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The purpose of this chronology is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era to the present. Question marks on dates indicate approximate dates. For “Old Testament” chronology, see History of ancient Israel and Judah.

Contents [hide]

1 Era of Jesus

2 Era of the Apostles

3 Early Christianity

4 Era of the Seven Ecumenical Councils

5 Middle Ages

6 Renaissance

7 Reformation

8 17th century

9 18th century

10 19th century

11 20th century

12 21st century

13 Sources

14 See also

15 Footnotes

16 External links

[edit] Era of Jesus

See also: Cultural and historical background of Jesus

The year one is the first year in the Christian calendar (there is no year zero), which is the calendar presently used (in unison with the Gregorian calendar) almost everywhere in the world, because of the current dominance of the Western world. Traditionally, this was held to be the year Jesus was born, however most modern scholars argue for an earlier date and later dates, the most agreed upon being between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C.

6 Herod Archelaus deposed by Augustus; Samaria, Judea and Idumea annexed as Iudaea Province under direct Roman administration, capital at Caesarea, Quirinius became Legate (Governor) of Syria, conducted Census of Quirinius, opposed by Zealots (JA18, Luke 2:1-3, Acts 5:37)

7-26 Brief period of peace, relatively free of revolt and bloodshed in Iudaea & Galilee (John P. Meier’s A Marginal Jew, v. 1, ch. 11)

9 Pharisee leader Hillel the Elder dies, temporary rise of Shammai

14-37 Tiberius, Roman Emperor

18-36 Caiaphas, appointed High Priest of Herod’s Temple by Prefect Valerius Gratus, deposed by Syrian Legate Lucius Vitellius

19 Jews, Jewish Proselytes, Astrologers, expelled from Rome (Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Tiberius 36,Loeb Classics)

26-36 Pontius Pilate, Prefect (governor) of Iudaea, recalled to Rome by Syrian Legate Vitellius on complaints of excess violence (JA18.4.2)

28 or 29 John the Baptist began his ministry in the “15th year of Tiberius” (Luke 3:1-2), saying: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt 3:1-2), a relative of Jesus (Luke 1:36), a Nazirite (Luke 1:15), baptized Jesus (Mark 1:4-11), later arrested and beheaded by Herod Antipas (Luke 3:19-20), it’s possible that, according to Josephus’ chronology, John was not killed until 36 (JA18.5.2)[1]

Jesus began his ministry after his baptism by John and during the rule of Pilate, preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt 4:12-17). While the historicity of the gospel accounts is questioned to some extent by most critical scholars and non-Christians, the traditional view states the following chronology for his ministry: Temptation, Sermon on the Mount, Appointment of the Twelve, Miracles, Temple Money Changers, Last Supper, Arrest, Trial, Passion, Crucifixion on Good Friday (Mark 15:42,John 19:42), Nisan 14th (John 19:14,Mark 14:2,Gospel of Peter) or Nisan 15th (Synoptic Gospels), (7Apr30, 3Apr33, 30Mar36, possible Fri-14-Nisan dates, -Meier), entombment by Pharisees Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus of the Sanhedrin, Resurrection by God on Easter Sunday, appearances to Paul of Tarsus (1Cor 15:3-9), Simon Peter (Luke 24:34), Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9,John 20:10-18), and others, Great Commission, Ascension, Second Coming Prophecy to fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecy such as the Resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment, and establishment of the Kingdom of God and the Messianic Age. See also Chronology of Jesus.

[edit] Era of the Apostles

See also: Acts of the Apostles and Paul of Tarsus

Shortly after the Death of Jesus (Nisan 14 or 15), the Jerusalem church was founded as the first Christian church with about 120 Jews and Jewish Proselytes (Acts 1:15), followed by Pentecost (Sivan 6), the Ananias and Sapphira incident, Pharisee Gamaliel’s defense of the Apostles (5:34-39), the stoning of Saint Stephen (see also Persecution of Christians) and the subsequent dispersal of the church (7:54-8:8) which led to the baptism of Simon Magus in Samaria (8:9-24), and also an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40). Paul’s “Road to Damascus” conversion to “Apostle to the Gentiles” is first recorded in (9:13-16, cf. Gal 1:11-24). Peter baptized the Roman Centurion Cornelius, who is traditionally considered the first Gentile convert to Christianity (10). The Antioch church was founded, it was there that the term Christian was first used (11:26). Saint James the Great was executed by Herod Agrippa I (ruled 39-44) during a Passover (Nisan 15) (12:1-3).

44 Death of Herod Agrippa I (JA19.8.2, Acts 12:20-23)

44-46? Theudas beheaded by Procurator Cuspius Fadus for saying he would part the Jordan river (like Moses and the Red Sea) (JA20.5.1, Acts 5:36-37 places it before the Census of Quirinius)

45-49? Paul’s 1st mission, (Acts 13:1-14:28), with Barnabas, to Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (there they were called “gods … in human form”), then return to Syrian Antioch

47? The Church of the East is created by Saint Thomas

48-100 Herod Agrippa II appointed King of the Jews by Claudius, seventh and last of the Herodians

49 “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus,[2] he expelled them from Rome.” (Suetonius,Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Claudius XXV.4,Loeb Classics) (referenced in Acts 18:2)

50 Passover riot in Jerusalem, 20-30,000 killed (JA20.5.3,JW2.12.1)

50? Council of Jerusalem and the “Apostolic Decree”, Acts 15:1-35, same as Galatians 2:1-10?, which is followed by the “Incident at Antioch”[3] at which Paul publicly accused Peter of “Judaizing” (2:11-21)

50-53? Paul’s 2nd mission, (Acts 15:36-18:22), split with Barnabas, to Phrygia, Galatia, Macedonia, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, “he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken”, then return to Antioch; 1 Thessalonians, Galatians written?

52? Saint Thomas Christians of India

53-57? Paul’s 3rd mission, (Acts 18:23-22:30), to Galatia, Phrygia, Corinth, Ephesus, Macedonia, Greece, and Jerusalem where James the Just challenged him about rumor of teaching antinomianism (21:21), he addressed a crowd in their language (most likely Aramaic), Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Philippians written?

55? “Egyptian Prophet” (allusion to Moses) and 30,000 unarmed Jews doing The Exodus reenactment massacred by Procurator Antonius Felix (JW2.13.5, JA20.8.6, Acts 21:38)

58? Paul arrested, accused of being a revolutionary, “ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes”, teaching resurrection of the dead, imprisoned in Caesarea (Acts 23-26)

59? Paul shipwrecked on Malta, there he was called a god (Acts 28:6)

60? Paul in Rome: greeted by many “brothers” (NRSV: “believers”), three days later called together the Jewish leaders, who hadn’t received any word from Judea about him, but were curious about “this sect”, which everywhere is spoken against; he tried to convince them from the “Law and Prophets”, with partial success, said the Gentiles would listen and spent two years proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching the “Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:15-31); Epistle to Philemon written?

