Difference between revisions of "Timeline of Church History (Communist Era (1917-1991))"

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*1930 Patr. [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios Metaxakis]] attended the Seventh [[w:Lambeth Conferences|Lambeth Conference]] in England as an observer.
 
*1930 Patr. [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios Metaxakis]] attended the Seventh [[w:Lambeth Conferences|Lambeth Conference]] in England as an observer.
 
*1931 Reception of [[Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe]] into the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], led by Metr. [[Eulogius (Georgievsky) of Paris]]; USSR bans sale or importation of [[Holy Scripture|Bibles]]; the [[w:Bonn Agreement (religion)|Bonn Agreement]] established full communion between the [[Anglican Communion|Church of England]] and [[w:Old Catholic Church|Old Catholic Churches]] of the [[w:Utrecht Union|Union of Utrecht]].     
 
*1931 Reception of [[Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe]] into the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]], led by Metr. [[Eulogius (Georgievsky) of Paris]]; USSR bans sale or importation of [[Holy Scripture|Bibles]]; the [[w:Bonn Agreement (religion)|Bonn Agreement]] established full communion between the [[Anglican Communion|Church of England]] and [[w:Old Catholic Church|Old Catholic Churches]] of the [[w:Utrecht Union|Union of Utrecht]].     
*1932 Daniel William Alexander travels to Uganda to meet Reuben Spartas, establishing African Orthodox Church there.   
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*1932 Daniel William Alexander travels to [[Uganda]] to meet Reuben Spartas, establishing African Orthodox Church there.   
 
*1933 [[Church of Greece]] bans [[Freemasonry]]; opening of the new Patriarchal Palace in Cairo by Patriarch [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios]], built at the expense of [[w:Greeks_in_Egypt#Egyptiot_Greek_benefactors|Egyptiot Greek benefactor]] Theodore Kotsikas; Vatican and Germany sign the [[w:Reichskonkordat|Reich Concordat]], guaranteeing the rights of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany.  
 
*1933 [[Church of Greece]] bans [[Freemasonry]]; opening of the new Patriarchal Palace in Cairo by Patriarch [[Meletius IV (Metaxakis) of Constantinople|Meletios]], built at the expense of [[w:Greeks_in_Egypt#Egyptiot_Greek_benefactors|Egyptiot Greek benefactor]] Theodore Kotsikas; Vatican and Germany sign the [[w:Reichskonkordat|Reich Concordat]], guaranteeing the rights of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany.  
 
*1934 [[Hieromartyr]] [[John (Pommers) of Riga]]; episcopal consecration of [[John Maximovitch]]; Daniel William Alexander travels to Kenya, establishing African Orthodox Church led by Arthur Gathuna; clergy opposing Nazi regime in Germany have homes raided by secret police.
 
*1934 [[Hieromartyr]] [[John (Pommers) of Riga]]; episcopal consecration of [[John Maximovitch]]; Daniel William Alexander travels to Kenya, establishing African Orthodox Church led by Arthur Gathuna; clergy opposing Nazi regime in Germany have homes raided by secret police.
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*1939 [[w:Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]] is divided as Poland gets partitioned between the German Empire and Soviet Union approximately along the Curzon Line, so that Western Galicia goes to the German Empire, and Eastern Galicia is affiliated with Soviet Ukraine.     
 
*1939 [[w:Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]] is divided as Poland gets partitioned between the German Empire and Soviet Union approximately along the Curzon Line, so that Western Galicia goes to the German Empire, and Eastern Galicia is affiliated with Soviet Ukraine.     
 
*1941 Martyrdom of [[Gorazd (Pavlik) of Prague]] by Nazis; [[Nicholas (Ono) of Japan]] is the first Japanese national to be consecrated an Orthodox bishop.
 
*1941 Martyrdom of [[Gorazd (Pavlik) of Prague]] by Nazis; [[Nicholas (Ono) of Japan]] is the first Japanese national to be consecrated an Orthodox bishop.
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*1941-44 [[Pskov Orthodox Mission]] works for the revival of Orthodox Church life in North-Western Russia and the three neighbouring Baltic republics (the 'Liberated Regions of Russia'), during their occupation by Nazi Germany .
 
