Early Church Thread

The Early Church thread traces the emergence and spread of Christianity from the ministry of Jesus through the establishment of Christianity as the Roman state religion.

The Arc of Early Christianity

• Jesus’ Ministry: Jesus of Nazareth preaches, performs miracles, gathers disciples, and is crucified and (Christians believe) resurrected.

• Apostolic Age: The early church spreads from Jerusalem throughout the Roman world. Paul’s missionary journeys establish communities across the Mediterranean.

• Persecution and Growth: Despite periodic persecution, Christianity grows steadily through the first three centuries.

• Imperial Recognition: Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313 CE) ends persecution. Theodosius makes Christianity the state religion (380 CE).

Significance

The Early Church thread shows how a Jewish messianic movement became a world religion. It intersects with the Israelite thread (shared scriptures, Jewish origins), the Greco-Roman thread (cultural and political context), and eventually influences the Islamic thread (as one of the “People of the Book”).