The Synodicon Vetus , also called Libellus Synodicus , is an anonymous, pseudo-historical book about early Christianity, written in the 9th century AD but largely based on earlier Greek sources. It contains information on synods and ecumenical councils from the first century up through the year 887.
98-520: Each chapter records the history of one single ecumenical council, and contains information digested from earlier sources such as the Historia Ecclesiastica of Eusebius , and the work of the same name by Socrates of Constantinople . There are also myriad very specific details that do not appear in any other historical work - such as the number of bishops who attended any given council - that some scholars have suggested are inventions of
196-715: A city's whole Christian community would also be called a " church "—the Greek noun ἐκκλησία ( ekklesia ) literally means "assembly", "gathering", or "congregation" but is translated as " church " in most English translations of the New Testament . Many early Christians were merchants and others who had practical reasons for traveling to Asia Minor , Arabia , the Balkans , the Middle East , North Africa , and other regions. Over 40 such communities were established by
294-444: A confused jumble of misinformation. The more charitable critics have called it "mediocre", while others describe it as "inaccurate, unreliable, generally untrustworthy, and teeming with errors". Still others, while acknowledging the factual shortcomings of the text, rate it as being a valuable document of the eastern Christian perspective on western Christianiaty. The Synodicon Vetus for example ignores western synods that occurred after
392-640: A form of Judaism named after the Second Temple built c. 516 BC after the Babylonian captivity . While the Persian Empire permitted Jews to return to their homeland of Judea , there was no longer a native Jewish monarchy. Instead, political power devolved to the high priest , who served as an intermediary between the Jewish people and the empire. This arrangement continued after
490-688: A key locus of trade that made it the third-most important city of the Roman Empire. In the Book of Acts , it is said that it was at Antioch where followers of Jesus were first called Christians; it was also the location of the Incident at Antioch , described in the Epistle to the Galatians . It was the site of an early church traditionally said to be founded by Peter; later traditions also attributed
588-579: A liar, the "first thoroughly dishonest historian of antiquity." Ramsay MacMullen in the 20th century regarded Eusebius's work as representative of early Christian historical accounts in which "Hostile writings and discarded views were not recopied or passed on, or they were actively suppressed... matters discreditable to the faith were to be consigned to silence." As a consequence this kind of methodology in MacMullen's view has distorted modern attempts, (e.g. Harnack, Nock, and Gustave Bardy), to describe how
686-610: A role in Christianity's spread as Christian merchants traveled for business. Christianity appealed to marginalized groups (women, slaves) with its message that "in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither slave nor free" ( Galatians 3:28 ). Christians also provided social services to the poor, sick, and widows. Women actively contributed to the Christian faith as disciples, missionaries, and more due to
784-510: A ruin near modern Corinth in southern Greece, was an early center of Christianity. According to the Acts of Apostles , Paul stayed eighteen months in Corinth to preach. He initially stayed with Aquila and Priscilla , and was later joined by Silas and Timothy . After he left Corinth, Apollo was sent from Ephesus by Priscilla to replace him. Paul returned to Corinth at least once. He wrote
882-543: Is Tacitus ( c. AD 56 – c. 120 ), who wrote that Christians "took their name from Christus who was executed in the reign of Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilate" (see Tacitus on Jesus ) . The decades after the crucifixion of Jesus are known as the Apostolic Age because the Disciples (also known as Apostles ) were still alive. Important Christian sources for this period are
980-465: Is known for an apology addressed to Emperor Hadrian during his visit to Athens, contributing to early Christian literature. Aristeides and Athenagoras also wrote apologies during this time. By the second century, Athens likely had a significant Christian community, as Hygeinos , bishop of Rome, write a letter to the community in Athens in the year 139. Gortyn on Crete was allied with Rome and
1078-503: Is the start of a split between Jewish Christianity and Gentile (or Pauline) Christianity . While Jewish Christianity would remain important through the next few centuries, it would ultimately be pushed to the margins as Gentile Christianity became dominant. Jewish Christianity was also opposed by early Rabbinic Judaism , the successor to the Pharisees. When Peter left Jerusalem after Herod Agrippa I tried to kill him, James appears as
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#17327653815711176-439: Is therefore of historical value, though it pretends neither to completeness nor to the observance of due proportion in the treatment of the subject-matter. Nor does it present in a connected and systematic way the history of the early Christian Church. It is to no small extent a vindication of the Christian religion, though the author did not primarily intend it as such. Eusebius has been often accused of intentional falsification of
