Early Christianity facts for kids

Early Christianity is known as the Christianity of around the three centuries (1st, 2nd, 3rd, early 4th) between the time of the Crucifixion of Jesus (c.26-36) and the First Council of Nicaea in 325.

Since the 19th century, historians have learned more about the early Christian community. Books written early in the time period, such as the Didache (in second-millennium copies) and the Gospel of Thomas (in two manuscripts dated as early as about 200 and 340) as well as parts from the Jewish-Christian Gospels have been found again in the last 200 years

History

At the beginning of Christian history, the church was in Jerusalem, in an "upper room" perhaps where the Cenacle is today, and leaders included James, Peter, and John. The major source for the Apostolic Age (c.30-c.100) is the Acts of the Apostles. Following the Great Commission, the missionary actions of the Apostles, including Paul of Tarsus who said the title of "Apostle to the Gentiles", spread Christianity to cities in the Hellenistic world, such as Alexandria and Antioch, and also to Rome and even beyond the Roman Empire. The term "Christian" was first applied to members of the church at Antioch according to Acts 11:26. The New Testament includes letters written by Paul to churches, such as those in Thessalonica and Corinth, during the years 50-62, see also Seven Churches of Asia. Early Christians continued the Jewish practice of respect for the Jewish Scriptures, using the Septuagint translation of Hellenistic Judaism that was in general use among Greek-speakers, or the Targums in use among Aramaic-speakers, but added to it their own writings.

Images for kids

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  The eastern Mediterranean region in the time of Paul the Apostle

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  Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd, 3rd century

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  St. Lawrence (martyred 258) before Emperor Valerianus by Fra Angelico

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  A folio from Papyrus 46, an early-3rd-century collection of Pauline epistles

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  Virgin and Child. Wall painting from the early Roman catacombs, 4th century.

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  Icon depicting Emperor Constantine (centre) and the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381

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  Spread of Arianism in Western Europe

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  An Eastern Roman mosaic showing a basilica with towers, mounted with Christian crosses, 5th century, Louvre

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  A mosaic of Justinian I in the church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

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  Andrei Rublev's Trinity

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  The East–West Schism

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  Henry IV at the gate of Canossa, by August von Heyden

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  St. Cyril and St. Methodius monument on Mt. Radhošť

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  Conversion of Moravia under Ratislav

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  Painting of Jan Hus in Council of Constance by Václav Brožík

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  Michelangelo's Pietà (1498–99) in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

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  The Council in Santa Maria Maggiore church; Museo Diocesiano Tridentino, Trento

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  Galileo before the Holy Office, a 19th-century painting by Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury

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  Philipp Spener, the founder of Pietism

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  Churches of the Moscow Kremlin, as seen from the Balchug

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  Pope Pius XI

See also

In Spanish: Cristianismo primitivo para niños