Chapter 2History: 20 Centuries AD

Fourth Century300-400 AD

Major Empires in the 4th Century

AD 400

Dominant Religion

Hindu/Buddhist, etcSecular/MixedEthnic Religions

Sassanids

Zapotec

Kushana

MayaE Chin

Huns

Teotihuaca

Moche

Vakataka

Axum/Ethiopia

Ruruan Mongols

Hun Confederation Devastates CentralEurope.

Rome E

Nazca

Gupta

WSogdiana

Tihuanaco

Catholic OtherOrthodox

Visigoths, etc. Conquer Western Roman Empire.

Roman Empire Divided

Empires that come to an end or undergo major change

Religions

Christian

The Politicization of the Church

• The 4th Century saw an astonishing change as the persecuting pagan Roman Empire was won over by Christianity. Though dramatic, this “victory” proved to be a major setback that still affects the Church today.

• From it emerged a Church-State alliance, or the “Constantinian captivity” of the Church.

• All five ministries of Ephesians 4:11 either became defunct or were neutralized where this happened. The Church had already lost its apostolic ministry. Now, it lost its prophetic and evangelistic ministries, and its pastoral and teaching ministries became tied to the State.

The Church in 300-400 AD

Politicized Christendom

Severe Christian declineChristian declineStagnating Christianity

Christian majority/stateActive Christian witness/renewal

The Church in 300-400 AD

Politicized Christendom

Severe Christian declineChristian declineStagnating Christianity

Severe persecutionPersecution

Christian majority/stateActive Christian witness/renewal

311: Emperor Constantine killed 10,000 N. African donatists

303-312 Tenth imperial persecution 750,000 martyred

327-402 Persians savagely persecute Eastern Christians

Persecution in the 4th Century

962,000

0.52%

14.3

World population in millions

Christians in millions

Christians as % of world pop.

Christian martyrs during century

Martyrs as % of all Christians

13.4%7.5%

186

25

Key statistics 300–400 400300

192

Persecution in the 4th Century

The Persecutors The Persecuted

Persians

Other

CatholicRomans

An estimated 962,000 martyrs

EasternCopts

Armenians

Latin

Donatist

ArianRomans

PaganRomans

Barbarians Various

Chapter 2History: 20 Centuries AD

Fourth Century300-400 AD