G.A. Jacob (#11): Ecclesiastical Polity in the New Testament: Practices ...

APPENDIX A: Rev. Jacob presents the doctrines and practices of the early church. These include the mixed chalice, the sign of the cross, sacerdotalism, priestcraft and priesthood as a sacrifice, opus operatum, absolution (where the priest acts as the mediator between God and the parishioner), holy oils, transelementation of baptismal waters, Christ’s resacrificing on the "altar," baptismal regeneration, transelementation in the Holy Communion ("Bread-Worship"), reservation of the communion hosts, miraculous stories about Bread-Worship, veneration of chalices, prayers and offerings for the dead (as mentioned by Cyprian, Arnobius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius, and Augustine), purgatory, monks and nuns as super-athletes, justification by almsgiving (as taught by Chrysostom), intercession of saints and prayers to them (as taught by Cyril of Jerusalem and Gregory Nazianzen), Mariolatry, Mary’s perpetual virginity, worship of pictures and images, veneration of asceticism, celibacy and virginity (as taught by various people, including Augustine), mandatory clerical celibacy, lying miracles in abundance, relics and relic-mongery, churchly despotism, and Petrine supremacy. Some objected to these practices and doctrines, but if they persisted, they were disciplined by the Constantinian state.