1274-595: Is traditionally identified as the founder of the Cypriot Orthodox Church. Damascus is the capital of Syria and claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. According to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul was converted on the Road to Damascus . In the three accounts ( Acts 9:1–20 , 22:1–22 , 26:1–24 ), he is described as being led by those he was traveling with, blinded by
1372-845: The cross of Christ , after removing a Temple to Venus (attributed to Hadrian) that had been built over the site. Jerusalem had received special recognition in Canon VII of the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The traditional founding date for the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre (which guards the Christian Holy places in the Holy Land) is 313, which corresponds with the date of the Edict of Milan promulgated by
1470-538: The development of the Christian biblical canon nearly complete (with exceptions known as the Antilegomena , written texts whose authenticity or value is disputed) by the time the Muratorian fragment was written. The Synodicon Vetus is presumed to have been written soon after its last recorded ecumenical council, at the end of the 9th or beginning of the 10th century, between 887 and 920, but most likely at
1568-546: The 1st century to the 4th century , composed by Eusebius , the bishop of Caesarea . It was written in Koine Greek and survives also in Latin, Syriac , and Armenian manuscripts. The result was the first full-length narrative of the world history written from a Christian point of view. According to Paul Maier , Herodotus was the father of history and Eusebius of Caesarea is the father of ecclesiastical history. In
1666-597: The Apostolic Age and is followed by, and substantially overlaps with, the Patristic era . The Apostolic sees claim to have been founded by one or more of the apostles of Jesus , who are said to have dispersed from Jerusalem sometime after the crucifixion of Jesus , c. 26–33, perhaps following the Great Commission . Early Christians gathered in small private homes, known as house churches , but
1764-607: The Book of Acts . The apostles lived and taught there for some time after Pentecost . James the Just, brother of Jesus was leader of the early Christian community in Jerusalem, and his other kinsmen likely held leadership positions in the surrounding area after the destruction of the city until its rebuilding as Aelia Capitolina in c. 130 AD , when all Jews were banished from Jerusalem. The first Gentiles to become Christians were God-fearers , people who believed in
1862-728: The Byzantine Empire , which lasted till 1453. The First seven Ecumenical Councils were held either in Western Anatolia or across the Bosphorus in Constantinople. Caesarea , on the seacoast just northwest of Jerusalem, at first Caesarea Maritima , then after 133 Caesarea Palaestina , was built by Herod the Great , c. 25–13 BC, and was the capital of Iudaea Province (6–132) and later Palaestina Prima . It
1960-864: The Council of Serdica . Cyrene and the surrounding region of Cyrenaica or the North African " Pentapolis ", south of the Mediterranean from Greece, the northeastern part of modern Libya , was a Greek colony in North Africa later converted to a Roman province. In addition to Greeks and Romans, there was also a significant Jewish population , at least up to the Kitos War (115–117). According to Mark 15:21 , Simon of Cyrene carried Jesus' cross. Cyrenians are also mentioned in Acts 2:10 , 6:9 , 11:20 , 13:1 . According to Byzantine legend,
2058-671: The Crisis of the Third Century , Nicomedia became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire in 286. The Synod of Ancyra was held in 314. In 325 the emperor Constantine convoked the first Christian ecumenical council in Nicaea and in 330 moved the capital of the reunified empire to Byzantium (also an early Christian center and just across the Bosphorus from Anatolia , later called Constantinople ), referred to as
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#17327653815712156-660: The Danube River . The spread of Christianity among the Thracians and the emergence of centers of Christianity like Serdica (present day Sofia ), Philippopolis (present day Plovdiv ) and Durostorum (present day Silistra ) was likely to have begun with these early Apostolic missions . The first Christian monastery in Europe was founded in Thrace in 344 by Saint Athanasius near modern-day Chirpan , Bulgaria , following
2254-761: The First Epistle of Clement written to the Corinthian church, dated around 96. The bishops in Corinth include Apollo, Sosthenes , and Dionysius . Athens , the capital and largest city in Greece, was visited by Paul. He probably traveled by sea, arriving at Piraeus , the harbor of Athens, coming from Berœa of Macedonia around the year 53. According to Acts 17 , when he arrived at Athens, he immediately sent for Silas and Timotheos who had stayed behind in Berœa. While waiting for them, Paul explored Athens and visited
2352-552: The First Epistle to the Corinthians from Ephesus approximately in 54-55 which focused on sexual immorality, divorces, lawsuits, and resurrections. The Second Epistle to the Corinthians from Macedonia was written around 56 as a fourth letter discussing his proposed plans for the future, instructions, unity, and his defense of apostolic authority. The earliest evidence of the primacy of the Roman Church can be seen in