62 James the Just stoned to death for law transgression by High Priest Ananus ben Artanus, popular opinion against act results in Ananus being deposed by new procurator Clodius Albinus (JA20.9.1)

63-107? Simeon, 2nd Bishop of Jerusalem, crucified under Trajan

63? Glastonbury Abbey founded according to tradition, but date disputed

64-68 after July 18 Great Fire of Rome, Nero blamed and persecuted the Christians, earliest mention of Christians, by that name, in Rome, see also Tacitus on Jesus, Paul beheaded? (Col 1:24,Eph 3:13,2 Tim 4:6-8,1Clem5:5-7), Peter crucified upside down? (Jn 21:18,1 Pet 5:13,Tertullian’s Prescription Against Heretics chapter XXXVI,Eusebius’ Church History Book III chapter I), “…a vast multitude, were convicted, not so much of the crime of incendiarism as of hatred of the human race. And in their deaths they were made the subjects of sport; for they were wrapped in the hides of wild beasts and torn to pieces by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set on fire, and when day declined, were burned to serve for nocturnal lights.” (Annals (Tacitus) XV.44)

[edit] Early Christianity

See also: Early Christianity

65? Q document, a hypothetical Greek text thought by many critical scholars to have been used in writing of Matthew and Luke

66-73 Great Jewish Revolt: destruction of Herod’s Temple, Qumran community destroyed, site of Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947

68-107? Ignatius, third Bishop of Antioch, fed to the lions in the Roman Colosseum, advocated the Bishop (Eph 6:1, Mag 2:1,6:1,7:1,13:2, Tr 3:1, Smy 8:1,9:1), rejected Jewish Sabbath on Saturday in favor of The Lord’s Day (Sunday). (Mag 9.1), rejected Judaizing (Mag 10.3), first use of term Christianity (Mag 10).

70(+/-10)? Gospel of Mark, written in Rome, by Peter’s interpreter (1 Peter 5:13), original ending apparently lost, endings added c.400, see Mark 16

70? Signs Gospel written, hypothetical Greek text used in Gospel of John to prove Jesus is the Messiah

70-100? additional Pauline Epistles

70-200? Didache; Other Gospels: Unknown Berlin Gospel, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Thomas, Oxyrhynchus Gospels, Egerton Gospel, Fayyum Fragment, Dialogue of the Saviour; Jewish Christian Gospels: Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazarenes

80(+/-20)? Gospel of Matthew, based on Mark and Q, most popular in Early Christianity

80(+/-20)? Gospel of Luke, based on Mark and Q, also Acts of the Apostles by same author

88-101? Clement, fourth Bishop of Rome, wrote Letter of the Romans to the Corinthians (Apostolic Fathers)

90? Council of Jamnia of Judaism (disputed)

90(+/-10)? 1 Peter

94 Testimonium Flavianum, disputed section of Jewish Antiquities by Josephus in Aramaic, translated to Koine Greek

95(+/-30)? Gospel of John and Epistles of John

95(+/-10)? Book of Revelation written, by John (son of Zebedee) and/or a disciple of his

100(+/-30)? Epistle of Barnabas (Apostolic Fathers)

100(+/-25)? Epistle of James

100(+/-10)? Epistle of Jude written, probably by doubting relative of Jesus (Mark 6,3), rejected by some early Christians due to its reference to apocryphal Book of Enoch (v14), Epistle to the Hebrews written

100-150? Apocryphon of James, Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Secret Gospel of Mark (Complete Gospels, published by Jesus Seminar)

110-130? Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, wrote: “Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord”, lost, widely quoted (Apostolic Fathers)

110-160? Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, Letter to the Philippians, (Apostolic Fathers)

125(+/-5)? 2 Peter written, not accepted into canon until early 400s, drew upon Epistle of Jude, “catholic” epistle, Pastoral Epistles written

125? Rylands Library Papyrus P52, oldest extant NT fragment, p.1935, parts of Jn18:31-33,37-38

130-250? “Christian Apologists” writings against Roman religion: Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Apology of Aristides, Theophilus of Antioch, Tatian, Quadratus, Melito of Sardis, Apollinaris Claudius, Felix Marcus Minucius, Arnobius, Epistle to Diognetus

132-135 Bar Kokhba’s revolt: final Jewish revolt, Judea and Jerusalem erased from maps, region renamed Syria Pal?stina (the term Palestine was originally coined by Herodotus), Jerusalem renamed Aelia Capitolina

142-144? Marcion of Sinope, bishop according to Catholic Encyclopedia, went to Rome, possibly to buy the bishopric of Rome, upon rejection formed his own church in Rome, later called Marcionism, rejected Old Testament, decreed canon of one Gospel, one Apostolicon (10 Letters of Paul) and one Antithesis[1] which contrasted the Old Testament with the New Testament, cited Western text-type, see also Expounding of the Law#Antithesis of the Law

150? “Western Revisor” adds/subtracts from original Acts to produce Western version which is 10% larger and found in Papyrus P29,38,48 and Codex Bezae (D)

150? Valentinius, most famous Christian Gnostic, according to Tertullian narrowly lost election for Bishop of Rome

150(+/-10)? Shepherd of Hermas, written in Rome (Apostolic Fathers)

155? Montanus, claimed to be the Paraclete (“Counselor”) of John 14:16

160? Martyrdom of Polycarp (Apostolic Fathers)

170? Dionysius[2], bishop of Corinth, claimed Christians were changing and faking his own letters just as [he knew] they had changed the Gospels (Eusebius’ EH 4 c.23 v.12;Ante-Nicene Fathers,v.8)

170? Tatian produces “Diatessaron” (Harmony) by blending 4 “Western” text-type Gospels into 1

170? Symmachus the Ebionite, new Greek translation of Hebrew Bible

180? Hegesippus

180-202? Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, combated heresies, cited “Western” Gospel text-type (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

185-350? Muratorian fragment, 1st extant canon for New Testament after Marcion?, written in Rome by Hippolytus?, excludes Hebrews, James, 1-2 Peter, 3 John; includes Wisdom of Solomon, Apocalypse of Peter

186? Saint Apollonius, used the term catholic in reference to 1 John

188-231 Saint Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, condemned Origen

189-198 Pope Victor I, 1st Latin Pope, excommunicated Eastern churches that continued to observe Easter on Nisan 14 Quartodeciman

196? Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

199-217? Caius [3] [4], presbyter of Rome, wrote “Dialogue against Proclus” in Ante-Nicene Fathers, rejected Revelation, said to be by Gnostic Cerinthus

200? Papyrus 46: 2nd Chester Beatty, Alexandrian text-type; Papyrus 66: 2nd Bodmer, John, 1956, “Alexandrian/Western” text-types; Papyrus 75: Bodmer 14-15, Luke & John, earliest extant Luke, ~Vaticanus; 200? Papyrus 32: J. Rylands Library: Titus 1:11-15;2:3-8; Papyrus 64 (+67): Mt3:9,15; 5:20-22,25-28; 26:7-8,10,14-15,22-23,31-33

200? Sextus Julius Africanus

200? Antipope Natalius[5], rival bishop of Rome, according to Eusebius’s EH5.28.8-12, quoting the Little Labyrinth of Hippolytus, after being “scourged all night by the holy angels”, covered in ash, dressed in sackcloth, and “after some difficulty”, tearfully submitted to Pope Zephyrinus

217-236 Antipope Hippolytus, Logos sect?

