Historical Theology · Patristic Database

The Christian
Belief Map

What the first five centuries believed — and who still believes it today.

217
Belief Records
46
Figures
500
Years
6
Traditions
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Records by century
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1st
9
2nd
3
3rd
8
4th
8
5th
How to read the tradition strip
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
Identical Convergent Partial Divergent Opposed Unknown
Ante-Nicene · AD 100–200
9 records
SCRIPTURE c. AD 110
Polycarp of Smyrna
Polycarp of Smyrna, a disciple of John the Apostle, warns against those who twist the oracles of the Lord
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 155
Justin Martyr
Plato and the philosophers glimpsed partial truths that belong properly to Christians
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 155
Justin Martyr
The reading of the Scriptures aloud in the assembly was a central act of worship from the apostolic generation
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 155
Justin Martyr
Justin demonstrates that Christ's birth from a virgin fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah
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Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 180
Irenaeus of Lyon
Irenaeus describes the rule of faith as a summary of apostolic doctrine held universally by the Church
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 180
Irenaeus of Lyon
Scripture and apostolic tradition together are the rule of faith
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 180
Irenaeus of Lyon
Polycarp received the tradition directly from the Apostle John and transmitted it faithfully to the West
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 180
Irenaeus of Lyon
Heretics cannot rightly use Scripture because they stand outside the apostolic tradition
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 180
Irenaeus of Lyon
Gnosticism is wrong — creation is good and the God of creation is the God of redemption
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
Ante-Nicene · AD 200–300
3 records
SCRIPTURE c. AD 200
Tertullian
The tradition handed down from the apostles through bishops is the test of true Christianity
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 207
Tertullian
Marcion was wrong — the God of the Old Testament is the same God as the Father of Jesus
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 230
Origen of Alexandria
Scripture has both a literal sense and a deeper spiritual sense that the mature Christian discerns
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
Nicene Era · AD 300–400
8 records
SCRIPTURE AD 367
Athanasius of Alexandria
These books alone are the fountains of salvation — nothing is to be added or taken away
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE AD 367
Athanasius of Alexandria
The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament together constitute the complete revealed Word of God
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE AD 382
Pope Damasus I
Pope Damasus I convened the Council of Rome which confirmed the New Testament canon
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 390
Gregory of Nyssa
Gregory of Nyssa teaches that Moses entering the divine darkness on Sinai is the model of mystical union with God
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 393 ⚔ HOSTILE WITNESS
Jerome
Jerome argues that the deuterocanonical books are edifying but not on the same level as the Hebrew canon
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE AD 397
Council of Carthage
The Councils of Carthage confirmed the deuterocanonical books as part of the Christian canon
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 397
Augustine of Hippo
The Church has authority to determine which books belong to the canon of Scripture
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 397
Augustine of Hippo
The canon of both Old and New Testaments was settled by the authority of the Catholic churches
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
Post-Nicene · AD 400–500
8 records
SCRIPTURE c. AD 405
Augustine of Hippo
The Scriptures are inspired by God and free from error in what they affirm
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 405
Jerome
Jerome translates the Scriptures into Latin to make them accessible, returning to the original Hebrew and Greek
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 415
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo reads Genesis not as literal six-day chronology but as instantaneous divine creation
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE AD 431 ⚔ HOSTILE WITNESS
Council of Ephesus
The Council of Ephesus condemned the practice of adding anything to the Nicene Creed
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 434
Vincent of Lérins
Vincent of Lérins defines authentic development of doctrine as growth in the same doctrine, not contradiction of it
Cat
Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 434
Vincent of Lérins
The Church's Tradition is a living reality guided by the Holy Spirit over time
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Ort
Lut
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Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE c. AD 434
Vincent of Lérins
The Vincentian Canon — what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all — is the test of authentic tradition
Cat
Ort
Lut
Ref
Bap
Eva
SCRIPTURE AD 553
Council of Constantinople II
The Second Council of Constantinople (553) condemned the Three Chapters and Origenist propositions
Cat
Ort
Lut
Ref
Bap
Eva
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