Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents
Appendix J – Timeline of the church
Time of preparation
| Date | Event |
| 428- 348BC | Plato –Understood the self as body and soul. In his theory of Forms, the physical realm is just a shadow of the perfect forms in the spiritual realm. These beliefs, called Platonism spawned two derivatives. 1) Gnosticism combined Platonism with Christian, Buddhist, and other eastern religions. It understands the world to be a series of emanations from the highest “One.” The lowest emanation was an evil god (the Demiurge) who created the material world as a prison for the divine sparks that dwell in human bodies. Salvation is being freed from physical bodies. 2) Platonism was modified by Aristotelian thought in the third century AD. It understood that the world is an emanation from an ultimate indivisible being with whom the soul is capable of being reunited in trance or ecstasy. |
| 384-322BC | Aristotle, a student of Plato, studied the organization of nature. His understanding of the universe would be picked up later by Thomas Aquinas. |
| 300-200BC | Hebrew writings some of which we call the Old Testament were translated into a Greek set of documents we call the Septuagint. The actual acceptance of which writings would be considered part of the canon differ among different Christian sects. |
| 6BC – AD33 | Jesus instructed to follow the Great Commandment (Mat 22:37-40) and the Great Commission, (Mat 28:16-20). He did not instruct us how to organize after His departure. He did not explain everything about Himself or set up schools to teach about Himself. |
Apostolic Age and the early church
| Date | Event |
| AD50 | Jerusalem Council – church declared that Gentiles did not need to become Jews to follow Jesus |
| AD52 | Apostle Thomas goes to India |
| AD64 | Nero blames fire in Rome on Christians and becomes the first emperor to start persecuting them. Peter and Paul executed. Arrival of first Christians in China |
| AD70 | Temple in Jerusalem destroyed in response to rebellion by the Jews. Both Jews and the Christians were scattered |
| AD90-150 | Gnosticism emerges. One of the errors it leads to is the belief that Jesus only seemed to possess a physical body. |
| AD100 | First Christians in Monaco, Algeria, and Sri Lanka |
| AD100s | Apologists begin to answer the charges against the Christians, and some would be killed (e.g., Justin the Martyr, Polycarp) Marcion, one of the first teachers of heresies, begins preaching Gnostic ideas, leading the church to create statements of creed which define official teaching. He created his own version of the Bible using mainly Paul’s letters for scripture. This action led the church to later create an official canon. |
| AD125 | Apostle John dies. His death marks the end of the apostolic era of the church. |
| AD132-135 | Second Jewish rebellion – Jerusalem destroyed again. Simon Bar Kokhba claimed to be the Messiah. |
| AD150-215 | Clement of Alexandria considered to be the first theologian. First records of Christians in Edessa |
| AD156-220 | Montanists (also known as New Prophets) emerged. They were known for their strict practices and prophesying. More than twenty bishoprics in Mesopotamia and Persia. |
| AD170 | Theophilus uses word “Trinity” for the first time. Tertullian was the first to state the theology of Trinity in AD215 |
| AD180 | Pantaenus preaches in India. There are disputed reports of apostles Bartholomew and Thomas being in India. |
| AD196 | Pope Victor excommunicates Eastern Christians for Celebrating Easter during Passover |
| AD200 | Apostles Creed created |
| AD216-276 | Manes of Persia creates a Gnostic movement (Manichaeism): conflict between light and dark, Satan prevents particles of light within our bodies |
| AD220 | Hippolytus writes “Apostolic Tradition” defining hierarchy in the church, rites of baptism and eucharist, etc. |
| AD250 | First known prayer to the Theotokos (Mother of God) is recorded |
| AD251 | St. Anthony begins monastic movement living in solitary in the desert in Egypt After persecution by Decian and some believers spoke against Christ under threat of torture. Followers of Novation did not allow the lapsed to re-enter the church, but Pope Cornelius welcomed them back |
| AD285 | Roman empire split it two. Although done for administrative purposes, over time, differences between the primary languages used (Greek language in the east and Latin language in the west) would contribute to differences in theology later. |
| AD300 | Bible translated into Coptic (language of peasants in Egypt). |
| AD301 | Armenian king Tiridates I converts to Christianity |
| AD303 | Emperor Diocletian begins most severe persecution of the church. |
| AD310 | Church of the East (Assyrian Church) is formed |
