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Church history
Church history, or the history of the Christian Faith, began about 30 A.D. in Palestine with a small number of Jews and Jewish Proselytes, about 120 according to Acts 1:15, following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. By the third century A.D., Christianity had grown to become the dominant religion of the northern Mediterranean world. It also gained important extensions to the east and south of the Mediterranean.
An overview of church history in chronological sections is given below, beneath the multimedia section.
Multimedia
A Complete Church History! (audio), by Mike Reeves
The Value of Church History (MP3) by Nick Needham
Ancient & Medieval Church History (MP3s), by David Calhoun
Reformation & Modern Church History (MP3s), by David Calhoun
Church History Series by Tommy Nelson (MP3s) - Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
Reformation History: How Christ Restored the Gospel to His Church (MP3s), by Tom Browning
Church History I and Church History II (MP3s), by Gerald Bray (Audio lectures from seminary course)
No Other Foundation: History of Christianity - 100 - 500AD, 500 - 1500AD, 1500 - 1700AD, 1700 - Present (MP3s), by Michael Haykin
History of Christianity I, early church to medieval; History of Christianity II, Reformation to 19th century - Reformed Theological Seminary courses by Frank A. James III (iTunes U)
Apostolic Age (30–100 AD)
The apostolic period extends from the Day of Pentecost to the death of the Apostle John, and covers about seventy years, from A.D. 30 to about 100. The field of action is Palestine, and gradually extends over Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy. The most prominent centres are Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome, which represent respectively the mother churches of Jewish, Gentile, and United Catholic Christianity. Next to them are Ephesus and Corinth. Ephesus acquired a special importance by the residence and labors of John, which made themselves felt during the second century through Polycarp and Irenaeus. Samaria, Damascus, Joppa, Caesarea, Tyre, Cyprus, the provinces of Asia Minor, Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica, Beraea, Athens, Crete, Patmos, Malta, Puteoli, come also into view as points where the Christian faith was planted. Through the eunuch converted by Philip, it reached Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. As early as A.D. 58 Paul could say: "From Jerusalem and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." He afterwards carried it to Rome, where it had already been known before, and possibly as far as Spain, the western boundary of the empire.^[1]^
See main page: Early church
Twelve apostles
Twelve apostles
Earliest martyrs
Stephen
James, son of Zebedee (? – ca. 44)
James, brother of Jesus (? – 62)
The Apostle Paul (? – 65)
The Apostle Peter (? – 65)
From the Apostles to the Council of Nicaea (100–325)
"The second period, from the death of the apostle John to the end of the persecutions, or to the accession of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, is the classic age of the ecclesia pressa, of heathen persecution, and of Christian martyrdom and heroism, of cheerful sacrifice of possessions and life itself for the inheritance of heaven. It furnishes a continuous commentary on the Saviour's words: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; I came not to send peace on earth, but a sword…"
The church of this period appears poor in earthly possessions and honors, but rich in heavenly grace, in world-conquering faith, love, and hope; unpopular, even outlawed, hated, and persecuted, yet far more vigorous and expansive than the philosophies of Greece or the empire of Rome; composed chiefly of persons of the lower social ranks, yet attracting the noblest and deepest minds of the age, and bearing, in her bosom the hope of the world; "as unknown, yet well-known, as dying, and behold it lives;" conquering by apparent defeat, and growing on the blood of her martyrs; great in deeds, greater in sufferings, greatest in death for the honor of Christ and the benefit of generations to come.^[2]^
The Apostolic Fathers
Clement of Rome (? – ca. 98)
Ignatius of Antioch (? – ca. 98/110)
Polycarp (ca. 70 – ca.155/167)
Didache
Epistle of Barnabas
Shepherd of Hermas
See main pages: Apostolic Fathers and Early church fathers
The Apologists
In the second century conventionally educated converts began to produce two kinds of writings that help us understand the developing shapes of Christianity — works aimed at a broad audience of educated non-Christians and works aimed at those who considered themselves inside the Church. The writing for non-Christians is usually called apologetic in the same sense that the speech given by Socrates in his defense before the Athenian assembly is called his Apology — the word in Greek meant "speech for the defense" rather than the modern more limited denotation of "statement expressing regret". The Apologists, as these authors are sometimes known, made a presentation for the educated classes of the beliefs of Christians, often coupled with an attack on the beliefs and practices of the pagans. Other writings had the purpose of instructing and admonishing fellow Christians.
