Difference between revisions of "Timeline of Church History"

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m (Ante-Nicene era (100-325): 110;120;)
(Ante-Nicene era (100-325): 166;210;220;225;227;235;238;244;260;262;263;265;270;284;300)
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*155 Martyrdom of [[Polycarp of Smyrna]].   
 
*155 Martyrdom of [[Polycarp of Smyrna]].   
 
*156 Beginning of [[Montanism]].   
 
*156 Beginning of [[Montanism]].   
*165 Martyrdom of [[Justin Martyr|Justin]].  
+
*165 Martyrdom of [[Justin Martyr|Justin]].
 +
*166 Pope Soter inaugurates in Rome a separate annual feast for [[Pascha]], in addition to the weekly [[Lord's Day|Sunday]] celebrations of the [[Resurrection]], which is also held on a Sunday, in contrast to the [[Quartodeciman|Quartodecimans]].
 
*ca. 170 Emergence of [[w:Muratorian fragment|Muratorian Canon]].  
 
*ca. 170 Emergence of [[w:Muratorian fragment|Muratorian Canon]].  
 
*ca. 175 Tatian’s [[w:Diatessaron|Diatessaron]] harmonizes the four canonical gospels into single narrative.
 
*ca. 175 Tatian’s [[w:Diatessaron|Diatessaron]] harmonizes the four canonical gospels into single narrative.
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*208 [[Tertullian]] writes that Christ has followers on the far side of the Roman wall in Britain where Roman legions have not yet penetrated.   
 
*208 [[Tertullian]] writes that Christ has followers on the far side of the Roman wall in Britain where Roman legions have not yet penetrated.   
 
*ca. 209 Martyrdom of [[Alban]] in Britain.   
 
*ca. 209 Martyrdom of [[Alban]] in Britain.   
 +
*210 [[Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus]], bishop and martyr and last of Greek-speaking fathers in Rome, writes ''[[w:Refutation of all Heresies|Refutation of All Heresies]]'' (''Philosophumena''), and ''Apostolic Tradition'', the latter containing the earliest known description of the rite of ordination; also writes against Sabellianism, a type of [[Monarchianism]].
 
*215 Conversion of [[Tertullian]] to [[Montanism]].   
 
*215 Conversion of [[Tertullian]] to [[Montanism]].   
*225 Death of [[Tertullian]].  
+
*220 [[w:Sextus Julius Africanus|Sextus Julius Africanus]] writes the ''Chronographiai'', a history of the world up to year 217.
 +
*225 Death of [[Tertullian]].
 +
*ca.225-250 ''[[w:Didascalia Apostolorum|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''.
 
*232 Heraclas becomes Pope of Alexandria.  
 
*232 Heraclas becomes Pope of Alexandria.  
*235-238 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Maximinus_the_Thracian|Persecution under Emperor Maximinus Thrax]].
+
*235-238 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Maximinus_the_Thracian|Persecution under Emperor Maximinus Thrax]]; 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.
 
*240 Church at [[Dura-Europos]] built (earliest identified Christian church).
 
*240 Church at [[Dura-Europos]] built (earliest identified Christian church).
 
*ca.240 [[Origen|Origen's]] [[Hexapla]] of the [[Old Testament]], largest critical production of antiquity.
 
*ca.240 [[Origen|Origen's]] [[Hexapla]] of the [[Old Testament]], largest critical production of antiquity.
*244 [[w:Plotinus|Plotinus]] founds [[w:Neoplatonism|Neoplatonist]] school in Rome.
+
*244 [[w:Plotinus|Plotinus]] founds [[w:Neoplatonism|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.
 
*246 [[Paul of Thebes]] retreats to the Egyptian desert and becomes first Christian hermit.
 
*246-247 Two [[w:Councils of Arabia|Councils of Arabia]].   
 
*246-247 Two [[w:Councils of Arabia|Councils of Arabia]].   
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*255-256 Three Councils of Carthage.  
 
*255-256 Three Councils of Carthage.  
 
*258 Bp. [[w:Cyprian|Cyprian of Carthage]] martyred.
 
*258 Bp. [[w:Cyprian|Cyprian of Carthage]] martyred.
*260 [[Paul of Samosata]] begins his heretical preaching against the divinity of Christ.   
+
*260 [[Paul of Samosata]] begins his heretical preaching against the divinity of Christ; Synod in Rome condemns Sabellianism and Subordinationism.   
 +
*262 [[w:Porphyry of Tyre|Porphyry of Tyre]] becomes disciple of Neoplatonist Plotinus in Rome.
 +
*263 [[w:Porphyry of Tyre|Porphyry of Tyre]] writes ''Philosophy From Oracles'', an anti-Christian book.
 
*264 Excommunication of [[Paul of Samosata]].  
 
