- HOME
- MESSIAH
- THE BODY OF MESSIAH
- ONE NEW MAN
- THE OLIVE TREE
- THE BRANCHES
- LAW AND GRACE
- UNITY
- OBEDIENCE
- KINGDOM LIVING
- UNIVERSAL CHURCH
- BIBLICAL HOLIDAYS
- MESSIANIC
-
SCRIPTURE INSIGHTS
- WISDOM
- WORSHIP
- TRUTH
- PRAYER
- THE TRINITY
- THE ANNOINTED ONE
- WHAT IS SIN?
- FORGIVENESS
- ANTICHRIST
- FAITH BUILDERS
- BRIDGE OF UNDERSTANDING
- TABERNACLE
- THINGS TO PONDER
- DISTORTIONS OF CHRISTIANITY
- ISRAEL
-
RELIGIOUS HISTORY
- FAITH THROUGH THE CENTURIES
- THE END TIMES
- RAPTURE
- OUR COMMISSION
- HEAVEN
- GLOBAL VISION
- BIBLICAL WORLD VIEW
- DEVOTIONALS
- SALVATION
- ENCOURAGEMENT
- GIVING
- BIBLE TOOLS
- RESOURCES
- ABOUT THIS SITE
- MISSION STATEMENT
- DEDICATION
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- GUEST BOOK
- BLOG
THE ERA OF CATHOLIC CHRISTIANITY 100—312
Catholic Christianity spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean world. It confronted the alien ideas of Gnosticism, Marcionism, and Montanism and addressed the lies by appealing to the apostolic writings and to the orthodox bishops who guarded them. At the same time, Christians faced the persecuting power of Rome and dared to die heroically as martyrs, becoming examples to other believers to follow in their train. This seed of martyr's blood, as Ter-tullian called it, eventually bore abundant fruit in the conversion of the Empire.
BRUCE L. SHELLEY
105—Paper invented in China
118-25—Pantheon built in Rome
150—Earliest Sanskrit inscribed in India
151-80—Emperor Marcus Aurelius reigns
164—Oldest Mayan monuments erected
220—Chinese Han Dynasty ends
238—Goths begin invading Roman Empire
300's—Villages appear in North America
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
110 IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH IS MARTYRED
Ignatius (50-110) was bishop of Antioch and is known for the seven letters he wrote to the churches at Philadelphia, Smyrna, Ephesus, Tralles, Magnesia, Rome, and to Polycarp (69-155), the bishop of Smyrna. He wrote these letters under armed guard on his way to be martyred in Rome. The letter to the church in Rome urges them to refrain from intervening with the authorities to prevent his martyrdom. His letters show a strong commitment to Jesus Christ and to Jesus' physical birth, death, and resurrection, although Ignatius did not clearly understand grace and forgiveness. Ignatius was the first person aside from the New Testament writers to write of Jesus' virgin birth.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
110 PERSECUTION BEGINS UNDER EMPEROR TRAJAN
Trajan (53-117) was the son of the Roman governor of Asia and Syria. Proclaimed emperor in 98, he became the most militarily ambitious Roman ruler of all time. The first organized persecution of Christians by the Roman government began about 110 in Asia Minor. There in 112, Governor Pliny the Younger (61-112) wrote to Emperor Trajan regarding the "contagion of this superstition" of Christianity that was spreading both in cities and rural areas. Pliny reported that whenever he was informed of a Christian he would bring the person before his tribunal. If that person admitted to being a Christian, he or she would be put to death. Trajan replied to Pliny that he was following the proper procedure and added that Christians should not be sought out, but if reported they should be punished unless they recanted and worshiped the Roman gods.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
115-117 JEWS REVOLT IN EGYPT
The Jewish position in Egypt deteriorated under the Roman Empire's rule. After rioting in 41 and 66, they instigated a final rebellion from 115 to 117 during the reign of Emperor Trajan (53-117). This uprising took place not only in Egypt but also in Cyrene (in modern-day Libya) and on Cyprus. The Roman response was the violent suppression of the Alexandrian Jews and the destruction of their historic synagogue. As a result, the Jewish community of Alexandria that had been one of the largest outside of Israel went into permanent decline.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
132-135 BAR KOKHBA REVOLTS
