History of the Roman Catholic Church

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The History of the Roman Catholic Church covers a period of just under two thousand years, making the Church one of the oldest religious institutions in history. As one of the oldest branches of Christianity, the history of the Roman Catholic Church plays an integral part of the History of Christianity as a whole.

The history of the Catholic Church is vast and complex, covering many different eras in which the Church itself underwent radical and widespread changes. However, the modern day Roman Catholic Church claims to be basically unchanged in its substantial teachings and organisation from the original church of the first century, although some would dispute that.

Over time other religious institutions have broken away from the Roman Catholic Church, one of the most important being the movement of Protestantism. The Catholic Church has been the moving force in some of the major events of world history including the Evangelisation of Europe, the spreading of literacy and the foundation of the Universities, monasticism, the development of Art, Music and Architecture, the Inquisition, the Crusades, and analytical philosophical method.

The various ages of the history of the Roman Catholic Church are as follows.

Contents

Prologue: the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth ( c 4 BC33 AD)

Jesus of Nazareth
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Jesus of Nazareth

The Roman Catholic Church was founded on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ. Jesus, himself, was a carpenter from the region of Galilee and practiced as a member of the Jewish faith. Roman Catholicism, therefore, considers itself to be a “successor religion” to Judaism with the Christian God and the God of the Jews seen as one and the same.

The development of the religion which would eventually become Christianity began for Jesus at a young age. Church tradition holds that, sometime in his early teens, Jesus experienced a revelation in the Temple in Jerusalem where he realized that he was the son of God. According to the Gospels, Jesus was found by his parents in the temple, after many hours of being missing, and stated that his parents had only to look for him “in his Father’s house”.

Sometime in his late 20s or early 30s, Jesus declared himself a prophet and left the town of Nazareth to begin his ministry. After gaining a large following, he became known as a Rabbi and preached a practice of universal brotherhood, forgiveness of all sins, and love of one's enemy. Much of what Jesus preached went against traditional Jewish doctrine, and he soon became known as a somewhat radical figure.

The final days of Jesus occurred in Jerusalem when Jesus was approximately in his mid 30s. After several incidents in the Temple of Jerusalem, among them overturning a moneylending table and declaring the Temple corrupt, Jesus was arrested by the Sanhedrin and charged with blasphemy. Jesus proclaimed himself the Messiah to the Sanhedrin, at which time he was handed over to authorities of the Roman Empire, who sentenced him to death after much persuasion from Jewish authorities. So began the Passion of Christ where Jesus was scourged, beaten, and crucified.

According to Church tradition, three days after Jesus died he rose from the dead and sought out his followers. To Simon Peter, Jesus stated that he was entrusting unto him the keys to Heaven and that upon the rock of Peter, Jesus would found his Church. The Roman Catholic Church states its history begins at this point, with Saint Peter as the first Pope.

Key Dates

The Birth of Jesus
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The Birth of Jesus

Although Jesus is regarded as having been born on December 25th in the year 1 AD, Church history places a date of birth more likely sometime in the spring or early summer between 6 and 4 BC.

Jesus Christ dies on the cross
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Jesus Christ dies on the cross
  • c.10 AD: According to Church tradition, Jesus experiences a revelation in the Temple of Jerusalem, where he realizes that he is the Son of God. When his parents find him after several hours of being missing, Jesus states that they had only to look for him "in his Father's house".
  • c.25 AD: Jesus declares himself a prophet and leaves Nazareth to begin his ministry. According to Church tradition, shortly thereafter Jesus wandered into the desert where he encountered the Devil. Satan attempted to tempt and corrupt Jesus, to which Jesus resisted and reaffirmed himself as the Son of God.
  • c.30 AD: Major preachings and prophecies of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus were recorded during this time period by several Apostles whose written works would later form the Gospel.
  • c.33 AD: Jesus of Nazareth is crucified by Roman Empire authorities after Jewish leaders in Jerusalem accuse Jesus of blasphemy. According to Church doctrine, three days after Jesus died he rose from the dead and instructed his followers to continue his teachings and work and establish a new church, with Saint Peter as its head, the first Bishop of Rome, who later comes to be known as the Pope of the Catholic Church.

