History of Christianity

From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science

The History of Christianity is the methodical, scientific study of the development of the Christian religion or Church as an institution founded by Jesus Christ (also known as ecclesiastical history). It assumes the biblical view of Christ being guided and the church sustained by the Holy Spirit for the salvation of mankind.

Scientific church history must take into account not only the individual free will of man but the affect that specific has on outward elements. Given this framework the ecclesiastical historian, also must not exclude supernatural factors as a cause for an event. The assumption of God intervening in nature, producing miracles is not, has not and never can be proven, nor can it be disproved. When the historical facts have been appreciated it has to be found within. ^{[1] [2]}

Christian Canon

Main Article: Bible

The most vital component of the history of governmental buildings to the founding of countries is the original document outlining governing principals of such. The Christian church is no different and, in fact, some countries have been established with specific Judeo-Christian values underpinning their founding documents. The church's founding document is called the Bible. It is unique in that it contains 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament written by 40 different authors over 1500 years. ^[3] No other book in history is as popular, or as revered, nor as diverse in context as the lives of those who wrote it.

Without the foundation that is the Word of God, the church and individuals within would have nothing to root their life in and grow. Furthermore without the consistently written, reliable, actual eyewitness accounts that the biblical authors provide, there would be no way to compare what other scholars have written on the subjects. In other words there could be no real progress within the study of ecclesiastical history by comparing with other historical records without the pre-established biblical record.

Old Testament canonicity

Some of the more liberal biblical and theological scholars contest later dates for the formation of the Old Testament canon, usually around the first century AD. It can be seen that the 400 years after the last book of the Old Testament was written but before the creation of the first book of the New Testament, a time called the intertestamental period, there were no prophets. Essentially making any date past the already accepted completion date of the book of Malachi suspect. Add to that that the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament of the Christian canon, called the Septuagint (LXX) was composed by scribes around 200-150 BC. The Septuagint contains the thirty-nine canonical books of the Old Testament, but also contains the books called the Apocrypha, which are considered non-inspired, and hence non-canonical, by most Protestant denominations. The Apocrypha are considered canonical by the Roman Catholic Church, and are included in Catholic Bibles.

William Foxwell Albright (1891 to 1971), was an American pioneer archaeologist, biblical scholar, linguist and expert on ceramics. When alive, he held it to be certain that the Hebrew text between c. 150 and c. 50 B.C. was fixed and that the variations between it and the modern Tanakh are rarely of significance.

What can clearly be deduced from those facts it can be said confidently that the Hebrew canon, what is known to Jews as the Tanakh, was known and in being studied as 39 books far earlier than the first century AD, rather before the first century BC. ^[4]

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Main article: Dead Sea scrolls

The Hosea Commentary scroll

The Dead Sea Scrolls is considered by many to be the most important archaeological find of the last century. Besides confirming the reliability of the Old Testament and its prophecies as untainted by later church leaders, they have also allowed us a glimpse into the era Jesus was born into, and the society that existed at the beginnings of Christianity.

The were discovered in the upper Dead Sea region known as Qumran, 13 miles east of Jerusalem. The first scrolls were found in 1947 by three local Bedouin shepherds who happened upon seven jars in a cave while tossing rocks to entertain themselves. The scrolls were sold to an antiquities dealer, who in turn sold three to Eleazar L. Sukenik of the Hebrew University and four to the Syrian Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archbishop, Arthanasius Yeshue Samuel, took his scrolls to the American School of Oriental Research, making them known to the Western world. Other scrolls were found upon close examination of the caves in the Qumran region between 1947-1956. The importance of the scrolls soon became apparent, as they were recognized to be the oldest such manuscripts of Jewish texts; the Great Isaiah scroll, which contains the entire book of Isaiah, is at least 1,000 years older than any other known transcript.

Their age was especially significant because it was revealed that they were almost identical to the later transcripts. Once confirmed, through Carbon-14 dating in addition to paleographic and scribal dating, this fact silenced a lot of criticism aimed at discrediting the Biblical texts as adapted or adjusted to fit into Christianity's theology. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, all known copies of Biblical texts were written long after the time of Christ. Apart from a few scribal errors, however, the texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls are identical to later corresponding transcripts.