In the early second century, the harsh Roman occupation of Palestine led to a second Judean war. The immediate cause was Emperor Hadrian's (76-137) plan to rebuild Jerusalem, making it a Roman city dedicated to Jupiter. This was too much for the Jews. The revolt began in 132, led by Simon ben Kosiba (d. 135), popularly known as Bar Kokhba, "son of the star." Bar Kokhba assumed the role of an ancient Judean king, but neither his personal popularity nor the support of the rabbis was enough to bring victory. He was killed in 135, and his troops were completely decimated. Rome's revenge was swift. The entire Jewish population of Judea was deported and replaced with Gentiles. The province's name was changed from Judea to Syria-Palestine. The revolt was one of the darkest times in Jewish history.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
144 MARCION IS EXCOMMUNICATED
Marcion (75-155), a prominent ship owner from Pontus in Asia Minor, was excommunicated from the church for immorality. He then developed his own unique theology and gained a large following that became a major threat to orthodox Christianity. He established churches throughout the empire, and his views remained influential for nearly two centuries. In Marcion's theology, the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament were completely separate beings. The God of the Old Testament created the world and the evil in it, and his religion revolved around law. In contrast, the God of the New Testament was the true God, the Father of Jesus, and a God of love and grace. Marcion's canon consisted of only ten epistles of Paul and an edited version of Luke. In reaction to Marcion, orthodox Christianity was forced to define the true canon of Scripture.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
150 EASTER CONTROVERSY BEGINS
The date of Easter became a major controversy in the early church. The first discussion of the question occurred about 150 when Polycarp (69-155), bishop of Smyrna, visited the bishop of Rome. Christians in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) wanted the Lord's Supper on the same day as the Jewish Passover, with Easter being celebrated two days later, regardless of day of the week. On the other hand, the Roman church believed that Easter should always fall on Sunday. Twenty years later, the same argument broke out in Laodicea. The controversy came to a head throughout the Christian world between 190 and 194, and was the subject of discussion at many synods. Rome's position finally prevailed and was officially adopted by the Council of Nicea in 325.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
150 JUSTIN BECOMES ONE OF CHRISTIANITY'S FIRST APOLOGISTS
Born to Greek parents in Palestine, Justin (100-165) was converted through contact with an old Christian man who used Old Testament prophecies to convince him of the truth of Christianity. Already an educated philosopher, Justin became a devoted Christian. For the remaining thirty or so years of his life, he traveled, wrote, and evangelized. He became one of the first Christian apologists, explaining Christianity as a reasonable system. For Justin, all truth was God's truth, and he incorporated Greek thought with Jewish prophecy, presenting Christ as the fulfillment of the Hebrew tradition. In his greatest work, his first Apology (his second may not be genuine), he addressed the emperor in a defense of the faith. At Justin's martyrdom in 165, he demonstrated the conviction he had written earlier: "You can kill us, but cannot do us any real harm."
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
156 POLYCARP IS MARTYRED
Born in a Christian home, Polycarp (69-155) appears to have been a disciple of the apostle John and to have met other eyewitnesses of Jesus as well. He served the church as bishop of Smyrna. On a trip to Rome, Polycarp met Marcion (75-155), whom he referred to as "firstborn of Satan." At the end of his life when the civil authorities demanded that he deny his faith, Polycarp's response was, "I have served Christ eighty-five years. How can I blaspheme my King? I am a Christian." At his martyrdom he reportedly was miraculously untouched by the flames, so he was killed with a dagger and his body burned. His followers collected his bones as relics.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
172 THE MONTANIST MOVEMENT BEGINS
In 155, the pagan priest Montanus was converted to Christianity. He began prophesying that Jesus and the New Jerusalem would come soon to Pepuza, a city in Asia Minor. The precursor of these events was to be a unique outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Considering his followers to be an elite group of Christians, Montanus instructed them to withdraw from the world. He called for special days of fasting and warned of coming persecution, which would fit the church for Christ's return. During this time two of his prophetesses, Prisca and Maximilla, gave what were considered new revelations from God supplanting Scripture. The most famous convert to Montanism was Tertullian (160-225). The church of Rome initially looked favorably on Montanism but then turned against it. The movement then was forced underground, and it dissipated following Tertullian's death.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
