Bible Lessons on "Church History"
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Introduction. The Lord's Church began in roughly 30 A.D. with New Testament history ending around 95 A.D. with the book of Revelation. Since then, Christianity broadly viewed has had a rich history of spreading from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth accompanied by both external persecution and internal division. Many people and events have had a profound impact on Christianity and the life of modern-day Christians. Knowing about the history of the church enables us to better understand our rich heritage along with the origins of divisions and denominations that shape modern Christianity.
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Originally taught in a young adult Bible class, the handouts below primarily consist of study questions. These will require considerable research outside of the Bible, so plan your preparation time accordingly. Note the references to the "present" in lessons 14 and 16 equates to 2025 when this material was last updated.
Handouts.
> Lesson 1 Introduction (pdf)
> Lesson 2 New Testament Era (30 to 100 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 3 Early "Church Fathers" and Early Divisions (100 to 200 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 4 Persecution (200 to 312 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 5 Triumph over Paganism (312 to 400 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 6 The Fall of Rome and Rise of the Papacy (400 to 600 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 7 The Middle/Dark Ages (600 to 1400 A.D.) (part 1) (pdf)
> Lesson 8 The Middle/Dark Ages (600 to 1400 A.D.) (part 2) (pdf)
> Lesson 9 A New Era (1400 to 1650 A.D.) (part 1) (pdf)
> Lesson 10 A New Era (1400 to 1650 A.D.) (part 2) (pdf)
> Lesson 11 The Enlightenment (1650 to 1800 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 12 The Second Great Awakening (1800 to 1900 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 13 The Modern Era (1900 to 1960 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 14 Recent Events (1960 to Present) (pdf)
> Lesson 15 The "Restoration Movement" (1800 to 1950) (pdf)
> Lesson 16 Modern Churches of Christ (1950 to Present) (pdf)
> Lesson 17 The Future? (pdf)
> Lesson 1 Introduction (pdf)
> Lesson 2 New Testament Era (30 to 100 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 3 Early "Church Fathers" and Early Divisions (100 to 200 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 4 Persecution (200 to 312 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 5 Triumph over Paganism (312 to 400 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 6 The Fall of Rome and Rise of the Papacy (400 to 600 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 7 The Middle/Dark Ages (600 to 1400 A.D.) (part 1) (pdf)
> Lesson 8 The Middle/Dark Ages (600 to 1400 A.D.) (part 2) (pdf)
> Lesson 9 A New Era (1400 to 1650 A.D.) (part 1) (pdf)
> Lesson 10 A New Era (1400 to 1650 A.D.) (part 2) (pdf)
> Lesson 11 The Enlightenment (1650 to 1800 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 12 The Second Great Awakening (1800 to 1900 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 13 The Modern Era (1900 to 1960 A.D.) (pdf)
> Lesson 14 Recent Events (1960 to Present) (pdf)
> Lesson 15 The "Restoration Movement" (1800 to 1950) (pdf)
> Lesson 16 Modern Churches of Christ (1950 to Present) (pdf)
> Lesson 17 The Future? (pdf)