Rachel Evans
The majority of Christians, including Catholics, worship on Sundays, the first day of the week, which is also known as the Lord's Day. This is in contrast to the Jewish Sabbath, which is observed on the seventh day of the week, Saturday. The shift from Sabbath to Sunday worship in the Catholic Church can be traced back to the second century when early Christians like Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria questioned the observance of Sabbath. In AD 321, Roman Emperor Constantine established Sunday as a day of rest, and around AD 365, the Catholic Church prohibited Judaizing on the Sabbath. By the fourth century, theologians like Augustine supported the idea that the glory of the Jewish Sabbath had been transferred to Sunday, solidifying the shift to Sunday worship in mainstream Christianity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of change from Saturday to Sunday worship | Around AD 400 |
| Who changed it? | Catholic theologians and doctors of the Church |
| Reason for change | Combination of church authority, sun worship, and anti-Semitism |
| Worship day | Lord's Day (Sunday) |
| Day of rest | Sunday |
| Day Christ rose from the dead | Sunday |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Church's claim of authority to change scriptural principle
One key justification for this alteration lies in the belief that Sunday holds special significance as the day of Christ's resurrection. Early Christians, as evidenced by quotations from the Didache (A.D. 70) and the Letter of Barnabas (A.D. 74), gathered for worship on Sundays to celebrate this event. The Didascalia (A.D. 225) further reinforces this practice, stating that Sunday is the day of Christ's resurrection, ascension, and future return. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) also supports this view, referring to Sunday as the "'eighth day' and the 'Lord's Day.'"
The Catholic Church's authority to make such a change is often attributed to the apostles. According to the Catholic Universe Bulletin in 1942, the Church possessed "the divine, infallible authority given to her by her Founder, Jesus Christ," enabling them to establish Sunday worship. However, it is important to note that the Bible does not explicitly endorse Sunday worship over the Sabbath. While the New Testament mentions gatherings and worship on Sundays, it does not indicate that Saturday has been replaced as the Sabbath.
The transition from Sabbath to Sunday worship gained widespread acceptance among Christians, but it was not universally embraced. Even after the Council of Laodicea in 365 A.D., when the Catholic Church prohibited "Judaizing" on the Sabbath, some groups of Christians continued to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. Theologians like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas played a significant role in promoting the idea of transferring the glory of the Jewish Sabbath to Sunday, solidifying the Catholic Church's stance on the matter.
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The Council of Laodicea made Sabbath observance illegal
The Council of Laodicea, convened by the Catholic Church in the fourth century (around 365 AD), made Sabbath observance illegal. The council passed a decree that prohibited the observance of the "Jewish Sabbath", deeming it incompatible with Christianity. The bishops of Laodicea may have been influenced by multiple factors, including anti-Semitism and the desire to assert the church's authority over scriptural principles. This decision marked a significant shift from the practices of Christ, the apostles, and early Christians who observed the Sabbath.
The Council of Laodicea's decree, known as the "curse," had a profound impact on Christian worship. It stated that Christians should abandon the sacred observance of the seventh day, the Sabbath, and instead embrace Sunday, the first day of the week, as their day of rest and worship. This change was justified by the belief that Sunday represented the new creation inaugurated by the Resurrection of Christ. The council's decision was not without opposition, as some Christians continued to observe the Sabbath, considering it a holy day.
The Catholic Church's stance on Sabbath observance was not a new development at the time of the Council of Laodicea. As early as the second century, prominent Christian figures like Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria spoke against Sabbath observance. In the third century, Tertullian joined their ranks. Roman Emperor Constantine further solidified this shift by establishing Sunday as a day of rest in 321 AD.
The change from Sabbath to Sunday worship was also influenced by the interpretation of the New Testament, which distinguishes the Lord's Day (Sunday) from the Sabbath. This interpretation is based on the belief that Sunday commemorates the Resurrection of Christ and is, therefore, a day of new creation. The early Church Fathers consistently testified to this understanding, emphasizing that Christianity is distinct from Judaism and its practices.
The Council of Laodicea's decision to make Sabbath observance illegal had far-reaching consequences, shaping the future of Christian worship. It marked a turning point where the Catholic Church asserted its power and influence over religious practices, setting Sunday as the day of rest and worship for the majority of Christians.
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The influence of sun worship and anti-Semitism
The shift from Sabbath to Sunday worship by mainstream Christians is often attributed to a combination of church authority overriding scriptural principles, the influence of sun worship, and anti-Semitism.