175 MELITO, BISHOP OF SARDIS, PETITIONS THE EMPEROR
Melito was the bishop of Sardis during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (160-180). At a time when being a Christian was a crime against the state, Melito wrote a petition to the emperor begging him to examine the charges that were being made against those who believed in Christ. Melito proposed to the emperor that Christianity be made the religion of the empire, since church and state were complementary works of God for mankind's benefit. There is no evidence of a response from the emperor. Melito's many visits to historic Christian sites earned him the distinction of the first known Christian pilgrim. Melito also was the first Christian writer to list the books of the Old Testament, distinguishing them from the Apocrypha.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
177 IRENAEUS BECOMES BISHOP OF LYONS
Irenaeus (flourished 175-195), the bishop of Lyons, France, grew up in Asia Minor. He was a disciple of Polycarp (69-155) and therefore a spiritual grandson to the apostle John. He moved to Lyons where he became an elder (presbyter) in the church. When the bishop of Lyons died in the persecution of 177, Irenaeus succeeded him. His diocese included not only all of Gaul (modern-day France) but extended to Vienna as well. His major literary work, Against Heresies, refuted Gnosticism and Marcionism. Irenaeus followed Paul more closely than did the apostolic fathers after him. Theologically biblical rather than philosophical, he was the first theologian who wrote for the church. Above all he saw himself as a shepherd of God's flock.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
190 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA BECOMES HEAD OF CATECHETICAL SCHOOL
Clement (155-220), the first known Christian scholar, was an Athenian by birth. He traveled to the centers of learning in the eastern Roman Empire searching for a teacher to instruct him in the Christian faith. He found Pantaenus (d. 190), the founder of a school in Alexandria, Egypt. In about 190 Clement succeeded Pantaenus as head of the school, which became the official catechetical school of Alexandria. While in this post, Clement wrote three books that have survived. Clement adopted an allegorical method of interpreting the Bible, using Greek philosophy as a means of understanding Scripture. He taught Origen, who became the early theologian of the Eastern Church. Clement was forced to flee Alexandria in 202 during the persecution under Emperor Septimius Severus (145-211).
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
196 TERTULLIAN BEGINS TO WRITE
Tertullian (160-225), a lifelong resident of Carthage, North Africa, was educated in literature, rhetoric, and law. He was converted to Christ around age forty and soon became a leading teacher in the church of Carthage. Tertullian began to write soon after his conversion, and thirty-one of his writings have been preserved. He was one of the first to articulate the doctrine of the Trinity, stating that God is one substance and yet three persons. Tertullian's writings demonstrate his legal mind. He sought for perfect order and opposed all moral laxity in the church. Phrases such as "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" and "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" come from his works. In about 206, Tertullian left the church to become a Montanist; yet, in his writings he continued to defend orthodox theology.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
Catholic Christianity spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean world. It confronted the alien ideas of Gnosticism, Marcionism, and Montanism and addressed the lies by appealing to the apostolic writings and to the orthodox bishops who guarded them. At the same time, Christians faced the persecuting power of Rome and dared to die heroically as martyrs, becoming examples to other believers to follow in their train. This seed of martyr's blood, as Ter-tullian called it, eventually bore abundant fruit in the conversion of the Empire.
