Timeline of Church History
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Timeline of Church History | |||||
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This article forms part of the series Introduction to Orthodox Christianity | |
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The History of the Church is a vital part of the Orthodox Christian faith. Orthodox Christians are defined significantly by their continuity with all those who have gone before, those who first received and preached the truth of Jesus Christ to the world, those who helped to formulate the expression and worship of our faith, and those who continue to move forward in the unchanging yet ever-dynamic Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church.
New Testament era
- ca. 27 BC - AD 180 Pax Romana.
- ca. 4 BC Christ is born in Bethlehem; 14,000 Holy Innocents slain in Bethlehem.
- ca. 25-26 Death of Joseph the Betrothed.
- ca. 28 John the Baptist begins ministry in the "15th year of Tiberius" (Luke 3:1-2), preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matt 3:1-2), baptized Christ in the Jordan (Mark 1:4-11), is later arrested and beheaded by Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee.
- ca. 28-30 Three year ministry of Jesus Christ, including: Temptation; Appointment of the Twelve Apostles; Sermon on the Mount; Miracles performed; Rejection; Transfiguration; Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem; driving out the Temple money changers; Cursing the fig tree; Giving the great commandment; Anointing; Mystical Supper; Arrest; Sanhedrin Trial; Before Pilate; Passion; Crucifixion on Good Friday; Entombment by Pharisees Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus of the Sanhedrin; Harrowing of Hell; Resurrection on Easter Sunday; Appearances to various people over the next forty days; Giving the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20); and Ascension.
- ca. 30 Martyrdom of Stephen the deacon, first Christian martyr.
- 30 Conversion of Apostle Paul on road to Damascus.
Apostolic era (33-100)
- 33 The Holy Spirit descends on the day of Pentecost, filling the followers of Jesus Christ with power from on high.
- 34 Apostle Peter founds See of Antioch.
- 35 The name Christian first used in Antioch.
- 37 Joseph of Arimathea travels to Britain and lands in Glastonbury.
- 40 Apostle Barnabas sent from Jerusalem to Antioch to strengthen community after persecution when church leaders flee city.
- ca.42 Apostle Paul's ecstasy to the third heaven (2 Cor.12:2-4).
- ca.46-48 Apostle Paul's first missionary journey, with Apostle Barnabas (Acts 13 - 14).
- 49 Apostolic Council of Jerusalem rules that Gentiles do not have to become Jews before becoming Christians.
- ca.49-52 Apostle Paul's second missionary journey, with Apostle Silas (Acts 15:39 - 18:22).
- 50 Apostle Matthew finishes the Gospel of Matthew in Aramaic.
- 52 Apostle Thomas arrives in Kerala, introducing Christianity to India.
- ca.53-57 Apostle Paul's third missionary journey (Acts 18:23 - 21:16).
- ca.59-62 Apostle Paul's fourth missionary journey, voyage to Rome (Acts 27 - 28:16).
- 62 Martyrdom of Apostle James the Just; crucifixion of Apostle Andrew in Patras.
- 63 Aristobulus consecrated as first bishop of Britain.
- 64-68 First of ten major persections of the Early Church, under Emperor Nero.
- 66 Flight of the Christian community in Jerusalem to Pella and other places in the Decapolis, and Antioch.
- 67 Martyrdom of the Apostle Peter in Rome; martyrdom of the Apostle Paul in Rome; Apostle Linus elected first bishop of Rome.
- 69 Ignatius of Antioch consecrated bishop of Antioch.
- 70 Apostle Mark writes Gospel; Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed by the Romans; expulsion of the Christians from the synagogues.
- 71 Apostle Mark introduces Christianity to Egypt.
- 80 Gospel of Luke written by the Apostle Luke; Titus dedicates the Colosseum, site of the martyrdom of many early Christians.
- ca. 80-90 Didache written.
- 85 Acts of the Apostles written by Apostle Luke.
- 90 Council of Jamnia (Javneh) marks final separation and distinction between the Jewish and Christian communities, including rejection of the Septuagint widely then in use among the Hellenized Jewish diaspora.