218-258 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, cited “Western” NT text-type, claimed Christians were freely forging his letters to discredit him (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

220? Clement of Alexandria, cited “Alexandrian” NT text-type & Secret Gospel of Mark & Gospel of the Egyptians; wrote: “Exhortations to the Greeks”; “Rich Man’s Salutation”; “To the Newly Baptized”; (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

220?-340? Codex Tchacos, manuscript containing a copy of the Gospel of Judas has been written.

223? Tertullian, sometimes called “father of the Latin Church” because he coined trinitas, tres Personae, una Substantia, Vetus Testamentum, Novum Testamentum, convert to Montanism, cited “Western” Gospel text-type (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

225? Papyrus 45: 1st Chester Beatty, Gospels (Caesarean text-type), Acts (Alexandrian text-type)

235-238 Maximinus Thrax, emperor of Rome, ends Christian schism in Rome by deporting Pope Pontian and Antipope Hippolytus to Sardinia where they soon die

248-264 Dionysius, Patriarch of Alexandria see also List of Patriarchs of Alexandria

250? Apostolic Constitutions, Liturgy of St James, Old Roman Symbol, Clementine literature

250? Letters of Methodius, Pistis Sophia, Porphyry Tyrius, Commodianus (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

250? Papyrus 72: Bodmer 5-11+, pub. 1959, “Alexandrian” text-type: Nativity of Mary; 3Cor; Odes of Solomon 11; Jude 1-25; Melito’s Homily on Passover; Hymn fragment; Apology of Phileas; Ps33,34; 1Pt1:1-5:14; 2Pt1:1-3:18

250? Origen, Jesus and God one substance, adopted at First Council of Nicaea in 325, compiled Hexapla; cites Alexandrian, Caesarean text-type; Eusebius claimed Origen castrated himself for Christ due to Mt19:12 (EH6.8.1-3)

251-424? Synods of Carthage

251-258 Antipope Novatian, decreed no forgiveness for sins after baptism

254-257 Pope Stephen I; major schism over rebaptizing heretics and apostates

258 “Valerian’s Massacre”: Roman emperor issued edict to execute immediately all Christian Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, including Pope Sixtus II, Antipope Novatian, Cyprian of Carthage (CE: Valerian, Schaff’s History Vol 2 Chap 2 22)

264-269 Synods of Antioch, condemned Paul of Samosata, Bishop of Antioch, founder of Adoptionism (Jesus was human until Holy Spirit descended at his baptism), also condemned term homoousios adopted at Nicaea

265 Gregory Thaumaturgus (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

270? Anthony begins monastic movement

275? Papyrus 47: 3rd Chester Beatty, ~Sinaiticus, Rev9:10-11:3,5-16:15,17-17:2

276 Mani (prophet), crucified, founder of the dualistic Manichaean sect in Persia

282-300? Theonas, bishop of Alexandria (Ante-Nicene Fathers)

290-345? St Pachomius, founder of Christian monasticism

296-304 Pope Marcellinus, offered pagan sacrifices for Diocletian

301 Armenia, first to adopt Christianity as state religion

303-312 Diocletian’s Massacre of Christians

303 Saint George, patron saint of England, and other states

304? Victorinus, bishop of Pettau

306 Synod of Elvira, prohibited relations between Christians and Jews

310 Maxentius deports Pope Eusebius and Heraclius [6] [7] to Sicily (relapse controversy)

312 Lucian of Antioch, founded School of Antioch, martyred

312 Vision of Constantine: while gazing into the sun he saw a cross with the words by this sign conquer, see also Labarum, he was later called the 13th Apostle and Equal-to-apostles

313 Edict of Milan, Constantine and Licinius end persecution, establish toleration of Christianity

313? Lateran Palace given to Pope Miltiades for residence by Constantine

314 Council of Arles [8], called by Constantine against Donatist schism

314-340? Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, church historian, cited Caesarean text-type, wrote Ecclesiastical History in 325 [9]

317? Lactantius

321 Constantine decreed Sunday as state “day of rest” (CJ3.12.2), see also Sol Invictus

[edit] Era of the Seven Ecumenical Councils

See also: Ecumenical councils#The first seven Ecumenical Councils

Constantine called the First Council of Nicaea in 325 to unify Christology, also called the first great Christian council by Jerome, the first ecumenical, decreed the Original Nicene Creed, but rejected by Nontrinitarianism such as Arius, Theonas, Secundus, Eusebius of Nicomedia, and Theognis who were excommunicated, also addressed Easter controversy and passed 20 Canon laws.

325 The Kingdom of Aksum (Modern Ethiopia) declares Christianity as the official state Religion becoming the second country to do so

325 Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, ordered by Constantine

328-373 Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, first cite of modern 27 book New Testament canon

330 Old Church of the Holy Apostles, dedicated by Constantine

330 Old Saint Peter’s Basilica dedicated by Constantine, located over the traditional burial site of Saint Peter the Apostle in Rome on Vatican Hill

331 capital of Roman Empire moved from Rome to Constantinople (New Rome)

335 Council in Jerusalem, reversed Nicaea’s condemnation of Arius, consecrated Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulchre

337 Mirian III of Georgia, second to adopt Christianity as state religion

343? Council of Sardica

350? Julius Firmicus Maternus

350? Codex Sinaiticus(?), Codex Vaticanus(B): earliest Christian Bibles, Alexandrian text-type

350? Ulfilas, Arian, apostle to the Goths, translated Greek NT to Gothic

350? Comma Johanneum 1Jn5:7b-8a(KJV)

350? A?tius, Arian, “Syntagmation”: “God is agennetos (unbegotten)”, (Anomoean)

350? School of Nisibis founded

351 2nd Council of Sirmium, Anomoean, condemned Council of Nicaea

353-367 Hilary, bishop of Poitiers

355-365 Antipope Felix II, Arian, supported by Constantius II, consecrated by Acacius of Caesarea

359 Council of Rimini, Dated Creed (Acacians)

363-364 Council of Laodicea, canon 29 decreed anathema for Christians who rest on the Sabbath, disputed canon 60 named 26 NT books (excluded Revelation)

366-367 Antipope Ursicinus, rival to Pope Damasus I

367-403 Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis, wrote Panarion against heresies

370-379 Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea

370? Doctrine of Addai at Edessa proclaims 17 book NT canon using Diatessaron (instead of the 4 Gospels) + Acts + 15 Pauline Epistles (inc. 3 Corinthians) Syriac Orthodox Church

372-394 Gregory, Bishop Of Nyssa

373 Ephrem the Syrian, cited Western Acts

374-397 Ambrose, bishop & governor of Milan

375-395 Ausonius, Christian governor of Gaul

379-381 Gregory Nazianzus, Bishop of Constantinople

380 Feb 27, Nicene Christianity declared state religion by Theodosius the Great[4]

381 First Council of Constantinople, 2nd ecumenical, Jesus had true human soul, Nicene Creed of 381

382 Council of Rome, held by Pope Damasus I, disputed

383? Frumentius, Apostle of Ethiopia

385 Priscillian, first heretic to be executed?

390? Apollinaris, bishop of Laodicea, believed Jesus had human body but divine spirit

