Pre-Christian through the Second Century >>

Important Events that happened before the time of Christ. The Early Church Fathers, the very first Christians, that lived from A.D. 100 to A.D. 787.
Important events highlighted in blue.

c. B.C. 1500: Hinduism developed in India. Hinduism has so many different sects it is not with listing them. (751 million!)
c. B.C. 500: Buddhism split from Hinduism, and was founded by Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama of India. Buddhism is also plagued with division. Examples: Theravada, Mahayana, Mantrayana, and Zen. (334 Million)

Important Events within Christendom up to the end of the Second Century.

c. 34: St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is stoned to death in Jerusalem.
c. 50: Council of Jerusalem determines that Gentile converts to Christianity do not have to abide by Mosaic Laws. This begins the separation between Christianity and Judaism.
c. 52: Traditional arrival of St. Thomas, the Apostle in India.
c. 64: Christian persecution begins under Emperor Nero after the great fire of Rome. Persecution continues intermittently until 313 AD.
c. 70: Fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple.
c. 72: Martyrdom of St. Thomas the Apostle at Mylapore.
c. 96: Traditional date of First Epistle of Clement attributed to Pope Clement I written to the church of Corinth.
c. 100: St. John, the last of the Apostles, dies in Ephesus.
c. 110: Ignatius of Antioch uses the term Catholic Church in a letter to the Church at Smyrna, one of the letters of undisputed authenticity attributed to him. In this and other genuine letters he insists on the importance of the bishops in the Church and speaks harshly about heretics and Judaizers.
c. 150: Latin translations (the Vetus Latina) from the Greek texts of the Scriptures are circulated among non-Greek-speaking Christian communities.
c. 155: The teachings of Marcion, the gnostic Valentinus and pentecostal Montanists cause disruptions in the Roman community. Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire continues.
c. 180: Irenæus's Adversus Hæreses brings the concept of "heresy" further to the fore in the first systematic attempt to counter Gnostic and other aberrant teachings.
c. 195: Pope Victor I, first African Pope, excommunicated the Quartodecimans in an Easter controversy.

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