- 95 Apostle John writes Book of Revelation.
- ca.90-96 Persecution of Christians under Emperor Domitian (2nd).
- 96 Gospel of John written by Apostle John as supplement and further theological illumination of the Synoptic gospels.
- ca.100 Emergence of Christian Catacombs in the second century.
- 100 Death of Apostle John.
Ante-Nicene era (100-325)
- 107 Martyrdom of Ignatius of Antioch; death of Apostle Symeon.
- 108-124 Persecution under Emperor Trajan, continuing under Emepror Hadrian (3rd).
- 120 Beginning of time of the Apologists: Justin Martyr, Aristides, Tatian, Athenagoras of Athens, Theophilus, Minucius Felix, Tertullian and Quadratus, writing to defend the Church against internal heresies, and to defend the faith before the Jews, and before the larger pagan world, using Greek philosophic concepts and terms.
- 124 Apostles Quadratus and Aristides present Christian apologies to Emperor Hadrian at Athens.
- 128 Aquila's Greek translation of the Old Testament.
- 130 Conversion of Justin Martyr.
- 132 Jews, led by Bar Kochba, whom some identify as the Messiah, revolt against Rome.
- 135 Christmas instituted as a feast day in Rome.
- 136 Emperor Hadrian crushes Jewish resistance, forbids Jews from returning Jerusalem, and changes city name to Aelia Capitolina; first recorded use of title Pope for the bishop of Rome by Pope Hyginus.
- 144 Excommunication of Marcion for his heretical rejection of the Old Testament and for his semi-Gnostic teachings, particularly Docetism.
- 150 Justin Martyr describes Divine Liturgy.
- 155 Martyrdom of Polycarp of Smyrna.
- 156 Beginning of Montanism.
- 165 Martyrdom of Justin.
- 166 Pope Soter inaugurates in Rome a separate annual feast for Pascha, in addition to the weekly Sunday celebrations of the Resurrection, which is also held on a Sunday, in contrast to the Quartodecimans.
- ca. 175 Tatian’s Diatessaron harmonizes the four canonical gospels into single narrative.
- 177-180 Persection under Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180) (4th).
- 180 Irenaeus of Lyons writes Against Heresies; Saint Dyfan first martyr in British Isles (at Merthyr Dyfan, Wales).
- 180-192 Theodotion's Greek translation of the Old Testament.
- 193-211 Symmachus' Greek translation of the Old Testament.
- 197 Quartodeciman controversy.
- 200 Martyrdom of Irenaeus of Lyons.
- 202 Emperor Septimus Severus issues edict against Christianity and Judaism; Martyrdom of Haralampus of Magnesia.
- 202-210 Persecution under Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211) (5th).
- 206 King Abgar IX converts Edessa to Christianity.
- ca. 209 Martyrdom of Alban in Britain.
- 210 Hippolytus of Rome, bishop and martyr and last of Greek-speaking fathers in Rome, writes Refutation of All Heresies (Philosophumena), and Apostolic Tradition, the latter containing the earliest known description of the rite of ordination.
- 215 Conversion of Tertullian to Montanism.
- 225 Death of Tertullian.
- ca.225-250 Didascalia Apostolorum, "Teaching of the Apostles", oldest extant manual of church order describes church life at that time; circulated widely in Persia, being translated early on from Greek into Syriac.
- 227 Origen begins Commentary on Genesis, completes work on First Principles.
- 235-238 Persecution under Emperor Maximinus Thrax (6th); martyrdom of St. Hippolytus of Rome.
- 238 During reigns of Gordian and Philip the Arab the church proclaims the faith openly and increasingly attracts well-educated converts.
- ca.240 Origen's Hexapla of the Old Testament, largest critical production of antiquity.
- 244 Plotinus founds Neoplatonist school in Rome, whose system is developed in conscious opposition to Christianity, however whose teachings indirectly influenced Augustine of Hippo and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and hence medieval theologians and mystics.
