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*[[Individual Christians]]
*[[Individual Christians]]
*[[Christian Movements]]
*[[Christian Movements]]
*[[Controversy over the Date of Easter]]


In 1520, there were four main government-approved churches: the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, The Ethiopian Church, and the Assyrian (Indian) Church - divided primarily by location.  By 1750, there were numerous organized Protestant denominations, including the Anglicans, Lutherans, Mennonites, Baptists, Hutterites, Moravians, Pilgrims, Armenians, Puritans, Quakers, and Huguenots. Many of these groups were persecuted by the Catholic Church, but also persecuted the Catholic Church and each other when the opportunity arose.   
In 1520, there were four main government-approved churches: the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, The Ethiopian Church, and the Assyrian (Indian) Church - divided primarily by location.  By 1750, there were numerous organized Protestant denominations, including the Anglicans, Lutherans, Mennonites, Baptists, Hutterites, Moravians, Pilgrims, Armenians, Puritans, Quakers, and Huguenots. Many of these groups were persecuted by the Catholic Church, but also persecuted the Catholic Church and each other when the opportunity arose.   


Before Jesus' death and resurrection, Peter denied Jesus three times, while the other disciples abandoned him.  All this changed on the day of Pentecost, when Peter and 119 other disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to testify boldly of Jesus Christ, baptizing those that believed on His name.   
Before Jesus' death and resurrection, Peter denied Jesus three times, while the other disciples abandoned him.  All this changed on the day of Pentecost, when Peter and 119 other disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to testify boldly of Jesus Christ, baptizing those that believed on His name.   
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*The authorship and compilation of the Christian New Testament,
*The authorship and compilation of the Christian New Testament,
*Love under persecution, and grace in the face of death
*Love under persecution, and grace in the face of death
Starting with Sixtus, a Bishop of Rome in 117 AD, the date and order of the passover/Eucharist became the first significant division within the Christian churches. 


These early Christians were rich in their knowledge of the teachings of Jesus Christ, having many witnesses of Jesus’ ministry among them, including the twelve apostles and Mary, Jesus’ mother.  By writing these memories down, the disciples started writing the New Testament.  These stories were soon complimented by the doctrinal teachings of the Apostle Paul, as he received revelation and understanding of Jesus Christ.  These writings established the whole essence of Christianity and its doctrines:
These early Christians were rich in their knowledge of the teachings of Jesus Christ, having many witnesses of Jesus’ ministry among them, including the twelve apostles and Mary, Jesus’ mother.  By writing these memories down, the disciples started writing the New Testament.  These stories were soon complimented by the doctrinal teachings of the Apostle Paul, as he received revelation and understanding of Jesus Christ.  These writings established the whole essence of Christianity and its doctrines:
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Polycarp
Polycarp
The first internal evidence of a Bishop exerting influence over another Bishop is Sixtus I of Rome who, in 117 AD, declared that any Bishop visiting Rome should not be accepted back without a letter of recommendation. This doctrine was not accepted by the other churches at that time. 
Sixtus' influence is in contrast to the deeds of the early Bishops of Rome, including Linus (who according to Irenaeus was mentioned by Paul in the epistle to Timothy) and Clement, the latter of which wrote to the Corinthians when they had some trouble, and said:
:''submit yourselves to the presbyters, and receive correction so as to repent...For it is better for you that ye should occupy a humble but honourable place in the flock of Christ, than that, being highly exalted, ye should be cast out from the hope of His people.'' (The Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, CHAP. LVII)


Of note is the gap of two years between Alexander and Sixtus where there was no Bishop in Rome due to severe persecution.  The Church under Sixtus was probably a decimated and persecuted Church, and may have been an entirely different Church than the church under Alexander (a martyr) due to dispersion and death of the inhabitants of the earlier church, and reintegration of backslidden Christians (probable, but speculation only).   
Of note is the gap of two years between Alexander and Sixtus where there was no Bishop in Rome due to severe persecution.  The Church under Sixtus was probably a decimated and persecuted Church, and may have been an entirely different Church than the church under Alexander (a martyr) due to dispersion and death of the inhabitants of the earlier church, and reintegration of backslidden Christians (probable, but speculation only).   
The Bishops in Rome continued with this feeling of supremacy until Polycarp, frusterated by their attempts to influence the other churches over trivial matters, traveled to Rome personally and laid to rest the issue of the date of the Passover/Eucharist. Anicetus (the then Bishop of Rome) submitted to Polycarp's rebuke, and agreed that each church should have the right to determine the date of the Passover/Eucharist independantly. 
Polycarp also influenced Anicetus to condemn certain heresies with more vigor.


The Christian churches in the second century were persecuted, but vibrant:  
The Christian churches in the second century were persecuted, but vibrant:  
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