2450-613: The Great Fire of AD 64. It is possible that Peter and Paul were in Rome and were martyred at this time. Nero was deposed in AD 68, and the persecution of Christians ceased. Under the emperors Vespasian ( r. 69–79 ) and Titus ( r. 79–81 ), Christians were largely ignored by the Roman government. The Emperor Domitian ( r. 81–96 ) authorized a new persecution against
2548-711: The Levant , across the Roman Empire , and beyond. Originally, this progression was closely connected to already established Jewish centers in the Holy Land and the Jewish diaspora throughout the Eastern Mediterranean . The first followers of Christianity were Jews who had converted to the faith, i.e. Jewish Christians , as well as Phoenicians , i.e. Lebanese Christians . Early Christianity contains
2646-616: The Olivet Discourse . According to a tradition recorded by Eusebius and Epiphanius of Salamis , the Jerusalem church fled to Pella at the outbreak of the First Jewish Revolt . The church had returned to Jerusalem by AD 135, but the disruptions severely weakened the Jerusalem church's influence over the wider Christian church . Jerusalem was the first center of the Christian Church according to
2744-671: The Pauline epistles and the Acts of the Apostles . After the death of Jesus, his followers established Christian groups in cities, such as Jerusalem. The movement quickly spread to Damascus and Antioch , capital of Roman Syria and one of the most important cities in the empire. Early Christians referred to themselves as brethren, disciples or saints , but it was in Antioch, according to Acts 11 :26, that they were first called Christians (Greek: Christianoi ). According to
2842-632: The Persians in 614 or the Saracens around 637. The first major church historian, Eusebius of Caesarea , was a bishop, c. 314–339. F. J. A. Hort and Adolf von Harnack have argued that the Nicene Creed originated in Caesarea. The Caesarean text-type is recognized by many textual scholars as one of the earliest New Testament types. Paphos was the capital of the island of Cyprus during
2940-568: The Sermon on the Mount and the Lord's Prayer . Jesus chose 12 Disciples who represented the 12 tribes of Israel (10 of which were "lost" by this time) to symbolize the full restoration of Israel that would be accomplished through him. The gospel accounts provide insight into what early Christians believed about Jesus. As the Christ or "Anointed One" (Greek: Christos ), Jesus is identified as
3038-540: The Synoptic Gospels , specifically in Jesus's Olivet Discourse . Romans had a negative perception of early Christians. The Roman historian Tacitus wrote that Christians were despised for their "abominations" and "hatred of humankind". The belief that Christians hated humankind could refer to their refusal to participate in social activities connected to pagan worship—these included most social activities such as
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3136-673: The Thessalonians and to Philippi , which is often considered the first contact of Christianity with Europe. The Apostolic Father Polycarp wrote a letter to the Philippians , c. 125. Nicopolis was a city in the Roman province of Epirus Vetus , today a ruin on the northern part of the western Greek coast. In the Epistle to Titus , Paul said he intended to go there. It is possible that there were some Christians in its population. According to Eusebius , Origen (c. 185–254) stayed there for some time Ancient Corinth , today
3234-649: The Torah . In return, they were given the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem , where God dwelled in the Temple. Apocalyptic and wisdom literature had a major influence on Second Temple Judaism. Alexander's conquests initiated the Hellenistic period when the Ancient Near East underwent Hellenization (the spread of Greek culture ). Judaism was thereafter both culturally and politically part of
3332-523: The end times were at hand when God would restore Israel. Roman rule exacerbated these religious tensions and led the radical Zealots to separate from the Pharisees. The territories of Roman Judea and Galilee were frequently troubled by insurrection and messianic claimants . Messiah ( Hebrew : meshiach ) means "anointed" and is used in the Old Testament to designate Jewish kings and in some cases priests and prophets whose status
3430-472: The foreskin positively. The resulting Apostolic Decree in Acts 15 is theorized to parallel the seven Noahide laws found in the Old Testament . However, modern scholars dispute the connection between Acts 15 and the seven Noahide laws. In roughly the same time period, rabbinic Jewish legal authorities made their circumcision requirement for Jewish boys even stricter. The primary issue which
3528-596: The hope of his resurrection. While they do not provide new information, non-Christian sources do confirm certain information found in the gospels. The Jewish historian Josephus referenced Jesus in his Antiquities of the Jews written c. AD 95 . The paragraph, known as the Testimonium Flavianum , provides a brief summary of Jesus' life, but the original text has been altered by Christian interpolation . The first Roman author to reference Jesus
3626-429: The metropolitan see with the bishop of Jerusalem as one of its "suffragans" (subordinates). Origen (d. 254) compiled his Hexapla there and it held a famous library and theological school , St. Pamphilus (d. 309) was a noted scholar-priest. St. Gregory the Wonder-Worker (d. 270), St. Basil the Great (d. 379), and St. Jerome (d. 420) visited and studied at the library which was later destroyed, probably by