Early Catholic Church (34 AD – 313 AD)

Key dates

  • c. 55 - 67 AD: The ministry of Paul of Tarsus , a convert who proclaimed himself "Apostle to the Gentiles" equal to the 12 apostles in the immediate circle of Jesus, in opposition to James the Just in Jerusalem and the Jewish Christians. He travelled the Eastern Mediterranean preaching and proselytizing.
  • 69 AD: The first organized persecution of Christians at Rome, under Nero; Peter is martyred. He is succeeded by Saint Linus as Pope.
Religious vision of Constantine
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Religious vision of Constantine
  • c 110: Ignatius of Antioch uses the term Catholic Church in a letter to the church at Smyrna (Date disputed, some insist it was a forgery written in 250 or later. Others insist he merely meant "catholic", small "c", as in Universal.)
  • c 150: First known versions of the Vetus Latina are circulated among Christian communities: these Latin translations of Koine Greek and Hebrew scriptures will become the foundation for the later formation of the Bible.
  • January 20, 250: Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Pope Fabian is martyred during this purge; afterwards the Donatist controversy over readmitting lapsed Christians disaffects many in North Africa.
  • October 28, 312: Emperor Constantine leads the forces of the Roman Empire to victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. According to Church tradition, the night before the battle Constantine had a vision that he would achieve victory if he fought under the Symbol of Christ. After winning the battle, under which his soldiers had bore the Christian Cross on their shields, Constantine converted to Christianity, though he wasn't actually baptized till just before death.

Church of the Roman Empire (313 AD – 476 AD)

Key Dates

  • 313: The Edict of Milan declares the Roman Empire neutral towards religious views, in effect ending the persecution of Christians.
  • 321: Granting the Church the right to hold property, Constantine donates the palace of the Laterani to Bishop Miltiades, with its Basilica of San Giovanni for his episcopal seat.
  • c 325: The Arian controversy erupts in Alexandria, causing widespread violence and disruptions among Christians, inspiring Constantine to evoke
  • November 24, 380: Emperor Theodosius I is baptised a Christian and declares Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.
  • 391: The Theodosian decrees outlaw most Pagan rituals still practed in Rome, thereby encouraging much of the population to convert to Christianity.
  • 431: The Council of Ephesus declares that Jesus existed both as Man and God simultaneously, clarifying his status in the Holy Trinity. The meaning of the Nicene Creed is also declared a permanent holy text of the early church.

Church of the Dark Ages (476 AD – 850 AD)

Key Dates

  • 502: Pope Symmachus ruled that laymen should no longer vote for the popes and that only higher clergy should be considered eligible.
  • 642: Egypt falls to the Muslims, followed by the rest of North Africa.
  • 726: Iconoclasm begins in the eastern Empire. The destruction of images persists until 843.
  • 756: Popes granted independent rule of Rome by King Pepin the Short of the Franks.
  • 793: Sacking of the monastery of Lindisfarne marks the beginning of Viking raids on Christian Europe.

Church of the Middle Ages (800 AD – 1499 AD)

  • 829: Ansgar begins missionary work in Sweden near Stockholm.
  • 910: Great Benedictine monastery of Cluny rejuvenates western monasticism. Monasteries spread throughout the isolated regions of Western Europe.
  • 1003: Pope John XVII dies 5 months after installation, making this year one of the few when 3 legitimate popes reigned.
  • 1054: Liturgical and other divisions cause a permanent split between the Eastern and Western Churches, known as the Great Schism.
Notre-Dame Cathedral - designed in the Gothic architectural style.
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Notre-Dame Cathedral - designed in the Gothic architectural style.

Church of the Renaissance (1500 AD – 1629 AD)

Church of the Age of Reason (1630 AD – 1799 AD)

19th Century Catholic Church (1800 AD – 1899 AD)

20th Century Catholic Church (1901 AD – 2000 AD)

21st Century Catholic Church (2001 AD – PRESENT)

Benedict XVI, the first Pope of the 21st century
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Benedict XVI, the first Pope of the 21st century

The 21st century Roman Catholic Church faces the challenge of maintaining conservative religious doctrine in a typically liberal society. The modern day church has also come under heavy criticism from some quarters for maintaining traditional teaching on such issues as birth control, abortion, and women in the priesthood.

The Roman Catholic Church, however, has adopted more lenient stances on certain issues, in particular the statement that one does not have to be a Catholic to receive access to God’s grace; the intent being that other world religions such as Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Religions all share (to lesser extent) an element of the moral teaching given by Jesus and therefore such religions are indirectly accepting Christ as savior.

The Roman Catholic Church began the 21st century by dealing with the question of the new millennium, and the doctrine and precedents that the church would be setting for the centuries to come. The church also suffered a major scandal when, in 2002, widespread reports began to circulate of several priests in the USA who had been involved in the molestation and child abuse of young boys.

In the spring of 2005, the Roman Catholic Church was placed on world display following the death of Pope John Paul II. In the age of modern media, the Pope’s death and funeral was broadcast for the world to see while millions of Catholic pilgrims journeyed to Rome to pay final respects.

Key Dates

  • January 1, 2001: The 21st century and the new millennium begin. Church leaders announce the challenges and tasks which lie ahead and set the tone for a more liberal and modern Roman Catholic Church.
  • April 2, 2005: Pope John Paul II dies at the age of 84. His funeral is broadcast to every corner of the globe through the means of modern media. Millions of Catholic pilgrims journey to Rome, Italy to pay final respects.
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