FIRST CENTURY
The Big Bang
This “Big Bang” is the explosion which created the Church. It began with the life and death of Jesus Christ (0-33AD). It continued in the Resurrection (33AD) which affirmed the divinity of Jesus. Its final hour began with Pentecost (33AD) and will continue until the end of time.
After receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles began spreading the Gospel throughout the world. The Acts of the Apostles describe how the Church quickly expanded from Jerusalem to Asia Minor, into Greece, to Rome, and throughout the Roman Empire (33-65AD). Followers of The Way were soon persecuted by the Jewish community and the Romans. St. Stephen became the first martyr in 34AD. Other followers were persecuted by Herod Agrippa (42AD), and many fled the persecution to Antioch where followers were called Christians for the first time (44AD). St. Paul began his missionary journeys in 45AD. The council of Jerusalem (51AD) which determined that circumcision, dietary regulations, and other requirements of the Mosaic Law did not apply to Gentile converts also established the authority of St. Peter with the apostles. By 62AD St. James the Less, became the first apostle to be martyred. In 64AD the Emperor Nero blamed Christians for a devastating fire in Rome and martyred many Christians. The martyrdom of Sts. Peter and Paul followed in 68AD. Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Romans a few years later (70AD). Towards the end of the century, Emperor Domitian demanded to be worshiped as God and began a new wave of persecutions of Christians (95AD). After composing his Gospel and the Book of Revelation, St. John died in 100AD. In this way, all New Testament scriptures (Gospels, Epistles, Acts, Letters, Revelation) were completed by the end of the first century. Jesus, his Mother, his foster Father, Joseph, and all his apostles had died by the end of the first century, but the Church had exploded into life. The Holy Spirit was unleashed at Pentecost and empowered the early Christians, especially the martyrs, to shed their blood so that the new Church could sink deep roots and spread throughout the world.
Saints (notables, not a complete list)
Mary, Mother of Jesus, St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist, St. Gabriel, St. Stephen; Apostles: Sts. Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Matthew, Jude, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Simon, Matthias; St. Paul, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. Timothy, St. Titus, St. Barnabas, St. Veronica, St. Lazarus, St. Martha, St. Mary Magdalene; Popes (33-105AD): Sts. Peter, Linus, Anacletus (Cletus), Clement, Evaristus—all first century Popes are saints. Numerous martyrs.
Heresies (definition: adherence to a religious opinion contrary to church dogma)
As soon as the Church was founded, heresies developed which challenged its basic teachings. Satan went to work immediately to encourage rebellion and confusion. First century heresies are listed below:
Simonians: Simon wanted to buy the power of the Spirit with money, believed in the transmigration of souls, and denied the humanity of Jesus
Cerintheians: Denied that God was the creator of the world; believed that Jesus would establish a kingdom on Earth where the just would spend a 1,000 years enjoying sensual pleasure; denied the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Judaizers: Wanted to make Christianity a branch of Judaism. Included the
Circumcisers who insisted that all Christians be circumcised.
Nicolaitans: Called themselves Christians but lived like pagans, in adultery, approving abortion, homosexuality, social injustice, underpayment to employees, attending church 4 times a year, having no Christian community life. (See Rev. 2:6 and 2:15).
The Synagogue of Satan: I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan (Rev. 2:9). It also appears in Rev 3:9 in the church of Philadelphia: It claims to liberate the world, but it is a lie.
Throne of Satan: I know where you live-where Satan has his throne (Rev 2:13). In Smyrna it was the Synagogue of Satan. Here in the Letter of Jesus to Pergamos, it is the Throne of Satan itself: the Christian leaders, bishops, priests, pastors and preachers with political and social power, earthly possessions, living in adultery and immorality…
The doctrine of Balaam: Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.(Rev 2:14).
Nazareans or “Jewish-Christians”: They are Jews who became Christians but retained many of their former customs and beliefs, including gentile and Jewish ones, while those initiated into deeper levels became well versed in deeper Essene doctrines.
Docetism: Taught that Jesus only appeared (Greek, “dokeo” , to seem) to have a body, that he was not really incarnate. This denial of a true incarnation meant that Jesus did not truly suffer on the cross and the He did not rise from the dead. Refuted in 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 7. Also refuted by Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus, and Hippolatus. Docetism was condemned at the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
Gnosticism: A pre-Christian sect which claimed secret knowledge (gnosis = knowledge) of Christ. Beliefs: a purely good God could not create a world containing evil; all matter is evil including the human body; Christ’s divine spirit only descended into the man Jesus with his baptism and left him before his crucifixion, leaving the man, not the Messiah to suffer on the cross. The DaVinci Code has its roots in Gnosticism claiming secret knowledge of Jesus which the Church supposedly suppressed.
Neo-Gnosticism: believed that Jesus was either a magician, an ascetic, or a sexual deviate who initiated his followers by means of secret ceremonies acquired in his visit to India. Developed fourth-century literature: Nag Hammadi Codices, The Secret Gospel, The Gospel of Thomas, The Forbidden Gospel.
Agnosticism: from the Greek “a-gnow”, not to know. Believes that God’s existence can neither be proved nor disproved on the basis of current evidence.