3724-537: The theater , the army, sports, and classical literature . They also refused to worship the Roman emperor , like Jews. Nonetheless, Romans were more lenient to Jews compared to Gentile Christians. Some anti-Christian Romans further distinguished between Jews and Christians by claiming that Christianity was "apostasy" from Judaism. Celsus , for example, considered Jewish Christians to be hypocrites for claiming that they embraced their Jewish heritage. Emperor Nero persecuted Christians in Rome, whom he blamed for starting
3822-410: The 19th, but all instances of this assertion seem to trace back to the Synodicon Vetus., which relates: The canonical and apocryphal books it distinguished in the following manner: in the house of God the books were placed down by the holy altar; then the council asked the Lord in prayer that the inspired works be found on top and the spurious on the bottom. Modern scholars reject this notion and deem
3920-399: The 5th century, the Christian historian Socrates Scholasticus described Eusebius as writing for "rhetorical finish" in his Vita Constantini ("Life of Constantine ") and for the "praises of the Emperor" rather than the "accurate statement of facts." The methods of Eusebius were criticised by Edward Gibbon in the 18th century. In the 19th century Jacob Burckhardt viewed Eusebius as
4018-449: The Apostle in the 50s AD. The four canonical gospels of Matthew ( c. AD 80 – c. AD 90 ), Mark ( c. AD 70 ), Luke ( c. AD 80 – c. AD 90 ), and John (written at the end of the 1st century) are ancient biographies of Jesus' life. Jesus grew up in Nazareth , a city in Galilee . He was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist . Jesus began his own ministry when he
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4116-504: The Apostle , who called himself "Apostle to the Gentiles", who believed there was no such necessity. The main concern for the Apostle Paul, which he subsequently expressed in greater detail with his letters directed to the early Christian communities in Asia Minor , was the inclusion of Gentiles into God's New Covenant , sending the message that faith in Christ is sufficient for salvation . ( See also : Supersessionism , New Covenant , Antinomianism , Hellenistic Judaism , and Paul
4214-460: The Apostle Paul was from Tarsus (in south-central Anatolia) and his missionary journeys were primarily in Anatolia. The First Epistle of Peter ( 1:1–2 ) is addressed to Anatolian regions. On the southeast shore of the Black Sea , Pontus was a Greek colony mentioned three times in the New Testament. Inhabitants of Pontus were some of the first converts to Christianity. Pliny, governor in 110 , in his letters, addressed Christians in Pontus. Of
4312-536: The Apostle and Judaism ). The Council of Jerusalem did not end the dispute, however. There are indications that James still believed the Torah was binding on Jewish Christians. Galatians 2:11-14 describe "people from James" causing Peter and other Jewish Christians in Antioch to break table fellowship with Gentiles. ( See also : Incident at Antioch ). Joel Marcus, professor of Christian origins, suggests that Peter's position may have lain somewhere between James and Paul, but that he probably leaned more toward James. This
4410-488: The Christians. It was at this time that the Book of Revelation was written by John of Patmos . In the 2nd century, Roman Emperor Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as a Pagan city and renamed it Aelia Capitolina , erecting statues of Jupiter and himself on the site of the former Jewish Temple, the Temple Mount . In the years AD 132–136, Bar Kokhba led an unsuccessful revolt as a Jewish Messiah claimant , but Christians refused to acknowledge him as such. When Bar Kokhba
4508-424: The Church grew in the early centuries. Arnaldo Momigliano wrote that in Eusebius's mind "chronology was something between an exact science and an instrument of propaganda". The work was translated into other languages in ancient time (Latin, Syriac, Armenian). Codex Syriac 1 housed at the National Library of Russia is one of the oldest Syriac manuscripts, dated to the year 462. The first English translation
4606-408: The Hellenistic world; however, Hellenistic Judaism was stronger among diaspora Jews than among those living in the land of Israel. Diaspora Jews spoke Koine Greek , and the Jews of Alexandria produced a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible called the Septuagint . The Septuagint was the translation of the Old Testament used by early Christians. Diaspora Jews continued to make pilgrimage to
4704-409: The Johannine works traditionally and plausibly occurred in Ephesus , c. 90–110, although some scholars argue for an origin in Syria . This includes the Book of Revelation , although modern Bible scholars believe that it to be authored by a different John, John of Patmos (a Greek island about 30 miles off the Anatolian coast), that mentions Seven churches of Asia . According to the New Testament,
4802-494: The New Testament, Paul the apostle established Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean world. He is known to have also spent some time in Arabia. After preaching in Syria, he turned his attention to the cities of Asia Minor . By the early 50s, he had moved on to Europe where he stopped in Philippi and then traveled to Thessalonica in Roman Macedonia . He then moved into mainland Greece, spending time in Athens and Corinth . While in Corinth, Paul wrote his Epistle to
