Chronology

c.2100 BC Calling of Abraham - the Father of the Jewish nation.

c.2000 BC Birth of Jacob, later to be called Israel. The twelve tribes of Israel are named after Jacob's sons.

c.1900 BC Joseph is sold into slavery in Egypt. Israelites eventually become captives in the land.

c.1446 or 1290 BC The Exodus begins. Led by Moses, the Israelites leave Egypt and eventually settle in Canaan.

c.1010 BC David becomes king of Israel, making Jerusalem his capital.

c.970 BC David's son Solomon becomes king. He later builds a temple in Jerusalem to honour God.

c.930 BC Following Solomon's death, the Kingdom is divided into two sections: Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah).

753 BC Traditional date for the founding of Rome.

722 BC Fall of the kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians.

612 BC Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, falls to the Babylonians.

586 BC Babylonians take Jerusalem and destroy Solomon's temple. Jewish nation is taken into captivity in Babylon (the exile).

c.538 BC Return of some of the exiles. Start of reconstruction of the temple.

c.512 BC Completion of the temple.

c.330 BC Conquest by Alexander the Great. Rise of Hellenism (Greek culture).

c.250 BC Work begins to translate the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek. This is known as the Septuagint or LXX.

63 BC Roman rule of Israel begins.

44 BCE Julius Caesar deified by the Roman Senate

27 BCE -14 CE Reign of Emperor Augustus. Augustus was the first Roman ruler to be worshiped as a son of a god (divi filius), and the day of his birth was considered the beginning of his glad tidings or "gospel" for the world.

4 BCE Death of Herod the Great, ruler of Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and surrounding territories. King Herod had been the loyal client of the Roman emperor Augustus.

4 BCE Jesus of Nazareth is born in Bethlehem.

6 CE Territories of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea come under direct imperial control as the Roman province of Judea.

14 CE Augustus deified by the Roman Senate.

26-30 CE Ministry of John the Baptist

30 CE Death of Jesus

30 CE and later Jesus' early followers from Galilee settle in Jerusalem. They are known as "the Twelve."

c.33 Stephen - First Christian martyr (Acts 7).

35-36 CE Saul of Tarsus, a Jew, comes to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and subsequently becomes the apostle Paul.

37-100 CE Life of Josephus, the Jewish historian

48 CE Council of Jerusalem, the leaders of the new Christian movement, discuss the terms of the recent mission to the Gentiles. Gentile Christians accepted alongside those in the Jewish tradition.

50 CE Paul leaves Antioch and begins Aegean Mission. His letters to these congregations are the earliest documents now contained in the New Testament.

50-52 CE Paul's first visit to Corinth; he writes his first letter to the Thessalonians.

52 CE Paul arrives in Ephesus; he writes a letter to the Galatians and his letter to the Corinthians.

54-55 CE Paul's imprisonment in Ephesus. He writes letters to the Philippians and to Philemon; he completes a second letter to the Corinthians.

55-56 CE Paul writes a letter to the Christians in Rome in preparation for his future visit there.

60 CE First Gospel published (often thought to be that written by Mark).

62 CE Death of James, brother of Jesus and head of the church in Jerusalem

64 CE Great Fire in Rome; Nero blames and executes Christians

58-60 CE Paul's imprisonment in Rome

60-65 CE Death of Paul, 60-68 CE Death of Peter. (c.67-68) The Apostles Peter and Paul* martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero.

66-70 CE First Jewish Revolt against Rome. A feud between Jewish and Greek factions in the city of Ceasarea leads to fighting that quickly spreads throughout the region.

68 CE Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakki seeks and receives permission from the Roman general and future emperor Vespasian to establish a new religious school after the war in the Palestinian coastal city of Jamnia. This sets the stage for the emergence of modern Judaism.

68 CE The emperor Nero's assassination launches a year of civil war in Rome.

69-79 CE Reign of the emperor Vespasian.

70 CE Fall of Jerusalem under military leadership of Vespasian's son, Titus. Jewish rebellion against the Roman empire ends. Destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.

