"Early church history" (pre 325) is giving me a headache

Posted by JemyM on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 8:16pm in

General Discussions about Religions

I have grabbed a few books that discuss the theory that Christianity was not mainstream until after constantine and I have God vs. the Bible as well.

I have recently debated with christians who have alot to say about early christian history, such as the Canon being established 207 (Tertullianus) that consists of all 27 books of the NT (I thought the canon was formed much later, after the council of Nicea). I have also seen people claiming that there were bishops all over the mediterranean during the 2nd century, and even bishops in Jerusalem.

Also I would like to ask what people can say about Irenaeus. His name pops up all the time. I cannot trust wikipedia on him.

My recomendation is a book

My recomendation is a book by Bart Ehrman called "Lost Christianities" if you're looking for a solid source on proto-orthodox Christianity and the pre-Nicaean struggles.

Ehrman is more conservative than I am. He believes in a historical Jesus and an early date to all of the NT scriptures. Nonetheless, his research on the different Christianties prior to Nicaea is extensive and well laid out in his book.

Posted by johnarmstrong on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 11:05am

I have Bart D Ehrman's

I have Bart D Ehrman's courses from The Teaching Company. I know he believes in the historical Jesus which I personally do not. I have not through his work been able to determine just how widespread Christianity really was before Nicea.

Posted by JemyM on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 12:06pm

A Chart of the New Testament.....by me

Here is a chart you might find useful. I spent about two years putting it together. I'm copying it over from Excel. Don't know how it will turn out. NKHart

THE NEW TESTAMENT
Originally written in Greek
Yeshua bar Yehosef/Miryam
4BCE - 30CE

INFO	BOOK	ID OF TITLED BOOK	DATE WRITTEN	AUTHOR
		Mattityahu		Author Unknown
		Tax Collector		Not written by Matthew
Beginnings of	Matthew	Book named	80-85CE	Most Jewish of
Christianity		by Christian scribe		the four Gospels
		in 2nd century		Written outside Palestine
Reflect Paul's		Secretary to Peter		Author Unknown
View		Companion to Paul		Not written by Mark
	Mark	Cousin of Barnabas	65-70CE	Written outside Palestine
		Book named		Copied by Matthew & Luke
		by Christian scribe		Probably Anonymous
		Physician
		Companion to Paul		Not an eyewitness
	Luke	Gentile	80-85CE	Pro-Roman
				Written outside Palestine

		Son of Zebedee		Author Unknown
		Yochanan		Not written by John
	John		90-95CE	Several authors


		Acts of the Apostles		Luke (assumed)
		Mainly Peter & Paul		Gentile
	Acts	Book named	80-85CE	Probably Anonymous
Spread of		by Christian scribe
Christianity
				Paul (Sha'ul)
Pauline				Roman citizen
Epistles	Romans	City of Rome	58CE	Possibly written in
(Letters)				Corinth, Greece

Beliefs				Paul (Sha'ul)
Practices				Co-author = Sosthenes
Ethics	1 Corinthians	Corinth, Greece	56CE	Written from Ephesus, Asia Minor

Arranged
roughly				Paul (Sha'ul)
according				Co-author = Titus
to length	2 Corinthians	Corinth, Greece	57CE	Written from Macedonia

Paul died
before 68CE		Galatia, Asia Minor		Paul (Sha'ul)
		(Now Turkey)		Written from Ephesus, Asia Minor
	Galatians	Descendants of Celts	55CE


				Not written by Paul
				A secretary?
	Ephesians	Ephesus, Asia Minor	80-100CE


				Paul in prison
				at Caesarea, Palestine
	Philippians	Philippi, Greece	57-58CE


				Paul in prison
				Not written by Paul
	Colossians	Colossae, Asia Minor	60-62CE	Possibly written by Timothy


				Paul (Sha'ul)
			50CE	Co-authored by
	1 Thessalonians	Thessalonica, Macedonia	1st book written	Silvanus (Silas) & Timothy


				Not written by Paul
				Possibly written by
	2 Thessalonians	Thessalonica, Macedonia	80-100CE	Silvanus (Silas) & Timothy


		Companion to Paul		Author Unknown
		1st Bishop of Ephesus,	80-100CE	Not Paul
	1 Timothy	Asia Minor	2nd Century	Written by secretary or compiler
		Died 97CE	Uncertain	Written from Macedonia

		Companion to Paul		Author Unknown
		1st Bishop of Ephesus,	80-100CE	Not Paul - in prison in Rome
	2 Timothy	Asia Minor	2nd Century	Written by secretary or compiler
		Died 97CE	Uncertain	Written from Macedonia

		Companion to Paul		Author Unknown
		Pastor on the	80-100CE	Not Paul
	Titus	Isle of Crete	2nd Century	Written by secretary or compiler
		Gentile	Uncertain

		Church leader in		Paul in prison in Rome
		Colossae, Asia Minor		Co-author = Timothy
	Philemon		61-63CE


		Jewish Christians		Author Unknown
General		Questionable if recipients		Written by assistants to Paul?
Epistles	Hebrews	were Jewish or Gentile	70-100CE	Barnabas, Apollos,