Early Church History~30-500 A.D.Emerging Church 500-1000Medieval Church 1000-1500Renaissance Church 1500-1700Enlightenment Church 1700-1900Modern Church 1900-2000+

When we last left him…• The life and teaching of Jesus Christ wrapped up with his

death, resurrection and ascension into heaven.Matthew 28

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

And once he’s gone…• After his ascension, Christ’s disciples lock themselves up in a

room, afraid of the authorities.• Then something happens…

Acts 2When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

The Church Begins

With the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentacost, the apostles and disciples of Jesus transformed from looking inward to themselves into going forth into the world to accomplish what Jesus asked of them. This moment is considered the birth of the Church.

Mission Impossible

• All apostles go out to accomplish what Jesus asked of them: make disciples of all nations.• Ironically, the Roman Empire which killed

Jesus provided many aids to evangelization• Common language (Greek)• Established trade routes• Rule of law

Paul of Tarsus

• Originally named Saul, a Pharisee who persecuted the Christian community• After an encounter with Christ, becomes

the “Apostle to the Gentiles” extensively travelling through the Empire, establishing Churches.• He also wrote the earliest books of the

Bible, letters to the Churches he founded, which established the theology of Jesus.

Paul’s Journeys

Come together: Council of Jerusalem

• Paul ends up convincing and converting many people who are not Jewish: Gentiles• As these people enter into faith, a crucial

question emerges: Do they need to become Jews to become Christians?• Paul and others say no. James and others say

yes.• They come together and make a decision: as long

as Gentiles obey some key rules of Judaism, they can be Christians ~49 A.D.

But the problems don’t end…• Paul of Tarsus is arrested for preaching Jesus and is

executed in Rome• Emporer Nero blames Christians for a fire in 64 A.D.

and has them killed.• Over the next three centuries, Roman Persecution 

continues, in which Christians are harassed, tortured and executed.• These persecutions would come and go in different

areas of the Empire under different Emperors

Back to the Jews

• So the Roman Empire, as Gentiles, did not love Christians• But more tension existed between the Christian and

Jewish communities• Christians included non-Jewish Gentiles• The Jews revolted against Rome in 67-70A.D. but

Christians refused to fight• The Jewish Temple was destroyed, erasing what was

the centre of Jewish religious life

Council of Jamnia, ~90A.D.

Difficult to determine the historical facts, but:• Jews gathered in aftermath of Temple

destruction to decide how to continue.• Many different forms of Judaism were tolerated

when the Temple stood as a unifying force.• No Temple, no unity; other forms of Judaism

were barred from the synagogue, the new centre of Jewish religious life.

Perpetua and Felicity of Carthage

• 203 A.D. It is illegal to become Christian• Perpetua and Felicity are two young women who

are catechumens – converts to faith• They refuse to renounce their faith and are

sentenced to death in the arena by scourging, wild animals, and gladiators• Perpetua had a young child left behind; Felicity

was pregnant and delivered her child in prison awaiting execution

• The account of their arrest was written by Perpetua, the daughter of a Roman noble• Felicity was her slave• Perpetua had a vision of the next world

she recorded before her execution

Perpetua and Felicity of Carthage

Perpetua and Felicity of Carthage

• This story is important because• It is written in a woman’s voice when women

generally never left home, never were educated• It revealed equality between noble and slave• It recorded a mystical revelation, showing that

God still spoke to his people after the death of the Apostles (Scripture and Tradition)• It was a part of the martyrdom tradition that

shaped the church

Edict of Nantes

•By 313 A.D., Christianity is established throughout the Empire, but still “underground and hipster” to be Christian.• Emperor Constantine proclaims

religious tolerance for all faiths.•Constantine becomes first Christian

Emporer

Council of Nicea, 325 A.D.• Many different forms of Christianity spread out and

persecuted.• Now that it’s out in the open, Constantine wants Christians to

be united in faith, and so calls a Council.• At the Council, the divinity of Christ is affirmed.• It marks the beginning of officially sanctioned Christianity –

recognized by the state.

Setting up for next episode…• Constantine moves the capital of the Empire to Constantinople

in the East.• This begins a balance of power between Rome and

Constantinople that we continue to feel today.

• Later, Rome is sacked in 455 A.D. Lots of people call this the beginning of the “Dark Ages”

Sacked?

Sacked!