early church
First Christian communities
The early church refers to Christianity in its first few centuries, roughly from the apostolic era through the 4th or 5th century.
The term appears in discussions of doctrine, practice, and organization before later denominational splits: The early church met in homes, early church fathers.
What counts as "early" varies by tradition—some extend it through the first ecumenical councils.
- PeterMale name, means rock
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
- speaking in tonguesEcstatic religious vocalization
- laying on handsHealing through physical contact
catacombs · house churches · house of worship · preaching · Holy Spirit · Ignatius of Antioch · prayer · breaking bread · Last Supper · bread and wine · Trinity · Christianity · persecution · Roman Empire · Christology · communal meals · Augustine of Hippo · Nicene Creed
- ChristianityJesus, Bible, Christ, God, Jesus Christ
- church historyapostles, Protestant Reformation, Christian history, baptism, Reformation
- religious historyChristian history, Jewish history, Protestant Reformation, Great Schism, Counter-Reformation
- Christian persecutionNero, Colosseum, crucifixion, martyrdom, catacombs
- Early ChristianityNicene Creed, Constantine, catacombs
- early churchapostles, apostolic fathers, Acts of the Apostles, Council of Nicaea, Paul
early churchmedieval church
Historic European house of worship
Christendom · established church · state church · Roman Catholic Church · Vatican