Date
|
Event
|
Significance
|
6-5
B.C.
|
Birth
of Christ
|
Demarcation
of human history. The irreversible incarnation of
the Eternal Word (Logos, 3056)
of God (John 1:1-5, 14-18).
|
30
|
Day
of
Pentecost
|
Founding
of
the Church by the descent of the Holy Spirit
|
35
|
Martyrdom
of Stephen (Acts 6:8-7:60)
|
Great
persecution, spear-headed by Saul of Tarsus,
spreads the church away from Jerusalem (Acts
8:1-2).
|
35
|
Saul
of Tarsus converted en route to Damascus (Acts
9:1-25).
|
By the grace of God, the Church's greatest enemy was converted into the Church's greatest Missionary!
|
48
|
Council
of Jerusalem
|
Established
that believing Gentiles did not have to be
circumcised in order to be saved.
|
96
|
Authorship of Revelation
by Apostle
John
|
Close of the
canon of the New Testament.
|
110
|
Martyrdom
of Ignatius
of
Antioch
|
He was the first to elevate the office of
"Bishop" (episkopos,
1985),
better,
"Overseer" over the office of "Elder" (presbuteros,
4245).
This
is unbiblical, and thus, unfortunate. In the NT,
the terms, though possessing different meanings,
were interchangeable, connoting different aspects
of the same office (Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5, 7).
|
144
|
Marcion of
Sinope expelled from the church of Rome.
|
He founded Marcionism,
which rejected
the OT as incompatible with the New Covenant.
He compiled
his own canon, which consisted of his own
Gospel of Marcion, which closely resembled Luke,
and only 10 Epistles of Paul. The rest of the NT
he omitted.
|
175-185
|
Irenaeus
of Lyons.
|
Wrote "Against
Heresies" Book
1. Book
2. Book
3. Book
4. Book
5. Irenaeus is often used by Roman
Catholics and others to support their belief
in Apostolic
Succession "because
he said that all the bishops can trace their
succession back to the apostles." That may
be a misunderstanding of Irenaeus.
Regardless, Apostolic
Succession is a myth. The Apostles
could pass on their teaching, but not their
Apostleship. Jesus chose His Apostles
and there are only twelve (Rev. 21:14).
|
185-254
|
Life
of Origen
of Alexandria
|
An accomplished scholar and prodigious
writer, he published De
Principiis (On
First Principles), a comprehensive
systematic theology. Another of his most famous
works was his Hexapla,
with one column in Hebrew and parallel five
columns of various Greek translations. Sadly, he
is a prime example of an early chuch scholar using
allegorical
interpretations of passages with which he
had problems.
|
312
|
Conversion
of Constantine
|
His conversion changed the whole course of
European history, as Christianity became an
approved religion in the Roman Empire instead of a
persecuted religion.
|
325
|
First
Council of Nicea
|
Formulated the original Nicene
Creed, considered as a test of orthodoxy.
Council convened
by Roman Emperor Constantine.
|
380
|
Christianity made the state religion of
Rome.
|
"With
the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 AD, Emperor Theodosius
I made Nicene Christianity the Empire's state
religion." (Wikipedia, citing Forster and Tony Honore). This further complicated the admixture of Church and State.
|
386
|
Augustine
Converted to Christianity
|
Ordained
Bishop in Hippo, Africa, he influenced much of Reformed
doctrine in such areas as predestination,
original sin, the bondage of the will, and
efficacious grace. Sadly, his contributions to Roman
Catholic theology include infant baptism,
the perpetual virginity of Mary, and the real
presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Also sadly,
he believed the Church
Age was the Millennium.
|
400
|
Jerome published
the Latin Vulgate
|
Out of many variant Latin texts, Jerome
produced one standardized Latin text which became
the accepted RCC
text for centuries. The most recent edition
is the Nova
Vulgata, published in 1979.
|
622
|
Muhammad's Hegira from Mecca to Medina
|
Marked
the birth of Islam
|
732
|
Battle of Tours
|
Halted the advance of Islam in Western
Europe
|
800
|
Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope
Leo
III
|
Legitimized
the Roman Catholic Church through
the
Pope as holding temporal power over the state.
|
817-827
|
Claudius, Bishop of
Turin
|
He
found the churches of Turin filled with "sordid
images" .... "Since everyone was honoring them, I
undertook their destruction singlehandedly."
He taught that the Apostolic office of Peter
ceased with his life; that "the power of the keys"
passed to the whole Episcopal Order, and that the
Bishop of Rome had Apostolic Power only so far as
he led an Apostolic life.
|
1054
|
Great Schism between East and West
|
Pope
Leo IX asserted the supremacy of the See of Peter over the
entire Catholic Church. Papal legates excommunicated Michael
Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, and his supporters. The
legates dramatically deposited the sentence of excommunication on the
altar of St. Sophia on July 16, 1054 as it stood ready for the
Eucharist. Cerularius, a few days later, excommunicated the legates.