Post-Nicene Era
| AD311 | Roman Emperor, Constantine became Christian: edict of toleration |
| AD313 | Edict of Milan legalizes Christianity |
| AD314 | King Tiridates III in Armenia adopts Christianity (Armenian Orthodox) as national religion |
| AD320 | St Pachomius begins cenobitic monastery (regulated community life) in Egypt |
| AD321 | Constantinople declares Sunday a holiday |
| AD325 | Ecumenical Council of Nicaea which clarified Christ’s divinity and expanded second stanza in Nicaean creed. The Roman emperor accepted the church, but it was at cost of being joined with secular power – led to corruption, using physical force instead of spiritual force, becoming dependent on power structure. Constantine moved capital to Constantinople (1261–1453) |
| AD326 | Athanasius elected bishop of Alexandrea |
| AD327 | King Ezana of Axum (Ethiopia) becomes Christian and makes Christianity official religion of kingdom eventually creating home for Ethiopian Orthodox Church |
| AD340 | Beginning of Persian monasticism |
| AD347 | Jerome wrote the Bible in Latin, known as the Vulgate |
| AD350 | Creed of Jerusalem – baptismal formula used by early Christians to confess their faith |
| AD354-430 | St Augustine developed doctrine on total depravity, irresistible grace, man does not have a free will. Wrote City of God |
| AD368 | Basil writes monastic rule for Eastern church |
| AD361 | Martin of Tours founds first monastery in West |
| AD362 | At the Synod of Alexandria, Eastern and Roman Christians both accept Creed of Nicaea |
| AD367 | Athanasius produces letter with a list that defines all the writings that currently appear in New Testament |
| AD380 | Christianity established as official religion of Roman empire |
| AD381 | Ecumenical Council of Constantinople – expands third stanza of creed defining Holy Spirit, condemns the belief that Jesus lacked a human soul |
| AD390 | Emperor Theodosius submits to bishop Ambrose. |
| AD391 | Emperor Theodosius declares Christianity to be the official religion of the empire |
| AD395 | Roman Empire divided into East and West |
| AD410 | Rome falls to the Goths. First General Synod of the Persian Church |
| AD420 | Bishopric established in Merv (major city in what is present day Iran) |
| AD424 | Third General Synod of Persian Church, Confirms Catholicos of the Church of the East as “Patriarch of the East” and asserts him as equal to all other patriarchs |
| AD425 | University of Constantinople founded as first university in the world |
| AD428 | Nestorius ordained as Patriarch of Constantinople |
| AD431 | Ecumenical Council of Ephesus – defines Christ as the Incarnate Word of God, proclaims Mary as Theotokos, deposed Nestorius (believed that Jesus was two persons, one human, one divine |
| AD432 | 432 Saint Patrick becomes bishop of Ireland |
| AD451 | Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon – defined Christ as having both a human and divine nature in one person |
| AD484-519 | Schism between East and West caused by East’s drift toward the belief in Nestorianism (that Jesus’ divinity and humanity are united in one nature). The Persian Church adopts belief that Christ exists as two persons sharing one body. |
Middle Ages
Jerusalem declined in importance while Constantinople rose
| AD500 | Fall of Rome further separated Rome, Constantinople |
| AD500 | Athanasian Creed |
| This time had been referred to as the “Dark Ages,” but it was the time that the church was actively preserving cultures and developing (e.g., St. Patrick) | |
| AD523 | Ethiopians invade Arabia in response to pleas for help from Christians in Hajran |
| AD535 | Nestorian missionaries teach Hephthalite Huns (in Central Asia) how to read and write |
| AD537 | Construction of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is completed |
| AD526 | Benedictine rule written |
| AD529 | Emperor Justinian, I closed pagan schools, campaigned against Montanists, building program included Hagia Sophia |
| AD542-578 | Jacob Bardaeus wanders throughout Syria consecrating Monophysite priests and bishops. Sixth General Synod of Persian Church adopts Chalcedonian Creed, Julian of Constantinople begins evangelizing in Nubia |
| AD553 | 2nd Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon – confirmed Christological and trinitarian doctrine against Nestorius |
| AD568 | Exarchate of Ravena established (Greek outpost, place of contact with the west) |
| AD579 | Nestorian Mar Sergius settles in China |
| AD596 | Gregory the Great sends Augustine to England. Within a year 10,000 are baptized |
| AD618 | Nestorian Christians received by the T’ang dynasty. Christianity thrived there until AD907 |
| AD634 | Emperor Heraclius orders Jews to be baptized, many flee to Persia or Arabia |
