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31
31 A.D. – The First Pentecost
After Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, came the first pentecost which in a historical view was the day the Church started. Jesus came down in the form of the Holy Spirit, Mary and the Apostles all began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to spread Jesus’ teachings to the world. This is the same in a spiritual context since the Holy Spirit brings the church into existence. -
51
51 A.D. – The Council Of Jerusalem
The gathering of the Apostles and other Christian leaders also known as the Council of Jerusalem was a meeting the early Church held. It was held to officially break from Jewish tradition, to reach out to all people regardless of race, language, or cultural background. This held major significance to Christianity as it allowed anyone to practise certain teachings and rituals. It was also brought forth to resolve the debate on whether Gentile Christians were allowed to participate in circumcision -
64
64 A.D. – The Burning of Rome/Persecution of Christians
When Nero blamed Christians for the burning of Rome in 64 A.D, he incited the first imperial persecution of Christians and set the tone for imperial relations with Christians for future Roman Emperors. The Neronian Persecutions were followed by four major waves of imperial persecution up until about 312 with the conversion of Emperor Constantine's. Ironically, such persecution aided church growth after the waves died down because of the courage that Christians showed in the face of violence. -
70
A.D. 70 – The Destruction of Jerusalem
The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish Temple, that ended the First Jewish-Roman War drastically altered Judaism. This event were huge as it marked the end of the Jewish state until recent times and ended the sacrificial system of the Jews. The destruction also signalled a shift in the power structure of the church. The mostly Jewish church quickly became Gentile. This event was interpreted as punishment on the Jews for rejecting Jesus as their Messiah according to scriptures. -
312
312 – The Conversion of Emperor Constantine
A significant turning point in Christian Church History was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity. Constantine is credited with converting the Roman Empire to Christianity and is known for ending the persecution of Christians. Not only that but he made Christianity the dominant religion of the entire Roman Empire when he converted to Christianity. His reasons for converting remain unknown but there is still debates on whether his faith is authentic or politically prompt. -
313
313 – The Edict of Milan
Christianity was a religion of persecution which made staying alive a top priority for the followers of Christ. Following Constantine’s vision he decided to join forces with Licinius. Together they issued the Edict of Milan, granting freedom of religious practice to Christians and ending the early waves of imperial persecution but also marking the beginning of imperial intervention into the controversies of the Christian church. -
325
325 – The Council of Nicea
The first of the four great councils gathered to debate the issue of whether Jesus Christ was equal to God the Father. Arius claimed that Jesus was a created being who was of a similar substance as the Father. Athanasius of Alexandria, however, asserted that Jesus was not a created being but was of the same substance as the Father. After a long debate,majority of the council agreed with Athanasius that Jesus was equal. This was a significant victory for the orthodox view of the person of Christ. -
367
367 – Athanasius Defines the New Testament Canon
After Christians had over two hundred years to respond to the challenge of Marcion’s proposed canon, Athanasius writes a letter in which he commends a certain list of books to be the authoritative body of literature for Christians. Not only was Athanasius’ letter the first time the word “canon” is applied to such a list, but his proposed list eventually became accepted by most Christians and remains today the widely accepted content of the Christian canon—the New Testament. -
451
451 – The Council of Chalcedon
This fourth and last of the great ecumenical councils solidified the orthodox view of the person of Christ. Attended by 150 bishops, Chalcedon affirmed that Christ had two natures – human and divine, and that these two natures existed within one person without being blurred. -
Jan 1, 1054
1054 – The Great Schism
The split between East and West began much earlier, but 1054 is viewed as the official date of the separation between Western and Eastern Christians. The West say that the pope's authority extends over the entire church, including the East. But the East reject papal authority. Also, the Western church argued that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Whereas the East say it's just from the Father. These differences couldn't be overcome and thus the East and West churches split. -
Feb 2, 1456
1456 – Gutenburg Produces the First Printed Bible
The invention of the printing press and the first Bible were revolutionary, both politically and religiously. For the first time, books could now be mass-produced and not kept only as the property of the state. Without this invention, the Protestant reformation may never have taken root. But with it, the Bible was put into the hands of the common people. As a result, the Protestant belief of the priesthood of all believers could now also be joined with a Bible in the hands of all believers. -
Mar 3, 1517
1517 – The Birth of Protestantism
Roman Catholic Pope Leo X authorised the sale of indulgences. documents issued by the church that supposedly relieved their owners of time in Purgatory, a place where Catholics believe they must purge themselves of their sins before going to heaven. Luther denied the indulgences were valid and nailed a placard to the church door in Wittenburg criticising church practices in an effort to stimulate discussion. This led to him being excommunicated. -
Oct 31, 1517
1517 – Luther Posts His "95 Theses"
On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther posted his "95 Theses" on the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg. At issue for Luther was the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church. The ramifications of this event were huge both politically and religiously as Luther's posting began the Protestant Reformation. When asked why he did it, Luther said he was bound by Scripture and reason. Luther was condemned as a heretic and sentenced to die. He escaped and the Protestant Reformation spread. -
Apr 4, 1534
1534 – The English Reformation
English Ruler Henry VIII in 1534 set up the Church of England and made himself its incomparable head in the wake of splitting far from the Roman Catholic Church. The King made the move after Archbishop, Canterbury Thomas Cramer in 1533 pronounced Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon to be null and void, in disobedience of the Roman Catholic Church. Subsequent to separating Catherine, Henry wedded numerous other women. -
1720 and 1906 – The Great Awakenings
Three spiritual revivals known as the "Great Awakenings" between 1720 and 1906 saw the development of evangelical churches in North America. The First Great Awakening in the 1730s and 1740s mostly affected Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist churches, and also spread within the slave population. The Second Great Awakening took place between the 1800s and 1830s and focused on the unchurched. The Third Great Awakening lasted from 1857 to 1906, spreading Protestantism. -
1960 – Emergence of the Charismatic Movement
The Neo-Pentecostal or Charismatic Movement, through which Pentecostalism entered Protestant mainline churches, began in 1960 in an Episcopalian Church in Van Nuys, Calif., according to Oral Roberts University. Within a decade, the movement had reached 55 million Protestants and spread to all the world's 150 major Protestant families. -
1962 – Vatican II Council Begins
2400 Roman Catholic bishops met in Rome to discuss what direction the Catholic Church would take for the Modern Era. Some of the results of the Council included: a shift in emphasis from the church as a monarchical structure organised under the primacy of the pope to the collegial union of bishops; a positive view of the role of non-Christian religions etc.