Kenneth Scott Latourette (KSL), A History of Christianity, pp. 572-574.
|
1095
|
First
Crusade Launched by Council of Clermont
|
Pope Urban II called for the 1st
crusade in a sermon at the
Council of Clermont in 1095. He encouraged military
support for the Byzantine Empire and its Emperor, Alexios
I. Urban
ostensibly wanted to guarantee pilgrims access to the holy
land holy sites under Muslim control. But perhaps a deeper
motive may have been to unite the Eastern and Western
branches of Christendom, separated by the Great Schism of
1054, and to establish himself as the head of the unified
Church. The Crusade initially established the first four Crusader States in the Middle
East. Participants
received a plenary indulgence from the Pope. In the course of
the Crusade many Jews as well as Muslims were killed.
|
1215
|
4th
Lateran / 12th Ecumenical Council
|
Called by Pope
Innocent III. Placed Roman Church as
supreme; commanded annual confession; tithes take
precedence over taxes; called for the Fifth
Crusade; participants were promised
forgiveness of sins.
|
1287-1347
|
William of
Ockham
|
He rejected
papal or conciliar authority as the final
say on theology and ethics.
|
1302
|
Unam
Sanctam
|
Papal Bull issued by Pope
Boniface VIII. It proclaims papal supremacy.
It concludes "that it is absolutely necessary for
salvation that every human creature be subject to
the Roman Pontiff." This, of course, is pure
fiction. Nowhere does the NT state this to be
true. It is absolutely necessary for salvation
that one believes in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 36;
14:6).
|
1309
|
Papacy begins "Babylonian exile" in
Avignon.
|
The Avignon Papacy was the time period in which the Roman Catholic pope
resided in Avignon, France, instead of in Rome, from approximately 1309
to 1377. The Avignon Papacy is sometimes referred to as the Babylonian
Captivity of the Church because it lasted nearly 70 years, which was
the length of the Babylonian captivity of the Jews in the Bible
(Jeremiah 29:10). |
1378
|
Great Papal Schism begins
|
Pope
Gregory XI moved the papacy from Avignon back to Rome. However, when he
died, his successor, Urban VI, was rejected by many in Christendom.
Cardinals selected a second pope, who took up his reign in Avignon. The
pro-Vatican faithful called the rival Avignon popes "antipopes." At one
point there were three different popes reigning at the same time! The
Great Schism was healed in 1417.
|
1384
|
John
Wycliffe's English Bible
translation completed.
|
This
was the first translation of the Bible into the
English vernacular. Up to this point, the Bible in
the Western wing of Christendom appeared only in
the Latin Vulgate. Wycliffe's translation of the
Bible into English gave the common person the
privilege of reading it for himself. This made the
RCC furious.
Though he had already died, at the Council of
Constance Wycliffe was declared a heretic. His
works were to be burned; his remains were exhumed,
burned, and cast into the Swift River. Anyone who
read the Bible in English would
forfeit his life, land, cattle and goods forever.
Praise God, we can now read the Bible for
ourselves!
|
1415
|
Martyrdom
of John Hus. KSL,
pp. 666-669
|
Highly ethical, he denounced the evils of
the RCC from priest to Pope. Held the church was
founded on Christ, not Peter. Denounced the
Crusade of the Pisan Pope against King of Naples
and the indulgences being sold to finance the
military venture. Council of Constance condemned
Hus. Turned him over to the secular authorities
who burned him alive at the stake.
|
1414-1418
|
Council
of Constance (16th Ecumenical)
|
Called by King
Sigismund, eventually (1434) Holy Roman Emperor.
Ended the Great Schism. Decreed the condemnation
and the murder by burning of John Hus.
|
1439
|
Sacraments
fixed at seven
|
The RCC errs in
its belief that sacraments grant grace, and that
there are seven. Christ left us only two
ordinances -- baptism and communion (the Lord's
Table or Eucharist). Both are symbolic.
|
1516
|
Erasmus'
first edition of the Greek NT
|
Prior to this time the Latin Vulgate had
been the authoritative NT text in the West.
Erasmus' editions improved on the accuracy of the
Greek original. After Erasmus' death a final copy
of his Greek NT was published
in 1633, 22 years after the 1611 KJV. The
publisher's preface of this 1633 edition contained
the words (in Latin) from which we derive the term
"Textus
Receptus."
|
1517
|
Martin
Luther posted 95
Theses. These points of debate primarily
inveighed against the abuse of indulgences.
|
Began the Protestant
Reformation, which made significant progress
in purifying the Church
Universal of corruption and false teaching.