NT quotes the OT

Another way that Christianity can determine Old Testament canonicity is to see which Old Testament books Jesus and the writers of the NT (who were contemporaries and eyewitnesses to Jesus's life, death and resurrection) quoted in their teaching and writing. This is important to ecclesiastical history because we are to follow Christ, His example and teachings. Jesus Himself quoted 24 out of 39 Old Testament books of the modern Protestant Christian canon while the NT writers in total quoted from 34 books. The five OT books never quoted or explicitly taught from within the New Testament are: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. ^[5]

With these facts established it is clear that the Protestant Old Testament Bible today is the most faithful to what Christ and His contemporary disciples taught from or were recorded as quoting in the NT.

Apocrypha

The Apocrypha was written during the four hundred years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ. The term itself comes from the Greek word apokruphos ("hidden" or "concealed"), and although they have an actual history and literary value, the fourteen books which make up the Apocrypha have been rejected as canonical by both the Jewish faith and most denominations of the Christian church. This is due to the historical, geographical, or literal inaccuracies. the teaching of doctrines which contradict what has already been considered inspired Scripture and a lack of elements and structure which give genuine Scripture its unique characteristic. ^[6]

New Testament canonicity

The New Testament as it is today was recognized by authorities within the very infancy of the Christian church, for example Athanasius of Alexandria who lived from 293-373 AD. ^[7] During the time, roughly 290 years after Christ's death, Athanasius was a prominent figure defending against the Arian heresy that dismissed Jesus Christ as God.

This is not to say that the books we know as the New Testament were not in circulation or in wide use by followers of Christ long before 300-400 AD. In fact, it can be easily said by taking into account immediate contextual factors within the Bible itself, that by 70 AD, merely 30 years or so after Christ's death and resurrection the 27 book canon had been written and completed in full.

The date of 293-373 AD can be used as a way to determine official recognition by prominent, later Christians regarding the modern NT canon.

Early Christian Writings

A way in which documentation of church history, or historical accuracy of such can be obtained apart from the biblical canon is through theologians, apologists and historians. The earliest and most prominent non-biblical canonical writings from such Christians were completed merely 100 years after Christ. They were strong defenders of His teachings, deep theologians of His philosophies, as well as formidable opponents against contemporary heresies clouding the clarity of Christian thought.

Justin Martyr

He was born around 114 AD in Flavia Neapolis, a city of Samaria and was most likely well educated having travelled extensively. He later became a disciple of Socrates and Plato through which he developed his philosophies on life and soon gravitated towards Christ.

The writings of Justin Martyr are among the most important that we have from the second century AD. His writings are not the first written on the subjects he covers, what are called his Apologies, but are the earliest extant.

One of his most important writings entitled the, Dialogue with Trypho, is the first detailed reasoning for Christ as the Messiah of the Old Testament. That also essentially became the first attempt to reason with the Jews in regard to their views as compared to that of Christianity regarding Christ's prophetic implications.

Many of Justin Martyr's writings were destroyed by time but there are a few that are considered written by him and attest his real authorship which are:

1. First Apology (147-161 AD)
2. Second Apology
3. Dialogue with Trypho ^[8]

Irenaeus

Thought to be Greek Irenaeus was born around 120 AD in what was called Smyrna in the Bible but is modern day western Turkey. His interest in Christianity was sparked by hearing Polycarp preach who was taught by the Apostle John, who was an eyewitness to Christs life, death and resurrection. Because of the connection to one who witnessed and was discipled by Jesus, Irenaeus is an important figure within ecclesiastical hsitory as his writings are very close to primary eyewitness sources.

The writings which have survived over the years are:

1. On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis
2. The Demonstration of the Apostolic Teaching

Tertullian

Tertullian was born in 160 AD in Carthage which was in modern day Tunisia. He has left 31 extant treatises dating from around 190-220 AD, converting from Paganism to Christianity around 197 AD becoming known as the first Christian to write in Latin.