| AD635 | Missionary named Alopen (version of Abraham?) arrives in China from Church of the East |
| AD638 | Jerusalem falls to Islam |
| AD641 | Croatian duke Porga asks Emperor Heraclius for Christian teachers |
| AD680 | 3rd Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon – affirms Jesus had a truly human will and divine will against the Monothelites |
| AD692 | Pentarchy – five sees as Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem; |
| AD725 | Volcanic eruption in Santorini, Greece triggers iconoclasm movement under Emperor Leo |
| AD787 | 2nd Ecumenical Council of Nicaea – vindicates veneration of images based on the humanity of Christ as the image or icon of the unseen God |
| AD800 | Charlemagne 1st king of Holy Roman Empire which lasted until 1806. Charlemagne’s schools taught seven liberal arts: arithmetic, astronomy, geometry, grammar, logic, music, rhetoric |
| AD863 | Mission of Cyril and Methodius to Greater Moravia entrenched Christianity among the Slavic people |
| AD867 | Photius writes encyclical opposing filioque and other aspects of Roman Catholic theology |
| AD909 | St Berno founds Cluny |
| AD988 | Czar Vladimir of Kyiv went shopping for religions. He liked to eat so he rejected Islam and Judaism but accepted Eastern Orthodox |
| AD1000 | Leaf the Lucky evangelizes Greenland |
| AD1054 | The Schism – Catholic Church splits into Roman and Orthodox Churches |
| AD1084 | St Berno founds Carthusians |
| AD1095 | Pope Urban II issued the Papal Bull Terra Nullius gave European kings the right to claim land in any non-Christian areas they found. |
| AD1096-1254 | Crusades –seven attempts to reclaim Palestine from Muslims. AD1204 Roman Crusaders sack Constantinople, AD1212 Children’s Crusade |
| AD1099 | Knighthood – vowed chastity, poverty, obedience, care of sick and exhausted pilgrims, protection of holy places |
| AD1173 | Waldensians opposed purgatory, indulgences, prayers for dead, war, capital punishment, oaths |
| AD1079 | Anselm creates an argument for God’s existence |
| AD1200 | Scholastics – theology, philosophy, medicine, and law were all taught. “Understand to that you may believe, believe that you may understand.” (Augustine). Bible is now available in twenty-two languages. |
| AD1215 | Fourth Lateran Council declares transubstantiation, laid groundwork for Inquisition |
| AD1266 | Kublai Khan asked for one hundred monks to teach the Mongols, but the monks were delayed. By the time they got there, the Mongols had already converted to Islam |
| AD1266 | Second Council of Lyons fails to unit Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy |
| AD1266 | Aquinas begins writing Summa Theologica. In 1273, a vision causes him to stop writing the Summa |
| AD1269 | Kublai Khan requests pope to send teachers of science and religion. The pope failed to do so in a timely basis. By the time the church responds Khan has already converted to Islam |
| AD1289 | Kublai Khan creates a department to deal with Christians in his empire, Appoints Nestorian Ai-hsueh as its first president. Franciscan friars begin work in China |
| AD1318 | Last recorded synod of the Nestorian Church in Persia, elects Timothy II |
| AD1309-1377 | Babylon captivity. Pope resides in Avignon, France instead of Italy |
| AD1340 | Nestorian college for “Tatars” still operating in Merv |
| AD1342 | Last resident Catholic bishop of Beijing arrives in China |
| AD1337 | Hundred Years War between England and France begins |
| AD1378-1415 | Great Western Schism – Two or more popes existed simultaneously |
| AD1340-1400 | Bubonic plague killed one-third of European population |
| AD1374 | Dutch Christians begin Common Life Movement – denounced corruption in church, practiced scholarship and mystical devotion to Christ (called Devotio Moderna). Thomas A Kempis wrote “The Imitation of Christ” |
| AD1384 | John Wyclif completes Bible translated to English so that everyone can read it, other reforms. Claimed church was not based on pope, priests or sacraments but consisted of all who are called to faith in Jesus Christ. Began first Bible translation into English. |
| AD1415 | Jan Huss of Bohemia martyred. He was a promoter of Wyclif’s ideas |
| AD1439 | Johannes Gutenberg invents printing press |
| AD1452 | Pope Nicholas V in the Papal Bull ‘Romanus Pontifex’ declared war, authorizing the conquest of all non-Christian nations. |
| AD1462 | Johannes Gutenberg begins printing Bible |
| AD1479 | Spanish Inquisition tortured, killed, and exiled thousands of Jews, Muslims, and heretics |
| AD1453 | Ottomans capture Constantinople. Hundreds of Eastern scholars fled carrying ancient Greek manuscripts, sparking the Renaissance in the West. Renaissance humanism replaced Scholasticism’s emphasis on logic with human oriented actions. |
