Christian History Home > Issue 96 > The Unfolding Faith
The Christian History & Biography Timeline
The Unfolding Faith
A bird's eye view of the early church, the emergence of the Gnostics, and the development of the biblical canon.
Compiled by Michael Holmes, with contributions from Nicholas Perrin | posted 11/26/2009 11:53AM
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First Century
People & Events
30 or 33 Death and resurrection of Christ
32 or 34 Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr
40-45 Simon Magus, sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24) and, according to tradition, founder of Gnosticism, is active in Samaria
44 James the son of Zebedee is executed by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-2)
47-64 Paul of Tarsus undertakes his missionary travels
60-100 Menander, a Gnostic teacher and disciple of Simon Magus, is active
62 James, the brother of Jesus, is stoned
64 The Great Fire destroys much of Rome; Nero blames the Christians; Peter and Paul possibly executed
95 [?] Christians may have been persecuted under Emperor Domitian
90-100 John, the last of the apostles, dies
Scriptures & Writings
43-62 James
48 or 54-57 Galatians
50-51 I, II Thessalonians
50-70 Jude
55-63 I Timothy
55-56 I Corinthians
55-70 Gospel of Mark
56-57 II Corinthians
57-58 Romans
57-63 Titus
58-62 Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon
60-63 I Peter
60-69 Hebrews
60-80 Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Luke
62-80 Acts
63-65 II Timothy
64-65 II Peter
64-70
or
90-96 Revelation
80-95 Gospel of John, I, II, III John
95-97
I Clement
Second Century
People & Events
100-120 Saturninus, a Gnostic teacher and disciple of Menander, is active
108-117 Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, writers seven letters to churches on his way to Rome, where he is martyred
125 Quadratus (earliest Christian apologist) is active
130-150 Gnostic teacher Basilides is active in Alexandria
135 Christian apologist Justin Martyr debates Trypho (a Jewish teacher); refers to the "memoirs" of the apostles (Gospels)
140-165 Gnostic teacher Valentinus is active in Rome
143 Marcion of Sinope creates his own "canon" of Scripture
144 Marcion is expelled from the church in Rome, begins missionary activity in Asia Minor and Syria
145 Aristides (Christian apologist) is active
156 Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, is martyred
165 Justin Martyr is martyred
170-180 Gnostic teacher Heracleon is active
172 The Montanist movement emerges in Asia Minor
177 Christians are martyred in Lyons and Vienne
178 Irenaeus becomes bishop of Lyons
178 Celsus writes True Reason, the first systematic intellectual critique of Christianity
180 Melito, the bishop of Sardis, travels "to the east" (Palestine?) to investigate the number and order of the "books of the Old Testament" (earliest reference to this phrase) and provides the first Christian list of the contents of the Jewish Scriptures
180-200 [?] Muratorian Canon is the earliest surviving attempt to list the New Testament canon
180-200 Christian teacher Clement of Alexandria is active
185 Irenaeus, in Against Heresies, cites a "core collection" of 20 documents acknowledged as Scripture (four Gospels, Acts, 13 letters of Paul, James, 1 Peter)
180-200 Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, writes against the Gnostics
190-220 Christian theologian Tertullian is active
190-200 The phrase "New Testament" begins to be used
Scriptures & Writings
100 [?] Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)
108-117 Letters of Ignatius
109-118 Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians
early 2nd c. [?] Gospel of Peter (Gnostic?)
120-140 Papias's Expositions on the Sayings of the Lord
120-140 [?] II Clement
125 Quadratus's Apology
130-132 [?] Epistle of Barnabas
143 Marcion's Antitheses (declared heretical)
145 Aristides' Apology
150 [?] Epistle to Diognetus
150 [?] Shepherd of Hermas
mid 2nd c. [?] Gospel of Truth (Gnostic)*
mid 2nd c. [?] Gospel of Thomas (Gnostic)*
156
Martyrdom of Polycarp
155 Justin Martyr's First Apology
160 Justin Martyr's Second Apology
160 Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho
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