From 70 Centre of Christianity moves to Antioch, Alexandria and Rome.

c.90 Book of Revelation and Gospel of Saint John written.

70-100 CE Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke (Luke-Acts) written.

77 CE Josephus publishes The War of the Jews

79-81 CE Reign of the emperor Domitian (Vespasian's elder son and the general who burned the Temple and quelled the Jewish Revolt).

81-96 CE Reign of the emperor Domitian (Vespasian's younger son and the object of the anti-Roman attack in the Book of Revelation).

85 CE "Curse against Heretics" (Birkath ha-minim) added to Jewish synagogue benedictions, with the intent of excluding Christians.

90-110 CE Gospel of John written

c.90 Book of Revelation and Gospel of Saint John written.

90-150 CE Gospel of Thomas and other gnostic manuscripts written

94 CE Josephus publishes The Antiquities of the Jews

96-98 CE Reign of the emperor Nerva

98-117 CE Reign of Emperor Trajan

100-165 CE Life of Justin Martyr, early Christian apologist. Justin defends Christianity as a "philosophy" worthy of the respect of the educated and as the only legitimate heir to the Israelite scriptures.

107-117 CE Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, is martyred

112-113 CE Pliny, the Roman governor of Pontus-Bithynia writes to the emperor Trajan seeking advice regarding the punishment of Christians. The emperor tells Pliny that persecuting people on unproven charges is "contrary to the spirit of our times."

117-138 CE Reign of emperor Hadrian

132-135 CE Second Jewish Revolt against Rome (Bar Kochba Revolt). By this time Christians have separated from Judaism.

150-215 CE Life of Clement of Alexandria, early Christian teacher and theologian. Clement's theology is known for its skillful blend of Christian proclamation with Greek philosophical precepts.

150-222 CE Life of Tertullian, early Christian apologist. Prolific writer and sharp witted defender of the emerging Christian orthodoxy, until he converted to Montanism late in his life.

155 CE Martyrdom of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna and younger colleague and admirer of Ignatius of Antioch.

161-180 CE Widespread persecution of Christians under Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (Severe persecutions also occurred under the emperors Decius (249-251) and Diocletian (284-305)).

178 CE Celsus writes True Reason, argument against Christianity

180 CE Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, asserts that the proper number of gospels is four.

185-254 CE Life of Origen. One of the great early Christian scholars and teachers, his writings had a profound effect on the development of Christian theology, particularly in the provinces of the Greek East.

203 CE Martyrdom of Perpetua in Carthage

249-251 CE First major persecution of Christians under emperor Decius

250 CE Origen publishes Contra Celsum, in response to Celsus' True Reason.

257-260 CE Persecution resumes under emperor Valerian

260 CE Persecution ends when Gallienus becomes emperor

260-340 CE Life of Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, chronicler of early church and court historian to Constantine

301 Armenia becomes the world's first country to officially adopt Christianity as the state religion.

303 CE Persecution begins under Diocletian

312 CE Battle of Milvian Bridge; Constantine adopts Christ as his patron and defeats his rival Maxentius to become sole ruler of Italy, Africa, and the entire western half of the empire.

313 CE Edict of Milan. An agreement between Constantine, ruler of the West and Licinius, ruler of the East, that assured full restitution of all confiscated Christian property and full rights for Christian worship in both halves of the Roman empire.

324 CE Constantine defeats Licinius in a battle near Adrianople. He now becomes ruler of the entire Roman empire. He moves the eastern capital from Nicomedia to Byzantine, henceforth known as Constantinople.

325 CE Council of Nicea attempts to resolve theological differences among church factions. It is agreed that Christ was both fully human and fully divine. Arian heresy which declared Christ was a created being is refuted. Nicene Creed is drawn up, declaring Christ to be "...Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father..."

327 CE Death of Constantine.

367 Saint Athanasius is the first to list all 27 New Testament books in his festal letter.

381 Ecumenical Council at Constantinople revises the Nicene creed to its current form.

c.382 Saint Jerome begins a translation of the Bible into Latin.