396-430 Augustine, bishop of Hippo, considered the founder of formalized Christian theology (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers)

397? Saint Ninian evangelizes Picts in Scotland

398-404 John Chrysostom Patriarch of Constantinople, see also List of Patriarchs of Constantinople, (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers)

400? Ethiopic Bible: in Ge’ez, 81 books, standard Ethiopian Orthodox Bible

400? Peshitta Bible in Syriac (Aramaic), Syr(p), OT + 22 NT, excludes: 2Pt, 2-3Jn, Jude, Rev; standard Syriac Orthodox Church Bible

406 Armenian Bible, translated by Saint Mesrob, standard Armenian Orthodox Bible

412-444 Cyril, bishop of Alexandria, expelled Jews, killed Hypatia with oyster shells, coined Hypostatic union

418-419 Antipope Eulalius rival to Pope Boniface I

420 St. Jerome, Vulgate translations, Latin scholar, cited expanded ending in Mark after Mark 16:8, Pericope of the Adultress addition to John (John 7:53-8:11) (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers)

423-457 Theodoret, bishop of Cyrrhus, noted Tatian’s Diatesseron in heavy use, wrote a Church History

431 Council of Ephesus, 3rd ecumenical, repudiated Nestorianism, decreed Mary the Mother of God, forbid any changes to Nicene Creed of 381, rejected by Assyrian Church of the East

432 St Patrick begins mission in Ireland. Almost the entire nation is Christian by the time of his death in a conversion that is both incredibly successful and largely bloodless.

440-461 Pope Leo the Great, sometimes considered the first pope, stopped Attila the Hun at Rome, issued Tome in support of Hypostatic Union, approved Council of Chalcedon but rejected canons in 453

447 Council of Toledo added Filioque clause to Nicene Creed of 381

449 Second Council of Ephesus, Monophysite: Jesus was divine but not human

450? Codex Alexandrinus(A): Alexandrian text-type; Codex Bezae(D): Greek/Latin Gospels + Acts; Codex Washingtonianus(W): Greek Gospels; both of Western text-type

450? std. Aramaic Targums, Old Testament in Aramaic

450? Socrates Scholasticus Church History of 305-438; Sozomen Church History of 323-425

451 Council of Chalcedon, 4th ecumenical, declared Jesus is a Hypostatic Union: both human and divine in one, Chalcedonian Creed, rejected by Oriental Orthodoxy

456? Eutyches of Constantinople, Monophysite

465? Prosper of Aquitaine

476, September 4, Fall of Rome

484-519 Acacian Schism, over Henoticon divides Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) churches

491 Armenian Orthodox split from East (Greek) and West (Latin) churches

495 May13 Vicar of Christ decreed a title of Bishop of Rome by Pope Gelasius I

496 Clovis I, King of the Franks, baptized

498-499,501-506 Antipope Laurentius, rival of Pope Symmachus, Laurentian schism

500? Incense introduced in Christian church service, first plans of Vatican

524 Boethius, Roman Christian philosopher, wrote: “Theological Tractates”, Consolation of Philosophy; (Loeb Classics) (Latin)

525 Dionysius Exiguus defines Christian calendar (A.D.)

527 Fabius Planciades Fulgentius

530 Antipope Dioscorus, possibly a legitimate Pope

530 Rule of St Benedict, St. Benedict founds the Benedictines

535-536 Unusual climate changes recorded

537-555 Pope Vigilius, involved in death of Pope Silverius, conspired with Justinian and Theodora, on April 11, 548 issued Judicatum supporting Justinian’s anti-Hypostatic Union, excommunicated by bishops of Carthage in 550

541-542 Plague of Justinian

543 Justinian condemns Origen, disastrous earthquakes hit the world

544 Justinian condemns the Three Chapters of Theodore of Mopsuestia (d.428) and other writings of Hypostatic Union Christology of Council of Chalcedon

550 St. David converts Wales, crucifix introduced

553 Second Council of Constantinople, 5th ecumenical, called by Justinian

556-561 Pope Pelagius I, selected by Justinian, endorsed Judicatum

563 Columba goes to Scotland to evangelize Picts, establishes monastery at Iona

567 Cassiodorus

589 Third Council of Toledo, Reccared and the Visigoths convert from Arianism to Catholicism

590-604 Pope Gregory the Great, whom many consider the greatest pope ever, reforms church structure and administration and establishes Gregorian Chant, Seven deadly sins …

591-628 Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards, began gradual conversion from Arianism to Catholicism

596 St. Augustine of Canterbury sent by Pope Gregory to evangelise the Jutes

600? Evagrius Scholasticus, Church History of AD431-594 [10]

604 St Paul’s Cathedral in London

607 Pope Boniface III, first Bishop of Rome to be called “Pope” and “Universal Bishop” by decree of Emperor Phocas

609 Pantheon, Rome renamed Church of Santa Maria Rotonda

612? Bobbio monastery in northern Italy

613 Abbey of St. Gall in Switzerland

614 Khosrau II of Persia conquered Damascus, Jerusalem, took Holy Cross of Christ

624 Battle of Badr, considered beginning of Islamic Empire

625 Paulinus of York comes to convert Northumbria

628 Babai the Great, pillar of Assyrian Church of the East, died

628-629 Battle of Mut’ah, Heraclius recovered Cross of Christ and Jerusalem from Islam till 638

632 Eorpwald of East Anglia baptized under influence of Edwin of Northumbria

634-644 Umar, 2nd Sunni Islam Caliph, capital at Damascus, conquered Syria in 635, defeated Heraclius at Battle of Yarmuk in 636, conquered Egypt and Armenia in 639, Persia in 642

635 Cynegils of Wessex baptized by Bishop Birinus

640 Library of Alexandria, “The Center of Western Culture,” with 300,000 ancient papyrus scrolls, is completely destroyed.