Tertullian grew angry when he witnessed compromise in the church, namely unwillingness to be martyred, willingness to forgive more serious public sins. Because of such he aligned himself with the Montanist movement and dealt with such things within his writings. ^[9]

Eusebius

Church Development from 0 to 500 AD

The first five centuries of Christianity are very important when establishing a context of what the church means and the effects of its early development had on the ability to further establish and define itself. The church as a whole and individuals within during the first five centuries suffered physical, emotional and spiritual attacks the likes of which can be described as a holocaust against Christianity. The fact the church still thrived and attained leadership of the empire it was born under 500 years later despite all of the threat it possessed implies incredible force applied from the mechanism of change it brought. It can be objectively seen in history that what was believed during the period directly after, and even still today, by the church regarding Christ's life, death and resurrection was indeed truth, in fact life-changing and not mere figments of imagination or lies.

The first century

We will start after Christ's death and resurrection in the first century ca. 30-40 AD. Christianity is taking root within the Roman empire despite a daunting 357 martyrs a year being murdered. Nearly two generations after the resurrection, new Christian leaders succeed the apostles and the Gospel is reverberating outward towards the edges of the Roman empire. The church is having trouble understanding its purpose in the world as a faith for all to attain and for all to be saved through Christ. The thought and feeling that the Lord will soon return is a prevalent belief and all are eagerly awaiting the moment. ^[10]

Peter, whose original name was Simon and according to the modern Catholic church considered the first Pope, was a contemporary eyewitness, disciple of Jesus Christ. The son of Jona (Johannes) and born in Bethsaida (John 1:42, 44), near the end of his life he worked for and in Rome which led up to his martyrdom for the sake of His savior.

Circa 70-100 AD what is known to modern Protestant thought as the Bible or scriptural canon of 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books, is finished. These writings although not commonly found during this time as a total book or canon are beginning to be circulated and read in secret by what are known as Christians or followers of Christ described in Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16.

The second century

Christianity is starting to become established as a viable faith that is attracting those who truly seek it. The number of Christians being martyred for their faith reaches nearly 80,000 since Christ. Now, heretical attacks against theological principles based in scripture are developing into a framework coupled with physical attacks to bring Christianity to its knees. The attacks have evolved in the first century from the physical upon the believers, to a deeper spiritual attack in the second century that is stirring individuals within the church to define themselves as integral parts through non-violent defense of it.

Apologists and theologians begin to stand up for the defense of and definition of scripture in this century as a direct result of such attacks. Churches still are not legal and neither are any public forums that express views held in regard to Christ by the early church. Near the end of the second century and the beginning of the third the church is gaining much strength in Asia Minor, near modern day Turkey and North Africa. ^[11]

Heresies

Gnosticism

A belief that can be considered under the umbrella of the New Age movement in today's world. It consists of claims of special knowledge and through that knowledge salvation is attained. Indeed, thought and practice of such was happening even before Christ was born. However during the second century it gained especially well within the Roman empire. ^[12]

Marcionism

A belief personified in Marcion who was son of the Bishop of Sinope in Pontus. Marcion was born around 110 AD from wealthy parents. He is synonymous with the attempt to reduce the canonical books of scripture, specifically within the New Testament. He is known to have taken out at least one Gospel and accepted only ten Epistles of Paul. ^[13]

Montanism

A type of charismatic movement that got carried away with prophecies, special revelations and the like. Montanus, considered the founder began to prophesy in the village of Ardabau in Phrygia. ^[14]

The third century

Within the first decade of the third century (200-300 AD) the Roman emperor Septimius Severus is persecuting Christians severely by enforcing already established policies of the Roman government. Roman authorities are not allowed to look for Christians to execute, but if a person identifies or accuses someone of being Christian, they then can take action. This action is usually a choice given to the Christian; either curse and deny Christ and make an offering to Roman gods or be executed. After Septimmus' tyrannical rule ended about 211 AD, hostility starts to show signs of relenting and churches begin to be built bringing with it some legal breathing room.

