CHRISTIAN HISTORYSome key events

eastwardsDay of Pentecost c. 30Church expands around Mediterranean Sea while experiencing periods of persecution - 30-300

Constantine makes Christianity state religion of Roman Empire - early 300’s

Monastic movement as a reaction to worldly trends in Church - early 300’s onwards

Council of Nicea – God is a Trinity - 325 (Reaction to Arianism)

Council of Chalcedon - Jesus is both God and man – 451

Church expands eastwards as far as China – 400-700

Monastic movement begins in Western Europe and Celtic monks evangelize Northern England and Ireland. (C 5-6)

Pope sends Augustine to England to evangelize Anglo-Saxons, who in turn evangelize Germany, and Netherlands. C 7-9

Rise of Islam 622Iconoclastic controversy between

East and West C 8-11Eastern and Western Church

separate 1054

Russian and other East European regions convert to Eastern Orthodoxy C 9-11

Crusades to liberate Jerusalem from Muslims 1095 – 1250 – unsuccessful

Ongoing centralization of control in Western (Catholic) Church C 11-13

Inquisitions to eliminate heresy C 12 onwards

Reform movements to change the Church in Europe suppressed C 12 onwards

Martin Luther begins the Reformation 1517