Justin Martyr (ca. 114 – ca. 165)
Tertullian (ca. 155–230)
Tatian (110–180)
Other Ante-Nicene writers
Irenaeus (ca. 130–202)
Marcion (ca. 110–160)
Clement of Alexandria (? – ca. 211/216)
Origen (ca. 182 – ca. 251)
Cyprian (ca. 200–258)
From the Council of Nicaea to the Fall of the Roman Empire (325–590)
Momentous changes occurred both in the church and in the political structure of the West during the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries. The Western Roman Empire disappeared under the repeated assaults of the German barbarian tribes on its northern frontier. Christianity, a persecuted minority faith at Constantine's conversion in AD 312, had become the religion of the Empire by the end of the century. The bishop of Rome, whose leadership in the church had been largely a primacy of honour, now claimed supreme and universal authority in Christian lands, and began to make good this claim in the West, at least over the church. By the time of Pope Gregory I (590–604) the collapse of the Western Empire left the Roman bishop the real ruler of much of central Italy.^[3]^
Important figures:
Ambrose of Milan
Arius and Arianism
Athanasius
Cappadocian Fathers
Augustine of Hippo
Basil the Great
Constantine
Cyril of Alexandria
John Chrysostom
Eusebius of Caesarea
Epiphanius of Salamis
Jerome
Nestorius and Nestorianism
Leo the Great
Pelagius
Important events/documents:
Apostles' Creed
Athanasian Creed
First Council of Nicaea (325) and Nicene Creed
First Council of Constantinople (381)
Council of Chalcedon (451)
Council of Orange (529)
Second Council of Constantinople (553)
The Medieval Church and Scholasticism (590–1517)
The Middle Age may be divided into three periods:^[4]^
The missionary period from Gregory I. to Hildebrand or Gregory VII., a.d. 590–1073. The conversion of the northern barbarians. The dawn of a new civilization. The origin and progress of Islam. The separation of the West from the East. Some subdivide this period by Charlemagne (800), the founder of the German-Roman Empire.
The palmy period of the papal theocracy from Gregory VII. to Boniface VIII., a.d. 1073–1294. The height of the papacy, monasticism and scholasticism. The Crusades. The conflict between the Pope and the Emperor. If we go back to the rise of Hildebrand, this period begins in 1049.
The decline of medieval Catholicism and preparation for modern Christianity, from Boniface VIII. to the Reformation, a.d. 1294–1517. The papal exile and schism; the reformatory councils; the decay of scholasticism; the growth of mysticism; the revival of letters, and the art of printing; the discovery of America; forerunners of Protestantism; the dawn of the Reformation.
Important figures:
Anselm
Boethius
Francis of Assisi
Gregory the Great
Thomas Aquinas
John Wycliffe
John Huss
Important events/documents/movements:
Crusades
Great Schism
Filioque clause
Scholasticism
The Reformation (1517–1648)
The Reformation of the sixteenth century is, next to the introduction of Christianity, the greatest event in history. It marks the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of modern times. Starting from religion, it gave, directly or indirectly, a mighty impulse to every forward movement, and made Protestantism the chief propelling force in the history of modern civilization.^[5]^
See main page: Protestant Reformation
Important figures:
Martin Luther
Huldreich Zwingli
John Calvin
Theodore Beza
Thomas Cranmer
John Owen
William Tyndale (and the English Bible)
John Knox
John Huss (Huss was martyred in 1415, but remains important to the Protestant Reformation)
Important events/documents:
95 Theses
Anabaptists / Radical Reformation
Jesuits
Heidelberg Catechism
Thirty-nine Articles
Westminster Confession
The Roman Catholic Response:
Catholic reformation
Ignatius of Loyola
Teresa of Avila
John of the Cross
Blaise Pascal
Council of Trent (1545–1563)
The Enlightenment Church (1648–1789)