664 Synod of Whitby unites Celtic Christianity of British Isles with Roman Catholicism

680-681 Third Council of Constantinople, 6th ecumenical, against Monothelites, condemned Pope Honorius I, Patriarch Sergius I of Constantinople, Heraclius’ Ecthesis

681-686 Wilfrid converts Sussex

687-691 Dome of the Rock built

690? Old English Bible translations

692 Orthodox Quinisext Council, convoked by Justinian II, approved Canons of the Apostles of Apostolic Constitutions, Clerical celibacy, rejected by Pope Constantine

698 Fall of Carthage

711-718 Umayyad conquest of Hispania

717-718 Second Arab siege of Constantinople

718-1492 Reconquista, Iberian Peninsula retaken by Christendom

718 Saint Boniface, an Englishman, given commission by Pope Gregory II to evangelize the Germans

720? Disentis Abbey of Switzerland

730-787 First Iconoclasm, Byzantine Emperor Leo III bans Christian icons, Pope Gregory II excommunicates him

731 English Church History written by Bede

750? Tower added to St Peter’s Basilica at the front of the atrium

752? Donation of Constantine, granted Western Roman Empire to the Pope, later proved a forgery

756 Donation of Pepin recognizes Papal States

781 Nestorian Stele, Daqin Pagoda, Jesus Sutras, Christianity in China

787 Second Council of Nicaea, 7th ecumenical, ends first Iconoclasm

793 Sacking of the monastery of Lindisfarne marks the beginning of Viking raids on Christendom.

[edit] Middle Ages

See also: Middle Ages

800 King Charlemagne of the Franks is crowned first Holy Roman Emperor of the West by Pope Leo III.

849-865 Ansgar, Archbishop of Bremen, “Apostle of the North”, began evangelisation of North Germany, Denmark, Sweden

855 Antipope Anastasius, Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor appointed him over Pope Benedict III but popular pressure caused withdrawal

863 Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius sent by the Patriarch of Constantinople to evangelise the Slavic peoples. They translate the Bible into Slavonic.

869-870 Catholic Fourth Council of Constantinople, condemned Patriarch Photius, rejected by Orthodox

879-880 Orthodox Fourth Council of Constantinople, restored Photius, condemned Pope Nicholas I and Filioque, rejected by Catholics

897,January Cadaver Synod, Pope Stephen VI conducts trial against dead Pope Formosus, public uprising against Stephen led to his imprisonment and strangulation

909 Abbey of Cluny, Benedictine monastery in France

948? Einsiedeln Abbey of Switzerland

966 Mieszko I duke of Poland baptised, Poland becomes a Christian country.

984 Antipope Boniface VII, murdered Pope John XIV, alleged to have murdered Pope Benedict VI in 974

988 Baptism of Kievan Rus’

997-998 Antipope John XVI, deposed by Pope Gregory V and his cousin Holy Roman Emperor Otto III

999 Much speculation and fear regarding the approach of the millennium

1012 Antipope Gregory VI, removed by Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor

1030 Battle of Stiklestad, considered victory of Christianity over Norwegian Paganism

1045 Sigfrid of Sweden, Benedictine evangelist

1046 Council of Sutri, Pope Silvester III exiled, Pope Gregory VI admitted to buying the papacy and resigned, Pope Benedict IX resigned, council appointed Pope Clement II

1054 East-West Schism split between Eastern (Orthodox Christianity) and Western (Roman Catholic) churches formalized

1058-1059 Antipope Benedict X, defeated in war with Pope Nicholas II and Normans

1061-1064 Antipope Honorius II rival of Pope Alexander II

1065 Westminster Abbey consecrated

1073-1085 Pope Gregory VII, Investiture Controversy with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, proponent of Clerical celibacy, opponent of simony, concubinage, Antipope Clement III

1079 Stanislaus of Szczepan?w, patron saint of Poland

1082 Engelberg Abbey of Switzerland

1093-1109 Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote Cur Deus Homo (Why God Became Man), a landmark exploration of the Atonement

1095-1291 10 Crusades, first called by Pope Urban II at Council of Clermont against Islamic empire to reconquer the Holy Land for Christendom

1098 Foundation of the reforming monastery of Citeaux, leads to the growth of the Cistercian order.

1101 Antipope Theodoric and Antipope Adalbert deposed by Pope Paschal II

1118 Knights Templar founded, to defend Holy Land

1123 Catholic First Lateran Council

1128 Holyrood Abbey in Scotland

1130 Peter of Bruys, burned at the stake

1131 Tintern Abbey in Wales

1131-1138 Antipope Anacletus II

1139 Catholic Second Lateran Council

1140? Decretum Gratiani, Catholic Canon law

1142 Peter Ab?lard, Letters of Abelard and Heloise

1144 The Saint Denis Basilica of Abbot Suger is the first major building in the style of Gothic architecture.

1154-1159 Pope Adrian IV, first (and to date only) English pope

1155 Theotokos of Vladimir arrives to Bogolyubovo

1155 Carmelites founded

1163 Notre Dame de Paris, construction begun

1173 Waldensians founded

1179 Catholic Third Lateran Council

1191 Teutonic Knights founded

1204-1261 Latin Empire of Constantinople

1205 Saint Francis of Assisi becomes a hermit, founding the Franciscan order of friars, renounces wealth and begins his ministry; the Rosary is reportedly given to St. Dominic (who founded Dominican Order) by an apparition of Mary

1215 Catholic Fourth Lateran Council, decreed special dress for Jews and Muslims

1220-1263 St Alexander Nevsky, holy patron of Russia

1231 Charter of the University of Paris granted by Pope Gregory IX.

1245 Catholic First Council of Lyon

1252 May 15, Ad exstirpanda, Pope Innocent IV authorized use of torture in Inquisitions

1260 Date which a 1988 Vatican sponsored scientific study places the origin of the Shroud of Turin

1274 Summa Theologiae, written by Thomas Aquinas, theologian and philosopher, landmark systematic theology which later became official Catholic doctrine

1274 Catholic Second Council of Lyon

[edit] Renaissance

See also: Renaissance

1305-1378 Avignon Papacy, Popes reside in Avignon, France

1311 Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri

1311-1312 Catholic Council of Vienne, disbanded Knights Templar

1314 Jacques de Molay, last Grandmaster of Knights Templar, burned at the stake

1326 Metropolitan Peter moves his see from Kiev to Moscow

1341-1351 Orthodox Fifth Council of Constantinople

1342 Marsilius of Padua

1345 Sergii Radonezhskii founds a hermitage in the woods, which would grow into the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra

1347-1350 Black Death

1378-1418 Western Schism in Roman Catholicism

1380-1382 Wyclif’s Bible, by John Wycliffe, eminent theologian at Oxford, NT in 1380, OT (with help of Nicholas of Hereford) in 1382, translations into Middle English, 1st complete translation to English, included deuterocanonical books, preached against abuses, expressed anti-catholic views of the sacraments (Penance and Eucharist), the use of relics, and Clerical celibacy

1408 Council of Oxford forbids translations of the Scriptures into the vernacular unless and until they were fully approved by Church authority

1409 Council of Pisa, declared Roman Pope Gregory XII and Avignon Pope Benedict XIII deposed, elected Pope Alexander V (called the Pisan Pope)

1414-1418 Catholic Council of Constance, asked Gregory XII, Benedict XIII, Pisan Pope John XXIII to resign their papal claims, then elected Pope Martin V; condemned John Wycliffe and Jan Hus who was burned at the stake

1423-1424 Council of Siena

1425 Catholic University of Leuven

1430? Andrei Rublev, the greatest of medieval icon-painters

1431 St. Joan of Arc, French national heroine, burned at the stake

1431-1445 Catholic Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence

1439 Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, highest building in the world till 1874