Sun Worship
Sun worship, or heliolatry, has been a practice in various cultures throughout history, with the sun being revered as a deity or symbol of power and life. The influence of sun worship on the shift to Sunday worship is evident in the adoption of Sunday as the "Lord's Day" by the Catholic Church. This change occurred during a time when Christianity was influenced by pagan beliefs and practices, including sun worship. The Book of Ezekiel describes priests facing the sun during rituals, and the round shape of the communion bread has been associated with the sun by some. While Catholic apologists refute claims of sun worship, the adoption of Sunday as the day of worship may have been influenced by the cultural and religious significance of the sun in ancient societies.
Anti-Semitism
The shift from Sabbath to Sunday worship was also influenced by rising anti-Semitism in post-apostolic times. As Christianity grew and became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church began to view Judaism as a rival religion. The Church suppressed Jewish practices and forced many Jews to convert to Christianity. The Council of Laodicea in AD 365 declared that Christians must not "Judaize" by resting on the Sabbath, considering it a great evil. This change was driven by the desire to distance Christianity from its Jewish roots and the increasing anti-Semitic sentiment of the time.
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The Resurrection of Christ
The resurrection of Jesus is the belief that God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, marking the start of his exalted life as Christ and Lord. This event is considered the "central mystery of the Christian faith", and it forms the foundation of the religion, along with Jesus's life, death, and teachings.
The resurrection is widely depicted in Christian art and is connected to relics like the Shroud of Turin, which some believe bears an image of Jesus. The conviction that Jesus was resurrected is found in the earliest evidence of Christian origins, although the moment of resurrection itself is not described in the canonical gospels. Instead, the gospels contain passages in which Jesus predicts his death and resurrection or contain allusions that "the reader will understand". The New Testament writings include accounts of an empty tomb and appearances of Jesus after his resurrection.
Paul the Apostle, in his letters to the early Greek churches, provides some of the earliest references to the resurrection of Jesus. In his First Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul expresses the belief that Jesus appeared to him and other witnesses after his death. He also affirms his belief in the resurrection in several other letters, such as Romans 1:3–4 and 2 Timothy 2:8.
The resurrection is commemorated by Christians during Easter, which symbolizes God's redemption and is rooted in Passover traditions. For Christians, the resurrection guarantees that all the Christian dead will be resurrected at Christ's second coming. It is seen as a theological affirmation that intersects with history, providing a foundation for understanding the historical Jesus, his suffering, and vindication.
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The early Church did not move the Sabbath
Catholics worship on the Lord's Day, the first day of the week (Sunday, the eighth day); the day when God said, "Let there be light"; the day when Christ rose from the dead; and the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles (Day of Pentecost). The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states, "The Church celebrates the day of Christ's Resurrection on the 'eighth day,' Sunday, which is rightly called the Lord's Day" (CCC 2191).
The first Christians understood this principle and gathered for worship on Sunday. In the Didache (AD 70), it is written, "But every Lord's day... gather yourselves together and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure." The Letter of Barnabas (AD 74) states, "We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead." The Letter to the Magnesians (AD) further highlights this shift, stating, " [T]hose who were brought up in the ancient order of things [i.e., Jews] have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's day, on which also our life has sprung up again by him and by his death."
By the middle of the second century, Sunday had become the predominant day of worship for Christians. During this time, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria attacked Sabbath observance. In AD 321, Roman Emperor Constantine established Sunday as a day of rest. At the Council of Laodicea around AD 365, the Catholic Church made it illegal to "Judaize" or be idle from work on the Sabbath.
Augustine, a respected Catholic theologian, proclaimed around AD 400 that "the holy doctors of the Church have decreed that all glory of the Jewish Sabbath is transferred to it [Sunday]. Let us, therefore, keep the Lord's Day as the ancients were commanded to do the Sabbath."
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics, or Christians in general, started worshipping on Sundays, or the Lord's Day, since the first century AD to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Sunday is the day when God said "Let there be light" and the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles (Day of Pentecost).
The Sabbath was not replaced by Sunday. The Sabbath was the completion of the first creation, and Sunday recalls the new creation inaugurated by the resurrection of Christ.
The Bible teaches the seventh-day Sabbath, but it does not mention any Sabbath (Saturday) gatherings for worship. However, there are clear passages that mention gatherings on the first day of the week, Sunday.