North Africa is becoming a major and vital part of Christendom with Carthage and Alexandria being major theological hubs. The church is thriving with at least a million Christians in Egypt. The peace that Christians are starting to enjoy soon comes to an end in 250 AD when the emperor Decius unleashes an empire-wide persecution. He accomplishes this by declaring that everybody must offer a pagan sacrifice and show certificate of proof. This in turn brings up questions within the church regarding how to deal with those who turned away and now want acceptance again. ^[15]

Persecutions are now at a record high of 1,540 a year totaling 410,000 since Christ. The role of bishop continues in significance. ^[16] Also, Anthony the Great, an Egyptian Christian monk, treks into the desert becoming a hermit and allowing himself to be spiritually disciplined. This movement or family of traditions is called monasticism, literally meaning, "dwelling alone," and is established during the early church as a protest against the increasing worldliness of the church. ^{[17] [18]}

The fourth century

This century of church development is similar to our current in that historic changes are taking place that affect the church's relationship with society and politics albeit the two extremes. A melding of the two begins to perculate even though persecution is still rampant.

In 305 AD near the end of Diocletian as an emperor, he institutes what many historians feel is an attempt to completely exterminate the church. It fails and as far as the root cause of such lashing out, it still remains unclear. ^[19] John Chrysostom (347 to 407 AD) was born in Antioch, Syria and dies after becoming a very prominent apologist for the Gospel and being known as an eloquent speaker of such.

Licinius is denying Constantine's rights and privileges to govern. Constantine is accepted as Caesar by his troops and Galerius (the eastern emperor) in 306 AD after Constantine's father and emperor of the Western Roman empire Flavius Valerius Constantius dies. Constantine's father, Flavius Constantius served in the court of Diocletian who was Roman Emperor from 284 to 305 AD. The acceptance of Constantine as Caesar is the first to put a crack in Diocletian's scheme for a tetrarchy, an empire ruled by four. Essentially Diocletian created a system in which there were two senior emperors, one for the Eastern block and one for the Western block of the Roman empire. These in turn would have a junior emperor respectively.

On June 5, 313 AD the same year Licinius (Roman Emperor from 308 to 324) married Constantine's half-sister Flavia Julia Constantia, he initiates what is known as the Edict of Milan. It grants toleration for Christians and other religions within the empire and also restores all church property. Churches begin to flourish and Christians feel as if they can breathe a sigh of relief. Trends change and it is starting to be considered opportune in politics and society in general to become Christian.

In 314 Licinius is at an uneasy peace with Constantine after he was defeated in the Battle of Cibalae. He continues to project a hostile position through building up his army and however good of a gesture the edict was it is clearly a facet used to control the time he could use to essentially turn his back on it just 7 years later in 320 AD. Licinius breaks his commitment and initiates a small-scale but violent persecution of the church. It makes Adrianople in July of 324 AD break into a place of civil war and unrest led by Constantine and ultimately leading to the defeat of Licinius. Four years after Licinius' persecution, the Battle of the Hellespont by Crispus, Constantine’s eldest son and Caesar compells Licinius to withdraw to Bythinia where his last stand is made and the Battle of Chrysopolis is carried out. In the end Constantine comes to eastern Europe as a liberator, wanting to establish peace and stability to pagans and Christians alike. ^[20]

After being defeated time and time again in battle and realizing that further resistance is futile, Licinius surrenders and Constantine spares his life. His co-emperor Sextus Martinianus is killed however. The Roman senate with concurrence of Constantine a year later has Licinius killed because of his potential threat of conspiring with the barbarians to raise up troops. After the death of Licinius in 325 AD Constantine becomes sole ruler of the Roman empire.