The hallmarks
of
the Reformation were (1) The Scripture alone
is authoritative; (2) Salvation is by grace alone;
(3) Salvation is by faith alone; (4) Salvation is
in Christ alone; (5) Salvation is for the glory of
God alone.
|
1525
|
Anabaptist movement began
|
Anabaptists
believed that adult believers' baptism was the only baptism recognized
in the New Testament. But they also disagreed with Ulrich Zwingli and
the City Council of Zurich in matters of government-imposed tithe,
usury, and military service. On January 21, 1525
the Zurich Council forbade the Anabaptists from disseminating their
views. The Anabaptists defied the edict and baptized one another. They
were then persecuted by both Protestants and Catholics.
|
1526-1534
|
William
Tyndale published a Bible in the English language,
the Tyndale
Bible.
|
Gave the
English the opportunity to read the Bible for
themselves in their own language. Tyndale was
arrested for heresy, strangled, and burned
alive in 1536.
|
1536
|
John
Calvin published Institutes
of Christian Religion, 1st Edition
|
Calvin's
masterpiece was first published in Latin in 1536, and in French in
1541. It is regarded as one of the most influenctial works of
Protestant theology. It is highly regarded by those in the Reformed
Churches. Broadly speaking, his work promotes what came to be known as
"Calvinism."
|
1536
|
Menno
Simons baptized as an Anabaptist
|
Menno
Simons was one of the three Anabaptists most noted for systemizing
Anabaptist belief. Simons' followers became known as "Mennonites."The
other two were Jacob Hutter (founder of the Hutterites) and Jacob
Ammann (founder of the Amish). All three practice pacifism. The
Mennonites, in particular, have moved around the world into countries
who would not require their young men to serve in the military. My
ancestors were Mennonites (JTB).
|
1545-1563
|
Council
of Trent |
In
reaction to the Protestan Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church
refused to be reformed and regulate its views by Scripture. Instead, it
doubled down on its dogma. In the process the Church hurled 151 "Anathemas" against all who disagreed with the Church, in effect telling them to go to hell unless they repented.
|
1611
|
Initial version of King James Version |
Revisions
began immediately. There were fourteen minor revisions, but there were
two larger overhauls, one in 1629 and another in 1638. The King James
Version has been called" the single greatest monument to the English language." |
1646
|
Westminster
Confession of Faith
drafted
|
This
confession of faith was drawn up in the 1640's by a group of 151
theologians, most of whom were Presbyterians and Puritans. It is the
standard doctrine for the Church of Scotland and many Presbyterians
throughout the world. As the name suggests, the scholars met at
Westminster Abbey.
|
1648
|
Peace of
Westphalia
|
Ended Thirty
Years' War (1618-1648)
|
1780
|
Robert
Raikes began his Sunday Schools
|
|
1827
|
John
Nelson Darby founded Plymouth Brethren.
|
|
1833
|
Beginning
of the Oxford
Movement
|
There were a number in the Church of
England who yearned for a reunification with RCC
-- at
least for a return "to its heritage of
apostolic order, and to the catholic doctrines of
the early church fathers." The fears of loyal
Anglicans were realized when numbers affected by
the movement, mostly priests and young men,
defected from Anglicanism and joined the RCC.
Notable among them was John Henry Newman, who
joined the RCC in 1845.
|
1845 |
John Henry Newman left the Church of
England and joined the RCC |
|
1848
|
Karl Marx
published Communist
Manifesto.
|
|
1854
|
Immaculate
conception of Mary made a Roman Catholic dogma
|
|
1859
|
Charles
Darwin published Origin
of Species
|
|
1870
|
First
Vatican Council
|
Declared Papal
Infallibility
|
1881
|
New
Testament in the Original Greek
|
Published by
Westcott and Hort, this edition of the Greek New
Testament greatly advanced the accuracy of the
Greek Text when compared to the earlier King James
Version.
|
1886
|
Founding
of
Moody Bible Institute.
|
|
1906
|
Albert
Schweitzer wrote Quest
of the Historical Jesus.
|
|
1910
|
Publication
of "The Fundamentals."
|
|
1917
|
Bolshevist
Revolution began.
|
|
1924
|
Founding
of Dallas Theological Seminary
|
|
1934
|
Founding
of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
|
|
1942
|
Formation
of National Association of Evangelicals.
|
|
1947
|
Discovery
of Dead Sea Scrolls
|
|
1948
|
Founding
of
World
Council of Churches
|
Seeks to unite all Christian faiths; makes
overtures to Roman
Catholicism
and even to Islam and Buddhism.
Tragically, it is a source of much unbiblical
dogma. Moreover it is pro-Palestinian
and
anti-Israeli.
|
1949
|
Los
Angeles
Crusade of Billy Graham.
|
Graham
gained national prominence and embarked on
national and global evangelistic crusades.
|
1954
|
Methodists
ordained women.
|
|
1962
|
Vatican II
opened.
|
|
1974
|
Lausanne
Congress on World Evangelization
|
|