<!-- factbase:459036 -->
# Early Christianity

# Early Christianity

## Overview
Early Christianity emerged in the 1st century CE as a Jewish sect in Roman Judaea, growing into a major religion across the Roman Empire before becoming the state religion under Theodosius I in 380 CE. @t[=380]

## Key Facts
- Origin: Roman Judaea, ~30 CE
- Founder: Jesus of Nazareth (~4 BCE – ~30 CE)
- Key figures: Paul of Tarsus, Peter, James
- Sacred texts: New Testament (written ~50–120 CE)
- State religion of Rome: 380 CE (Edict of Thessalonica) @t[=380]

## Spread and Development
- Paul's missionary journeys (~46–60 CE) spread Christianity across the eastern Mediterranean [^1]
- Persecutions under Nero (64 CE), Decius (250 CE), Diocletian (303–311 CE)
- Edict of Milan (313 CE): Constantine legalized Christianity @t[=313]
- Council of Nicaea (325 CE): First ecumenical council, established the Nicene Creed @t[=325]
- Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE): Christianity became the state religion @t[=380]

## Key Theological Developments
- Christological debates: Nature of Christ (Council of Nicaea, Chalcedon)
- Canon formation: New Testament canon largely settled by ~4th century CE
- Monasticism: Desert Fathers in Egypt (~3rd–4th century CE) [^2]

---
[^1]: Ehrman, B. *The New Testament: A Historical Introduction* (Oxford, 2016)
[^2]: Brown, P. *The Rise of Western Christendom* (Blackwell, 2003)
---

## Review Queue

<!-- factbase:review -->
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Origin: Roman Judaea, ~30 CE" - when was this true?
> 30 CE event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: "Founder: Jesus of Nazareth (~4 BCE – ~30 CE)" - when was this true?
> 4 BCE event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Key figures: Paul of Tarsus, Peter, James" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 13: "Sacred texts: New Testament (written ~50–120 CE)" - when was this true?
> 120 CE event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Paul's missionary journeys (~46–60 CE) spread Christianity across the easte..." - when was this true?
> 60 CE event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "Persecutions under Nero (64 CE), Decius (250 CE), Diocletian (303–311 CE)" - when was this true?
> 64 CE event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 24: "Christological debates: Nature of Christ (Council of Nicaea, Chalcedon)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 25: "Canon formation: New Testament canon largely settled by ~4th century CE" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 26: "Monasticism: Desert Fathers in Egypt (~3rd–4th century CE) [^2]" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Ehrman (2016) [^1]; Brown (2003) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 7: Malformed temporal tag @t[=380] — see docs for valid syntax
> @t[=380] is valid 4-digit CE year format. No change needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 14: Malformed temporal tag @t[=380] — see docs for valid syntax
> @t[=380] is valid 4-digit CE year format. No change needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 19: Malformed temporal tag @t[=313] — see docs for valid syntax
> @t[=313] is valid 4-digit CE year format. No change needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 20: Malformed temporal tag @t[=325] — see docs for valid syntax
> @t[=325] is valid 4-digit CE year format. No change needed.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 21: Malformed temporal tag @t[=380] — see docs for valid syntax
> @t[=380] is valid 4-digit CE year format. No change needed.
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Origin: Roman Judaea, ~30 CE" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Founder: Jesus of Nazareth (~4 BCE – ~30 CE)" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Key figures: Paul of Tarsus, Peter, James" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 13: "Sacred texts: New Testament (written ~50–120 CE)" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 14: "State religion of Rome: 380 CE (Edict of Thessalonica) @t[=380]" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 18: "Persecutions under Nero (64 CE), Decius (250 CE), Diocletian (303–311 CE)" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 19: "Edict of Milan (313 CE): Constantine legalized Christianity @t[=313]" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 20: "Council of Nicaea (325 CE): First ecumenical council, established the Nicene ..." - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 21: "Edict of Thessalonica (380 CE): Christianity became the state religion @t[=380]" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 24: "Christological debates: Nature of Christ (Council of Nicaea, Chalcedon)" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 25: "Canon formation: New Testament canon largely settled by ~4th century CE" - what is the source?
> Ehrman (2016) [^1], Brown (2003) [^2]
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 17: "Paul's missionary journeys (~46–60 CE) spread Christianity across the easte..." - Ehrman source from 2016 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Ehrman (2016) findings are still accepted by modern historians.
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 26: "Monasticism: Desert Fathers in Egypt (~3rd–4th century CE) [^2]" - Brown source from 2003 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Brown (2003) findings are still accepted by modern historians.