*1941-45 Croatian [[w:Ustaše|Ustasa]] terrorists kill 500,000 Orthodox Serbs, expel 250,000 and force 250,000 to convert to [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholicism]].   
 
*1941-45 Croatian [[w:Ustaše|Ustasa]] terrorists kill 500,000 Orthodox Serbs, expel 250,000 and force 250,000 to convert to [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholicism]].   
*1943 [[Church of Russia]] recognizes [[autocephaly]] of [[Church of Georgia]]; first constitution of the African Orthodox Church in East Africa signed by Reuben Spartas and Arthur Gathuna; Joseph Stalin meets with hierarchs of Russian Orthodox Church to establish a "patriotic union," granting concessions to the church, including the gathering of the holy synod and the election of [[Sergius I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Sergius I]] as patriarch of Moscow.   
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*1943 [[Church of Russia]] recognizes [[autocephaly]] of [[Church of Georgia]]; first constitution of the African Orthodox Church in East Africa signed by [[Christopher Reuben Spartas|Reuben Spartas]] and Arthur Gathuna; Joseph Stalin meets with hierarchs of Russian Orthodox Church to establish a "patriotic union," granting concessions to the church, including the gathering of the holy synod and the election of [[Sergius I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Sergius I]] as patriarch of Moscow.   
 
*1943-44 Hundreds of Orthodox priests of the [[Church of Ukraine|Ukrainian Orthodox Church]] eliminated, tortured and drowned by Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - [[w:Ukrainian Insurgent Army|Ukrainian Rebel Army]], aided by [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Uniate]] Metr. Josyf Slipyj who was a spiritual leader of Nazi military units that were later condemned by the Nuremberg tribunal, and who was imprisoned by Soviet authorities for aiding the UPA.   
 
*1943-44 Hundreds of Orthodox priests of the [[Church of Ukraine|Ukrainian Orthodox Church]] eliminated, tortured and drowned by Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - [[w:Ukrainian Insurgent Army|Ukrainian Rebel Army]], aided by [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Uniate]] Metr. Josyf Slipyj who was a spiritual leader of Nazi military units that were later condemned by the Nuremberg tribunal, and who was imprisoned by Soviet authorities for aiding the UPA.   
*1944 Fr. [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Evgraph (Kovalevsky)]] completes restoration of [[Liturgy of St. Germaine de Paris]].   
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*1944 Fr. [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Evgraph (Kovalevsky)]] completes restoration of [[Divine Liturgy according to St. Germanus of Paris|Liturgy of St. Germaine de Paris]].   
 
*1945 [[Church of Bulgaria]]'s [[autocephaly]] generally recognized; library of early Christian texts discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt; Soviet Union annexes Czechoslovakia; [[Church of Russia]] claims jurisdiction over the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]].
 
*1945 [[Church of Bulgaria]]'s [[autocephaly]] generally recognized; library of early Christian texts discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt; Soviet Union annexes Czechoslovakia; [[Church of Russia]] claims jurisdiction over the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]].
 
*1945-58 In the post-war era the official organization of the [[Church of Russia]] was greatly expanded (although individual members of the clergy were occasionally arrested and exiled), with the number of open churches reaching ca. 25,000.   
 
*1945-58 In the post-war era the official organization of the [[Church of Russia]] was greatly expanded (although individual members of the clergy were occasionally arrested and exiled), with the number of open churches reaching ca. 25,000.   
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*1946 Reuben Spartas of the African Orthodox Church visits Alexandria; Holy Synod of the [[Church of Alexandria]] officially recognizes and accepts the African Greek Orthodox Church in Kenya and Uganda; state-sponsored synod is held at Lviv, Ukraine in March, which officially dissolves the [[Union of Brest-Litovsk]] and integrates the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church into the Russian Orthodox Church, Soviet authorities arresting resisters or deporting them to Siberia; first post-war ROCOR Council of Bishops is convened in Munich.  
 