Toward the end of Constantine's life in 337 AD, a Persian enemy is forming in the lands of modern day Iran. Shapur II is the ninth King of the Sassanid Empire or what is also called the second Persian Empire which lasts from 226 to 651 AD. He has broken a 40 year peace agreement that was brokered by Narseh and Emperor Diocletian. ^[21] Before Constantine can react to a blatant act of war he is hit with illness that claims his life in May of 337. ^[22]

Under Constantine the Great's rule, the Council of Nicaea (Nicaea I) is convened and 318 bishops are in attendance and become one voice condeming the Arian heresy which challenges Christ's claim of direct Sonship of God (homoousios) as well as His human lineage. The result is the Nicene Creed which many churches follow to this very day. Some fifty years later the Second Ecumenical Council (Constantinople I) convened during the year of 381 AD under Pope Damasus and the Emperor Theodosius I, it was attended by 150 bishops. Its goal was focused against the followers of Macedonius, who disputed the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.

The fourth century also sees the role of missionaries being vital to the expansive nature of the Gospel of Christ. Through missions it is taken to even further edges of the known world, past the Roman empire and through Ufilias to the Goths, an east Germanic tribe that settled in modern day Poland around the turn of the third century AD.

Saint Augustine is also converted to Christianity in 386 and becomes one of the most important Christian theologians in church history. Persecutions flourish at the turn of the century due to empire-wide incitements but also at the end of the century because of emperors who truly respect Christianity are no longer ruling. Within 400 years of its inception, against massive persecution the church grows, and becomes the foundation of the ruler of an empire that once carried out persecution without mercy. In the end however persecutions smashed previous records and by 400 AD were at about 5,000 a year with a total of 1.5 million being martyred for their faith. ^[23]

The fifth century

Even through missionary efforts the Goths are increasingly becoming a threat to the Roman empire because of their so-called Sack of Rome in August of 410 AD. The Goths or Visigoths led by Aleric I marks the first time Rome had fell to the hands of an enemy in 800 years. The role of emperor begins to decline while the role of bishop within the church and Roman society increases during the close of the fifth century.

The need for Christ to be defined and the Word of God to be defended by the church is very needed due to attempts to tear it down through theological alternatives. The Third Ecumenical Council, or what is also called the Council of Ephesus was convened in 431 AD and 200 bishops attended. It addresses the personal unity of Christ, declares Mary the Mother of God (theotokos), effectively going against Nestorius who was Bishop of Constantinople and founder of Nestorianism a Christological heresy. Nestroius later died in 451 AD which was the same year that the Fourth Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon) was held. One-hundred and fifty bishops were in attendance under Pope Leo the Great that again defined the two natures of Christ which are Divine and human existing together without confusion.

The Roman Empire (west and east) by 476

Patrick (390-460) is a huge force for the the missionary effort of the church. However sold as a slave at age 16 he later escapes and heads for Ireland in Western Europe where he undertakes his courageous mission effort. Leaders of the more eastern parts of Europe are being converted to Christianity and in 481 AD the Frankish King Clovis inherits his fathers kingdom in which he uses to unify the Franks. Just five years later King Clovis defeats the Roman general Syagrius. Syagrius ruled the lands of northern Gaul which consists of modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. By 496, just before he was baptized and converted to Christianity, Clovis defeats the alliance of Germanic tribes called Alamanni. After Clovis is baptaized he later finishes his expansion by taking control of Aquitaine, the last province of France. Once taken from Aleric II of the Visigoths the way for Charlemagne's so-called, "Holy Roman Empire" has begun to take shape. ^[24]

There is also establishment of the calendar starting at the Christian year and it begins to take hold as the standard among the Roman empire. Widespread reverence and admiration of relics and martyr's is beginning to creep into the church and Virgin Mary worship is beginning to catch on.

Five-hundred years had passed and the rate at which Christians are being killed for their faith in Christ is astounding with 5,500 a year and a total of 2.5 million. Amongst this the scriptures already being established and circulated for centuries are now available in 13 languages. ^[25]

Church Development from 500 to 1000 AD

This can easily be characterized as the most complex time of Christian history. The Middle Ages as it is called started at the Western Roman Empires fall, dating around 476 and lasting until 1350 AD. It is the second of three ages of European history which are; Classical Civilization, the Middle ages and Modern Civilization. ^[26] The church will prosper and gain acceptance but it will also fracture with theological differences within being the core reason resulting in what are now denominations of Christianity. However hurtful some ecclesiastical historians claim this was for the continued unification of the church, doctrinal theological similarities still exist today regarding salvation.