The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was a time when man began to use his reason to discover the world, casting off the superstition and fear of the medieval world. The effort to discover the natural laws which governed the universe led to scientific, political and social advances. Enlightenment thinkers examined the rational basis of all beliefs and in the process rejected the authority of church and state. Immanuel Kant expressed the motto of the Enlightenment well — "Aude Sapere" (Dare to Think!).^[6]^
Important figures:
Jonathan Edwards
George Whitefield
Howell Harris
John Wesley
Charles Wesley
George Fox
Augustus Toplady
Important events/documents/movements:
The Great Awakening (1730's)
Methodism
Quakers
Unitarianism
The Modern Church (1798–1970)
Important figures:
C.H. Spurgeon
D. L. Moody
Friedrich Schleiermacher
Soren Kierkegaard
Karl Barth
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Rudolf Bultmann
Paul Tillich
Benjamin Warfield
Wolfhart Pannenberg
Karl Rahner
Charles Hodge
Jürgen Moltmann
Emil Brunner
Hans Küng
Important events/documents/movements:
Second Great Awakening (1820's)
Liberalism
Neo-Orthodoxy
Process theology
Feminism
Existentialism
Liberation theology
First Vatican Council (1869–1870)
Second Vatican Council (1962–1965)
Charismatic or Pentecostalism
The Fundamentals
Revivals and Awakenings
The Prayer Revival (1857)
The Welsh Revival (1904)
The Missionary Awakening (1880)
The Azusa Street Revival (1906)
The East African Revival (1929)
The Post-modern Church (1970 – present)
Movements and Issues
Postmodernism
The Jesus Movement (1971)
Third Wave Charismatic renewal
Relativism
New Perspective on Paul
The Emerging Church
Vineyard Movement
Open Theism
House Church
References
↑ Schaff, History, chapter 3.
↑ Schaff, History.
↑ Richard A. Todd, The History of Christianity, p. 139.
↑ Schaff.
↑ Schaff 7 chapter 1.
↑ The Enlightenment at HistoryWiz.
Further reading
General surveys
Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language. 3rd edition. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
James E. Bradley and Richard Muller, Church History: An Introduction to Research, Reference Works, and Methods. Eerdmans, 1995.
Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church. 8 volumes, Hendrickson Publishers, 1985.
D. Jeffrey Bingham, Pocket History of the Church. InterVarsity Press, 2002.
John D. Hannah, Charts of Ancient and Medieval Church History. Zondervan; Bk&CD-Rom edition, 2001.
Tony Lane, Exploring Christian Thought. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984.
Donald McKim, Theological Turning Points. WJK, 1988.
Mark Noll, Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. 3rd edition. Baker Academic, 2012.
Early church
Christopher A. Hall, Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. InterVarsity Press, 2002.
______. Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers. InterVarsity Press, 1998.
Justo L. Gonzalez, A History of Christian Thought: Volume 1: From the Beginnings to the Council of Chalcedon. 2nd edition; Abingdon, 1987.
David W. Bercot, ed., A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs. Hendrickson Publishers, 1998.
J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines. Prince Press, 1958. (new edition, 2003)
John Anthony McGuckin, The Westminster Handbook to Patristic Theology. Westminster John Knox, 2004.
G. R. Evans, The First Christian Theologians: An Introduction to Theology in the Early Church. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004.
Medieval
James R. Ginther, The Westminster Handbook to Medieval Theology. WJK, 2009.
Giulio d'Onofrio, History of Theology, volume 2, The Middle Ages. Liturgical Press, 2008.
Beryl Smalley, The Study of the Bible in the Middle Ages. 2nd edition, 1964. repr University of Notre Dame Press, 1989.
G. R. Evans, The Medieval Theologians: An Introduction to Theology in the Medieval Period. Wiley-Blackwell, 2001.
Justo L. Gonzalez, A History of Christian Thought: Volume 2: From Augustine to the Eve of the Reformation. 2nd edition; Abingdon, 1987.
Jaroslav Pelikan, The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine: The Growth of Medieval Theology (600-1300). vol 3. University of Chicago Press, 1980.
David N. Bell, Many Mansions: An Introduction to the Development & Diversity of Medieval Theology. Cistercian, 1996.