*1946 Reuben Spartas of the African Orthodox Church visits Alexandria; Holy Synod of the [[Church of Alexandria]] officially recognizes and accepts the African Greek Orthodox Church in Kenya and Uganda; state-sponsored synod is held at Lviv, Ukraine in March, which officially dissolves the [[Union of Brest-Litovsk]] and integrates the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church into the Russian Orthodox Church, Soviet authorities arresting resisters or deporting them to Siberia; first post-war ROCOR Council of Bishops is convened in Munich.  
 
*1947 [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] discovered near Qumran in Egypt, pre-dating the Masoretic text by about a millenium, many fragments of which agree with the [[Septuagint]] version of the Bible over and against the Masoretic Text, proving that many of the variants in the Greek were also present in ancient Hebrew manuscripts; death of [[Alexis (Kabaliuk) of Carpathia|Alexei Kabalyiuk]], who played a major role in reviving Orthodoxy in [[w:Zakarpattia Oblast|Transcarpathia]] in the early 20th century.   
 
*1947 [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] discovered near Qumran in Egypt, pre-dating the Masoretic text by about a millenium, many fragments of which agree with the [[Septuagint]] version of the Bible over and against the Masoretic Text, proving that many of the variants in the Greek were also present in ancient Hebrew manuscripts; death of [[Alexis (Kabaliuk) of Carpathia|Alexei Kabalyiuk]], who played a major role in reviving Orthodoxy in [[w:Zakarpattia Oblast|Transcarpathia]] in the early 20th century.   
*1948 Establishment of [[w:State of Israel|State of Israel]] and end of [[w:British Mandate of Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]]; [[Church of Russia]] re-grants [[autocephaly]] to the [[Church of Poland]] (after having revoked it in the aftermath of World War II); [[w:World Council of Churches|World Council of Churches]] is founded; [[Council of Moscow (1948)|Council of Moscow]] is held on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the independence of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Church]] from [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], with representatives of the local Orthodox Churches rejecting all participation in the World Council of Churches; after the Soviet Union recognized the state of Israel, Israel returned all Russian church properties on its territory to the [[Moscow Patriarchate]], including the [[w:Russian Compound|Russian Compound]].  
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*1948 Martyrdom of Protopresbyter Dr. [[Gabriel Kostelnik]], a Carpatho-Russian priest who returned to the Orthodox Church soon after the end of World War II, having presided over the Lvov Assembly in March 1946 calling for the return of all Uniates to the Orthodox Faith; establishment of [[w:State of Israel|State of Israel]] and end of [[w:British Mandate of Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]]; [[Church of Russia]] re-grants [[autocephaly]] to the [[Church of Poland]] (after having revoked it in the aftermath of World War II); [[w:World Council of Churches|World Council of Churches]] is founded; [[Council of Moscow (1948)|Council of Moscow]] is held on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the independence of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Church]] from [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], with representatives of the local Orthodox Churches rejecting all participation in the World Council of Churches; after the Soviet Union recognized the state of Israel, Israel returned all Russian church properties on its territory to the [[Moscow Patriarchate]], including the [[w:Russian Compound|Russian Compound]].  
 
*1949 Soviet authorities revoke the [[w:Union of Uzhhorod|Union of Uzhhorod]] of 1646, creating the Orthodox Eparchy of Mukachiv-Uzhhorod, under the Patriarch of Moscow; Communist takeover of China leads to oppression of religious groups.   
 
*1949 Soviet authorities revoke the [[w:Union of Uzhhorod|Union of Uzhhorod]] of 1646, creating the Orthodox Eparchy of Mukachiv-Uzhhorod, under the Patriarch of Moscow; Communist takeover of China leads to oppression of religious groups.   
 
*1950 [[w:Pope Pius XII|Pope Pius XII]] proclaims the [[w:Bodily Assumption|Bodily Assumption]] of the Virgin Mary as a dogma; [[Symeon (Du) of Shanghai|Symeon (Du)]] is consecrated Bishop of Tianjin in July, becoming the first Chinese Orthodox bishop, transferred in September to be Bishop of Shanghai (1950-1965).  
 