In addition to these similarites, in todays modern world concrete results are forming from talk within the European continent between major Eastern Orthodoxy churches and the Roman Catholic church. The Russian and other national Orthodox groups have historically been firmly opposed to any such actions yet the tide is turning as some religious scholars and leaders are starting to note. ^[27] This movement of reunification centuries after the Reformation was championed by Pope John Paul II and continues with Pope Benedict XVI.

As the Discovery Blog notes;

The religion of Islam founded by Muhammad will start to be practiced during the middle of the seventh century (600 to 700 AD) and will begin to infiltrate and desecrate core centers of the established Judaism and Christendom. This will effectively cause massive upheavals of Christian populations from the Middle East to Western Europe. ^[29] Islam through its violent history of expansion, and attempts of such will move Christians towards a call to arms through strict defense of itself. It is through defense by any stretch of the imagination that should make up the context an ecclesiastical historian recognizes as the source of their actions, and justifiably so.

The sixth century

Saint Benedict can be seen as one of the most important Christian monks in this century as well as in the entire history of Christianity. He is also known as Benedict of Nursia and was responsible for establishing a Christian monk monastery in Monte Cassino. He is best-known however for his writings released in 529 AD entitled the, Rule of St Benedict. ^[30] It contains precepts written to inspire moral action in an individual. It is to be used as guiding instruction for a Christian monk living life under an abbot in which the community has chosen as their spiritual advisor. In words more personal to the author, as the Benedictine Confederation's motto states: pax ("peace") and the traditional, ora et labora ("pray and work").

Barbarians increase migration into western and other eastern Roman empire territories effectively changing the socio-political landscape. The Roman armies also begin to fight themselves and civil war has been sewn throughout the empire that is draining resources rapidly. Barbarians being labeled so if they did not speak Greek were not limited to but include the Persians, Phoenicians and Scythians. The Germanic and Slavic peoples were essentially tribal at this time and their migration lasted until the early Middle Ages, heavily influencing the current population of modern Europe. ^[31]

The Western European Empire fell around 476 AD and now in its entirety, the mighty Roman empire is falling. ^[32]

Among the church responses towards heresies of the sixth century (500-600 AD) the Fifth Ecumenical Council dubbed Constantinople II was held in 553 AD amassing 165 bishops under Pope Vigilius and Emperor Justinian I. ^[33]

The seventh century

The eighth century

The ninth century

The tenth century

Church Development from 1000 to 1500 AD

The eleventh century

The twelfth century

The thirteenth century

The fourteenth century

The fifteenth century

Church Development from 1500 to 2000 AD

The sixteenth century

Christian Zionism

The seventeenth century

In 1650 the Archbishop of Armagh, James Ussher, (1581 - 1656) published a monumental history of the world from creation to 70 A.D., and for this used the recorded genealogies and ages in scripture to derive what is commonly known as the Ussher-Lightfoot Calendar which calculated a date for Creation from the Bible at 4004 BC. The calendar was widely accepted.

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)

In 1696, William Whiston published A New Theory of the Earth, in which he proposed an account of the creation of the world. He grounded his argument in the following three Postulata:

1. The obvious or literal sense of scripture is the true and real one, where no evidence can be given to the contrary.
2. That which is clearly accountable in a natural way, is not, without reason to be ascribed to a miraculous power.
3. What ancient tradition asserts of the constitution of nature, or of the origin and primitive states of the world, is to be allowed for true, where ‘tis fully agreeable to scripture, reason, and philosophy.

Whiston was the first to propose that the global flood was caused by the water in the tail of a comet.

The eighteenth century

The English divine William Derham (26 November 1657 - 5 April]] 1735) published his Artificial Clockmaker in 1696 and Physico-Theology in 1713. These books were teleological arguments for the being and attributes of God, and were used by Paley nearly a century later.

