What is the purpose of church history? The focus
of church history is the gradual execution of God’s plan of redemption. It
shows the growth of the
In studying church history, Christians will meet
heroes of Christian faith—“a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrew 12:1)—and learn their
thoughts and deeds, and be edified and encouraged to follow their holy
example—to “run with endurance”.
First century Greek historian Diodorus said that
history is “the handmaid of providence, the priestess of truth, and the mother
of wisdom.” Church history certainly qualify for these
descriptions.
By studying church history, one can strengthen
one’s faith through the recognition of God’s pervasive guidance of the Church
through the ages. Further, by holding the key to the present condition of
Christianity, one gains the ability to avoid past errors and the knowledge to
plan for future successes.
At the centre of human history is the coming of
Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son. He died on a cross, but rose triumphantly from
the grave in victory over sin and death. Before ascending to heaven, He
commanded His disciples to wait in
At Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41), with the arrival of
the Holy Spirit, the church was founded. This new group would eventually be called
Christians (Acts 11:26). Believers were inspired to tell others of the good
news of the forgiveness of sin.
In the early church, Christians met in homes.
The leaders were called elders and deacons. The focal point of the worship
services was the communion, celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of
Christ. Believers met to share a meal, to read Scripture, and to sing praises. Writings
from the apostles were gradually circulated among the churches, providing much
needed direction, counsel, and exhortation. These 1st-century Christians
emphasized the teachings of the apostles, godly living, benevolence, and
evangelism. By the end of the 1st-century, Christianity had spread to most of
the Mediterranean region.
The spreading of Christianity was facilitated by
the existence of the
With the passing of the apostles, the church
continued to develop, adapting to the cultural and intellectual forces of the
day. A church hierarchy emerged, with the bishop as the head of each local
church. This church government appeared first in the eastern regions and spread
gradually to all churches.
Worship continued to focus on the person and
work of Christ, on the forgiveness of sin, and the hope of life through the final
resurrection. Believers were encouraged to live lives that were distinct and
different from those who embraced the surrounding pagan culture of self-gratification
and materialism. The communion remained the central feature of worship because
it portrayed the church’s message of forgiveness through Christ. Baptism, the
only other sacrament, provided the identity as part of the assembly of the
saints on earth. There were no saints’ days or holy convocations at this time.
The church was frequently attacked by the
intellectuals of the day who ridiculed Christianity and questioned its
teachings. The Gnostics were the most formidable early opponents, and some of
the more scholarly bishops answered pagan charges in reasoned treatises. Among
the most visible and eloquent were Justin Martyr (100–165), Irenaeus (130–200),
Tertullian (160–215), Clement of Alexandria (155–220), and Origen (185–254). Many
of these came from the churches in
Besides internal struggles, the early church
also faced persecutions from the Roman government. Opposing Roman polytheism
and unwilling to participate in the emerging emperor cult, Christians were brought
under the wrath of the state as being treasonous and worthy of death.
Persecutions occurred intermittently throughout this period but the worst were
under Emperors Nero [54–68], when Peter and Paul were martyred, Domitian [81–96],
when John was exiled, Septimus Severus [202–211], Decius [249–251], and
Diocletian [292–305], who tried to destroy the church. Thousands of Christians
were killed, including Ignatius [117], Polycarp [155], Justin Martyr [165], and
a whole group mercilessly tortured at
Later, the authority of the church was gradually
centralized in the hands of religious leaders. Because of the challenges from different
heresies, bishops were appointed to decide on behalf of the whole church on
matters of faith. A hierarchy of clergy formed, holding great power. In the
first two centuries, the strongest churches were in Asia Minor and North Africa
but gradually, the Western church, led by the bishop in