Promoting Christian Formation in the Eastern Orthodox Faith

A Brief Glimpse at Christian History
Also see A Graphical Timeline of the Christian Church

UNESCO (United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organization) estimates there are over 25,000 groups today who lay claim to being the Christian Church, or at least the direct descendants of the Church described in the New Testament.

But for the first thousand years of her history, the Church was essentially one. Five historic Patriarchal centers (called the "Pentarchy") - Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Alexandria, and Constantinople - formed a cohesive whole and were in full communion with each other. There were occasional heretical or schismatic groups going their own way, but the Church was unified until the 11th century when, in 1054 AD, the Roman Patriarch pulled away from the other four, pursuing his long-developing claim of universal headship of the Church.

Today, nearly a thousand years later, the other four Patriarchates remain intact, in full communion, maintaining that Orthodox apostolic faith of the inspired New Testament record. The Orthodox Church and her history is described herein, from Pentecost to the present day.

33 - Pentecost (AD 29 is thought to be more accurate.)

49 - Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15) establishes precedent for addressing Church disputes in Council. James presides as bishop.

69 - Bishop Ignatius consecrated in Antioch in heart of New Testament era - St. Peter had been the first bishop there. Other early bishops include James, Polycarp, and Clement.

95 - Book of Revelation written, probably the last of the New Testament books.

150 - St. Justin Martyr describes the liturgical worship of the Church, centered in the Eucharist. Liturgical worship is rooted in both the Old and New Testament.

313 - The Edict of Milan marks an end to the period of Roman persecution of Christianity.

325 - The Council of Nicea settles the major heretical challenge to the Christian faith when the heretic Arius asserts Christ was created by the Father. St. Athanasius defends the eternality of the Son of God. The Arians continue their assault on true Christianity for years. Nicea is the first of Seven Ecumenical (Churchwide) Councils.

451 - Council of Chalcedon affirms apostolic doctrine of two natures in Christ.

589 -  In a synod in Toledo, Spain, the filioque, asserting that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the father and the Son is added to the Nicene Creed. This error is later adopted by Rome.

787 - The era of Ecumenical Councils ends at Nicea, with the Seventh Council bringing the centuries old use of icons back into the Church.

988 - Conversion of Russia begins.

1054 - The Great Schism occurs. Two major issues include Rome's claim to a universal papal supremacy and her addition of the filioque clause to the Nicene Creed. The Photian schism (880) further complicated the debate.

1066 - Norman conquest of Britain. Orthodox hierarchs are replaced with those loyal to Rome.

1095 - The Crusades begun by the Roman Church. The Sack of Constantinople by Rome (1204) adds to the estrangement between East and West.

1333 - St. Gregory Palamas defends the Orthodox practice of hesychast spirituality and the use of the Jesus prayer.

1453 - Turks overrun Constantinople; Byzantine Empire ends.

1517 - Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the Roman Church in Wittenberg, starting the Protestant Reformation.

1529 - Church of England begins pulling away from Rome.

1794 - Missionaries arrive on Kodiak Island in Alaska; Orthodoxy introduced to North America.

1854 - Rome establishes the Immaculate Conception dogma.

1870 - Papal Infallibility becomes Roman dogma.