*1950 [[w:Pope Pius XII|Pope Pius XII]] proclaims the [[w:Bodily Assumption|Bodily Assumption]] of the Virgin Mary as a dogma; [[Symeon (Du) of Shanghai|Symeon (Du)]] is consecrated Bishop of Tianjin in July, becoming the first Chinese Orthodox bishop, transferred in September to be Bishop of Shanghai (1950-1965).  
 
*1951 [[Church of Russia]] grants [[autocephaly]] to the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]]; 1500th anniversary celebration of the [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarchate of Jerusalem]].   
 
*1951 [[Church of Russia]] grants [[autocephaly]] to the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]]; 1500th anniversary celebration of the [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarchate of Jerusalem]].   
*1952 Death of [[Matrona of Moscow]], who had the gift of spiritual vision and the gift of healing; new Monastery of Panagia Soumela built in the village of Kastania, in Macedonia, Greece, housing the wonderworking icon of [[Panagia Soumela]], becoming a center of religious pilgrimage; Dr. Carl Jung publishes his ''[[w:Answer to Job|Answer to Job]],'' addressing the 'problem of evil'; the [[w:Bible translations (Amharic)|Revised Amharic Bible]] (''H.I.M. Haile Sellassie I Authorized Royal Amharic Bible'') is produced under the [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Statement_on_the_Revised_Amharic_Bible patronage of Emperor Haile Selassie], being presented to him on April 19th, 1952, and first published in 1961.
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*1952 Death of [[Matrona of Moscow|Matrona the Wonderworker of Moscow]]; new Monastery of Panagia Soumela built in the village of Kastania, in Macedonia, Greece, housing the wonderworking icon of [[Panagia Soumela]], becoming a center of religious pilgrimage; Dr. Carl Jung publishes his ''[[w:Answer to Job|Answer to Job]],'' addressing the 'problem of evil'; the [[w:Bible translations (Amharic)|Revised Amharic Bible]] (''H.I.M. Haile Sellassie I Authorized Royal Amharic Bible'') is produced under the [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Statement_on_the_Revised_Amharic_Bible patronage of Emperor Haile Selassie], being presented to him on April 19th, 1952, and first published in 1961.
 
*1952-60 With the onset of the [[w:Mau Mau Uprising|Mau-Mau Movement]] in Kenya (''British East Africa Protectorate'') the [[Orthodox Church]] is banished by the British Colonial Government, suffering severe oppression.
 
*1952-60 With the onset of the [[w:Mau Mau Uprising|Mau-Mau Movement]] in Kenya (''British East Africa Protectorate'') the [[Orthodox Church]] is banished by the British Colonial Government, suffering severe oppression.
 
*1953 Metr. [[Antony (Bashir) of New York|Antony (Bashir)]] accepts three [[Western Rite]] parishes into Syrian Metropolitanate in America.   
 
*1953 Metr. [[Antony (Bashir) of New York|Antony (Bashir)]] accepts three [[Western Rite]] parishes into Syrian Metropolitanate in America.   
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*1964 Meeting of Pope [[Paul VI of Rome]] and Patr. [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople]] in Jerusalem; third Pan-Orthodox Conference in Rhodes; [[Synaxis of the Saints of Rostov]] established by resolution of His Holiness Patriarch [[Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow|Alexis I]] and the Holy Synod of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]]; the [[w:Russian Compound|Russian Compound]] was purchased by the government of Israel from the [[Moscow Patriarchate]] (except for the cathedral and one building), paid for in $3.5 million worth of oranges (The "Orange Deal").
 
*1964 Meeting of Pope [[Paul VI of Rome]] and Patr. [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople]] in Jerusalem; third Pan-Orthodox Conference in Rhodes; [[Synaxis of the Saints of Rostov]] established by resolution of His Holiness Patriarch [[Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow|Alexis I]] and the Holy Synod of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]]; the [[w:Russian Compound|Russian Compound]] was purchased by the government of Israel from the [[Moscow Patriarchate]] (except for the cathedral and one building), paid for in $3.5 million worth of oranges (The "Orange Deal").
 
*1965 Pope Paul VI of Rome and Patriarch [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople]] mutually nullify the [[excommunication]]s of 1054 ; Abp. [[John Maximovitch]] consecrates [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky)]] for Western Orthodox Church of France; the office of ''[[w:Latin Patriarch of Constantinople|Latin Patriarch of Constantinople]]'' is officially abolished.
 