*264 Excommunication of [[Paul of Samosata]].  
 +
*265 The word "[[Homoousios]]", "of the same substance", to define relationship between [[God the Father|Father]] and Son, used for first time by Modalist Monarchians of Cyrene, playing an important part in defining Orthodoxy at [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicene Council]] in 325.
 
*274-275 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Aurelian|Persecution under Emperor Aurelian]].   
 
*274-275 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Aurelian|Persecution under Emperor Aurelian]].   
*270 Death of [[Gregory the Wonderworker|Gregory Thaumaturgus]].  
+
*270 Death of [[Gregory the Wonderworker|Gregory Thaumaturgus]]; [[w:Porphyry of Tyre|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 [[w:Al-Mada'in|Seleucia-Ctesiphon]].  
 
*272 Martyrdom of Sabbas Stratelates ("the General") of Rome and 70 soldiers.   
 
*272 Martyrdom of Sabbas Stratelates ("the General") of Rome and 70 soldiers.   
*284 [[Diocletian]] becomes Roman emperor, persecutes Church and martyrs an estimated one million Christians; martyrdom of [[Cosmas and Damian (Rome)|Cosmas and Damian]], Andrew Stratelates ("the General") and 2,593 soldiers with him in Cilicia.  
+
*284 [[Diocletian]] becomes Roman emperor, persecutes Church and martyrs an estimated one million Christians; martyrdom of [[Cosmas and Damian (Rome)|Cosmas and Damian]], Andrew Stratelates ("the General") and 2,593 soldiers with him in Cilicia; later on, the Coptic Church counted its years from this date, the ''Era of the Martyrs''.  
 
*285 [[Anthony the Great]] flees to the desert to pursue a life of prayer.   
 
*285 [[Anthony the Great]] flees to the desert to pursue a life of prayer.   
 
*286 Martrydom of [[Maurice]] and the [[w:Theban Legion|Theban Legion]].
 
*286 Martrydom of [[Maurice]] and the [[w:Theban Legion|Theban Legion]].
 +
*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).
 
*ca.300 [[w:Synod of Elvira|Synod of Elvira]] in Spain.
 
*ca.300 [[w:Synod of Elvira|Synod of Elvira]] in Spain.
 
*301 [[Gregory the Illuminator]] converts King Tiridates I of Armenia to the Christian faith.   
 
*301 [[Gregory the Illuminator]] converts King Tiridates I of Armenia to the Christian faith.   

Revision as of 02:51, November 18, 2008

This article forms part of the series
Introduction to
Orthodox Christianity
Holy Tradition
Holy Scripture
The Symbol of Faith
Ecumenical Councils
Church Fathers
Liturgy
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The Holy Trinity
God the Father
Jesus Christ
The Holy Spirit
The Church
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History
Holy Mysteries
Church Life
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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

Apostolic era (33-100)

Ante-Nicene era (100-325)

Nicene era (325-451)

Byzantine era (451-843)

Late Byzantine era (843-1453)

Post-Imperial era (1453-1821)

Modern era (1821-1917)

Communist era (1917-1991)

Post-Communist era (1991-Present)

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

From a Heterodox perspective

  • Boer, Harry R. A Short History of the Early Church. (ISBN 0802813399)
  • Cairns, Earle E. Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church. (ISBN 0310208122)
  • Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. (ISBN 0140231994)
  • Collins, Michael, ed.; Price, Matthew Arlen. Story of Christianity: A Celebration of 2000 Years of Faith. (ISBN 0789446057)
  • Eusebius Pamphilus; Cruse, C.F. (translator). Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History. (ISBN 1565633717)
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought, Volume 1: From the Beginnings to the Council of Chalcedon. (ISBN 0687171822)
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. A History of Christian Thought, Volume 2: From Augustine to the Eve of the Reformation. (ISBN 0687171830)
  • 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 1: The Early Church to the Reformation. (ISBN 0060633158)
  • Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume 2: Reformation to the Present Day. (ISBN 0060633166)
  • Hall, Stuart G. Doctrine and Practice in the Early Church. (ISBN 0802806295)
  • Hastings, Adrian, ed. A World History of Christianity. (ISBN 0802848753)
  • Hussey, J. M. The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine Empire: Oxford History of the Christian Church. (ISBN 0198264569)
  • 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 1: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100-600). (ISBN 0226653714)
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 2: The Spirit of Eastern Christendom (600-1700). (ISBN 0226653730)
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 3: The Growth of Medieval Theology (600-1300). (ISBN 0226653749)
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 4: Reformation of Church and Dogma (1300-1700). (ISBN 0226653773)
  • 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)
  • Wace, Henry; Piercy, William C., ed. A Dictionary of Christian Biography: Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D. With an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies. (ISBN 1565630572)
  • Walton, Robert C. Chronological and Background Charts of Church History. (ISBN 0310362814)

External links