I already regret typing this post, because I know it’s a waste of time but guess what: I have a few minutes to kill where I have absolutely nothing better to do so here we go (besides I’m sure your guaranteed, must-get-the-last-word-in-instead-of-actually-thinking reply will be worth at least a chuckle):
First, let’s say for a moment that what you’re clearly implying is true, that the practice of using the sacramental known as “holy water” suddenly, with perhaps even a *poof* of Holy smoke to accompany its entry into the realm of time, appeared for no reason at all in the 9th century. Let’s do some quick math, (carry the ten, count both hands blah blah) that’s about 1,200 years by my abacus. Tell me, even given the caveats above, doesn’t that surpise you in the slightest? That Christians born over a thousand years before you were born were doing something you personally regard as “unbiblical”? Where were the egleone’s of the 9th century decrying such heresy? Burned at some lonely stake perhaps? If so, got any evidence of such cruel persecution (over a matter of Holy water mind you). Cuz if not seems to me that the simplest explaination is probably the truth: that yeah, real Christians have indeed been using holy water for ages, at least 1,200 years, and saw nothing wrong with it. Kinda makes the truly humble wonder “hmm, maybe they knew something about Christian faith I didn’t”.
Another thing, you apparently didn’t read both what you quoted and the entire article very well. First what you quoted puts a particular practice using holy water (its use during the Mass) as starting at the 9th century. But in case you aren’t aware or unable to understand, that statement doesn’t necessarily mean holy water wasn’t used for some other purpose before the 9th century. Indeed another part of what you quoted stated “...is quite possible that, according to canon 65 of the Council of Constantinople held in 691, this rite was established for the purpose of definitively supplanting the pagan feast of the new moon and causing it to pass into oblivion...”
So now we have evidence that holy water was used (granted for some other purpose than as part of a Mass but still) used almost 200 years before the 9th century! So now I guess you’ll suggest there were even more proto-egleone’s burned at the stake for decrying such heresy (again without any proof). For 1400 years instead of 1200. See, I knew this would be worth at least a chuckle for the both of us.
Then also, you conveniently omittted the portion of the encyclopedia article that clearly demonstrates it (the use of holy water) can be traced all the way back to the 5th century and maybe even before! But at least the 5th century. So let’s break out the abacus again, that’s now sixteen hundred years! That can be definitively known. Gee, getting pretty close to the time of Christ and His Apostles. Sure, 400 years to go, a long time to be sure, but a lot *less* time than you falsely implied and really, how many proto-egleones do we need to imagine before we simply give up to Occam and say, “hmm seems like pretty much the entire history of Christianity has this holy water stuff. Maybe there’s something to it more than my small imagination has informed me”.
Nah, it’s more comfortable to just believe what you want; also more fun to believe there were a ton of proto-egleones burned at the stake (for which again no historical evidence exists) all because they dared decry the use of holy water for 1600 years straight! Who knew holy water was so controversial? Not the Church fathers to be sure never see them battling it’s use anywhere in any writing ever. But let’s not let that fact get in our way; after all, egleone is here *now* to tell us what Christianity is all about, and what the Bible really says and doesn’t say.
We should all be thankful. And not burn him at the stake *this* time.
You might want to note exactly what the article said...brackets mine....In the West [Rome in other words] Dom Martène declares that nothing was found prior to the ninth century concerning the blessing and aspersion of water that takes place every Sunday at Mass.
You may also notice I posted this as well.....
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It is quite possible that, according to canon 65 of the Council of Constantinople held in 691, this rite was established for the purpose of definitively supplanting the pagan feast of the new moon and causing it to pass into oblivion....that was the Greek church....not Roman Catholicism.
Yes...the article also says this:
The use of holy water in the earliest days of the Christian Era is attested by documents of only comparatively late date.
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I did see the part about the "Apostolic Constitutions" dating back to around 400 AD. But the article goes on to say:
The letter written under the name of Pope Alexander I, who lived in the second century, is apocryphal and of more recent times; hence the first historical testimony does not go back beyond the fifth century. However, it is permissible to suppose for the sake of argument that, [We can permit a lot of things for the "sake of argument"] in the earliest Christian times, water was used for expiatory and purificatory purposes,....
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I did also find this now that you've prompted me to do additional research.
The same tradition declares him [Pope Alexander I] to have been a Roman by birth and to have ruled the Church in the reign of Trajan (98-117). It likewise attributes to him, but scarcely with accuracy, the insertion in the canon of the Qui Pridie, or words commemorative of the institution of the Eucharist, such being certainly primitive and original in the Mass.
He is also said to have introduced [if it's being introduced....it wasn't used previously]
the use of blessing water mixed with salt for the purification of Christian homes from evil influences (constituit aquam sparsionis cum sale benedici in habitaculis hominum).
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We can permit a lot of things for the "sake of argument".
However....what is not attested is the use of "holy water" for the purpose noted in the original article [put devils to flight] in the New Testament.
Demons were cast out using the name of the Lord.
If the name of the Lord is insufficient to cause a demon to fear and leave....no amount of water is gong to do the job.
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We do see the use of oil however in the New Testament for various reason...none of which are used for casting out demons.
We also have Paul giving advice on not drinking only water, but to use a little wine [though some have taken great liberties with the use of a little wine] as an aid to help with stomach issues and frequent illnesses.
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A lot of false practices have made their way into the church. For example....the belief that wearing a scapular can keep you out of the hell-fire and get you out of "purgatory" early.
We're currently seeing some serious false issues in the Roman Catholic church right now for that matter!