4900-424: The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great , which legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire. Jerusalem was later named as one of the Pentarchy , but this was never accepted by the Church of Rome . ( See also : East–West Schism#Prospects for reconciliation ). Antioch (modern Antakya , Turkey) was the capital of the Roman province of Syria and a center of Greek culture in the Eastern Mediterranean , as well as
4998-439: The Roman years and seat of a Roman commander. In 45 AD, the apostles Paul and Barnabas , who according to Acts 4:36 was "a native of Cyprus", came to Cyprus and reached Paphos preaching the message of Jesus, see also Acts 13:4–13 . According to Acts, the apostles were persecuted by the Romans but eventually succeeded in convincing the Roman commander Sergius Paulus to renounce his old religion in favour of Christianity. Barnabas
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#17327653815715096-445: The Romans , indicating that there were already Christian groups in Rome . Some of these groups had been started by Paul's missionary associates Priscilla and Aquila and Epainetus . Social and professional networks played an important part in spreading the religion as members invited interested outsiders to secret Christian assemblies (Greek: ekklēsia ) that met in private homes (see house church ). Commerce and trade also played
5194-442: The Second Temple period, there was no consensus on who the messiah would be or what he would do. Most commonly, he was imagined to be an end times son of David going about the business of "executing judgment, defeating the enemies of God, reigning over a restored Israel, [and] establishing unending peace". Yet, there were other kinds of messianic figures proposed as well—the perfect priest or the celestial Son of Man who brings about
5292-490: The Temple , but they started forming local religious institutions called synagogues as early as the 3rd century BC. The Maccabean Revolt caused Judaism to divide into competing sects with different theological and political goals, each adopting different stances towards Hellenization. The main sects were the Sadducees , Pharisees , and Essenes . The Sadducees were mainly Jerusalem aristocrats intent on maintaining control over Jewish politics and religion. Sadducee religion
5390-457: The Torah was no longer binding because of Jesus' death and resurrection. In the middle were Christians who believed Gentiles should follow some of the Torah but not all of it. In c. 48–50 AD , Barnabas and Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with the three Pillars of the Church : James the Just, Peter, and John . Later called the Council of Jerusalem , according to Pauline Christians , this meeting (among other things) confirmed
5488-438: The author's imagination rather than fact. Likewise, it has been suggested that some synods or councils recorded in the Synodicon Vetus did not even happen. The Synodicon Vetus is also the only ancient source that asserts the canonical books of the Bible were decided at the First Council of Nicaea . French Enlightenment writer Voltaire popularized the idea in the 18th century, and Christian radical Robert Taylor revived it in
5586-444: The beginning of the First Jewish–Roman War in AD 66. Jerusalem's bishops became suffragans (subordinates) of the Metropolitan bishop in nearby Caesarea , Interest in Jerusalem resumed with the pilgrimage of the Roman Empress Helena to the Holy Land ( c. 326–328 AD ). According to the church historian Socrates of Constantinople , Helena (with the assistance of Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem ) claimed to have found
5684-422: The central belief of Christianity. In the words of historian Diarmaid MacCulloch : Whether through some mass delusion, some colossal act of wishful thinking, or through witness to a power or force beyond any definition known to Western historical analysis, those who had known Jesus in life and had felt the shattering disappointment of his death proclaimed that he lived still, that he loved them still, and that he
5782-635: The city and in all Judea until finally the siege of Vespasian overwhelmed them. Thus the divine vengeance overtook the Jews for the crimes which they dared to commit against Christ. Eusebius levels a similar charge against Christians, blaming a spirit of divisiveness for some of the most severe persecutions. But when on account of the abundant freedom, we fell into laxity and sloth, and envied and reviled each other, and were almost, as it were, taking up arms against one another, rulers assailing rulers with words like spears, and people forming parties against people, and monstrous hypocrisy and dissimulation rising to
5880-406: The crucifixion. James was killed on the order of the high priest in AD 62. He was succeeded as leader of the Jerusalem church by Simeon , another relative of Jesus. During the First Jewish-Roman War (AD 66–73), Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed after a brutal siege in AD 70. Prophecies of the Second Temple's destruction are found in the synoptic gospels , specifically in
5978-586: The earliest New Testament types. It had a significant Jewish population , of which Philo of Alexandria is probably its most known author. It produced superior scripture and notable church fathers, such as Clement, Origen, and Athanasius; also noteworthy were the nearby Desert Fathers . By the end of the era, Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch were accorded authority over nearby metropolitans . The Council of Nicaea in canon VI affirmed Alexandria's traditional authority over Egypt, Libya, and Pentapolis (North Africa) (the Diocese of Egypt ) and probably granted Alexandria