The Watchmaker analogy was put by Bernard Nieuwentyt (1730) and referred to several times by Paley. A charge of wholesale plagiarism from this book was brought against Paley in the Athenaeum for 1848, but the famous illustration of the watch was not peculiar to Nieuwentyt, and had been appropriated by many others before Paley.

Carolus Linnaeus (1707 - 1778) established a system of classification of species by similarity. At the time, the system of classification was seen as the plan of organization used by God in his creation. Later, the theory of evolution applied it as groundwork for the idea of common descent.

The nineteenth century

In 1802 William Paley (1743 - 1805), published Natural Theology in response to naturalists such as Hume, refining the ancient teleological argument (or argument from design) to argue for the existence of God. He argued that life was so intricately designed and interconnected as to be analogous to a watch. Just as when one finds a watch, one reasonable infers that it was designed and constructed by an intelligent being, although one has never seen the designer, when one observes the complexity and intricacy of life, one may reasonably infer that it was designed and constructed by God, although one has never seen God.

The twentieth century

George McCready Price (1870 - 1963) was important in establishing flood geology, and many of his ideas that a young earth could be deduced from science would be taken up later.

After the First World War (1914 - 1918), the teaching of evolution and creation in public education grew as a public controversy. (see Public education). Many texts began to teach the theory of evolution as scientific fact. Many Christians, Jews, and Muslims came to believe that in teaching evolution as fact, the State was unconstitutionally infringing on their right to the free exercise of religion, as it effectively taught their children that the Bible had been proven false.

For example, William Jennings Bryan (1860 - 1925) "became convinced that the teaching of Evolution as a fact instead of a theory caused the students to lose faith in the Bible, first, in the story of creation, and later in other doctrines, which underlie the Christian religion."

During the First World War, horrors committed by Germans, who were citizens of one of the most scientifically advanced countries in the World, caused Bryan to state "The same science that manufactured poisonous gases to suffocate soldiers is preaching that man has a brute ancestry and eliminating the miraculous and the supernatural from the Bible."

A popular book from 1917 by Vernon L. Kellogg entitled Headquarters Nights, reported through first hand evidence German officers discussing Darwinism leading to the declaration of war.

In 1922, William Jennings Bryan published In His Image, in which he argued that Darwinism was both irrational and immoral. On the former point, he pointed to examples such as the eye, which he argued could not be explained by Darwinian evolution. On the latter point, he argued that Darwinism advocated the policy of "scientific breeding" or eugenics, by which the strong were to weed out the weak, a belief which directly contradicts the Christian doctrine of charity to the helpless.

In 1924, Clarence Darrow defended Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb on the charge of kidnapping and killing Bobby Franks; his defense included an argument that "this terrible crime was inherent in his organism, and it came from some ancestor".

In 1925, G.K. Chesterton published The Everlasting Man, in which he developed and articulated many creationist ideas and criticisms of the philosophical underpinnings and perceived logical flaws of evolution.

He also wrote, in St. Thomas Aquinas, "It is absurd for the evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything."

H. L. Mencken, whose nationally published coverage of the Scopes Trial referred to the town's creationist inhabitants as "yokels" and "morons", referred to assisting counsel for the prosecution as a "buffoon" and his speeches as "theologic bilge," while referring to the defence as "eloquent" and "magnificent."

The Scopes Trial of 1925 is perhaps the most famous court case of its kind. The Butler Act had prohibited the teaching of evolution in public schools in Tennessee. The schoolteacher John Scopes was found guilty of teaching evolution and fined, although the case was later dismissed on a technicality.

In 1929 a book by one of George McCready Price's former students, Harold W. Clark described Price's catastrophism as "creationism" in Back to Creationism. Previously anti-evolutionists had described themselves as being "Christian fundamentalists" "Anti-evolution" or "Anti-false science". The term creationism had previously referred to the creation of souls for each new person, as opposed to traducianism, where souls were said to have been inherited from one's parents.