BRUCE L. SHELLEY
105—Paper invented in China
118-25—Pantheon built in Rome
150—Earliest Sanskrit inscribed in India
151-80—Emperor Marcus Aurelius reigns
164—Oldest Mayan monuments erected
220—Chinese Han Dynasty ends
238—Goths begin invading Roman Empire
300's—Villages appear in North America
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
110 IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH IS MARTYRED
Ignatius (50-110) was bishop of Antioch and is known for the seven letters he wrote to the churches at Philadelphia, Smyrna, Ephesus, Tralles, Magnesia, Rome, and to Polycarp (69-155), the bishop of Smyrna. He wrote these letters under armed guard on his way to be martyred in Rome. The letter to the church in Rome urges them to refrain from intervening with the authorities to prevent his martyrdom. His letters show a strong commitment to Jesus Christ and to Jesus' physical birth, death, and resurrection, although Ignatius did not clearly understand grace and forgiveness. Ignatius was the first person aside from the New Testament writers to write of Jesus' virgin birth.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
110 PERSECUTION BEGINS UNDER EMPEROR TRAJAN
Trajan (53-117) was the son of the Roman governor of Asia and Syria. Proclaimed emperor in 98, he became the most militarily ambitious Roman ruler of all time. The first organized persecution of Christians by the Roman government began about 110 in Asia Minor. There in 112, Governor Pliny the Younger (61-112) wrote to Emperor Trajan regarding the "contagion of this superstition" of Christianity that was spreading both in cities and rural areas. Pliny reported that whenever he was informed of a Christian he would bring the person before his tribunal. If that person admitted to being a Christian, he or she would be put to death. Trajan replied to Pliny that he was following the proper procedure and added that Christians should not be sought out, but if reported they should be punished unless they recanted and worshiped the Roman gods.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
115-117 JEWS REVOLT IN EGYPT
The Jewish position in Egypt deteriorated under the Roman Empire's rule. After rioting in 41 and 66, they instigated a final rebellion from 115 to 117 during the reign of Emperor Trajan (53-117). This uprising took place not only in Egypt but also in Cyrene (in modern-day Libya) and on Cyprus. The Roman response was the violent suppression of the Alexandrian Jews and the destruction of their historic synagogue. As a result, the Jewish community of Alexandria that had been one of the largest outside of Israel went into permanent decline.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
132-135 BAR KOKHBA REVOLTS
In the early second century, the harsh Roman occupation of Palestine led to a second Judean war. The immediate cause was Emperor Hadrian's (76-137) plan to rebuild Jerusalem, making it a Roman city dedicated to Jupiter. This was too much for the Jews. The revolt began in 132, led by Simon ben Kosiba (d. 135), popularly known as Bar Kokhba, "son of the star." Bar Kokhba assumed the role of an ancient Judean king, but neither his personal popularity nor the support of the rabbis was enough to bring victory. He was killed in 135, and his troops were completely decimated. Rome's revenge was swift. The entire Jewish population of Judea was deported and replaced with Gentiles. The province's name was changed from Judea to Syria-Palestine. The revolt was one of the darkest times in Jewish history.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
144 MARCION IS EXCOMMUNICATED
Marcion (75-155), a prominent ship owner from Pontus in Asia Minor, was excommunicated from the church for immorality. He then developed his own unique theology and gained a large following that became a major threat to orthodox Christianity. He established churches throughout the empire, and his views remained influential for nearly two centuries. In Marcion's theology, the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament were completely separate beings. The God of the Old Testament created the world and the evil in it, and his religion revolved around law. In contrast, the God of the New Testament was the true God, the Father of Jesus, and a God of love and grace. Marcion's canon consisted of only ten epistles of Paul and an edited version of Luke. In reaction to Marcion, orthodox Christianity was forced to define the true canon of Scripture.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
150 EASTER CONTROVERSY BEGINS
The date of Easter became a major controversy in the early church. The first discussion of the question occurred about 150 when Polycarp (69-155), bishop of Smyrna, visited the bishop of Rome. Christians in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) wanted the Lord's Supper on the same day as the Jewish Passover, with Easter being celebrated two days later, regardless of day of the week. On the other hand, the Roman church believed that Easter should always fall on Sunday. Twenty years later, the same argument broke out in Laodicea. The controversy came to a head throughout the Christian world between 190 and 194, and was the subject of discussion at many synods. Rome's position finally prevailed and was officially adopted by the Council of Nicea in 325.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
150 JUSTIN BECOMES ONE OF CHRISTIANITY'S FIRST APOLOGISTS
Born to Greek parents in Palestine, Justin (100-165) was converted through contact with an old Christian man who used Old Testament prophecies to convince him of the truth of Christianity. Already an educated philosopher, Justin became a devoted Christian. For the remaining thirty or so years of his life, he traveled, wrote, and evangelized. He became one of the first Christian apologists, explaining Christianity as a reasonable system. For Justin, all truth was God's truth, and he incorporated Greek thought with Jewish prophecy, presenting Christ as the fulfillment of the Hebrew tradition. In his greatest work, his first Apology (his second may not be genuine), he addressed the emperor in a defense of the faith. At Justin's martyrdom in 165, he demonstrated the conviction he had written earlier: "You can kill us, but cannot do us any real harm."