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#17327653815716076-448: The early 5th century, two advocates in Constantinople , Socrates Scholasticus and Sozomen , and a bishop, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Syria , wrote continuations of Eusebius's account, establishing the convention of continuators that would determine to a great extent the way history was written for the next thousand years. Eusebius's Chronicle , which attempted to lay out a comparative timeline of pagan and Old Testament history, set
6174-423: The emperors, presenting it as he found it in his sources. The contents are as follows: Andrew Louth has argued that the Ecclesiastical History was first published in 313 CE . In its present form, the work was brought to a conclusion before the death of Crispus (July 326), and, since book x is dedicated to Paulinus, Archbishop of Tyre , who died before 325, at the end of 323 or in 324. This work required
6272-430: The end of the 9th century. It circulated for centuries in handwritten copies, and was first printed in 1601, produced by theologian Johannes Pappus , who worked from a shortened version he obtained from the prolific scribe and bookseller Andreas Darmarios , who was said to have brought an original manuscript out of the Morea . Darmarios had somewhat of a questionable reputation that has led some scholars to blame him for
6370-401: The establishment of an independent Judea under the Hasmoneans , who ruled as kings and high priests. This independence would last until 63 BC when Judea became a client state of the Roman Empire . The central tenets of Second Temple Judaism revolved around monotheism and the belief that Jews were a chosen people . As part of their covenant with God , Jews were obligated to obey
6468-526: The extant letters of Ignatius of Antioch considered authentic , five of seven are to Anatolian cities, the sixth is to Polycarp . Smyrna was home to Polycarp, the bishop who reportedly knew the Apostle John personally, and probably also to his student Irenaeus . Papias of Hierapolis is also believed to have been a student of John the Apostle. In the 2nd century, Anatolia was home to Quartodecimanism , Montanism , Marcion of Sinope , and Melito of Sardis who recorded an early Christian Biblical canon . After
6566-487: The fulfillment of messianic prophecies in the Hebrew scriptures. Through the accounts of his miraculous virgin birth , the gospels present Jesus as the Son of God . The gospels describe the miracles of Jesus which served to authenticate his message and reveal a foretaste of the coming kingdom. The gospel accounts conclude with a description of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus , ultimately leading to his Ascension into Heaven . Jesus' victory over death became
6664-463: The greatest height of wickedness, the divine judgment with forbearance, as is its pleasure, while the multitudes yet continued to assemble, gently and moderately harassed the episcopacy. He also launches into a panegyric in the middle of Book x. He praises the Lord for his provisions and kindness to them for allowing them to rebuild their churches after they have been destroyed. The accuracy of Eusebius's account has often been called into question. In
6762-472: The introduction of various errors and supposed fabrications to the work. It is published complete, both in Greek and Latin, in the Bibliotheca Graeca of Johann Albert Fabricius . It is also published entire in the Bibliotheca juris canon veteris of Christophe Justel and G. Voellus , and in the Conciliorum Collectio of Jean Hardouin . Giovanni Domenico Mansi , in his collection "Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio", included this work under
6860-422: The large acceptance early Christianity offered. Historian Keith Hopkins estimated that by AD 100 there were around 7,000 Christians (about 0.01 percent of the Roman Empire's population of 60 million). Separate Christian groups maintained contact with each other through letters, visits from itinerant preachers , and the sharing of common texts, some of which were later collected in the New Testament. Jerusalem
6958-466: The legitimacy of the evangelizing mission of Barnabas and Paul to the Gentiles . It also confirmed that Gentile converts were not obligated to follow the Mosaic Law , especially the practice of male circumcision , which was condemned as execrable and repulsive in the Greco-Roman world during the period of Hellenization of the Eastern Mediterranean , and was especially adversed in Classical civilization from ancient Greeks and Romans , who valued
7056-517: The light, to Damascus where his sight was restored by a disciple called Ananias (who is thought to have been the first bishop of Damascus) then he was baptized . Thessalonica , the major northern Greek city where it is believed Christianity was founded by Paul , thus an Apostolic See , and the surrounding regions of Macedonia , Thrace , and Epirus , which also extend into the neighboring Balkan states of Albania and Bulgaria , were early centers of Christianity. Of note are Paul's Epistles to
7154-514: The model for the other historiographical genre, the medieval chronicle or universal history . Eusebius had access to the Theological Library of Caesarea and made use of many ecclesiastical monuments and documents, acts of the martyrs, letters, extracts from earlier Christian writings, lists of bishops, and similar sources, often quoting the originals at great length so that his work contains materials not elsewhere preserved. It
