Alton Gansky - 30 Events That Shaped the Church

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Title Page

Copyright Page

Introduction

1. Pentecost (AD 30)

The church was born under a cloud of grief and fear. Timid disciples became fearless apostles fifty days after Passover. The birth of the church also introduced the new work of the Holy Spirit. In those moments the church was born and the world was turned upside down. It can be argued that prior to Pentecost there was no church.

2. The Conversion of Paul (AD 35 )

Pauls influence exceeds that of kings and popes. Few individuals changed the world as much as this conservative Jewish activist-turned-Christian. Half of the New Testament is tied to this one man, yet his first goal was to scrub the world clean of the Christian infestation. He went from persecuting the church to becoming its first theologian. No one has matched his achievements.

3. Gentiles and Judaism: Showdown in Jerusalem (AD 50)

The first great internal challenge for the church was who would be allowed into the fellowship: Is Christianity a sect of Judaism? Was it just Judaism with a twist? This debate would transform the church into an all-inclusive, global organization that welcomed all new believers into its ranksGentiles and Jews.

4. When Rome Burned (AD 64)

One of the worst urban fires in history not only destroyed most of Rome but also almost destroyed a large portion of Christians. Under Nero, more than buildings burned, and Christians had to deal with the first major persecution in their history.

5. The Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus (AD 70)

Jerusalem was the city at the heart of not only Judaism but also of Christianity. Its destruction upended the church and saw the death of 1.1 million people and the enslavement of close to 100,000. Christians had to flee and Jerusalem ceased to be the center of Christianity, allowing the church to break from Judaism and become an outreach to all people.

6. The Edict of Milan (313)

Emperor Constantine reversed the persecution of Diocletian, giving the church (and all other faiths) freedom to worship without fear. It was the first act of Constantine to elevate the church he would be baptized into. This edict allowed the church to meet freely and expand throughout the Roman Empire.

7. The First Council of Nicaea ( 325)

From its inception, the church battled for doctrinal purity. Free from oppressive persecution, it could better argue matters of doctrine. Here the church began a long history of clarifying what it believes. The council showed the power of the church to police its doctrine and to fight misunderstanding and even heresy.

8. Jerome Completes the Vulgate Translation of the Bible (405)

Jerome was given the task of revising the old Latin translation. His translation was not the first, but it became the official translation of the Roman Catholic Church.

9. The East-West Schism (1054)

Church history is a saga of church splits. The largest split came between the church in Rome and the church in Constantinople. The church sought unity through powerand it didnt work. That split, and many of the harsh feelings that brought it about, still exist today.

10. Innocent III Expands the Power of the Papacy (1198)

Today the pope is one of the most powerful men in the world and oversees the care of over a billion followers, but the power of the office didnt happen overnight. Pope Innocent III and others took it to new heights.

11. Unam Sanctam Proclaims Papal Supremacy (1302)

An edict issued by Pope Boniface VII made him, and subsequent popes, supreme leader of the church and made membership in the Catholic church a necessity for salvation, increasing the power of the pope and the Church.

12. Gutenberg Produces the First Printed Bible (1456)

The invention of the movable-type printing press changed the world in a way seldom matched by other inventions. For the church, this meant the Bible could be printed faster and better. The Gutenberg Bible took the Scriptures to the masses. Bible printing helped raise the biblical knowledge of believers and spread the gospel.

13. The Protestant Reformation (1517)

The Reformation came to be through the bold work of three Reformers. Through dangers and criticism, these three blazed a path for other Reformers. The Reformation changed the lives of millions and kick-started several important changes in the world.

14. The Scientific Revolution Begins (1543)

Christians are often portrayed as unscientific, but many of the leaders of what became known as the Scientific Revolution were people of deep faith and keen scientific insight. It can be argued that the Protestant Reformation led to the Scientific Revolution. The church cannot claim all the glory for the advancement of science, but neither can it be said that Christians had no involvement.

15. The Council of Trent (1545)

The meeting was sparsely attended, but the Council of Trent made decisions about doctrine that last to today. The differences between Protestantism and Catholicism were formalized in what some have called the Counter-Reformation, which also further alienated Protestants. The Council of Trent showed the power of a council to dictate what Christians should believe.

16. Smyth Baptizes Himself and Begins the Early Baptists (1609)

John Smyth started as an Anglican priest but soon broke with the group. Like the Anabaptists, he believed in believers baptism. In Holland he baptized himself, then he baptized a small band of his followers. Today there are scores of Baptist groups, and together they make one of the largest Protestant denominations.

17. The King James Version Is Published (1611)

The most beloved of all English translations, the KJV remains the translation of choice for some Christianseven four hundred years after it first appeared. The KJV Bible became the Bible of the people. The beauty of its language and the depth of scholarship made it beloved by English-speaking churches across many denominations.

18. Bishop Usshers Chronology (1650)

Ussher is one of the most misunderstood and falsely ridiculed men in history. His attempt to date the creation has become a joke to many, but there is much more to the man and to his dating method. Usshers date of creation has overshadowed all of his other work, but he was not alone in his methods.

19. The Great Awakening in the United States (1740)

Led by the likes of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, the Protestant revival did more than stir peoples souls; it also changed preaching, church life, and even had an influence on freedom of speech. Not only did the Great Awakening have a spiritual impact, but many believe it helped bring about freedom of religion.

20. The Bill of Rights Is Written (1789)

Few documents are as well-known as the American Bill of Rights, and although it is a political document, it had great influence on the future work of the church in the United States and served as an example to other countries. The Bill of Rights secured for churches freedom of speech and freedom from government influence or involvement.