People, places, events, and their significance through the growth of Christianity.

Review of Terms/Concepts/Events/People  
St. Peter, one of the 12 Apostles, and first leader of the Christian Church/pope, symbolizes the foundation of apostolic authority and papacy. Also, had a role in spreading Christianity in Rome, and had a symbolic, influential early martyrdom, under Nero. 

St. Paul, a converted Pharisee (“Saul”), was influential in the spread of Christianity, being a primary mean for its spread beyond Judaism. He did this with his Epistles, which give a glimpse to Early Church matters, and communities, and his Roman citizenship ( persecution, influence). 

Pope St. Clement of Rome is one of earliest examples of papal authority, and protected apostolic succession (and unity), through his letter to rebelling Corinthians in Clement 1. 

St. Ignatius of Antioch, the Bishop of Antioch and an Early Apostolic Father, was martyred under Trajan, and was a witness to Christian truth. Additionally, his writings provided textual support for Bishops, Eucharist, etc. that influence theological development. 

St. Justin Martyr was an Apologist, who died during Aurelius’s persecutions. His apologetic reasonings, connecting faith and reason, demonstrated to the Roman leadership that Christian morality created a community of good citizens.  

St. Jerome was a Church Father who wrote the Vulgate, first official Bible translation into Latin. This became the standard text for the Western Church and was an accessible translation for Western Christians. 

 St. Ambrose was the Bishop of Milan, by the people’s demands, and converted St. Augustine (shaping Christian thought). He defended Church independence from State interference, and displayed the Church’s and his position’s power, making emperors repent. 

St. Athanasius was the bishop of Alexandria, and a staunch defender of orthodoxy, for example defending the Nicene Creed against Arianism. His fight against heretical ideas protected the Church when the popular beliefs were not always the right one. 

 St. Augustine was the “greatest” Church Father because of his writing about faith, grace, etc. shaping theology. His works were directly adopted/becomes the official Church teachings and the dominant view of Western Christianity.  

Nero was an unpopular tyrant of Rome who persecuted Christians to scapegoat the blame following the Great Fire 64 AD. His persecutions due to a “Hatred of Humanity” set a precedent that ‘persecuting Christians is okay,’ which broke Romes law-abiding tradition. This paved the way for persecution period and strengthened Christians (martyrs). 

Trajan led Rome at its at greatest power and size, and while he did not actively seek Christians, he established the criminalization of Christianity. This validated preceding brutal persecutions, which both harmed and strengthened the faith ( martyrs). 

Decius ruled a threatened/shrinking empire, and attempted to restore Roman paganism, through introducing the first empire-wide Christian persecution. His rule is marked by an increase in apostasy, weakening effect, but also Confessors, strengthening, as well as the conclusions on the ‘lapsed Christian question.’ 

Julian the Apostate attempted to revive paganism/ undermine growth of Christianity across the empire. He used the practices of Christianity against them, and roused the anxiety of Christians having recently exited the persecution period. 

Rome, the center of the empire until Constantine, and the Church since St. Peter’s papacy, is the diocese of the Pope. This central location and powerful position within history facilitated the spread of Christianity across the known world. 

Constantinople, founded as the new Roman capital, was a Christian centre, whose founding precipitated the divide of the Eastern and Western Church. It affirmed the Nicene Creed at the Council of Constantinople, and heavily influenced the orthodox Church. 

Arius/Arianism originated the popular and problematic heresy, that Jesus Christ, was created as the Son (not equal/co-eternal with Father.) This heresy strained the Church, but led to developments by creating the Nicene creed, clarifying and solidifying doctrine, also strengthened unity/ecclesiast. authority. 

Plato/Platonism taught of two realities, one immaterial, held to a higher regard and one material, lesser than. While this prevailing philosophical view was used by apologists to defend the Church in an accessible way, it also turned into Gnostic heresies (Christ can not be human/immaterial). 

Marks of the Church (one, holy, Catholic, apostolic) have served the Church as guiding principles. For example, “oneness” during heretical period, “apostolicity” during confirmation of canon, “catholicity” when converting barbarians, show how these guidelines lead the Church’s decisions. 

Diocletian instated the empire-wide Great Persecution, through mandatory sacrifices and complete destruction. Although he aimed to restore Roman tradition, he strengthened Christians (increased martyrs), leading to following legalization.

Constantine the Great legalized Christianity, and supported it through the Edict of Milan, 313 AD, then by returning land, building churches, etc. He also convened the Council of Nicaea, helping shape Church doctrines and practice. (Muddled Church-vs-State)

Theodosius declared Christianity as the empire's religion in 391. This opened the Church to opportunism, criminalized heresies, Church-State conflicts, and established the Church as a central institution in the empire.

St. Benedict was the founder of Western monasticism, creating a layer of Christian communiy and structure needed during the uncerian time post-fall. beyond an authentic religious life and centre, his founding preserved both Christian and Grecco-Roman knowledge, etc.

Pope St. Gregory the Great was a Pope serving the Church at a transitional period from Antiquity to Medieval times. While he aids Rome temporally, he also begins a rejection of political power and strengthens the papacy as well as Church-State distinction.

Council of Jerusalem was the first Ecumenical Council in 49-0 AD which confimed that Gentile Christians did not have to adopt Jewish law. Its implications were a new church mechanism to solve issues/adapt, demonstration of apostolic authority, and the shift to a Gentile church (influential, leads to empire's religion, etc.)

 Council of Nicaea, in 325 AD, was called by Constantine to resolve the topic of Arianism by affirming Jesus's divinity and creating the Nicene Creed. This not only established a comerstone of the faith, but was the first free action of the Church preceding persecutions, which also set a troubling precedent of emperor's influence on spiritual/Church affairs.

Council of Constantinople followed Nicaea to expand on its rulings, and protect the Church and salvation from Arian heresies. Also, is pivotal for Church's unity, which is essential for survival under empire, etc. For both councils, this creed outlines and clarifies teachings for preceding generations).

Monasticism was a way of life, eventually becoming religious orders, that formed in chaos/absence of structure post-Fall. Their main influence was "civilizing activities, training priests, spiritual/missionary centres and a larger preservation of language and civilization.

Bishop, an "overseer/shepherd," guided Christian communities from the birth of the church. Their main influences were preserving apostolic tradition and defining Christian orthodoxy, as well as preserving unity of people, teachings etc. (guarantor of oral tradition before written canon)

Patriarch is a senior bishop of larger Christian center who guided many of the church adminstrative and theological choices. This system shaped Church authority, and displayed apostolic succession/authority, also causing regional tensions.

Milan, particularly through the issuance of the Edict of Milan and St. Ambrose's influence was an important Christian hub leading to its Bishop's power over the other 5 cities, except Rome.

Christological Heresies disputed over the nature of Christ's divinity and humanity, changed the Church by its division sowing change and unity. It promoted the clarification of essential doctrine, prepared it for future incorrect thinking, and created important Creeds.

Dogmatic Heresies are deviations from core Church teachings, such as the grace and salvation. These reinforced the Church's identifiers of orthodoxy and unity when the disputes were solved through Creeds, etc.

Martyrs are those who died for their faith, particularly through the persecution period of Rome, were symbols of devotion that inspired others in a faith where suffering is valued/tied to Jesus’. Their sacrifices/inspiration helped the Church’s survival through oppressive and dangerous periods.

Creed is a formal statement of Christian belief to affirm, unify the faith. They defined orthodoxy/ structured theological belief and fought heresies.