*1965 Pope Paul VI of Rome and Patriarch [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople]] mutually nullify the [[excommunication]]s of 1054 ; Abp. [[John Maximovitch]] consecrates [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis|Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky)]] for Western Orthodox Church of France; the office of ''[[w:Latin Patriarch of Constantinople|Latin Patriarch of Constantinople]]'' is officially abolished.
*1966 The [[w:Cultural Revolution|Cultural Revolution]] almost totally destroyed the young [[Church of China|Chinese Orthodox Church]]; the ''[[w:Index Librorum Prohibitorum|Index Librorum Prohibitorum]]'' ("List of Prohibited Books") is formally abolished on 14 June by Pope Paul VI.
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*1966 [[Translation (relics)|Translation]] of the sacred [[relics]] of the Holy [[Apostle Titus]] of Crete, from Venice (which took them in 1669), back to the Greek Orthodox [[Archdiocese of Crete]]; the [[w:Cultural Revolution|Cultural Revolution]] almost totally destroyed the young [[Church of China|Chinese Orthodox Church]]; the ''[[w:Index Librorum Prohibitorum|Index Librorum Prohibitorum]]'' ("List of Prohibited Books") is formally abolished on 14 June by Pope Paul VI.
 
*1967 [[Macedonian Orthodox Church |Church of Macedonia]] unilaterally declares its [[autocephaly]], making it independent of the [[Church of Serbia]] (as yet unrecognized); Albania is declared an atheist state, closing all religious institutions and forbiding any religious practices.
 
*1967 [[Macedonian Orthodox Church |Church of Macedonia]] unilaterally declares its [[autocephaly]], making it independent of the [[Church of Serbia]] (as yet unrecognized); Albania is declared an atheist state, closing all religious institutions and forbiding any religious practices.
*1968 Visit to [[Patriarchate of Alexandria]] by Vatican representatives, who give Patr. [[Nicholas (Valeropoulos) VI of Alexandria|Nicholas VI]] a part of the relics of [[Apostle Mark|St Mark]] from Venice, on behalf of Pope [[Paul VI of Rome|Paul VI]]; fourth Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland.   
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*1968 Visit to [[Patriarchate of Alexandria]] by Vatican representatives, who give Patr. [[Nicholas VI of Alexandria|Nicholas VI]] a part of the relics of [[Apostle Mark|St Mark]] from Venice, on behalf of Pope [[Paul VI of Rome|Paul VI]]; fourth Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland.   
 
*1968-71 Millions of Christians, Muslims, Jews and others witness apparitions of the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]] many times over a three year period over the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mary at [[Zeitun]], Cairo, recognized as authentic by the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox Church]] and other churches.
 
*1968-71 Millions of Christians, Muslims, Jews and others witness apparitions of the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]] many times over a three year period over the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mary at [[Zeitun]], Cairo, recognized as authentic by the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox Church]] and other churches.
 
*1969 Metr. [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York]] ([[ROCOR]]) issues the first of a series of "Sorrowful Epistles" (1969,1971,1975) to the primates of the local Orthodox Churches, condemning forays into [[ecumenism]].   
 
*1969 Metr. [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York]] ([[ROCOR]]) issues the first of a series of "Sorrowful Epistles" (1969,1971,1975) to the primates of the local Orthodox Churches, condemning forays into [[ecumenism]].   
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*1982 Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission publishes in Munich first official common document, "The Mystery of the Church and of the Eucharist in Light of the Mystery of the Holy Trinity"; second Pre-Synodal Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland; formal founding of [[Makarios III (Mouskos) of Cyprus|Makarios III]] Patriarchal Seminary in Nairobi, [[Archdiocese of Kenya|Kenya]].   
 
*1982 Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission publishes in Munich first official common document, "The Mystery of the Church and of the Eucharist in Light of the Mystery of the Holy Trinity"; second Pre-Synodal Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland; formal founding of [[Makarios III (Mouskos) of Cyprus|Makarios III]] Patriarchal Seminary in Nairobi, [[Archdiocese of Kenya|Kenya]].   
 
