# 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 - [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.