| AD1491 | First missionaries (Franciscan and Dominican) arrive in Congo |
| AD1493 | Pope Alexander VI issued a bull “Inter Caetera” justifying Europeans to conquer non-Christian lands. That would be followed by the Treaty of Tordesillas in which Spain was granted rights to most of the New World and Portugal to Africa and Asia. Later on, this would lead to the “Doctrine of Discovery” in 1823 that Americans would use to capture land from the native Americans. |
| AD1494 | First missionaries arrive in Dominican Republic |
| AD1498 | First Christians reported in Kenya |
Reformation
| AD1500s | Nationalism movements began to split the Empire |
| AD1500 | Franciscan missionaries enter Brazil |
| AD1516 | Erasmus Desiderius published Greek New Testament (known as “Textus Receptus” |
| AD1521 | Martin Luther began formal Protestant Reformation. Only Scripture, grace, faith, Christ to the glory of God alone. Kept much of Catholic practices, had a permissive view of Scripture. Replaced transubstantiation (the essence of communion elements is changed into Christ’s blood of Jesus) with consubstantiation (Christ is present in, with and under the communion elements) |
| AD1521 | After reading “Imitation of Christ,” Ignatius Loyola’s life was transformed and in 1540 was allowed to begin a Catholic order pledged to poverty, chastity, and obedience to the Pope, Forms “The Society of Jesus” (Jesuits) |
| AD1525 | Anabaptists flee Zurich |
| AD1533 | Because he could not get a marriage annulled, Henry VIII becomes head of Church of England |
| AD1534 | John Calvin wrote Institutes of Christian Religion, which became a core reference for the Reformed movement. |
| AD1534 | Tyndale translates Bible into English |
| AD1525 | Ulrich Zwingli began “Reformed” churches. Abolished Mass. Communion elements were symbolic of Jesus’ body and blood. Had a restrictive view of Scripture. |
| AD1540 | Anabaptist or Rebaptisers. Infant baptism is not the believer’s baptism |
| AD1545 | James Hutter – Refugee from Anabaptist church begins church in Moravia stressed purity of morals, apostolic discipline |
| AD1545-1563 | In response to Reformation, Council of Trent was called to institute reforms within the Catholic Church: indulgences ended, priestly celibacy was enforced again, scripture and tradition were given equal authority, faith and works were viewed as necessary to salvation. Mandated that Mass be said in Latin. War between Protestant princes against Emperor Charles V caused a 10 -ear interruption and the end of possible reconciliation between Catholics and Protestant |
| AD1560 | John Knox brought Calvinism to Scotland. Founded Presbyterian (elder) church |
| AD1564 | Reformers in the Church of England wanted purify worship and doctrine. They would be called Puritans |
| AD1584 | King Henry VIII wanted a divorce. Started Anglican Church. Made himself head of church |
| AD1589 | James Arminius rejected predestination. Instead, he said that all people have free will to accept or reject Christ |
| AD1596 | Several million Ukrainian Orthodox Christians enter into union with Roman Catholics. These Christians were called Uniats. |
| AD1604 | Some Puritans (Separatists) wanted to separate from the Church of England, and they ended up fleeing to Holland. From there some would go to the New England (Pilgrims) |
| AD1609 | John Smyth – church membership was given by baptism – First (General) Baptist church, Arminian |
| AD1618 | Synod of Dordt. Reformed Theology is defined. In response to Armenian’s Five Articles of Remonstrance (which emphasized the free will of humans), the soteriology commonly referred to as Calvinism or predestination is defined by TULIP (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints) |
| AD1620 | English Separatists leave Europe and land in Massachusetts |
| AD1618-1648 | Thirty Years’ War – began with Bohemians rebelling against the “Holy Roman Empire.” The emperor violated the Peace of Augsburg and tried to impose Roman Catholicism on the Protestant countries. By the time it was over, more than eight million people died of war, famine, or disease. It ended with the Peace of Westphalia which also ended the Eighty Years War between the Dutch and the Spanish. |
| AD1633 | John Spilsbury forms Particular Baptists church in England |
| AD1635 | Roger Williams, evicted from Massachusetts, founds “Providence” the next year and the first Baptist church in the colonies |
| AD1638 | Harry Jacob leads a small independent (Particular) Baptist Church, Calvinist |
| AD1660 | Quakers – Every person has an Inner Light to guide him to Truth |
| AD1675 | Phillip Spener – Remove emphasis from doctrine and sacrament. A deeper individual spiritual life, pietism. Publishes “Pious Desires” |
| AD1681 | William Penn, a Quaker, founds Pennsylvania |
