Timeline of Christianity

  • 2100 BCE

    Calling of Abraham

    • the Father of the Jewish nation
  • Period: 2100 BCE to

    Christianity in History

  • 2000 BCE

    Birth of Jacob

    • Later to be called Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel are named after Jacob's sons.
  • 1900 BCE

    Joseph is sold

    • into slavery in Egypt. Israelites eventually become captives in the land.
  • 1446 BCE

    The Exodus begins

    • Led by Moses, the Israelites leave Egypt and eventually settle in Canaan.
  • 1010 BCE

    David becomes king of Israel

    • making Jerusalem his capital.
  • 970 BCE

    Solomon becomes king

    David's son Solomon becomes king. He later builds a temple in Jerusalem to honour God.
  • 930 BCE

    Solomon's death

    Following Solomon's death, the Kingdom is divided into two sections: Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah).
  • 753 BCE

    Founding of Rome

    • Traditional date for the founding of Rome.
  • 722 BCE

    Fall of Israel

    • Fall of the kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians.
  • 612 BCE

    Nineveh

    • the Assyrian capital, falls to the Babylonians.
  • 586 BCE

    Babylonians take Jerusalem

    Babylonians take Jerusalem and destroy Solomon's temple. Jewish nation is taken into captivity in Babylon (the exile).
  • 538 BCE

    Return of some exiles

    Return of some of the exiles. Start of reconstruction of the temple.
  • 512 BCE

    Completion of temple

  • 330 BCE

    Conquest by Alexander the Great

    -rise of Hellenism (Greek culture).
  • 250 BCE

    LXX

    Work begins to translate the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek. This is known as the Septuagint or LXX.
  • 63 BCE

    Roman rule of Israel begins

  • 4 BCE

    Birth of Jesus Christ

    • in Bethlehem.
  • 30

    Death of Jesus Christ

  • 33

    Birthday of the Church

    • Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). Sometimes known as the Birthday of the Church.
  • 33

    Stephen - First Christian martyr (Acts 7).

  • 48

    Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15)

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

    First Gospel published

  • 62

    Martyrdom of James, "The Lord's Brother".