George McCracken, ed. Early Medieval Theology. WJK, 2006.
Reformation and post-Reformation
R. Ward Holder, The Westminster Handbook to Theologies of the Reformation. WJK, 2010.
David M. Whitford, ed. T&T Clark Companion to Reformation Theology. T&T Clark, 2012.
Richard Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics, 4 volumes; 2nd edition. Baker Academic, 2003.
Justo L. Gonzalez, A History of Christian Thought: Volume 3: From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century. 2nd edition; Abingdon, 1987.
Carter Lindberg, ed., The Reformation Theologians: An Introduction to Theology in the Early Modern Period. Wiley-Blackwell, 2001.
Carter Lindberg, ed., The Pietist Theologians: An Introduction to Theology in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004.
David Bagchi and David C. Steinmetz, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Reformation Theology. Cambridge, 2004.
Diarmaid MacCulloch, The Reformation: A History. Penguin Books, 2005.
Contemporary
Kelley Kapic and Bruce McCormack, eds. Mapping Modern Theology: A Thematic and Historical Introduction. Baker Academic, 2012.
Gareth Jones, ed. The Blackwell Companion to Modern Theology. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004.
David Ford, ed. Modern Theologians: An Introduction to Christian Theology since 1918. 3rd edition. Wiley-Blackwell, 2005.
James C. Livingston, et al. Modern Christian Thought. 2 vols. Fortress, 2006.
Justo L. Gonzalez, A History of Christian Thought: Volume 3: From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century. 2nd edition; Abingdon, 1987.
Alister McGrath, ed. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Modern Christian Thought. Blackwell, 1995.
See also
Early church fathers
Reformation
Historical theology
External links
History of Christianity Reading Room: Extensive online resources for the study of global church history (Tyndale Seminary).
History of the Christian Church, by Philip Schaff (1819-1893)
The Story of the Church
The Hall of Church History

Church History ii

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Charismatic
This article or section may require cleanup to meet Theopedia's quality standards.Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. Help: How to Contribute.{{#if:This article/section has been tagged since {{{1}}}.[[Category:Cleanup from {{{1}}}]]}} Charismatic is an umbrella term used to describe those Christians who believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit seen in the first century Christian Church, such as healing, miracles and "speaking in tongues," are available to contemporary Christians and ought to be experienced and practiced today.
The word charismatic is derived from the Greek word charisma (meaning a grace or a gift) which is the term used in the Bible to describe a wide range of supernatural experiences (especially in 1 Corinthians 12-14).
Often confused with Pentecostalism (by which it was inspired), Charismatic Christianity tends to differ in key aspects: most Charismatics reject the preeminence given by Pentecostalism to "speaking in tongues," reject what they consider to be legalism sometimes associated with Pentecostalism, and often stay in their existing denominations such as Roman Catholic Charismatics.
Because of the continual cross-over between Pentecostalism and the modern Charismatic movement, it is increasingly difficult to speak of Charismatics and Pentecostals as being part of separate movements. Yet because neither movement is monolithic, it is also unfair to speak of them as being one movement either. The difference is primarily one of origins. Beliefs of the two groups are very similar; each movement, however, is unique in its historical beginnings. Having been conceived in unique contexts, the difference may secondarily be described in terms of contrasting church cultures evidenced through each movement's manners and customs (i.e., worship styles, preaching styles, altar ministry methods). Until a more acceptable broad nomenclature is used, it needs to be understood that both movements share a great deal in common, and yet can sometimes be clearly differentiated.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Beginnings 1950-1975
1.2 Change 1975-2000
2 Theological distinctives
3 See also
History
Beginnings 1950-1975
While it is difficult to locate the place and time that Charismatic Christianity began to influence the mainstream churches, Dennis Bennett, an American Episcopalian, is often cited as the movement's seminal influence. Bennett was the Rector at St Mark's Episcopal Church in Van Nuys California when he announced to the congregation in 1960 that he had received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Soon after this he was ministering in Vancouver where he ran many workshops and seminars about the work of the Holy Spirit.[1] This influenced tens of thousands of Anglicans world-wide and also began a renewal movement within the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.