1453 Fall of Constantinople, overrun by Ottoman Empire

1455 Gutenberg Bible, first printed Bible, by Johann Gutenberg

1473-1481 Sistine Chapel built

1478 Spanish Inquisition established by Pope Sixtus IV

1484 December 5, Summis desiderantes against Witchcraft issued by Pope Innocent VIII

1498 Girolamo Savonarola, Dominican priest, Bonfire of the Vanities

1506 Pope Julius II orders the Old St. Peter’s Basilica torn down and authorizes Donato Bramante to plan a new structure, demolition completed in 1606, Vatican Swiss Guard founded

1508-1512 Michelangelo frescoes the Sistine Chapel’s vaulted ceiling

1512-1517 Catholic Fifth Council of the Lateran, condemned Conciliarism

[edit] Reformation

See also: Reformation

1517 95 Theses of Martin Luther begins German Protestant Reformation

1521 Diet of Worms condemns Luther

1521 Ferdinand Magellan claims the Philippines for Spain, first mass and subsequent conversion to Catholicism, first in East Asia

1522 Luther’s NT, German NT translation

1525 Anabaptist movement begins

1526 Tyndale’s NT, English NT translation from 1516 Greek text of Erasmus, first printed edition, used as a vehicle by Tyndale for bitter attacks on Catholicism, reflects influence of Luther’s NT in rejecting priest for elder, church for congregation, banned in 1546 by Henry VIII

1530 Augsburg Confession, Luther founds the Lutheran Church

1531 Huldrych Zwingli, Protestant Reformation in Switzerland, independent of Luther

1531 Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico

1534 Henry VIII established independent Church of England, see also English Reformation

1534 Jesuit order founded by Ignatius of Loyola, helped reconvert large areas of Poland, Hungary, and S. Germany and sent missionaries to the New World, India, and China

1535-1537 Myles Coverdale’s Bible, used Tyndale’s NT along with Latin and German versions, included Apocrypha at the end of the OT (like Luther’s Bible of 1534) as was done in later English versions, 1537 edition received royal license, but banned in 1546 by Henry VIII

1535 Thomas More refused to accept King Henry VIII’s claim to be the supreme head of the Church in England, and was executed.

1536 Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch scholar, Greek NT used in many 16th century translations

1536 Tyndale put to death, left his OT translation in manuscript, English ecclesiastical authorities ordered his Bible burned because it was thought to be part of Lutheran reform

1536 Institutes of the Christian Religion written by John Calvin (Calvinism)

1536 John of Leiden, fanatic Dutch Anabaptist

1536 Jacob Hutter founder of Hutterites

1536 Helvetic Confessions of the Reformed Churches of Switzerland

1536-1540 Dissolution of the Monasteries in England, Wales and Ireland

1537 Christian III of Denmark decreed Lutheranism state religion of Norway and Denmark

1537-1551 Matthew Bible, by John Rogers, based on Tyndale and Coverdale received royal license but not authorized for use in public worship, numerous editions, 1551 edition contained offensive notes (based on Tyndale)

1536-1541 Michelangelo paints the Last Judgement

1539-1569 Great Bible, by Thomas Cromwell, 1st English Bible to be authorized for public use in English churches, defective in many places, based on last Tyndale’s NT of 1534-1535, corrected by a Latin version of the Hebrew OT, Latin Bible of Erasmus, and Complutensian Polyglot, last edition 1569, never denounced by England

1541 John Calvin returns to Geneva to establish a theocracy

1542 Roman Inquisition established by Pope Paul III

1543 Parliament of England bans Tyndale’s translation as a “crafty, false and untrue translation”

1545-1563 Catholic Council of Trent, counter-reformation against Protestantism, clearly defined an official theology and biblical canon

1549 original Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England by Thomas Cranmer

1551 The Stoglav Church Council (One Hundred Chapters) Moscow, Russia

1552 Francis Xavier, Jesuit missionary, “Apostle of the Indies”

1553 Pontifical Gregorian University founded at Vatican City

1553 Michael Servetus founder of Unitarianism, burned at the stake in Geneva under Calvin

1553-1558 Queen Mary I of England, Bloody Mary, persecuted reformers: John Rogers, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, Thomas Cranmer; of 238 burned at the stake

1559 Military Order of the Golden Spur founded by Pope Paul IV

1560 Geneva Bible, NT a revision of Matthew’s version of Tyndale with use of Theodore Beza’s NT (1556), OT a thorough revision of Great Bible, appointed to be read in Scotland (but not England), at least 140 editions, first Bible with chapter and verse numbers

1560 Scots Confession, Church of Scotland, Scottish Reformation

1560-1598 French Wars of Religion

1560-1812 Goa Inquisition, persecution of Hindus and Jews in India, see also Christianity in India

1561 Menno Simons founder of Mennonites

1563 Thirty-Nine Articles of Church of England, also decreed Biblical canon

1563 Heidelberg Catechism of Reformed churches

1566 Roman Catechism

1569 Metropolitan Philip of Moscow strangled by Malyuta Skuratov

1571 Dutch Reformed Church

1572 John Knox, founded Scotch Presbyterian Church, due to disagreement with Lutherans over sacraments and church government

1572-1606 Bishops’ Bible, a revision of the Great Bible checked against the Hebrew text, 1st to be published in England by episcopal authority

1579 Discovery of the holiest Russian icon, Our Lady of Kazan

1580 Book of Concord of Lutheranism

1582 St Terese of Avila

1582 Gregorian calendar adopted at different times in different regions of the world

1587 Toyotomi Hideyoshi expelled Jesuits from Ky?sh?

1587? Mission NOMBRE DE DIOS in St. Augustine, Florida, considered first mission to North America [11]

1589 Metropolitan Jove is elected the first Patriarch of Moscow

1590 Michelangelo’s dome in St Peter’s Basilica completed

1592 Clementine Vulgate of Pope Clement VIII, replaced Sistine Vulgate of 1590, standard Latin Catholic Bible till reforms of the Second Vatican Council

1596 Ukrainian Catholic Church forms when Ukrainian subjects of the king of Poland are reunited with Rome, largest Byzantine Catholic Church

[edit] 17th century

See also: Age of Reason

1600 Giordano Bruno, Dominican priest, burned at the stake

1604 Fausto Paolo Sozzini Socinianism

1606 Carlo Maderno redesigns St Peter’s Basilica into a Latin cross

1607 Jamestown, Virginia founded

1609 Baptist Church founded by John Smyth, due to objections to infant baptism and demands for church-state separation

1609-1610 Douay-Rheims Bible, 1st Catholic English translation, OT published in two volumes, based on an unofficial Louvain text corrected by Sistine Vulgate, NT is Rheims text of 1582

1611-1800 King James Version (Authorised Version) is released, based primarily on Wycliffe’s work & Bishop’s Bible of 1572, translators are accused of being “damnable corrupters of God’s word”, original included Apocrypha

1614 Fama Fraternitatis, Rosicrucian manifesto

1618-1648 Thirty Years’ War

1620 Plymouth Colony founded

1621 Robert Bellarmine

1622-1642 Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu

1630 City upon a Hill, sermon by John Winthrop

1636 Founding of what was later known as Harvard University as a training school for ministers – the first of thousands of institutions of Christian higher education founded in the USA

