What was the role of the early Church in society?

In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke the Evangelist describes the Church in the era of the Apostles as having unity and communion in their worship as well as in their own possessions. The Church was based on the unity of its members together in one body, with each member caring for others.

Towards the end of the second century in Rome, Alexandria, Carthage, and the East, the Church began to offer the Agape meals (Love meals) after celebrating the Eucharistic Liturgy. These meals were either offered at the expense of the church or one of the wealthy members.

As hospitals had not yet come to being, the Church started treating patients.¹¹¹⁷ Also, the duty of giving alms was not exclusively for the wealthy people, but the poor also were committed to give to their fellow poor members.

St. Polycarp talks about the priest, Valens, and his wife, who because of greed deviated from the faith saying, “I am deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for him (Valens) and his wife; to whom may the Lord grant true repentance! And be then moderate in regard to this

1117 St. Polycarp of Smyrna, The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians 6 (ANF 1:34).

matter, and do not count such as enemies, but call them back as suffering and straying members, that you may save your whole body. For by so acting you shall edify yourselves.”¹¹¹⁸

Minucius says that “they love one another almost before they know each another.”¹¹¹⁹ Moreover, Aristides says, “Falsehood is not found among them (the Christians); and they love one another, and from widows they do not turn away their esteem; and they deliver the orphan from him who treats him harshly. And he, who has, gives to him who has not, without boasting. And when they see a stranger, they take him into their homes and rejoice over him as a very brother … And whenever one of their poor passes from the world, each one of them according to his ability gives heed to him and carefully sees to his burial. And if they hear that one of their number is imprisoned or afflicted on account of the name of their Messiah, all of them anxiously minister to his necessity, and if it is possible to redeem him they set him free.”¹¹²⁰

The Pachomian monasteries cared for hosting strangers and serving the poor and sick in the surrounding villages of every monastery. St. Basil the Great dedicated a number of buildings in the suburbs of the city of Caesarea of Cappadocia, to host strangers and sick people, especially the outcasts. He also equipped these institutions with qualified people to work there.¹¹²¹ In Antioch, the Church built a huge hospital and an inn for strangers. Also, many bishops took an interest in social work to assist everyone — not only Christians — such as St. Ambrose, Maximus of Turin, Paulinus of Nola, Martin of Tours, Nicetius of Lyon, and others.