A Very Brief Timeline of the Church with a focus on the organization of the Roman Catholic Church

Up to the 11th Century

New Testament Times

Ministry of Jesus was preaching (kerygma), serving (diakonia), witnessing (koinonia) and praying (leitourgia).

Jesus appointed ministers. The were three categories of people who sometimes are distinct from each other, and sometimes they are not: The 12, The Apostles, The disciples, the 72.

After resurrection, Paul mentions three lists of ministries: Romans 12, 4-8; 1 Corinthians 12: 4-12; and Ephesians 4, 11-14. The most prominent ministries are being an apostle, a prophet, and Teacher. Prophets, apostles, and deacons included women.

No individual Christian was called “priest” in the New Testament, and it is not certain who presided over the Eucharist in the early communities with such varied structures.

2nd Century

Deacons, Presbyters, and Episcopi start to become the prominent ministers.

Presbyters become more prominent as advisors of bishops.

Monepiscopacy develops, namely one bishop for every Christian community.

Presiding at Eucharist begins to be linked with the bishop

3^rd Century

Cyrpian notes in 250 for the first time that the Bishop is a priest, and that presides in place of Christ.

The bishop of Rome started to claim authority over the entire Church.

4^th Century

In 330 Emperor Justinian moves to Constantinople changing the political landscape, especially the importance of Rome.

Meletian Schism (361-415) – It affected Syriac Christianity and the patriarchate of Antioch. It had to do with different views not agreeing on the relation between Christ’s human and divine nature.

Donatist Troubles: In North Africa, some people considered those who had given in during persecutions as “traditores” or traitors. They claimed that sacraments administered by traditores were invalid.

5^th Century

With the fall of the Roman Empire in the West, populations moved to the countryside and many parishes were established in the country. In the cities, bishops began to occupy civil positions of leadership.

Pelagian controversy: In Europe and North Africa there was a dispute regarding the necessity of Grace for becoming a good person. Great theologians such as Augustine of Hippo, and John Cassian were involved.

Nestorian Schism – Syriac Churches did not accept the title Theotokos (God-bearer) given to Mary because they emphasized the distinctness of Christ’s human and divine nature.

St Benedict (480-540) – started a monastic way of life with his rule which became very popular in the West.

St Patrick evangelizes Ireland. Saint Brigit of Kildaire also has a role in evangelization by founding several monasteries. Columbanus continues their mission after their death.

6^th Century

With the fall of the Roman Empire, bishops struggle to be controlled by local princes, or are themselves princes. Over time, they become part of the political hierarchy. It is the beginning of the “investiture struggle” or the struggle for the highest authority between church and civil authority. This struggle would continue for the rest of the Middle Ages.

Eastern bishops saw the rejection of canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon by Pope Leo I as an improper act.

7^th Century

Syriac monks and missionaries spread Eastward along the trade routes. Alopen reaches China in 635.

The growth in papal supremacy led to the beginnings of estrangement with bishops in the East.

There were double monasteries in Ireland and Northern England, where men and women lived in a common property, with separate buildings.

Boniface (675-754) goes to Germany and evangelizes and reforms churches.

8^th Century

Monasteries by this century were very pervasive, and were seen as islands of the ideal life in the midst of a chaotic age.

Under the time of Charlemagne (742-814), parish life experienced upsurge in quality as Charlemagne worked to get parishes under more direct control of bishops.

9^th Century

A tithing system was put in place so that a community would support a priest and also send money to the bishop. In 840 with the death of Louis the Pious (Charlemagne’s son) the plan fell apart.

Cyril (d. 869) and Methodius (d. 885) evangelized the Slavs.

Photian schism (863-867) – The East and West split briefly due to the appointment of Photius I of Constantinople, a lay scholar to the patriarchate of Constantinople. The Pope Nicholas III was opposed to such an appointment. Below the surface, the filioque along with differing practices between the churches fueled the separation.

10^th Century

Metropolitan bishops began to be called Archbishops. Their homes started to become centers of juridical and theological importance. Archbishops presided at the consecration of suffragan bishops, settled disputes in both canon and civil law, and presided at local synods or councils.

Cluny – reform of Benedictine monks which had become lax.

11^th century

The word papacy (“papatus”) appears for the first time.

The great schism of 1054 – the rupture that had begun two centuries earlier finally becomes visible and formal. Some of the issues were the universal jurisdiction of the Pope, the filioque, disagreement on how to evangelize Bulgaria, and liturgical practices proper to each branch.

Carlos J. Medina, OSA