*1984 Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission, 3rd plenary, meets in Khania, Crete; the second phase of the Anglican-Orthodox dialogue was concluded with the publication of ''The Dublin Agreed Statement; '' [[New Martyrs|neomartyr]] Bp. [[Paul (de Ballester-Convallier) of Nazianzus]].
 
*1984 Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission, 3rd plenary, meets in Khania, Crete; the second phase of the Anglican-Orthodox dialogue was concluded with the publication of ''The Dublin Agreed Statement; '' [[New Martyrs|neomartyr]] Bp. [[Paul (de Ballester-Convallier) of Nazianzus]].
*1985 Founding of [[Orthodox Christian Mission Center]] (OCMC) as Greek Archdiocesan Mission Center; Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission issues statement "Divine Revelation.
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*1985 Founding of [[Orthodox Christian Mission Center]] (OCMC) as Greek Archdiocesan Mission Center; Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission issues statement "Divine Revelation"; [[Martyr|martyrdom]] of Father [[John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz]], California.
 
*1986 Third Pre-Synodal Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland.   
 
*1986 Third Pre-Synodal Pan-Orthodox Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland.   
*1987 Visit by Ecumenical Patr. [[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople]] to Vatican; Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission issues common document "Faith, Sacraments and the Unity of the Church"; group of twenty parishes of the [[Evangelical Orthodox Church]], originally formed by former Campus Crusade for Christ leaders [[Peter Gillquist]] and [[Jon Braun]], are received into [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Archdiocese]] in US, becoming the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission; Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission issues the statement "Scripture and Tradition;" [[Optina Monastery]] was officially re-established; on [[August 19]] Patr. [[Pimen I (Izvekov) of Moscow|Pimen]] of Moscow and All Russia, and Ec. Patr. [[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople|Demetrios I]] of Constantinople co-celebrated the [[Divine Liturgy]] on the Feast of the [[Transfiguration]] at the [[w:Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius|Holy Trinity St.  Sergius Monastery]] for the first time in 398 years (since January 1589).
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*1987 Visit by Ecumenical Patr. [[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople]] to Vatican; Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission issues common document "Faith, Sacraments and the Unity of the Church"; group of twenty parishes of the [[Evangelical Orthodox Church]], originally formed by former Campus Crusade for Christ leaders [[Peter Gillquist]] and [[Jon Braun]], are received into [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Archdiocese]] in US, becoming the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission; Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission issues the statement "Scripture and Tradition;" [[Optina Monastery]] was officially re-established; on [[August 19]] Patr. [[Pimen I (Izvekov) of Moscow|Pimen]] of Moscow and All Russia, and Ec. Patr. [[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople|Demetrios I]] of Constantinople co-celebrated the [[Divine Liturgy]] on the Feast of the [[Transfiguration]] at the [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra|Holy Trinity St.  Sergius Monastery]] for the first time in 398 years (since January 1589); death of noted Russian iconographer [[Leonid Alexandrovich Ouspensky]].
 
*1988 1000th anniversary of Orthodoxy in Russia; Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission publishes common document "The Sacrament of Order in the Sacramental Structure of the Church"; Indonesian Muslim convert to Orthodoxy Fr. [[Daniel (Bambang Dwi) Byantoro|Daniel Byantoro]] begins his mission in Indonesia, sparking the rebirth of Orthodoxy there; [[Mount Athos]] is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
 
*1988 1000th anniversary of Orthodoxy in Russia; Orthodox-Roman Catholic Joint Commission publishes common document "The Sacrament of Order in the Sacramental Structure of the Church"; Indonesian Muslim convert to Orthodoxy Fr. [[Daniel (Bambang Dwi) Byantoro|Daniel Byantoro]] begins his mission in Indonesia, sparking the rebirth of Orthodoxy there; [[Mount Athos]] is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
 