| AD1700s | The Age of Enlightenment (or Reason) began by this time due to developments in the 1600s |
| AD1721 | Czar Peer placed Russian Orthodox Church under the government’s control |
| AD1722 | Count Zinzendorf – Order of Grain of Mustard Seed – founded Moravian community, round the clock prayer meetings, missions’ movement |
| AD1720s-1750s | The Great Awakening began in the Congregational and Reformed Churches in Massachusetts |
| AD1738 | John Wesley was a deacon in the Anglican Church After his conversion began an emotionally strong preaching ministry. Began the Methodist Church |
Modern
| AD1776 | Episcopal denomination forms, they are a rebranded American branch of Anglican denomination |
| AD1784 | Methodist Conference formed within Anglican Church |
| AD1785 | Theophilus Lindsey began Unitarian Church. Rejected divinity of Christ |
| AD1801 | Cane Ridge Camp Meeting begins Second Great Awakening |
| AD1816 | Formation of African Methodist Church (AME) |
| AD1823 | Restorationist movement begins |
| AD1831 | Holiness movement begins– Following Wesley, Holiness preachers emphasized that the process of salvation involves two crises. In the first, conversion or justification, one is freed from the sins he has committed. In the second, entire sanctification or full salvation, one is liberated from the flaw in his moral nature that causes him to sin.Tongues and prophecy manifested in prayer meeting in Church of Scotland. Began formation of Pentecostal and Holiness churches, emphasis on miraculous gifts (charisma), “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” |
| AD1854 | Pope Pius IX declares Immaculate Conception, Doctrine of Infallibility |
| AD1857 | After stock market crash, Third Great Awakening led by Phoebe Palmer |
| AD1864 | John Darby introduces dispensational theology |
| AD1872 | Dwight Moody begins evangelism |
| AD1885 | Mission Covenant- Five Fundamentals declared (inerrancy of scripture and Jesus Christ’s divinity, virgin birth, atonement and second coming) |
| AD1890s | In response to Western missionary control, African leaders form an independent Ethiopian movement |
| AD1900 | African Methodist Episcopal and Adventist denominations start |
| AD1903 | Baptism of Geronimo |
| AD1906 | Pentecostal (Azusa St) revival – speaking in tongues seen as initial evidence of “baptism in the spirit” |
| AD1910 | Edinburgh Conference, attended by 1200 delegates, begins modern ecumenical movement |
| AD1914 | Assembly of God and Pentecostal denominations start |
| AD1921 | Simon Kimbangu forms African Independent Church |
| AD1922 | Henry Fosdick preaches “Shall the Fundamentalists win?” reinterpreted the inerrancy of Scripture, virgin conception of Jesus, the second coming of Jesus Watchman Nee begins local churches in China |
| AD1925 | Scopes trial, Scopes was found guilty but public opinion war was lost |
| AD1930s | Revival sweeps Uganda and Rwanda |
| AD1935 | Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of signers of the Barmen Confession, resisting Hitler’s policy in Germany |
| AD1941 | National Association of Evangelicals formed |
| AD1948 | World Council of Churches is organized |
| AD1947 | Dead Sea Scrolls discovered |
| AD1949 | Billy Graham begins evangelism crusades, in 1953 he convinces Carl FH Henry to become editor for Christianity Today |
| AD1950 | Mother Teresa founds Missionaries of Charity in India |
| AD1954 | Methodists ordain women |
| AD1962-AD1968 | Vatican II, allowed liturgical changes such as giving Mass in native languages (instead of Latin), encouraged Catholics to study Bible, adopted a spirit of respect to other religions, apologized to Orthodox Church for schism |
| AD1963 | Martin Luther King leads March on Washington D.C. |
| AD1971 | Jesus movement |
| AD1974 | Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization |
| AD1980 | Third Wave charismatic movement defined. First wave began with Azusa Street Revival and rise of Pentecostal movement. Second save occurred in 1960s as charismatic movement spread through mainline protestant and Roman Catholic denominations. Third wave is part of neo-charismatic movement which includes the Vineyard Movement |
| AD2000s | Post-modern thinking emphasizes shared experiences, images, personal connections over reason and words. Emergent Church movement – crosses a number of theological boundaries. Prefers smaller informal house church gatherings as opposed to “institutionalized church,” emphasizes social justice, de-emphasizes sin and repentance. Christianity grew from 9% of African continent in 1900 to 45% in 2000 |
| AD2008 | Evangelical Manifesto, defines what is an evangelical in an attempt to refocus the evangelical congregations on their basics and depoliticize the movement |
Dancing In The Kingdom 