HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY 325 AD T0 476 AD TIMELINE
325 The Council of Nicaea defines the Trinity
- 340-420 The Christian writer Jerome lives
347-407 The theologian John Chrysostom lives
380 The Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire
381 The Council of Constantinople meets
354-430 Augustine of Hippo the great theologian lives. His writings have a great influence on the Church in the Middle Ages
431 The Council of Ephesus meets
410 AD Led by Alaric the Goths capture Rome
432 Patrick goes to Ireland
451 The Council of Chalcedon meets
476 AD The Western Roman Empire ends completely
Christianity in the Middle Ages
496 Clovis king of the Franks (in France) converts to Christianity
529 Benedict founds the first monastery in western Europe at Monte Cassino, Italy.
563 Columba the Irish missionary sails to Scotland
597 Augustine lands in Kent and begins the work of converting the Anglo-Saxons of southern England to Christianity
- 675-754 Boniface, an Englishman lives. He is a missionary to the Germans
846 Boris I, King of Bulgaria converts to Christianity and his people follow
871 Alfred the Great become king of Wessex (Southern England)
910 The Cluniacs, an order of monks is founded at Cluny in France
960 Harald Bluetooth, King of Denmark converts to Christianity and his people follow
966 Mieszko I, King of Poland converts to Christianity and his people follow
988 Russia converts to Christianity
Everyday Faith in the Middle Ages: Christian History Timeline
DANIEL boorstin
1000
. 1000 Christian laity seek a more active religious role
- 1050Growing popularity of pilgrimages to Rome, Santiago de Compostela (in Spain), and the Holy Land
1000 Society composed of three orders: those who pray, those who fight, those who work
1008 Olof Skotkonung, King of Sweden converts to Christianity and his people follow
1054 The Church splits into the eastern (Orthodox) part and the western (Catholic) part
1066 The Normans conquer England
1073–1085 Pope Gregory VII presses to end simony (sale of church offices), enforce clerical celibacy, and establish papal supremacy
1088-1179 Hildegard the female theologian and writer lives
1098 The Cistercians, an order of monks is founded
1095 Pope Urban II calls for a crusade to aid Eastern Christians threatened by Muslims
1100
- 1150Universities of Paris and Bologna founded; they take the lead in scholastic theology and canon law
Mid–1100s Cathar and Waldensian movements spread
Bernard of Clairvaux inspires reform in the Cistercian order
1200
1175 Peter Waldo, a merchant of Lyons gives his wealth to the poor and begins preaching. His followers are called Waldensians. The Waldensian movement spreads to Italy, Germany, Austria and Poland despite persecution by the Catholic Church.
1198–1216 Innocent III, greatest lawyer pope, raises papacy’s power to its height
1215 Fourth Lateran Council declares transubstantiation, obliges Christians to confess sins and receive Communion once a year, and proclaims a crusade against heretical Cathars
1294 In reaction to church legalism and bureaucracy, pious hermit Peter Morone is elected pope (Celestine V); after five disastrous months, he resigns
1300
1300 Pope Boniface VIII proclaims first jubilee year; offers plenary indulgence to pilgrims who come to Rome; thousands come
1305–1377 The “Babylonian Captivity”—the pope resides at Avignon, France
1377 Pope returns to Rome; the next year Great Papal Schism opens—Christendom divided between two (and after 1409, three) rival popes
1400
1414–1418 The Council of Constance restores church unity; burns Jan Hus for heresy.
EVERYDAY FAITH
1000
c
1096 Peter the Hermit leads the “People’s Crusade” to disaster
1100
- 1200The doctrine of purgatory takes shape
Early 1200s Francis of Assisi and Dominic of Calaruega found religious orders dedicated
1182-1226 Francis of Assisi lives. In 1210 he founds the Franciscan friars. (Friars were like monks but instead of withdrawing from the world they went out to preach).
1215 King John seals the Magna Carta
1220 Dominic de Guzman founds the Dominican friars
1225-1275 The theologian Thomas Aquinas lives
1329-1384 John Wycliffe the English reformer lives. His followers are called Lollards.
1415 Jan Hus the Czech reformer is martyred but his followers continue his teachings. In 1420 a crusade is launched against the Hussites but it fails.
1439 The Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches are separate
1452-1498 The Italian reformer Girolamo Savonarola lives
1457 The Moravians are founded
1488 A crusade is launched against the Waldensians. It fails.
1492 Christopher Columbus sails across the Atlantic
Christianity in the 16th Century
1517 Martin Luther begins the Reformation