Timeline: History of the Church

1 CE

Jesus born

30

Jesus starts his public ministry

33

Jesus crucifed

33

Jesus resurrected

33

Pentecost

44

Beheading of James

By Herod Agrippa

50

Council of Jerusalem

Period: 50 to 107

St. Ignatius of Antioch

64

Crucifixion of Peter

64

Beheading of Paul

64

Fire of Rome

64

Persecution under Nero

Christiani non sint - let the Christians be exterminated.

Period: 69 to 155

St. Polycarp

Important Apostolic Father.
Accused of being Christian in Smyrna. Gov wished to spare, asked him to curse Christ in public but he would not. Sentenced to be burned alive but flames didn't harm him. Killed by a sword. Feast February 23

Period: 96 to 180

"Five Good Emperors"

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, Marcus Aurelius

Period: 100 to 165

St. Justin Martyr

Converted to Christianity @ 13 after studying philosophy.
Wrote an Apology of the Faith addressed to the Emperor. Scourged and beheaded. Feast June 1.

112

Trajan's Rescript

Response to Pliny's questions. More just (no anonymous tips, apostates lived) but still could be persecuted for being a Christian

123

Hadrian's Rescript

Response to Serenus Granianus, Proconsul of Province of Asia. No mob justice, and could only be prosecuted for actual crimes, not just for being Christian. Relative toleration.

Period: 130 to 200

St. Irenaeus

Bishop of Lyon, disciple of St. Polycarp. Combated heresies, esp. Gnosticism. Martyred during reign of Septimus Severus.
Feast June 28.

Period: 160 to 225

Tertullian

Son of Roman centurion, converted to Christianity, wrote Apologetic works, joined heretical sect

Period: 170 to 236

St. Hippolytus

Wrote many Apologetic works, argued with other saints, broke from Church, elected Antipope, exiled with Pope, reconciled to Church, martyred.

Period: 185 to 254

Origen

Theologian, deacon, teacher, priest.
Tortured for two years under Decius and then released, died several years later. Wrote many works but some of his teachings are rejected.

203

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

Noblewoman and slave, forced to raise children and give birth in prison. Scourged, attacked by wild animals, and then stabbed to death.
Feast March 7.

250

Edict of Decius

Made Christianity illegal again to stabilize and unite empire. Christians had to sacrifice to pagan gods and have a certificate to prove it. Christians who refused to sacrifice or did not have a certificate were exiled or put to death

257

Valerian 1st Rescript

Forbade Christians from meeting in public places and from celebrating Eucharist in the catacombs.

258

Valerian 2nd Rescript

Priests, bishops, and deacons immediately executed, and Christians of rank removed from office and sold into slavery.

258

Pope St. Sixtus II and Deacon St. Lawrence

Pope and seven deacons captured while celebrating Mass. Sixtus and six deacons beheaded, but St. Lawrence sent to get Church treasure and bring it to them. Returned with a group of poor people - the treasure of the Church.
Roasted alive, told his guards to turn him over because he was done on that side.

295

Diocletian's Tetrarchy

Constantius - Prefecture of Gaul
Maximian - Prefecture of Italia
Galerius - Prefecture of Illyricum
Diocletian - Prefecture of the East and full leadship over entire empire as "lord and god."

Period: 303 to 312

Great Persecution under Diocletian

Churches destroyed, books burned, Christians imprisoned, tortured, forced to sacrifice to pagan gods, and martyred for the next few emperors until Milvian Bridge

304

St. Agnes

Virgin martyred during persecution of Diocletian. Consecrated herself to Christ @ 12, prospective husbands denounced her as a Christian, tortured by fire, sent to a brothel but first guy who looked @ her with lust struck blind. Finally beheaded.
Feast January 21.

311

Edict of Toleration

Galerius struck ill, believes retribution of Christian God, issues edict tolerating Christians as long as they obeyed law and promised to pray for emperor and empire.

312

Battle of Milvian Bridge

Constantine marches on Rome against Maxentius, Maximian's son. Has a vision of the cross "by this sign you will conquer." Orders troops to etch cross on their shields and wins the battle.

313

Edict of Milan

Constantine and Licinius. Restored all property to Church, freedom to practice religion, made Christianity legal.

325

First Council of Nicaea

Arianism and the Nicene Creed

381

First Council of Constantinople

Divinity of the Holy Spirit

382

Council of Rome

Canon of New Testament declared

431

Council of Ephesus

Nestorianism and Mary as Mother of God

451

Council of Chalcedon

Monophysitism (esp the Eutychian form)

553

Second Council of Constantinople

The Three Chapters Controversy: Nestorianism, Monophysitism, and imperial-papal relations

Period: 680 to 681

Third Council of Constantinople

Monothelitism; admonished by Pope Honorius I

787

Second Council of Nicaea

Iconoclasm

Period: 869 to 870

Fourth Council of Constantinople

Photian Controversy: potential East-West schism; deposed Patriarch Photius

1123

First Lateran Council

Investiture Controversy; simony; clerical celibacy

1139

Second Lateran Council

Arnold of Brescia's (twelfth century heretic who condemned all clerical material possession) teaching and criticism of the Church; put an end to papal schism

1179