factbase-ancient-history/religions/early-christianity.md

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# 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 @t[~30]
- Founder: Jesus of Nazareth (~4 BCE – ~30 CE) @t[~4 BCE..~30 CE]
- Key figures: Paul of Tarsus, Peter, James
- Sacred texts: New Testament (written ~50–120 CE) @t[~50..~120]
- 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 @t[~46..~60] [^1]
- Persecutions under Nero (64 CE) @t[=64], Decius (250 CE) @t[=250], Diocletian (303–311 CE) @t[=303..=311]
- 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 debated from Council of Nicaea through Council of Chalcedon @t[=325..=451] [^3]
- Council of Chalcedon (451 CE): Defined Christ as having two natures (divine and human); caused the Chalcedonian Schism, splitting Oriental Orthodox churches @t[=451] [^3]
- Donatist controversy (4th–6th century CE): Schism over whether clergy moral failings invalidated sacraments; condemned at Council of Carthage @t[~311..~600] [^2]
- Canon formation: New Testament canon largely settled by ~4th century CE @t[~300..~400]
- Monasticism: Desert Fathers in Egypt (~3rd–4th century CE) @t[~200..~400] [^2]

---
[^1]: Ehrman, B. *The New Testament: A Historical Introduction* (Oxford, 2016)
[^2]: Brown, P. *The Rise of Western Christendom* (Blackwell, 2003)
[^3]: World History Encyclopedia. "Council of Chalcedon." worldhistory.org (2024)
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