The early Church time machine
What the first Christians believed, quoted from their own writings, beside the story of how the New Testament was read, listed and received. Every quotation is from a public-domain translation and is checked word for word against it.
Follow the same story on the journey map, from Nazareth to Rome
c. AD 30-33 · Church and bishops
The first Christians in Jerusalem
“And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and in prayers.”
From the beginning the Church gathered around the Apostles’ teaching and the breaking of bread. CCC 1342
c. AD 96 · Church and bishops
St. Clement of Rome
“The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God.”
The Catechism cites Clement on the Apostles appointing successors. CCC 861
c. AD 96 · The Bible
St. Clement of Rome
“Take up the epistle of the blessed Apostle Paul.”
Clement, writing from Rome, tells the Corinthians to reread the letter Paul had sent them. 1 Clement 47
c. AD 107-110 · Church and bishops
St. Ignatius of Antioch
“wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”
The Catechism quotes this line when it explains what “catholic” means. CCC 830
c. AD 107-110 · The Eucharist
St. Ignatius of Antioch
“they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ”
The Church teaches that in the Eucharist the body and blood of Christ are truly, really and substantially contained. CCC 1374
c. AD 155 · The Eucharist
St. Justin Martyr
“For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these”
The Catechism cites Justin as a second-century witness to the order of the Mass. CCC 1345
c. AD 155 · The Eucharist
St. Justin Martyr
“on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place”
The basic lines of the Eucharistic celebration have stayed the same until our own day. CCC 1345
c. AD 180 · Church and bishops
St. Irenaeus of Lyons
“it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church, on account of its pre-eminent authority”
The Catechism quotes Irenaeus on the Church of Rome, which “presides in charity”. CCC 834
c. AD 180 · Mary
St. Irenaeus of Lyons
“the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary.”
The Catechism quotes Irenaeus on Mary’s obedience of faith. CCC 494
c. AD 180 · The Bible
St. Irenaeus of Lyons
“It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are.”
The Church accepts the four Gospels as the heart of all the Scriptures. CCC 125
late 2nd century (date debated) · The Bible
The Muratorian Fragment
“The third book of the Gospel, that according to Luke, the well-known physician Luke wrote in his own name”
It was by the apostolic Tradition that the Church discerned which writings belong in the list of sacred books. CCC 120
AD 325 · Christ and the Trinity
Council of Nicaea
“being of one substance (homoousion, consubstantialem) with the Father”
At Nicaea the Church confessed that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, one only God with him. CCC 242
c. AD 350 · The Eucharist
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
“Consider therefore the Bread and the Wine not as bare elements, for they are, according to the Lord’s declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ”
The Church teaches that the whole Christ is truly, really and substantially present in the Eucharist. CCC 1374
AD 367 · The Bible
St. Athanasius of Alexandria
“These are, the four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.”
His Easter letter is the earliest known list matching the 27-book New Testament. Athanasius, Festal Letter 39 Metzger, The Canon of the New Testament
AD 381 · Christ and the Trinity
Council of Constantinople
“And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father”
The Catechism quotes this confession of faith in the Holy Spirit from Constantinople. CCC 245
AD 397 and 419 · The Bible
Councils of Carthage
“for these are the things which we have received from our fathers to be read in church.”
African bishops affirmed the list and asked that it be sent to Pope Boniface and other bishops to confirm it; Trent defined it for the whole Church in 1546. Carthage (419), canon 24 Trent, Session IV
AD 451 · Christ and the Trinity
Council of Chalcedon
“in two natures, unconfusedly, immutably, indivisibly, inseparably”
The Catechism quotes Chalcedon’s confession of one Christ in two natures. CCC 467
Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an error.