In the 1960s and 1970s there was a renewed interest in the supernatural gifts of the Spirit in mainstream churches such as the Episcopal, Lutheran and Catholic churches. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal was focused in individuals like Kevin Ranaghan and his group of followers at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Dennis Bennett was Ranaghan's counterpart in the Episcopal Church.
The Charismatic Renewal movement in the Eastern Orthodox Church never exerted the influence that it did in other mainstream churches. Individual priests, such as Fr. Eusebius Stephanouof the Greek Orthodox Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, founder of the Brotherhood of St. Symeon the New Theologian, Fr. Athanasius Emmert of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese and Fr. Boris Zabrodsky of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in America, founder of the Orthodox Spiritual Renewal Services and editor of "Theosis" journal, were the more prominent leaders of the Charismatic renewal in Orthodoxy.
On an international level, David du Plessis along with a host of others (including Lutheran and even Southern Baptist ministers) promoted the movement. The latter did not last long with their denominations, either volunteering to leave or being asked to do so. But in the Episcopal and Catholic churches priest and ministers were permitted to continue on in their parishes, provided they did not allow these concerns to create major divisions within their congregations.
Change 1975-2000
While there are many charismatics within established denominations, many have left or have been forced out and have joined either more progressive Pentecostal churches or formed their own churches or denominations. The house church movement in the UK and the Vineyard Movement in the USA are examples of a formal Charismatic structure. The Hillsong Church in Australia is an example of a Pentecostal church that has embraced Charismatic belief and practices, which has, in turn, influenced the Australian Assemblies of God denomination. In New Zealand, the pre-eminent Pentecostal movement has been the New Life Churches, although other local and international Pentecostal denominations are also well established.
Since the mid 1980s, the Charismatic movement has made some notable changes in its theology and emphases. This process has been termed The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit and has been typified by the ministry of C. Peter Wagner, Word of Faith Theology and the Toronto blessing phenomenon. Some opponents of the Charismatic movement have noted that these recent trends have been influenced heavily by the Latter Rain Movement of the 1950s within the Pentecostal churches — a movement that was officially declared heresy by The Assemblies of God at the time.
There appears to be a great deal of evidence which shows that, since 1975, the Charismatic movement has been influenced by the Latter Rain Movement and its influential teachers (such as William M. Branham). ^[citation\ needed]^ This can be explained by the desire of Charismatic Christians to enter into fellowship with those within the church who have experienced similar forms of Religious ecstasy. As a result of this, Charismatics came into contact with both mainstream Pentecostalism as well as the Latter Rain Movement. It appears that modern-day Charismatics and Pentecostals are far more united in experience and theology because both movements have adopted elements of Latter Rain teachings.
Theological distinctives
Because the Charismatic movement is not monolithic, it cannot easily be examined or judged as one entity. As a result, vast theological differences can be found in the movement, with some parts appearing to have quite orthodox beliefs while others seem to embrace more heterodox ideas. Some charismatic groups such as newfrontiers lead by Terry Virgo are Reformed in their theology.
Virtually all Charismatic Christians believe that the presence of God can be experienced in a supernatural way by believers, usually during times of intense spiritual reflection (such as during a worship service, a small group meeting or personal prayer). The singing of praise songs is an important element in this belief.
Nevertheless, there are two primary beliefs which define the charismatic movement. The first is the belief that the "charismatic gifts" of the Holy Spirit, such as tongues, prophecy, and miraculous healing, are still in effect today. Charismatics also hold that sometimes Bible passages are misinterpreted in order to declare that charismatic gifts are not valid for today's believers. [2][3]
The second is the belief that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is separate from both salvation and water baptism. Both of these primary beliefs are characteristic of the Pentecostal movement as well, but are less dogmatically held by Charismatics. Many Charismatics, while they may experience "speaking in tongues," may not view this as being the Pentecostal phenomenon of Spirit Baptism.
Some Charismatic groups are more Fundamentalist, while some are less so. These churches, movements and groups all have in common that they believe and promote the supernatural manifestations of the Spirit in their meetings and lives.
See also
Charisma
Holy Spirit

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