Discovered in Egypt in 1952, this 1700-year-old book stands as a key example of the birth of Christian literature and culture – including the rise of antisemitism.
A mosaic of the Resurrection in the Basilica of St. Paul in Harissa, Lebanon.
FredSeiller/Wikimedia Commons
A formidable woman born in the second half of the fourth century and widowed at around 17, Olympias was not afraid to advocate for herself – or her friends.
“Italian Coast Scene with Ruined Tower,” by 19th century American painter Thomas Cole.
National Gallery of Art
The ‘Shepherd of Hermas’ has been accused of being pedantic, even boring. In the first few centuries of Christianity, though, it was a hit.
An 11th-century mosaic shows Epiphanius of Salamis, Clement of Rome, Gregory the Theologian, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archdeacon Stephen.
St. Sophia of Kyiv/Wikimedia Commons
Although many modern people tend to see ‘magic’ and ‘religion’ as separate, magic was actually integral to the development of Christianity.
The Cadaver Synod (897): Seven months after his death, the corpse of Pope Formosus was found guilty of perjury.
Jean-Paul Laurens (1870) via Britannica
An expert explains how a complex set of canon laws and trials are the major obstacle to holding priests accountable. The power to take action is often vested in the Vatican.
Illustration of Dante’s Paradiso.
Giovanni di Paolo
Different cultural groups respond with numerous, often conflicting, answers to questions about life after death. An expert explains the Christian idea of heaven.
Should we be more patient with those we view as distracted?
Serhii Bobyk/Shutterstock.com
We disapprove of distraction and consider attention as being valuable. What if they were, in fact, morally charged words, referring to the same behavior? Here’s what early Christian monks thought.