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
156 POLYCARP IS MARTYRED
Born in a Christian home, Polycarp (69-155) appears to have been a disciple of the apostle John and to have met other eyewitnesses of Jesus as well. He served the church as bishop of Smyrna. On a trip to Rome, Polycarp met Marcion (75-155), whom he referred to as "firstborn of Satan." At the end of his life when the civil authorities demanded that he deny his faith, Polycarp's response was, "I have served Christ eighty-five years. How can I blaspheme my King? I am a Christian." At his martyrdom he reportedly was miraculously untouched by the flames, so he was killed with a dagger and his body burned. His followers collected his bones as relics.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
172 THE MONTANIST MOVEMENT BEGINS
In 155, the pagan priest Montanus was converted to Christianity. He began prophesying that Jesus and the New Jerusalem would come soon to Pepuza, a city in Asia Minor. The precursor of these events was to be a unique outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Considering his followers to be an elite group of Christians, Montanus instructed them to withdraw from the world. He called for special days of fasting and warned of coming persecution, which would fit the church for Christ's return. During this time two of his prophetesses, Prisca and Maximilla, gave what were considered new revelations from God supplanting Scripture. The most famous convert to Montanism was Tertullian (160-225). The church of Rome initially looked favorably on Montanism but then turned against it. The movement then was forced underground, and it dissipated following Tertullian's death.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
175 MELITO, BISHOP OF SARDIS, PETITIONS THE EMPEROR
Melito was the bishop of Sardis during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (160-180). At a time when being a Christian was a crime against the state, Melito wrote a petition to the emperor begging him to examine the charges that were being made against those who believed in Christ. Melito proposed to the emperor that Christianity be made the religion of the empire, since church and state were complementary works of God for mankind's benefit. There is no evidence of a response from the emperor. Melito's many visits to historic Christian sites earned him the distinction of the first known Christian pilgrim. Melito also was the first Christian writer to list the books of the Old Testament, distinguishing them from the Apocrypha.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
177 IRENAEUS BECOMES BISHOP OF LYONS
Irenaeus (flourished 175-195), the bishop of Lyons, France, grew up in Asia Minor. He was a disciple of Polycarp (69-155) and therefore a spiritual grandson to the apostle John. He moved to Lyons where he became an elder (presbyter) in the church. When the bishop of Lyons died in the persecution of 177, Irenaeus succeeded him. His diocese included not only all of Gaul (modern-day France) but extended to Vienna as well. His major literary work, Against Heresies, refuted Gnosticism and Marcionism. Irenaeus followed Paul more closely than did the apostolic fathers after him. Theologically biblical rather than philosophical, he was the first theologian who wrote for the church. Above all he saw himself as a shepherd of God's flock.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
190 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA BECOMES HEAD OF CATECHETICAL SCHOOL
Clement (155-220), the first known Christian scholar, was an Athenian by birth. He traveled to the centers of learning in the eastern Roman Empire searching for a teacher to instruct him in the Christian faith. He found Pantaenus (d. 190), the founder of a school in Alexandria, Egypt. In about 190 Clement succeeded Pantaenus as head of the school, which became the official catechetical school of Alexandria. While in this post, Clement wrote three books that have survived. Clement adopted an allegorical method of interpreting the Bible, using Greek philosophy as a means of understanding Scripture. He taught Origen, who became the early theologian of the Eastern Church. Clement was forced to flee Alexandria in 202 during the persecution under Emperor Septimius Severus (145-211).
—Complete Book of When and Where, The
196 TERTULLIAN BEGINS TO WRITE
Tertullian (160-225), a lifelong resident of Carthage, North Africa, was educated in literature, rhetoric, and law. He was converted to Christ around age forty and soon became a leading teacher in the church of Carthage. Tertullian began to write soon after his conversion, and thirty-one of his writings have been preserved. He was one of the first to articulate the doctrine of the Trinity, stating that God is one substance and yet three persons. Tertullian's writings demonstrate his legal mind. He sought for perfect order and opposed all moral laxity in the church. Phrases such as "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" and "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" come from his works. In about 206, Tertullian left the church to become a Montanist; yet, in his writings he continued to defend orthodox theology.
—Complete Book of When and Where, The