Church History Part 10

Church History Part 10

Christianity Comes To Britain

Origins

In the 1st century AD, the island of Britain contained various religious practices based on both pagan and Roman gods. The Roman Empire was well established and Britain was the westernmost point of the Roman Empire. ~ Christianity was first bought to England, part of Britain, by travellers and traders using well known routes through the Roman Empire. As they travelled, they came with stories from pagan mythology, as well as the story of Jesus. However, nobody knows when Christianity first arrived in Britain, although one particular story purports that Joseph of Arimithea built a church in Somerset. Joseph, you may remember was put in charge of Jesus’ body. ~

Sources

Here are 4 quotes from ancient texts about Christianity being in Britain ~ Clement or Rome 96AD - “Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity… After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and having come to the extreme limits of the west."~~~~~~

Tertullian 197 AD “By this time… [the name Christ has reached] the various confines of the moors, all the limits of Spain, the diverse nations of the Gauls, and the hunts of the Britons, inaccessible to the Romans, but subjected to Christ.” ~~~~~~

Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea in the early 300s records that "the apostles passed beyond the ocean to the Isles called the British Isles." ~~~~~~

Bede in Ecclesiastical History of England - “In the year of our Lord 156, Marcus Antoninus Verus … was made emperor, together with his brother, Aurelius Commodus. In their time, whilst the holy Eleutherus presided over the Roman Church, Lucius, king of Britain, sent a letter to him, entreating that by a mandate from him he might be made a Christian. He soon obtained his pious request, and the Britons preserved the faith, which they had received, uncorrupted and entire, in peace and tranquillity until the time of the Emperor Diocletian.”

It must be said that there is however no further evidence from antiquity to back up this particular claim of Bede!

British bishops were in attendance at various Church councils: in 314 at the Council of Arles; at the Council of Nicea in 325 and the Council of Rimini in 359.

The first member of the British church we know of is St Alban. It is he who is said was martyred for his faith. More about him next time! Another person we will discover next time is St Patrick! He is perhaps one of the most famous names from these ancient times!

During the 5th & 6th centuries, however, east Britain was invaded by the pagan Angles, Jutes and Saxons from northern Europe. As a result of this persecution, the Christian church in Britain was destroyed except for West Britain, Wales. Then in 597AD Augustine landed in Britain sent on a mission – to re-establish Christianity in Britain. He started it in the South near Canterbury and proceeded out from there.

That’s it for this time! Next time we will look more closely at some of the leading figures in the early church in Britain! Thanks for listening! Come back to Partakers, where every day there is something new to encourage your walk as a Christian in the 21st century. ~

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