*1989 [[Church of Constantinople]] recognizes [[autocephaly]] of the [[Church of Georgia]]; [[Ephraim of Philotheou|Elder Ephraim]] begins founding [[Mount Athos|Athonite]]-style monasteries in North America; Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission issues statement "The Canon and the Inspiration of the Holy Scripture"; glorification in Russia of [[Tikhon of Moscow]]; Uniate Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church legalized, with Greek Catholics beginning seizure of property from Russian Orthodox Church, which they claimed as theirs prior to the synod of 1946; the third phase of the Anglican-Orthodox dialogue began, when the commission was re-constituted as The International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD), under the chairmanship of Metr. [[John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon|John of Pergamon]] and Bp. Henry Hill (succeeded in 1990 by Bp. Mark Dyer); Orthodox-Oriental Orthodox Joint Commission adopts the first Agreed Statement on Christology, at a historic meeting at the Anba Bishoy Monastery, Egypt from June 20-24, 1989.
 
*1989 [[Church of Constantinople]] recognizes [[autocephaly]] of the [[Church of Georgia]]; [[Ephraim of Philotheou|Elder Ephraim]] begins founding [[Mount Athos|Athonite]]-style monasteries in North America; Lutheran-Orthodox Joint Commission issues statement "The Canon and the Inspiration of the Holy Scripture"; glorification in Russia of [[Tikhon of Moscow]]; Uniate Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church legalized, with Greek Catholics beginning seizure of property from Russian Orthodox Church, which they claimed as theirs prior to the synod of 1946; the third phase of the Anglican-Orthodox dialogue began, when the commission was re-constituted as The International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue (ICAOTD), under the chairmanship of Metr. [[John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon|John of Pergamon]] and Bp. Henry Hill (succeeded in 1990 by Bp. Mark Dyer); Orthodox-Oriental Orthodox Joint Commission adopts the first Agreed Statement on Christology, at a historic meeting at the Anba Bishoy Monastery, Egypt from June 20-24, 1989.

Revision as of 20:23, October 24, 2012

Timeline of Church History
Eras Timeline of Church History (Abridged article)
Eras New Testament Era | Apostolic Era (33-100) | Ante-Nicene Era (100-325) | Nicene Era (325-451) | Byzantine Era (451-843) | Late Byzantine Era (843-1054) | Post-Roman Schism (1054-1453) | Post-Imperial Era (1453-1821) | Modern Era (1821-1917) | Communist Era (1917-1991) | Post-Communist Era (1991-Present) |
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This article forms part of the series
Introduction to
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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.

Communist era (1917-1991)

Notes

  • Some of these dates are necessarily a bit vague, as records for some periods are particularly difficult to piece together accurately.
  • The division of Church History into separate eras as done here will always be to some extent arbitrary, though it was attempted to group periods according to major watershed events.
  • This timeline is necessarily biased toward the history of the Orthodox Church, though a number of non-Orthodox or purely political events are mentioned for their importance in history related to Orthodoxy or for reference.

See also

Published works

The following are published writings that provide an overview of Church history:

From an Orthodox perspective

  • Schmemann, Alexander. The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy.
  • Ware, Timothy. The Orthodox Church: New Edition. (ISBN 0140146563)
  • Nikolas K. Gvosdev. Emperors and Elections: Reconciling the Orthodox Tradition with Modern Politics. Huntington, NY: Troitsa Books, 2000.
  • Theodore Papadopoullos. Orthodox Church and Civil Authority. Journal of Contemporary History. Vol. 2, No. 4, Church and Politics (Oct., 1967), pp.201-209.

From a Heterodox perspective

  • Cairns, Earle E. Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church. (ISBN 0310208122)
  • Collins, Michael, ed.; Price, Matthew Arlen. Story of Christianity: A Celebration of 2000 Years of Faith. (ISBN 0789446057)
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought, Volume 3: From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century. (ISBN 0687171849)
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume 2: Reformation to the Present Day. (ISBN 0060633166)
  • Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. (ISBN 0802848753)
  • Jones, Timothy P. Christian History Made Easy. (ISBN 1890947105)
  • Noll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. (ISBN 080106211X)
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 5: Christian Doctrine and Modern Culture (since 1700). (ISBN 0226653803)
  • Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church. (ISBN 156563196X)
  • Walton, Robert C. Chronological and Background Charts of Church History. (ISBN 0310362814)

External links