7252-564: The most comprehensive preparatory studies, and it must have occupied him for years. His collection of martyrdoms of the older period may have been one of these preparatory studies. Eusebius blames the calamities which befell the Jewish nation on the Jews' role in the death of Jesus . This quote has been used to attack both Jews and Christians (see Antisemitism in Christianity ). … that from that time seditions and wars and mischievous plots followed each other in quick succession, and never ceased in
7350-459: The name Libellus Synodicus , but he separated its various parts, distributing them throughout his work under the various councils to which they pertained. There are two major versions of this work in manuscript form today, named "g" and "b", depending on which branch of the tradition they are from. The work holds a dubious reputation among scholars. Some consider it to have important information not recorded elsewhere, while others consider it to be
7448-529: The principal authority of the early Christian church. Clement of Alexandria ( c. 150–215 AD ) called him Bishop of Jerusalem . A 2nd-century church historian, Hegesippus , wrote that the Sanhedrin martyred him in 62 AD. In 66 AD, the Jews revolted against Rome . After a brutal siege, Jerusalem fell in 70 AD . The city, including the Jewish Temple, was destroyed and the population
7546-546: The region was conquered by Alexander the Great (356–323 BC). After Alexander's death, the region was ruled by Ptolemaic Egypt ( c. 301 – c. 200 BC ) and then the Seleucid Empire ( c. 200 – c. 142 BC ). The anti-Jewish policies of Antiochus IV Epiphanes ( r. 175 – 164 BC ) sparked the Maccabean Revolt in 167 BC, which culminated in
7644-504: The resurrection of the dead and the final judgment . Christianity centers on the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth , who lived c. 4 BC – c. AD 33 . Jesus left no writings of his own, and most information about him comes from early Christian writings that now form part of the New Testament . The earliest of these are the Pauline epistles , letters written to various Christian congregations by Paul
7742-587: The right to declare a universal date for the observance of Easter (see also Easter controversy ). Some postulate, however, that Alexandria was not only a center of Christianity, but was also a center for Christian-based Gnostic sects. The tradition of John the Apostle was strong in Anatolia (the near-east , part of modern Turkey, the western part was called the Roman province of Asia ). The authorship of
7840-599: The role of Bishop of Antioch as first being held by Peter. The Gospel of Matthew and the Apostolic Constitutions may have been written there. The church father Ignatius of Antioch was its third bishop. The School of Antioch, founded in 270, was one of two major centers of early church learning. The Curetonian Gospels and the Syriac Sinaiticus are two early (pre- Peshitta ) New Testament text types associated with Syriac Christianity . It
7938-594: The synagogue, as there was a local Jewish community . A Christian community was quickly established in Athens, although it may not have been large initially. A common tradition identifies the Areopagite as the first bishop of the Christian community in Athens, while another tradition mentions Hierotheos the Thesmothete . The succeeding bishops were not all of Athenian descent: Narkissos was believed to have come from Palestine, and Publius from Malta. Quadratus
8036-562: The three pillars of the church ( Galatians 2:9 ). At this early date, Christianity was still a Jewish sect. Christians in Jerusalem kept the Jewish Sabbath and continued to worship at the Temple. In commemoration of Jesus' resurrection, they gathered on Sunday for a communion meal. Initially, Christians kept the Jewish custom of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. Later, the Christian fast days shifted to Wednesdays and Fridays (see Friday fast ) in remembrance of Judas' betrayal and
8134-459: The truth . Other scholars, while admitting that his judging of persons or facts is not entirely unbiased, push back on claims of intentional fabrication as "quite unjust." Eusebius attempted according to his own declaration (I.i.1) to present the history of the Church from the apostles to his own time, with special regard to the following points: He grouped his material according to the reigns of
8232-556: The truth of Judaism but had not become proselytes (see Cornelius the Centurion ). As Gentiles joined the young Christian movement, the question of whether they should convert to Judaism and observe the Torah (such as food laws , male circumcision , and Sabbath observance) gave rise to various answers. Some Christians demanded full observance of the Torah and required Gentile converts to become Jews. Others, such as Paul, believed that
8330-534: The year 100, many in Anatolia , also known as Asia Minor, such as the Seven churches of Asia . By the end of the first century , Christianity had already spread to Rome , Ethiopia , Alexandria , Armenia , Greece , and Syria , serving as foundations for the expansive spread of Christianity , eventually throughout the world. Christianity originated as a minor sect within Second Temple Judaism ,
