Final answer:
Early church leaders developed a hierarchy akin to the Roman government structure. This hierarchy, which included positions like bishops and archbishops, met in councils to define the Church's doctrines.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early church leaders developed a hierarchy modeled after the Roman government. Members of the hierarchy met in councils to decide on the official church doctrines. When Christianity emerged, it borrowed many of its organizational principles from the ancient Roman military and government structures, including establishing a strict ecclesiastical hierarchy similar to the secular one. This hierarchical structure was essential in shaping the way the early Church functioned, especially after the Great Schism where the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church followed their respective organizational frameworks.
The hierarchy system of the early Church acted much like the Roman government in that there were varying levels of leadership and authority. The Roman Catholic Church, taking cues from the Roman Empire, created a hierarchical system with the Pope at the top, followed by cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests. This structure facilitated the decision-making process in the Church, including the councils that would define Church doctrine, such as the Council of Nicaea in 325, which resulted in the affirmation of the Nicene Creed.