In 1932 the Evolution Protest Movement, the world's first creationist organisation, began in England.

In 1933, a group of atheists seeking to develop a "new religion" to replace previous, deity-based religions, composed the Humanist Manifesto, which outlined a fifteen-point belief system, the first two points of which provided that "Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created" and "Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as a result of a continuous process." This document exacerbated the ideological tone of the discussion in many circles, as many creationists came to see evolution as a doctrine of the "religion" of atheism.

References

1. ↑ Ecclesiastical History by Catholic Encyclopedia
2. ↑ Ecclesiastical History by Answers
3. ↑ CARM the bible
4. ↑ The Septuagint Bible-Researcher
5. ↑ Which Old Testament text did Jesus prefer and quote from? The Interactive Bible
6. ↑ Unger, op. cit., p. 70.
7. ↑ Canon of the New Testament Catholic Encyclopedia
8. ↑ Introductory Note to the Writings of Justin Martyr Christian Classics Ethereal Library
9. ↑ Tertullian
10. ↑ Christian history, the first century Christian History Institute
11. ↑ Christian history, the second century Christian History Institute
12. ↑ Gnosticism by Catholic Encyclopedia
13. ↑ Marcionites by Catholic Encyclpoedia
14. ↑ Montanists by Catholic Encylopedia
15. ↑ Decius and persecution of Christians by Wikipedia
16. ↑ Christian history, the third century Christian History Institute
17. ↑ Monasticism
18. ↑ Anthony the Great by Wikipedia
19. ↑ Christian history, the fourth century Christian History Institute
20. ↑ Licinius by Wikipedia
21. ↑ Sassanid empire by Wikipedia
22. ↑ Constantine the Great by Catholic Encyclopedia
23. ↑ Christian history, the fourth century Christian History Institute
24. ↑ Clovis I, King of the Franks
25. ↑ Christian history, the fifth century Christian History Institute
26. ↑ Middle Ages by Timeline Index
27. ↑ Metropolitan Kirill Praises Papal Talks The Associated Press
28. ↑ Handwriting on the Wall in Britain by Bruce Chapman
29. ↑ Christian history, the sixth century Christian History Institute
30. ↑ Saint Benedict by Catholic Spiritual Direction
31. ↑ "Europe, history of." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 9 Jan. 2008 [1]
32. ↑ Late Antiquity in the Mediterranean The Collapse of the Roman Empire--Military Aspects by ORB Online Encyclopedia
33. ↑ General Councils by Catholic Encyclopedia

External Links

• Justin Martyr by Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• The Old Testament and the Archaeology of Palestine in The Old Testament and Modern Study, ed. H. H. Rowley (Oxford, 1951)
• The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict; How We Got the Bible, page 26 by Josh McDowell
• Shapur II by Wikipedia
• The Middle Ages Timeline by Timeline Index
• The 4th & 5th Centuries: The Church in Radical Change by Australian Catholic University
• Monte Cassino by Wikipedia
• "Christianity." Encyclopaedia Britannica from Encyclopaedia Britannica 2007 Deluxe Edition (2007)
• Divine Heiress: The Virgin Mary and the Creation of Christian Constantinople by Vasiliki Limberis. 200 pgs.
• Islam 101 by Gregory M. Davis
• History of the Church of Christ - Sixth Century by Biblia
• "Europe, history of." Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online.
• Eusebius of Cæsarea by Catholic Encyclopedia
• Eusebius of Caesarea by EarlyChurch.org.uk
• The Bible and the Origins of Western Culture by Jeff Lukens
• Pre-Trib Research Center Lovers of Zion: A History of Christian Zionism
• Muslim Persecution of Christians by Robert Spencer

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See Also

• Science
• Creation
• Exegesis
• Biblical criticism
• Secular humanism
• Trinity
• Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
• Bible characters
• Biblical archaeology quotes
• Judaism
• Monotheism
• Theism
• Rome
• Baptist
• Presbyterianism
• Byzantine Empire
• History of creationism
• U.S. religious heritage

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