Major Events in Chruch History

By Greeno1
  • 450

    Council of Chalcedon

    • Convened by Pope Leo VIII
    • Dealt with belief in Christ having just one nature
    • Issued edicts to do with Church administration
    • Not accepted by the Orthodox Churches
  • Jan 1, 1543

    The Council of Trent

    • Considered to be one of the church’s most important councils
    • Delayed and interrupted several times due to political and religious disputes
    • Pope Paul III invoked council
    • The Council of Trent was accepted by the Catholic Church
    • Called to address the issue of the heresy of Protestantism
  • Jan 1, 1548

    Bubonic Plague

    • Zootomic disease circulating with rodents and fleas
    • Without treatment will kill 2-3 people within four days
    • Killed 30-60% of European population during the middle ages
    • Buboes, associated with bubonic plague, situated in armpits and groin and neck region
    • Medieval doctors thought plague was caused by corrupted air
  • Jan 1, 1565

    The Reformation

    • Split within western Christianity – Protestant reformers and their followers split from the Catholic Church
    • Initiated by Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and other Protestant reformers
    • Led to creation of new national protestant churches
    • Preceeded by Black Death and Western Schism (a period of the Papacy residing in Avignon, France. When papacy returned to Rome, some Frenchmen didn’t like it, and made their own pope to stay in Avignon), which eroded peoples’ faith

  • The Counter-Reformation

    • Was a Catholic reformation; preceded by the Council of Trent
    • A comprehensive effort of four major elements  Ecclesiastical reconfiguration  Religious orders  Spiritual movements  Political dimensions (Inquisitions – an investigation into incorrect belief)
    • A new reformed calendar (Gregorian Calendar) was put into effect
    • Important figures such as St Charles Borromeo greatly pushed for this reform as they saw that it was greatly needed.

  • The First Vatican Council

    • Convened by Pope Pius IV in 1868 - 1870
    • Dealt with contemporary problems with rationalism and materialism
    • Met at Lateran Basilica
    • Defined Church Doctrine concerning the Church of Christ  Extra Ecclesia nulla salus (outside of the Church there is no salvation)
    • Papal Infallibility defined – means the Pope has the authority to declare things to be Dogma when speaking ex cathedra (lit. from the chair – when speaking with the teaching authority of the Pope)

  • The Second Vatican Council

    • Opened under John XXIII 1962 – 1965 (Closed by Paul VI)
    • Addressed relations between the Church and the modern world
    • Preparations took more than two years
    • Several topics were covered during the council  The nature and reform of the liturgy  The Word of God  Role of Priests and Bishops  The Media  The Church and how it relates with the modern world