The Journey of The Church Continues 100 AD to 500 AD

Mission of the Church In the period from 100 AD to 500 AD the church spread rapidly, and her doctrine continued to develop Through God’s grace, evidence in the faith and life of her members, the church spread throughout the Roman empire

The seeds of the gospel were sewn in much of Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East Christianity flourished in these areas

Christians continued to pray together and to celebrate the Eucharist, motivated by their profound love of Jesus They were also known for their love for and service to others In fidelity to the gospel, they reached out to the poor, the homeless and unwanted

Accounts of the life of the Church in the writings of the early Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church and historians attest to the great concern of the people of God for one another They welcomed all races and nations in their midst

It is important to remember that, while the Church is always guided by the Holy Spirit, it is composed of imperfect human beings who can make mistakes and are capable of sinning Therefore, conflicts, controversies, corruption and even wars are found throughout the history of the Church

During this era, many heresies arose Church councils were held especially to correct these false teachings concerning Christian beliefs

The Council of Nicea The Council of Nicea in 325 AD defined the Christian belief that Jesus is begotten of God, not made by God as other creatures are Jesus therefore is not simply one of God’s creatures, but, as Gods own Son, shares in the very substance of God

The Council of Ephesus The Council of Ephesus in 431 AD declared that Jesus is truly a divine person as well as fully human and that his mother is, therefore, the Mother of God

The Council of Chalcedon The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD declared that the Son of God is one person with two natures, on human, one divine Jesus is, therefore, true God and true man

Struggles and Upheavals of the Church Persecutions continued throughout this era, because Christians would not worship false gods or obey laws Many Christians were martyred or sent into exile during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian

The first emperor to become a Christian was Constantine After his conversion, he issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD This edict ended the persecution of the Church in the Roman empire and recognized the right of Christians to worship in accordance with their faith As a result of this new freedom, Christianity spread throughout the Roman empire