397 Synod at Carthage ratifies the 27 books of the New Testament as sacred scripture.

431 Ecumenical council held at Ephesus refutes Nestorianism.

(The doctrine that Christ was two persons (one human, the other divine) in one body). Mary is declared Theotokos i.e. 'God-bearer' or more commonly, 'Mother of God'.

449 At Ephesus, Pope Leo I delivers his 'Tome', defending orthodox Christian belief. Leo also asserts Papal supremacy.

451 Ecumenical council at Chalcedon affirms Christ as having two distinct natures united in one person (known as the 'Hypostatic Union').

553 Ecumenical council at Constantinople affirms teaching of previous councils.

563 Columba establishes a monastery at Iona.

589 Insertion of the filioque (Latin: 'and the son') into the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed at a council in Toledo.

597 Following a mission authorised by Pope Gregory I, St. Augustine becomes the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

664 Synod of Whitby ratifies the authority of the Pope in England.

680-81 Ecumenical council at Constantinople rejects Monothelite heresy of one will in Christ.

731 Bede writes his Ecclesiastical History.

787 Ecumenical council at Nicea ends the controversy over the use of icons in worship.

800 Charlemagne is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III.

988 Conversion of Prince Vladimir in Kiev. Growth of Christianity in Russia.

1054 Great Schism - Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic churches separate.

1095 Pope Urban II authorizes the first Crusade to recover the Holy Land from Moslems.

1099 Crusaders conquer Jerusalem.

1182 Massacre of Latin inhabitants of Constantinople.

1187 Jerusalem recaptured by a Moslem army led by Saladin.

1189 Third Crusade led by Richard the Lionheart of England.

1204 Sack of Constantinople during the fourth crusade.

1216/23 Papal approval of the Dominican and Franciscan mendicant ('begging') orders.

1266-73 Thomas Aquinas writes his great work of systematic Theology: Summa Theologiae.

1305 Papacy moved to Avignon following a dispute with Philip IV of France.

c.1341 Defense of Orthodox spirituality by Gregory Palamas. Rise of Hesychasm.

c.1376 John Wycliffe writes 'Civil Dominion', arguing for reform of the church.

1378 Following the return of the Papacy to Rome, rival claimants (Antipopes) emerge. Dispute ends in 1417 with election of Martin V.

c.1380 John Wycliffe translates the Bible into Middle English.

1453 Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks.

1517 Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in Wittenburg, Germany; beginning the Protestant reformation.

1521 Diet of Worms - Luther's final breach with the Catholic church.

1525 William Tyndale completes his translation of the Bible into English.

1534 Ignatius of Loyola founds the Jesuits.

1534 Act of Supremacy passed - Henry VIII becomes supreme head of the English church.

1536 John Calvin publishes his Institutes of the Christian Religion.

1545-63 Council of Trent - Roman Catholic counter reformation.

1549 Thomas Cranmer publishes the Book of Common Prayer in England (later revised in 1662).

1555 Peace of Augsburg ends religious wars in Germany.

1611 Publication of the King James Version of the Bible.

1618-48 Protestant/Catholic conflict in Germany (Thirty Years War).

1730-60 The 'Great Awakening' - A revival movement among Protestants in the USA.

1738 John and Charles Wesley converted. They lead an Evangelical revival in England and form the Methodist church.

1854 Dogma of the Immaculate conception of Mary proclaimed by the Roman Catholic church.

1870-1 First Vatican council. Dogma of Papal infallibility proclaimed.

1906 Azusa street revival in Los Angeles. Beginnings of the Pentecostal movement.

1910 World mission conference held in Edinburgh.

1948 Formation of the World Council of Churches.

1950 Dogma of the Assumption of Mary proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church.

1962-5 Second Vatican council. Major reforms in the Roman Catholic church are initiated. Mutual anathemas of 1054 between Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches lifted.

1997 Death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta - founder of the 'Missionaries of Charity'.

1999 Signing of the Joint Declaration on Justification by the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches.

2005 Death of Pope John Paul II, who is succeeded by Pope Benedict XVI.

2006 World Methodist Council adopts the Lutheran/Catholic Joint Declaration on Justification.

2011 Beatification of Pope John Paul II.

2013 Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who is succeeded by Pope Francis.