of reform that was already taking place in universities
行的改革所结出的果实。 and in local church communities.
不管你喜不喜欢，梵蒂冈第二届大公会议本身是建基于传统之上的，有数十年来 Like it or not, Vatican II itself was grounded in tradition, backed by decades of earlier
的改革作为后盾，绝对是教会当时所需要的。 reforms, and absolutely what the Church needed.
它最终会留下什么样的遗产呢？ What will its legacy ultimately be?
时间会证明一切。 Time will have to tell.
但是从我们对历史的研究中，有一件事我们可以确定，那就是这并不会就 But if there is one thing we can be sure of from our study of history, it is that it won't
此终结。 end here.
将来还需要进一步的改革。 Further reforms will be necessary in the future.
教会虽然是基督在祂复活这一不变的真理上所建立的，但 As much as the Church is founded by Christ on the unchanging truth of His resurrection,
在表达这一真理的方式上，却是一个不断变化的机构。 it is an institution that is constantly changing how it expresses that truth.
两千多年来，我们的礼仪、祷告、律法、教义的表述方式、 Over two thousand years, our liturgy, prayer, law, formulations of doctrine, structures
治理结构，以及与外界的关系，一直都在发展的过程中。 of governance, and relationship with the outside world have remained in process.
这并不是说它会从根本上或完全地改变，而是说它永不停滞。 This is not to say that it changes fundamentally or completely, but that it is never stagnant.
作为一个被圣灵引导的教会，我们是一个活生生的机构。 As a Church guided by the Holy Spirit, we are a living institution.
我们的使命从未改变，但我们周围的世界和居住在其中的人却总是在变化。 Our mission never changes, but the world around us and the people that inhabit it always do.
我们研究历史的原因并不是为了要效法过去的做法， The reason we study history is not so that we can conform to how things were done in
仿佛在任何处境中作为教会只有一种方式。 the past, as if there is a singular way to be Church in any context.
要记住，每一代人都必须决定如何在自己当下的时代中 It is to remember that each generation has had to determine how to live and share the
生活，并分享这传统。 tradition in its own present time.
在某个时期有效地表达真理、培养圣洁的方式，对我们来说可 What was effective at expressing the truth and fostering holiness in one period may not
能并不一样。 be the same for us.
我们从过去学习，但我们永远不会忘记，圣灵现今与我们同在。 We learn from the past, but we never forget that the Holy Spirit is with us in the present.