1636-1638 Cornelius Jansen, bishop of Ypres, founder of Jansenism

1637-1638 Shimabara Rebellion

1638 Anne Hutchinson banished as a heretic from Massachusetts

1641 John Cotton, advocate of theonomy, helps to establish the social constitution of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

1643 Acta Sanctorum

1644 Long Parliament directed that only Hebrew canon be read in the Church of England (effectively removed the Apocrypha)

1646 Westminster Standards produced by the Assembly, one of the first and undoubtedly the most important and lasting religious document drafted after the reconvention of the Parliament, also decreed Biblical canon

1648 George Fox founds the Quaker movement

1650 James Ussher, calculates date of creation as October 23, 4004 B.C.

1653-56 Raskol of the Russian Orthodox Church

1660-1685 King Charles II of England, restoration of monarchy, continuing through James II, reversed decision of Long Parliament of 1644, reinstating the Apocrypha, reversal not heeded by non-conformists

1672 Greek Orthodox Synod of Jerusalem, decreed Biblical canon

1675 Philipp Jakob Spener publishes Pia Desideria, which becomes a manifesto for Pietism

1678 John Bunyan publishes Pilgrim’s Progress

1682 Avvakum, leader of the Old Believers, burned at the stake in the Far North of Russia

1684 Roger Williams (theologian), advocate of Separation of church and state, founder of Providence, Rhode Island

1685 Edict of Fontainebleau outlaws Protestantism in France

1685 Orthodoxy introduced to Beijing by Russian Orthodox Church

1692 Salem witch trials in Colonial America

1692-1721 Chinese Rites controversy

1693 Jacob Amman founder of Amish

[edit] 18th century

See also: Age of Enlightenment

1701 Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands splits with Roman Catholicism

1721 Peter the Great substituted Moscow Patriarchate with the Holy Synod

1728 The Vicar of Bray (song)

1730-1749 First Great Awakening in U.S.

1735 Welsh Methodist revival

1738 Methodist movement, led by John Wesley and his hymn-writing brother Charles, begins

1741 Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, famous Fire and brimstone sermon

1754 An Historical Account of Two Notable Corruptions of Scripture, by Isaac Newton, published

1767-1815 Suppression of the Jesuits

1768 New Smyrna, Florida, Greek Orthodox colony founded

1768 Reimarus dies without publishing his radical critic work distinguishing Historical Jesus versus Christ of Faith

1769 Mission San Diego de Alcala, first California mission

1772 Emanuel Swedenborg, founded Swedenborgianism

1774 Ann Lee leader of American Shakers

1774 Gotthold Ephraim Lessing starts publishing Reimarus works on historical Jesus as Anonymous Fragments, starting Liberal Theology Era (in Christology)

1776-1788 Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, critical of Christianity

1776 Mission Delores, San Francisco

1779 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, “Jesus never coerced anyone to follow him, and the imposition of a religion by government officials is impious”

1780 Robert Raikes begins Sunday schools to reach poor and uneducated children in England

1784 American Methodists form Methodist Episcopal Church at so-called “Christmas Conference”, led by bishops Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury

1789-1815 John Carroll, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, first Roman Catholic US bishop

1789-1801 Dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution

1791 First Amendment to the United States Constitution

1793 Herman of Alaska brings Orthodoxy to Alaska

1795 The Age of Reason written by Thomas Paine, advocated Deism

1796 Treaty with Tripoli (1796), article 11: “the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion”

[edit] 19th century

See also: Industrial Revolution

1800 Friedrich Schleiermacher publishes his first book, beginning Liberal Christianity movement

1801 Cane Ridge, Kentucky

1811 The Campbells begin Restoration Movement

1815 Peter the Aleut, orthodox Christian tortured and martyred in Catholic San Francisco, California

1816 Bishop Richard Allen, a former slave, founds the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first African-American denomination

1819 Thomas Jefferson produced the Jefferson Bible

1824 English translation of Wilhelm Gesenius’ …Handw?rterbuch…: Hebrew-English Lexicon, Hendrickson Publishers

1828 Plymouth Brethren founded, Dispensationalism

1830 Charles Finney’s revivals lead to Second Great Awakening in America

1830, April 6 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. as a result of reported visitations and commandment by God the Father, Jesus Christ, and later the Angel Moroni.

1832 Church of Christ (Disciples) organized, made up of Presbyterians in distress over Protestant factionalism and decline of fervor

1833 John Keble’s sermon “National Apostasy” initiates the Oxford Movement in England

1838-1839 Saxon Lutherans objecting to the Prussian Union emigrate from Germany to the United States; settle in Perry County, Missouri. Leads to formation of the LC-MS

1843, Disruption of: schism within the established Church of Scotland

1844, October 22 Great Disappointment, false prediction of Second Coming of Christ by Millerites

1845 Southern Baptist Convention formed in Augusta, Georgia

1848 Epistle to the Easterns and Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs response

1848 Perfectionist movement in western New York state

1854 Missionary Hudson Taylor arrives in China

1854 Immaculate Conception, defined as Catholic dogma

1855 S?ren Kierkegaard, founder of Christian existentialism

1863 Seventh-day Adventist Church officially formed twenty 20yrs after the Great Disappointment

1865 Methodist preacher William Booth founds the Salvation Army, vowing to bring the gospel into the streets to the most desperate and needy

1869-1870 Catholic First Vatican Council, asserted doctrine of Papal Infallibility, rejected by Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland

1870 Italy declared war on the Papal States. The Italian Army enters Rome. Papal States ceased to exist.

1871-1878 German Kulturkampf against Roman Catholicism

1879 Church of Christ, Scientist founded in Boston by Mary Baker Eddy

1881-1894 Revised Version, called for by Church of England, used Greek based on Septuagint (B) and (S), Hebrew Masoretic Text used in OT, follows Greek order of words, greater accuracy than AV, includes Apocrypha, scholarship never disputed

1884 Charles Taze Russell founded Bible Student movement known today as Jehovah’s Witnesses

1885 Baltimore Catechism

1886 Moody Bible Institute

1894 The Kingdom of God is Within You, by Leo Tolstoy, start of Christian anarchism

1897 Christian flag, conceived in Brooklyn, New York

1899 Gideons International founded

[edit] 20th century

1905 French law on the separation of Church and State

1906 Albert Schweitzer publishes The Quest of the Historical Jesus (English translation 1910)

1906 Biblia Hebraica

1906-1909 Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, CA begins modern Pentecostal movement

1907-1912 Nikolai of Japan, Archbishop of Japanese Orthodox Church

1909 Scofield Reference Bible

1909-1911 The Rosicrucian Fellowship, an international association of Christian mystics, founded at Mount Ecclesia

1910 Edinburgh Missionary Conference launches modern missions movement and modern ecumenical movement; 5-point statement of the Presbyterian General Assembly, also used by Fundamentalists

1910-1915 The Fundamentals, a 12-volume collection of essays by 64 British and American scholars and preachers, a foundation of Fundamentalism

1913 Our Lady appear to 3 young people, in Fatima, Portugal. They were Jacinta Marto, Tiago Veloso and L?cia (Sister Lucia)

