Church History AD 100-500

Directions: Read the essay, then use the information you learn to complete the chart that follows.

he persecution of Christians did not end Twith the Emperor Nero. It continued under future emperors, including Emperor Decius, who required everyone to worship the gods of the state or be tortued or killed. Emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305, ordered the destruction of all Christian churches. He had bishops and priests imprisoned, and executed anyone who refused to participate in public worship of pagan gods. While many Christians held fast to their faith, many denied Christ out of fear.

From oppression to freedom Things began to change for Christians Emperor Constantine legalized when Constantine came to power in 306. throughout . Constantine is perhaps most famous for ending the persecution of Christians. He Nicaea. This gathering in Nicaea (present-day legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan Turkey) had the goal of correcting the false in 313. This declaration allowed people to teaching, known as Arianism, that was a worship the deity of their choice, permitted created being. The council clearly expressed Christians to organize churches, and returned the truth that the Father and the Son are of church property that had been taken by the one substance (consubstantial). The Nicene Roman government. The Edict of Milan was a Creed that we recite at every Sunday Mass landmark proclamation that, for the first time, was set forth at this council. allowed Christianity to spread without the Five years after the council of Nicea, threat of jail, torture, or execution. Constantine took yet another action More than a decade later, Constantine himself that would have far-reaching effects for had become a catechumen. As Christianity Christianity—he divided the had spread, false teachings had begun to into East and West. The West would be circulate. In 325, Constantine convened a centered in Rome; the East was centered council that would be called the Council of

UNIT 2, LESSON 4 in Constantinople (present day Istanbul, from 481 to 511, and is considered the founder Turkey). That same year, construction began of France. Clovis united all the Frankish on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Constantine, tribes throughout what are now France, the the first Roman emperor to become a Netherlands, and Belgium. He converted to Christian, ruled until 337. He was baptized Catholicism, and was baptized on Christmas on his deathbed, a practice that was not Day, 496, in Reims, France. Like Constantine, uncommon during his time. Clovis brought true Christianity to large numbers of people under his rule. Later church councils continued to clarify Church teaching. The Council of Constantinople (381) made clear that the The fall of Rome Holy Spirit was equal with the Father and Despite the flourishing of Christianity in the Son. The councils of Hippo and Carthage many parts of Europe, the city of Rome was (397) determined which books would become increasingly under attack from the Visigoths. part of the New Testament. The Council The Visigoths were a western tribe of Goths, of Ephesus (431) declared that the Virgin a Germanic people. The Visigoths were Mary is truly the Theotokos or God-bearer: pagans; some converted to Christianity but the mother of God, as well as condemned they adhered to the heresies that the Council a heresy that said Jesus was two persons in of Nicaea sought to correct. The Visigoths one body. Twenty years later, the council attacked, looted, and burned Rome in 410. of Chalcedon (451) affirmed the hypostatic The destruction of the city was one of the union: the truth that Jesus is fully human and many things that led to the fall of Rome in fully divine. As always, the councils did not 476. The Visigoths later settled throughout invent these teachings, but rather affirmed France, Spain, and Portugal. them in the face of false teachings. The Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople Outside of Rome, Christianity also began was spared this attack, though it would very to flourish in Gaul—the area of present-day soon face dangerous enemies. France. Clovis, King of the Franks, ruled Gaul

UNIT 2, LESSON 4 Write a summary statement List key information about this explaining the significance of Individual/event individual/event this individual/event

Roman Emperor Diocletian

Roman Emperor Constantine

Edict of Milan

Council of Nicaea

UNIT 2, LESSON 4 Write a summary statement List key information about this explaining the significance of Individual/event individual/event this individual/event

Visigoth

Clovis

UNIT 2, LESSON 4