- 246 Paul of Thebes retreats to the Egyptian desert and becomes first Christian hermit.
- 247 Rome celebrated its thousandth anniversary this year, witnessing a period of increased persecution of Christians.
- 248 Origen writes in Against Celsus that the Roman empire is a Divine Will.
- 249-251 Persecution under Emperor Decius (7th).
- 257-260 Persecution under Emperor Valerian (253-260) (8th).
- 258 Bp. Cyprian of Carthage martyred.
- 260 Paul of Samosata begins his heretical preaching against the divinity of Christ; Synod in Rome condemns Sabellianism and Subordinationism.
- 264 Excommunication of Paul of Samosata.
- 265 The word "Homoousios", "of the same substance", to define relationship between Father and Son, used for first time by Modalist Monarchians of Cyrene, playing an important part in defining Orthodoxy at Nicene Council in 325.
- 274-275 Persecution under Emperor Aurelian (9th).
- 270 Death of Gregory Thaumaturgus; Porphyry of Tyre writes Against the Christians, a powerful anti-Christian book, causing several Christian contemporaries to try and refute him, and which was later banned and burned in 448; first priest ordained in Seleucia-Ctesiphon.
- 284 Diocletian becomes Roman emperor, persecutes Church and martyrs an estimated one million Christians; martyrdom of Cosmas and Damian, Andrew Stratelates ("the General") and 2,593 soldiers with him in Cilicia; the Era of the Martyrs dating system, currently used by the Coptic Church, had its beginning on this date, its year one.
- 285 Anthony the Great flees to the desert to pursue a life of prayer.
- 300 By this date, the Chrisitan population is about 6,200,000, or 10.5% of the population of the Roman Empire (based on population of 60 million).
- 301 Gregory the Illuminator converts King Tiridates I of Armenia to the Christian faith.
- 302 20,000 Martyrs burned at Nicomedia.
- 303 Outbreak of the Great Persecution (303-311) (10th), as Diocletian and Galerius launch the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire; martyrdom of George the Trophy-bearer.
- ca.305-311 Lactantius writes Divinae Institutiones, the first systematic Latin account of the Christian view of life.
- ca.306 Synod of Elvira in Spain, requires continence of all clergy, and severe disciplinary penalties for apostasy and adultery, becoming the pattern in the west.
- 308 Pope Marcellus, a rigorist, opposes more lenient treatment of the Christians who had lapsed under the recent persecution.
- 310 Armenia becomes first Christian nation; persecution of Christians under Persian King Shapur II (310-379).
- 311 Galerius issues Edict of Toleration ending persecution of Christians in his part of the Roman Empire; rebellion of the Donatists in Carthage.
- 312 Vision and conversion of Constantine the Great; defeat of Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge, making Constantine Emperor of the West; martyrdom of Lucian of Antioch, who had completed a recension of the Septuagint and the Four Gospels in Greek, and inspired the development of the School of Antioch and Biblical textual study.
- 313 Edict of Milan issued by Constantine the Great and co-emperor Licinius, officially declaring religious freedom in the Roman Empire, specifically naming religious toleration for Christianity, restoration of property to Christian churches, and legal recognition.
- 314 Council of Ancyra held; Council of Arles condemns Donatism.
- 315 Council of Neo-Caesaria held.
- 318 Publication of On the Incarnation by Athanasius the Great, influencing the condemnation of Arianism; beginnings of Arian Controversy.
- 318 Pachomius the Great, disciple of Anthony the Great, organizes a community of ascetics at Tabennis in Egypt, founding cenobitic monasticism.
- 320 Expulsion of Arius by Alexander of Alexandria; martyrdom of Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.
- 320-21 Licinius' measures against Christians in the east enforced.
- 321 Constantine declares Sunday a holiday in honor of the Resurrection.
- 323 Constantine the Great builds church on the site of the martyrdom of Peter in Rome.
- 324 Constantine defeats Licinius and becomes sole emperor.