1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

1914 Welsh Church Act 1914

1914 Iglesia ni Cristo incorporated in the Philippines

1915-1917 Armenian Genocide

1916 Father Divine founded International Peace Mission movement

1916 And did those feet in ancient time

1917 Restitution of the Moscow Patriarchy with Tikhon as patriarch

1917 True Jesus Church founded in Beijing

1918 Execution of Holy Martyrs of Russia, including the last tsar, Nicholas II, and his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna

1919 Karl Barth’s Commentary on Romans is published, critiquing Liberal Christianity and beginning the neo-orthodox movement

1921 Oxford Group founded at Oxford

1923 Aimee Semple McPherson built Angelus Temple

1925 Scopes Trial, caused division among Fundamentalists

1925 United Church of Canada formed

1926 Father Charles Coughlin’s first radio broadcast

1927 Pope Pius XI decrees Comma Johanneum open to dispute

1929 Lateran Treaty signed containing three agreements between kingdom of Italy and the papacy.

1930 Rastafari movement founded

1931 Jehovah’s Witnesses founded see 1884 for more information.

1931 Christ the Redeemer (statue) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

1933 Catholic Worker Movement founded

1934 Herbert W. Armstrong founded Radio Church of God

1935 Dr. Frank C. Laubach, known as “The Apostle to the Illiterates.” working in the Philippines, developed a literacy program that continues to teach millions of people to read.

1935 Rahlf’s critical edition of the Koine Greek Septuagint

1935 Billy Sunday, early U.S. radio evangelist

1939 Southern and Northern US branches of the Methodist Episcopal Church, along with the Methodist Protestant Church reunite to form The Methodist Church. Slavery had divided the church in the 1800s.

1940 Monumento Nacional de Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caidos, world’s largest cross, 152.4 meters high

1942 National Association of Evangelicals founded

1945 Roman Catholic sex abuse cases begins

1945 Dietrich Bonhoeffer is executed by the Nazis

1945 Ludwig M?ller

1945 The Nag Hammadi library is discovered.

1946-1952 Revised Standard Version, revision of AV “based on consonantal Hebrew text” for OT and best available texts for NT, done in response to changes in English usage

1947 Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism by Carl F. H. Henry, a landmark of Evangelicalism versus Fundamentalism in US

1947 Oral Roberts founded Evangelistic Association

1947 Dead Sea scrolls discovered

1948 World Council of Churches is founded

1948 Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, see also Christian Zionism

1949 evangelist Billy Graham preaches his first Los Angeles crusade

1950 New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures released

1950 Assumption of Mary decreed by Pope Pius XII

1950 Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa

1951 The Last Temptation a fictional account of the life of Jesus written by Nikos Kazantzakis, wherin Christ’s divinity is juxtaposed with his humanity, is published, and promptly banned in many countries.

1951 Campus Crusade for Christ founded at UCLA

1952 Novum Testamentum Graece, critical edition of Greek NT, basis of modern translations

1952 C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity

1954 Unification Church founded

1954 U.S. Pledge of Allegiance modified by act of Congress from “one nation, indivisible” to “one nation under God, indivisible”

1956 In God We Trust designated U.S. national motto

1956 Anchor Bible Series

1956 The Ten Commandments (1956 film)

1957 United Church of Christ founded by ecumenical union of Congregationalists and Evangelical & Reformed, representing Calvinists and Lutherans

1957 English translation of Walter Bauer’s W?rterbuch …: A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, University of Chicago Press

1958 Sedevacantism

1959 Family Radio founded

1961 New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures released

1962-1965 Catholic Second Vatican Council, announced by Pope John XXIII in 1959, produced 16 documents which became official Roman Catholic teaching after approval by the Pope, purpose to renew “ourselves and the flocks committed to us”

1963 Martin Luther King leads a civil rights march in Washington, D.C.

1963 campaign by Madalyn Murray O’Hair results in U.S. Supreme Court ruling prohibiting reading of Bible in public schools

1965 Reginald H. Fuller’s The Foundations of New Testament Christology

Rousas John Rushdoony founds Chalcedon Foundation

1966 Raymond E. Brown’s Commentary on the Gospel of John

1968 United Methodist Church formed with union of Methodist Church & Evangelical United Brethren Church, becoming the largest Methodist/Wesleyan church in the world

1970s The Jesus movement takes hold in the U.S. One-way.org

1970 Mass of Paul VI replaces Tridentine Mass

1970 The Late, Great Planet Earth futurist book by Hal Lindsey

1970? Chick Publications

1971 New American Standard Bible

1971 The Exorcist, a novel of demonic possession and the mysteries of the Catholic faith, is published.

1973 Trinity Broadcasting Network founded

1974 Jim Bakker founds PTL television ministry

1975 Bruce Metzger’s Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament

1976 Anneliese Michel, Bavarian woman, underwent exorcism against demon possession

1977 New Perspective on Paul

1977 Focus on the Family founded by James Dobson

1978 New International Version of the Bible is first published (revised in 1984), using a variety of Greek texts, Masoretic Hebrew texts, and current English style

1978-2005 Pope John Paul II, reaffirmed moral traditions (The Splendor of Truth)

1979 Moral Majority founded by Jerry Falwell

1979 Jesus (1979 film), most watched movie of all time according to New York Times

1979-1982? New King James Version, complete revision of 1611 AV, updates archaisms while retaining style

1985 Jesus Seminar founded

1985 E. P. Sanders’ Jesus and Judaism

1988 Christian Coalition

1988 The Last Temptation of Christ, directed by Martin Scorsese, is released by Universal Pictures, and promptly attacked as heretical by organized Christian and Catholic groups.

1989 New Revised Standard Version

1991 John P. Meier’s series A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, v. 1

1992 Catechism of the Catholic Church

1994 “Evangelicals & Catholics Together” [12]

1994 Porvoo Communion

1994 Answers In Genesis founded by Ken Ham

1997, Mar 5-10 World Council of Churches: Towards a Common Date for Easter, see also Reform of the date of Easter

1998, April 6 PBS Frontline: From Jesus to Christ

1999 International House of Prayer in Kansas City begins non-stop 24/7 continual prayer

1999, Oct 31 signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church

[edit] 21st century

2001 The Way of the Master founded

2003 Dan Brown writes The Da Vinci Code, made into a film in 2006; both the book and the film are criticized because of historical inaccuracy of the life of Jesus and history of the early Church.

2004 Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ is released

2005 Death of Pope John Paul II, election of Pope Benedict XVI

2006, July 18 World Methodist Council voted unanimously to adopt the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification [13] [14]

2006 Abdul Rahman (convert)

2006 Gospel of Judas a 3rd century Gnostic account of Judas is shown on TV (discovered in the 1970s)

On this day...

• Jeremiah 10 - 2024
• Jeremiah 9 - 2024
• Mighty to save - 2012
• Jesus' intercession for the apostles - 2012
• A Political Question about Justice - 2012
• Called of God - 2012
• Roman's Introduction - 2012
• Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me - 2012
• Personal Discipline - 2011
• Relationship Expectation - 2011