What is the oldest Christian church in history?

Answer 1

ANSWER:

If by the word "church" you mean a community of believers and not a building or a religion - then it is the believers lead by James, the brother of Yeshua (Jesus was a Greek name) . It was a group of Hebrew Jews who followed the teachings of the Rabbi Yeshua.

These people shared their worldy wealth with their fellow brothers and sisters and sought the Kingdom - reconciliation with the One - that Yeshua taught about above all.

ANSWER:

The Oldest Church in Christian History is the Church founded by Christ himself at Pentacost in circa AD 33. This Church is known today as the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church and its 4 Apostolic Patriarchates can historically trace each of their roots to an Original 12 Apostle of Christ.However there are two Orthodox churches the Eastern Orthodox church under the patriarch of Constantinople and the Oriental Orthodox church with the Patriarcahtes of Antioch,Alexandria and Armenian Apostolic in communion with each other.Although they both mean Eastern/Oriental Orthodox it is used to differentiate between the two because of the different belief that was protrayed in the council of chalcedon 451 AD: the Eastern Orthodox belief is that Christ's divinity and humanity were separate, but according to the Oriental Orthodoxy, Christ's humanity and divinity are united in one hypostasis without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration. These two natures "did not separate for a moment or the twinkling of an eye.

The two churches have reached an agreement about the two christological statements but declared that another major holy council will have to be attended by both sides in order to unite the Orthodox churches and patriarchs again.

During the Great Schism of 1054 the Patriarchate of Rome separated herself from the four original Orthodox Patriarcahtes of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria.

Notes:

For a more detailed history books listed below are recommended.

"The Orthodox Church: By Timothy Ware: Penguin Books 1997"

An Online view of the same book listed.

See related list below.

ANSWER:

If the questioner means an existing church building, then it is the Dura Europa church house built around 235 AD, 200 years after the crucifixion.

Of all things, the earliest surviving incarnation of Christianity may be found in India among what are called Saint Thomas Christians. They are quite certain that their Church was founded by Thomas the Apostle who came to them in 52AD and indeed they retain quite a few Jewish traditions. They lived in relative isolation until the Portugese showed-up in the 16th century and tried to force them to convert to Catholicism but failed. They're something of a living relic of early Christianity. It's a fascinating read in any event.

Answer 2

All Churches believe that they are directly descended from one original Christian faith. Indeed, the Roman Catholic Church would say that it has existed since the very beginning of Christianity, as would the Orthodox. More realistically, it could be said that the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches came into being at the Great Schism of 1054 CE.

Many earlier Christian Churches have long since ceased to exist, while others may still exist quietly in the Middle East, with only a few thousand adherents. The oldest extant major Christian Church is the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, which broke away from the Catholic-Orthodox Church in 451 CE.

Answer 3

The first Christian Churches are found in ancient Greece, Italy, and Turkey. Remnants of those original buildings still exist and are a part of the Holy Roman Catholic Church or of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Answer 4

i don't know I'm tryin to find out !

easy Matthew 16 17:18 Jesus said Simon Barjona you are peter (rock) and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it . A better ? would be where is peter buried and in which Church is he in the the foundation ? Which Church goes back to the succession of Peter there is only one in the world? Gods words not mine.

The term "Christian" was coined by Roman authorities in Antioch, in present day Turkey near the border with Libya. So the locals argue that the first "Christian" Church is in the cave where the early Christians met. Barnabas and Paul spent some time there. It commanded a view of the valley so they posted lookouts to spot Roman troops coming to arrest them. There was a small escape cave through the back of the hill as well as caves up to the lookout posts. Today you can visit the cave and light a candle for a few cents (actually the attendant was too gracious to collect the fee).

Answer 5

I am not sure what you meant when you asked this questions so I will answer it in two parts:

The oldest organized Christian Church is the Holy Orthodox Church also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Church was founded around 350AD and its center is Constantinople or Istanbul, Turkey. Orhodoxy is practiced thoughout the world but it is most prevelant in Eastern Europe, Russia, former USSR states, the Middle East, parts of Central Africa, Egypt, as well as Turkey and the caucus Mountains. Today Orthodoxy has nearly 800million followers world wide belonging to a variety of sub-churches which all form the Orthodox Church. For example there are Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Coptic and all of them form the single Orthodox Church.

The oldest church as in the oldest building, is difficult to say. As soon as Christ was hung there were churches, usually just homes or meting places because Christianity was banned. So the first church building is difficult to pinpoint. The first church to be built and commissioned out of secrecy was the Church of the Holy Trinity which was built on the mount Jesus was crusified in the city of Jerusalem where the Palestinean Orthodox Church still has several members

Answer 6

.Archaeology magazine suggests that the Dura-Europos church in Syria is the oldest surviving church building in the world. But the Catholic Encyclopedia the Cenacle (the site of the Last Supper) in Jerusalem was the "first Christian church."

Answer 7

That would be the Catholic Church, as it was the only one founded by Our Blessed Lord, Himself.

Answer 8

jewish of catholic, probrably jewish.