Christian religion is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ while he was on earth, accounted from the Bible. A timeline includes events from the time Jesus Christ was born until the early 18th century when John Wesley founded Methodism. In-depth studies on Christianity can be found in any Christian book store or Church of Christ websites.
According to Christian theology, Christ is the Saviour, the Son of God, and the Messiah, sent by God to offer salvation to humankind. The Christian Bible is composed of two parts: the Old Testament mainly based upon the Torah, the Jewish holy book, and the New Testament, which details the teachings of Jesus and his apostles.
The Life of Jesus Christ
The New Testament says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea and was brought up in Galilee. Christian doctrine holds that He was the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
The later life of Jesus is covered in the New Testament with his key themes of love, repentance and compassion, often given in the form of parables – stories with a moral meaning. The defining events of Christianity are Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection.
The Catholic Church and Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church began shortly in Jerusalem after Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. By mid-first century CE, the Church was based in Rome. Roman emperors persecuted early Catholics because of their rejection of the Roman moral code.
When Roman Emperor Constantine I converted to Christianity in 312 CE, the oppression and persecution of Christians subsided. The influence of the Catholic Church increased after Christianity became a sanctioned religion in Rome by the end of the 4th century, becoming known as Roman Catholicism.
Eastern churches were brought under state control when the Roman power moved to Constantinople (now Istanbul). The popes gained more power.
The Great Schism of 1054 divided Catholicism into Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, based in Constantinople.
Sixteenth century saw the Protestant Reformation when Catholics, headed by Martin Luther, questioned papal authority and broke ties from the church. Luther sowed the seed of the Protestant movement.
Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther, a German university professor and Augustine monk, began the Protestant Reformation. His theses or writings were seen as an attack on Catholicism and the pope. In 1521, he was excommunicated. His legions of supporters became known as “protestant” that eventually formed denominations such as Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian.
Christianity Timeline, from 4 BCE to 18th Century
- 4 BCE - Jesus Christ is born.
- 33 CE - Christ is crucified.
- 313 - The Edict of Milan proclaims the toleration of Christianity in the Roman Empire.
- 325 - The Council of Nicea declares a universal Christian doctrine: the Nicene Creed.
- 380 - Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire.
- 1054 - The Great Schism divides the Church along the lines of East and West, or Orthodox and Latin.
- 1095-1272 - A series of crusades are launched to claim the Holy Lands of the Middle East for Christianity.
- 1517 - Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle Church, which become a key element in the Protestant Reformation.
- 1534 - The Church of England is declared as no longer under the authority of the Pope.
- 1611 - The King James Bible is published.
- 1620 - The Pilgrim Fathers set sail for North America.
- 1729 - The rise of Methodism begins under John Wesley, the brother of the famous hymn writer, Charles Wesley.
Christians believe that the first coming of Jesus Christ to earth was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies from the Old Testament of the Bible, and that Christ will return to redeem the faithful.
Related Articles:
Protestant Reformation Founder Martin Luther also a Hymn Writer
Martin Luther's A Mighty Fortress is Our God
Jesus Christ and the Meaning of Christmas
Jesus Christ the Great Teacher
Sources:
Aldridge, Susan, E.K. Humphrey and J. Whitaker. Know It All. Sydney: Simon and Schuster, 2008
Bowker, John. The Complete Bible Handbook. London: Dorling Kindersley (DK), 1998
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