The fourth century began with Emperor Constantine giving the Christian Church state patronage, as well as beginning the long persecution of the pagan temples. It not only became fashionable to be a Christian, it was a prerequisite for those with ambition in imperial service.
The fourth century continued under a series of Christian emperors, with only the brief reign of Julian the Apostate breaking the sequence. Each Christian emperor furthered the cause of Christianity, while creating more hardship for pagans.
In 381, Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of empire. In 391, he made the public worship of the pagan gods a criminal offence punishable by death. Soon, Christian mobs, often led by their bishops, were ransacking the temples and burning pagan books.
In the space of one century, Christianity went from a relatively fringe sect to the only approved religion in the entire Roman Empire.
Christianity became the official religion to the roman empire.
The apocalyptic Jewish sect are considered as the first century church fathers.
William Moran has written: 'The government of the Church in the first century' -- subject(s): Church history, Church polity, History
Robert Duce has written: 'Castle Gate Church in the twentieth century' -- subject(s): Castle Gate Church (Nottingham, England), Church history, History
Gunter Stemmler has written: 'Eine Kirche in Bewegung' -- subject(s): 20th century, Church history, History, Methodist Church, Methodist Episcopal Church
Basil C. Ullyett has written: 'The crown and the mitre in 17th century Barbados' -- subject(s): Church and state, Church history, Church of England, History
Raymond Corrigan has written: 'The church and the nineteenth century' -- subject(s): Catholic Church, History
W. I. Craig has written: 'Presbyterianism in Lisburn from the seventeenth century' -- subject(s): Church history, First Lisburn Presbyterian Church (Lisburn, Northern Ireland), History, Presbyterian Church
Eric Palazzo has written: 'Le moyen ^age' -- subject(s): Catholic Church, History, History and criticism, Liturgics, Liturgy, Texts 'A history of liturgical books from the beginning to the thirteenth century' -- subject(s): Catholic Church, Church history, History and criticism, Liturgy, Texts
William F. Diller has written: 'St. James' Church (Protestant Episcopal) at mid-century' -- subject(s): Church history, History, St. James' Church (Lancaster, Pa.)
Kenneth Kreitner has written: 'The church music of fifteenth-century Spain' -- subject(s): Catholic Church, Church music, History and criticism
Garnet Watson Lynd has written: 'Temperanceville United Church, commemorating a century and a quarter of Christian activity' -- subject(s): Church history, History, Temperanceville United Church (Temperanceville, Ont.)
P. F. Campbell has written: 'The church in Barbados in the seventeenth century' -- subject(s): Church history