8428-420: The year 400 or so, and the popes are spoken of with respect and reverence. Church History (Eusebius) The Ecclesiastical History ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Ἱστορία , Ekklēsiastikḕ Historía ; Latin : Historia Ecclesiastica ), also known as The History of the Church and Church History , is a 4th-century chronological account of the development of Early Christianity from
8526-499: Was addressed related to the requirement of circumcision , as the author of Acts relates, but other important matters arose as well, as the Apostolic Decree indicates. The dispute was between those, such as the followers of the "Pillars of the Church", led by James , who believed, following his interpretation of the Great Commission , that the church must observe the Torah , i.e. the rules of traditional Judaism, and Paul
8624-735: Was around 30 years old around the time of the Baptist's arrest and execution . Jesus' message centered on the coming of the Kingdom of God (in Jewish eschatology a future when God actively rules over the world in justice, mercy, and peace). Jesus urged his followers to repent in preparation for the kingdom's coming. His ethical teachings included loving one's enemies ( Matthew 5:44 ; Luke 6:28–35 ), giving alms and fasting in secret ( Matthew 6:4 –18), not serving both God and Mammon ( Matthew 6:24 ; Luke 16 :13), and not judging others ( Matthew 7:1 –2; Luke 6:37–38). These teachings are highlighted in
8722-548: Was by Mary Basset , the granddaughter of Sir Thomas More , made between 1544 and 1553; the first version to be printed was by Meredith Hanmer , in 1576. Other early church historians: Early Christianity Early Christianity , otherwise called the Early Church or Paleo-Christianity , describes the historical era of the Christian religion up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Christianity spread from
8820-482: Was defeated, Hadrian barred Jews from the city, except for the day of Tisha B'Av , thus the subsequent Jerusalem bishops were Gentiles ("uncircumcised") for the first time. The general significance of Jerusalem to Christians entered a period of decline during the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire . According to Eusebius , Jerusalem Christians escaped to Pella , in the Decapolis ( Transjordan ), at
8918-479: Was focused on the Temple and its rituals. The Pharisees emphasized personal piety and interpreted the Torah in ways that provided religious guidance for daily life. Unlike Sadducees, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife. The Essenes rejected Temple worship, which they believed was defiled by wicked priests. They were part of a broader apocalyptic movement in Judaism, which believed
9016-542: Was mostly killed or removed. According to a tradition recorded by Eusebius and Epiphanius of Salamis , the Jerusalem church fled to Pella at the outbreak of the First Jewish Revolt . According to Epiphanius of Salamis, the Cenacle survived at least to Hadrian's visit in 130 AD . A scattered population survived. The Sanhedrin relocated to Jamnia . Prophecies of the Second Temple's destruction are found in
9114-529: Was one of the three whose bishops were recognized at the First Council of Nicaea (325) as exercising jurisdiction over the adjoining territories. Alexandria , in the Nile delta , was established by Alexander the Great . Its famous libraries were a center of Hellenistic learning. The Septuagint translation of the Old Testament began there and the Alexandrian text-type is recognized by scholars as one of
9212-471: Was symbolized by being anointed with holy anointing oil . The term is most associated with King David , to whom God promised an eternal kingdom ( 2 Samuel 7:11–17 ). After the destruction of David's kingdom and lineage, this promise was reaffirmed by the prophets Isaiah , Jeremiah , and Ezekiel , who foresaw a future king from the House of David who would establish and reign over an idealized kingdom. In
9310-535: Was the first center of the Christian Church according to the Book of Acts . The apostles lived and taught there for some time after Pentecost. According to Acts, the early church was led by the Apostles, foremost among them Peter and John . When Peter left Jerusalem after Herod Agrippa I tried to kill him, James, brother of Jesus appears as the leader of the Jerusalem church. Clement of Alexandria ( c. 150–215 AD ) called him Bishop of Jerusalem . Peter, John and James were collectively recognized as
9408-533: Was there that Peter baptized the centurion Cornelius , considered the first gentile convert. Paul sought refuge there, once staying at the house of Philip the Evangelist , and later being imprisoned there for two years (estimated to be 57–59). The Apostolic Constitutions (7.46) state that the first Bishop of Caesarea was Zacchaeus the Publican . After Hadrian's siege of Jerusalem (c. 133), Caesarea became
9506-693: Was thus made capital of Roman Creta et Cyrenaica . St. Titus is believed to have been the first bishop. The city was sacked by the pirate Abu Hafs in 828. Paul the Apostle preached in Macedonia , and also in Philippi , located in Thrace on the Thracian Sea coast. According to Hippolytus of Rome , Andrew the Apostle preached in Thrace , on the Black Sea coast and along the lower course of
9604-452: Was to return to earth from the Heaven which he had now entered, to love and save from destruction all who acknowledged him as Lord. For his followers, Jesus' death inaugurated a New Covenant between God and his people. The apostle Paul, in his epistles, taught that Jesus makes salvation possible. Through faith , believers experience union with Jesus and both share in his suffering and
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