Christianity History

The history of Christianity traces the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the Holy Land, to a virgin named Mary. Being fully human, Jesus is believed to have suffered the pains and temptations of mortals but never sinned. Because Jesus is also considered to be God incarnate, he returned to life to fulfill the Messianic prophecy. The birth of Jesus is the realization of the Old Testament prophecies about a Messiah who would save the Jewish people. The coming of Jesus, as the Messiah, is the underlying belief of Christianity but differs from the Jewish belief. Anyone who believes in the death and resurrection of Jesus will reunite with God and can be granted salvation and a life in eternity.

The Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a significant point in the history of Christianity and the basis of all Christian belief. Around the age of 30, Jesus began teaching through parables and performing miracles, with help from his twelve disciples. When Jesus claimed that he spoke to God, officials became outraged and persecuted him. He was eventually crucified for being a heretic and his body was placed in a tomb. Three days later, a group of women discovered that the tomb was empty. Jesus was alive again and God had resurrected him. In the New Testament, there is mention that Jesus made a number of appearances to his twelve apostles and disciples after being resurrected and before ascending to heaven. Christian churches in the early phases of this religion accepted the death and resurrection of Jesus and began teaching the New Testament. Christianity first spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and then to Europe and some parts of India, before going worldwide.

Early Christianity

Christianity began to spread in the first century from Jerusalem as a Jewish sect. Early Christianity can be broken down into the Apostolic Period and the Post-Apostolic Period. The Apostolic Church, led by apostles, spread the teachings of Jesus to the first Christians who were all Jewish. This led to much conflict with Jewish authorities and the Early Church was expelled from Jewish synagogues. A divide between Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism came about as a result.

The post-apostolic period, which took place after the death of the apostles, encompassed the second and third centuries. Persecutions mark the beginning of the post-apostolic period, which ended when Christian worship was legalized under Constantine the Great. The largest number of persecutions took place during the Roman Empire when Christians refused to worship the Roman emperor for 250 years.

Constantine the Great and the Roman Empire

Constantine the Great was the monumental figure in the history of Christianity as he adopted the religion after being exposed to it by his mother, Helena. He provided monetary support for the Christian Church, built new churches, promoted various Christians to high ranking positions, and gave certain privileges to clergy. Constantinople, the capital established and governed by Constantine, became a significant place in the history of Christianity and was devoid of pagan temples.

In 380 AD, Trinitarian Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire. This continued the organizational structure of the Christian Church. It is during this time that the church began to separate into different sects based on certain Christian beliefs. The early divisions include the Miaphysitism, the Gothic Church, and Monasticism. It was during the fourth century that the Bishop of Rome took upon the title of Pope and ruled that all Christians fall under his authority.

The Middle Ages

As Christianity spread into the Middle Ages, it continued to develop in different ways in both the East (Greek) and West (Latin). There was much turmoil within Christianity. The shaping of Christianity was largely affected by the Anglo-Saxon invasions and the establishment of missionary centers. The Byzantine Empire, which was ruled from Constantinople, was beginning to fall to the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Pope Urban II called for the beginning of the Crusades in 1095 in order to purify the Holy Land after Christian pilgrims were invaded by Muslims on their way to Jerusalem. The Crusades, which took place for over 250 years, were also an attempt to stop Turkish expansion. However, these military campaigns failed to stop Islamic aggression and Constantinople was sacked during the fourth crusade.

From the seventh to the thirteenth centuries, the Christian Church divided into the Western branch, or the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern branch, or the Orthodox Church. What separates these two churches is a combination of organizational, liturgical and doctrinal differences. The Inquisition was established during this time to put an end to heresy and to bring unity within Christianity through many conversions and even prosecutions.

The Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation

Christianity continued to divide even within the Western branch during the fifteenth century. During this time, the Renaissance introduced renewal in culture and religion. Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation in 1517, which was an attempt to reform the Catholic Church and to protest against the selling of indulgences. Protestantism saw corruption within the hierarchy of the Church, including the role of the Pope. Other leaders in the reformation included John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli. The Protestant Reformation spread in Northern Europe and the Catholic Church responded with the Counter Reformation, which was an attempt to reinforce traditional doctrines and new religious orders. With the Counter Reformation, there was an aim to bring about new moral reform and missionary activities.

During the Counter Reformation, Northern Europeans converted to Catholicism and missionaries travelled to Central and South America, Africa, and many parts of Asia during colonial times to spread Catholicism. Back in Europe, the Reformation divided Christianity into different sects including Lutheranism in Germany and Anglicanism in England. The division also brought upon religious violence and several years of civil wars.

Christianity has continued to divide into many denominations, not to mention a rise in Christian skepticism during the Modern era. A new age of secularism established in many parts of Europe and a commitment to religious practice dropped. However, Christianity is still one of the largest organized belief systems with followers in every part of the world.