Christianity Timeline from Jesus Christ's birth to Martin Luther's 95 theses

By diris28
  • 4 BCE

    Birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem

  • 30

    Death of Jesus Christ

  • 33

    Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit

    Sometimes known as the birthday of the church.
  • 33

    Stephen- First Christian martyr

  • 48

    Council of Jerusalem

    Gentile Christians accepted alongside those in the Jewish tradition.
  • 60

    First Gospel published

  • 62

    Martyrdom of James

    The Lord's brother
  • 67

    Apostles Peter and Paul martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero

    67 CE to 68 CE
  • 70

    Jewish rebellion against the Roman empire ends.

    Destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.
  • 70

    Centre of Christianity moves to Antioch, Alexandria and Rome.

    From 70
  • 90

    Book of Revelation

    Gospel of Saint John was written.
  • 161

    Widespread persecution of Christians under Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius

    161CE-180CE
    Severe persecutions also occurred under the emperor Decius (249-251) and Diocletian (284-305)
  • 301

    Armenia becomes the world's first country to officially adopt Christianity as the state religion

  • 312

    Roman emperor Constantine receives a vision

    The vision of a flaming cross 'In hoc signo vinces: 'By the sign conquer'. Defeats rival Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge.
  • 313

    Christianity becomes a legal religion within the Roman empire.

    Edict of Milan issued by Constantine
  • 325

    Constantine calls the first ecumenical council of Nicea.

    Arian heresy which declared Christ was a created being is refuted. Nicene Creed is drawn up, declaring Christ to be "Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father".
  • 367

    Saint Athanasius is the first to list all 27 New Testaments books in his festal letter.

  • 381

    Ecumenical Council at Constantinople revises the Nicene Creed to its current form.

  • 382

    Saint Jerome begins a translation of the Bible into Latin

  • 397

    Synod at Carthage ratifies the 27 books of the New Testament as sacred scripture.

  • 431

    Ecumenical council held at Ephesus refutes Nestorianism

    The doctrine that Christ was two persons in one body. Mary is declared Theotokos.
  • 449

    At Ephesus, Pope Leo I delivers his 'Tome', defending orthodox Christian belief.

    Leo also asserts Papal supremacy.
  • 451

    Ecumenical council at Chalcedon affirms Christ as having two distinct natures united in one person.

  • 553

    Ecumenical council at Constantinople affirms teaching of previous councils.

  • 563

    Columba establishes a monastery at Iona.

  • 589

    Insertion of the 'filioque' into the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed at a council in Toledo.

  • 597

    St. Augustine becomes the first Archbishop of Canterburg.

    Following a mission authorised by Pope Gregory I
  • 664

    Synod of Whitby ratifies the authority of the Pope in England.

  • 680

    Ecumenical council at Constantinople rejects Monothelite heresy of one will in Christ.

    680CE-681CE
  • 731

    Bebe writes his 'Ecclesiastical History'.

  • 787

    Ecumenical council at Nicea ends the controversy over the use of icons in worship.

  • 800

    Charlemagne is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III

  • 988

    Conversion of Prince Vladimir in Klev.

    Growth of Christianity in Russia.
  • 1054

    Great Schism

    Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic churches separate.
  • 1095

    Pope Urban II authorises the first Crusade to recover the Holy Land from Moslems.

  • 1099

    Crusaders conquer Jerusalem.

  • 1182

    Massacre of Latin inhabitants of Constantinople.

  • 1187

    Jerusalem recaptured by a Moslem army led by Saladin.

  • 1189

    Third Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart of England.

  • 1204

    Sack of Constantinople during the fourth crusade.

  • 1216

    Papal approval of the Dominican and Franciscan mendicant orders

    1216CE-1223CE
  • 1266

    Thomas Aquinas writes his great work of systematic Theology.

    1266CE-1273CE
  • 1305

    Papacy moved to Avignon following a dispute with Phillip IV of France

  • 1341

    Defence of Orthodox spiritually by Gregory Palamas

    Rise of Hesychasm.
  • 1376

    John Wycliffe writes 'Civil Dominion'.

    arguing for reform of the church.
  • 1378

    Dispute ends in 1417 with election of Martin V.

    Following the return of the Papacy to Rome, rival claimants emerge.
  • 1380

    John Wycliffe translates the Bible into Middle East

  • 1453

    Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks.

  • 1517

    Martin Luther posts his 95 theses in Wittenberg, Germany.

    beginning the Protestant reformation.