1

Western Empire at 395 AD

2

Roman Empire 476

3

Western Empire - Rome

Eastern Empire -

Constantinople

Roman Empire 565 AD

4

Five Epochs of Mission History

Romans Barbarians Vikings Saracens

Ends of the

Earth

0 400 800 1200 1600 2000

5

History of Missions: Part 2Dark Ages – A.D. 500 – 1517

This stage of development brought the Church in general through its lowest level in history where darkness, ignorance, superstition and mysticism ruled the day.

Medieval Missionary Expansion (A.D. 500-1200)

Nestorian expansion to the eastNestorius, deposed bishop of Alexandria, held a weaker view of the two natures of Christ than RCC; also against rising Mariolatry and “Mother of God”Spread east to India, where they became known as Mar Thoma church (apostle Thomas?)Entered China by 635 AD but lasted only a few hundred years in China – imperial decree prohibiting monasteries, which was targeted at Buddhists, closed them as well

Christianization of Europe

Celtic tradition (Easter and penance) ruled the islands until destroyed by Viking and Saxon raids when Romans abandoned Britannia in 410

Roman tradition leaders were appointed by Pope

Columba (521-597) evangelized mainland and set up monasteries

Ireland

Scotland

England

Columban (543-615) and 12-man team set up

Celtic monasteries

Boniface, Apostle to the Germans (672-755) commissioned by Rome to evangelize and organize churches

Boniface felled the sacred oak dedicated to Thor then built a chapel with its wood!

With the defeat of the Vikings by Alfred the Great in 878 missionaries began to head to Scandinavia to evangelize. 250 years later it was considered “Christian”

Christian Empire of Charlemagne (742-814)

Saxony

After 30 years War Saxons finally conquered and forcibly Christianized

Papal States

Beginnings of

the Holy Roman Empire

Charlemagne conqueres Lombardy

Charlemagne crowned

Emperor in 800 by Pope

“Christianizing” of Europe

Eastern EuropeThe Byzantine Christianity was not evangelistic, but two brothers Cyril and Methodius (827-869) were sent to Moravia (Czech Rep)Reduced vernacular language to writing and translated BibleWestern church persecuted use of vernacular language, so fled to Bulgaria – became foundation for John HusWhen the King of Bulgaria, Boris, was converted, it opened the door for Slavic evangelism, esp. Russia and Poland

By 1200 all of Europe was “Christianized” thanks to conversions of kings and heroic missionary efforts

However, this is Nominal Christianity, not biblical Christianity

Holy Roman Empire Otto the Great 962-973

Holy Roman Empire of Otto the Great

(962-973)

In spite of losses to Islam Christianity continued to gain ground. Tribes in East and North were baptized

Papal states

The rulers of the Bulgars, Slavs, Moravians, Bohemians, Poles, Magyars and Verangians were won with mass baptisms of their people.

Confrontation with Islam

Medina

641

Egypt643

644682 Islam reached the Atlantic

Damascus

Attack Constantinople repeatedly from 674 to fall in 1453

Baghdad 638

677-701

650

Toledo711

Saragossa712

Tours 732

It would take 700 years to eject them from Spain!

Crusades

French and German nobles respond to challenge

1095 – Byzantine Emperor Alexis I appeals to West for military support against Turks

1078 – Turks take Jerusalem and stop Christian pilgrims

1099 – Crusaders siege city and massacre Muslim and Jewish

inhabitants

Division of Easter and

Western Church

1199 4th Crusade: French nobles install pro-western (Latin) emperor in Constantinople

In 1204 ravage city to secure Latin control -- but weakened for later fall to Muslims

1095 – Pope Urban II calls for crusade to free Holy Lands from Muslim control

Clarmont

There would be a total of 8 Crusades until 1270, then Constantinople fell in 1453

Constantinople

Mongolian attack on Islam 12-15th Cent

Empire o

f

Genghis

Khan

1167-122

7

Empire

from

China to

Middle

East

Crusade Kingdom

1259-60

1260-1300 1219-23

1219-23

1243

Mongolia and Marco Polo

Marco Polo’s Journeys 1271-1295

Khubilai Khan asked for teachers of science and religion

Polo’s book Book of Experiences was popular motivating many to go.

In 1368 the Mongols were overthrown by the Ming dynasty and China became closed to foreigners

Spread of the Black DeathFleeing Mongol onslaught they transport plagues with great caravans

ConstantinopleEarly 1347

Late 1347

Early 1348

Late 1348

Late 1349

1350

Est. 50% of pop. killed by

plague!

The Muslim Offensive in Europe 1453-1683

Fall of Constantinople 1453

1505-26

1459

1463

1529-

16831571

1458

1669

1565Defeated

1478

Roman Catholic MissionsThe efforts to convert by intimidation

and coercion failedFrancis of Assisi (1182-1226) made 3 attempts to reach the Muslims but none successfulRaymond Lull (1235-1315), a wealthy nobleman, encouraged a confrontational approach; opened a training center for Franciscan monks; made 3 trips to N. Africa only to be imprisoned or banished and finally stoned to death by Muslims.Catholic missions arose out of explorations of Catholic countries to Asia, Africa and New World—Priests followed the conquistadors with coercive tactics of the Inquisition

More Catholic Missions

Francis Xavier (1506-1552) Jesuit, most famous in Malay and Japan. Converts in Japan said to number over 500,000 until 1614, when politics changed:

All foreigners forced to leave and converts were to recant or dieFor 230 years Japan was a hermit nation, sealed off from rest of world

Spanish colonization of Philippines brought 2 million converts!French colonization of French Indochina (Viet Nam) met with huge successIn Africa every effort met with failure! Only modern Catholic missions here have been successful

Availability of the Bible

Only Bibles were Latin, as vernacular languages were prohibitedSeldom ever a complete Bible (large, 2-3 volumes, expensive, rare).Most of the population was illiterateBible truths, stories communicated by:

Book illuminationsDramasStained glassSculpturesMosaicsFrescos and PaintingsIcons

In France, The Acts of the Apostles, included 494 speaking parts, 61,908 lines of rhymed verse and 40 days to perform!Books were done on parchment or on vellum (made from skins of young sheep) and lettered, gilded and illuminated by hand. A whole Bible could take 400 animals and years of work by a score of scribes and artists. A Bible could cost as much as a new church building!

Pre-Reformation Evangelicals

Host of persecuted Christian groups operated independently of RCCMost records of these Evangelicals have been lost, destroyed, repressed or misrepresentedOnly “heresy” was their commitment to worship and evangelize according to the ScripturesPaulicians (700-1000) saw the RCC as apostate, opposed the magical view of sacraments, etcOthers were Peter Waldo (Waldenses), Bohemian Brethren, Albigenses, John Wycliffe (Lollards), John Hus (Hussites), Taborites, Brethren of the Common Life, etc. Millions were killed for refusing to bow to Rome!

Pre Reformation Groups 12-15th Century

Jon Huss, executed in 1415, taught Bible in Bohemian language, and allegiance to the Bible forgiveness, not paying for indulgenances. Followers were beheaded for repeating his teachings and he was burned at the stake

Lollards were followers of John Wycliffe, Oxford professor, translated Bible into English and taught as the only valid authorityAlbigenses, associate with Bogomils, dualists, ascetics, Oneness theology, Jesus was a ghost

Paulicians or Bogomils were dualists, high regard for Bible, no validity to sacraments, no veneration to Mary, baptism for adults

Waldensenians rejected authority of priests, anyone could teach the Bible, it alone was necessary for salvation, rejected purgatory, relics and icons. Went underground when condemned. Persecuted from 13-16th cent