Timeline of Religion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The religious timeline presents a comparative chronology of the major
events in human religious history. The timeline is split into two eras.
The period of prehistory and the period of recorded history. The
prehistoric era covers the bulk of human history, yet no written records
exist. As a consequence, much of the information from prehistory is
gleaned from indirect sources. The period of recorded history begins
with the invention of writing some 5000 years ago.
Paleolithic religion and Evolutionary origin of religions
300th to 51st millennium BCE
The earliest known superstantial evidence of possible religious
practices. At Atapuerca in Spain, the bones of 28 individuals are found
in a single pit. The concentration of human remains is thought to
represent intentional or ritual burial.
Earliest undisputed evidence for intentional burial. Neanderthals are
burying their dead at sites such as Krapina in Croatia.
Human skeletal remains, buried at Qafzeh, Israel, are stained with red
ochre and accompanied with a variety of grave goods.
Possible intentional burials with grave goods begin to appear in Iraq at
Shanidar and in Israel. Cut marks on buried Neanderthal bones from
various (e.g. Combe-Grenal and Abri Moula, France) may imply ritual
A giant stone in the African Kalahari desert resembling a python,
accompanied by a hidden chamber and surrounded by broken spear heads, is
possibly the site of ritual offerings and snake worship.
50th to 11th millennium BCE
The body of the a man known as Mungo Man at Lake Mungo in Australia is
sprinkled with red ochre, possibly rituals transmited from Africa.
Elaborate burials, sculptures, and cave art.
Earliest known burial of a shaman.
Göbekli Tepe (in modern Turkey) earliest known ritual complex, predates
The Neolithic Revolution following the adoption of agriculture results
in population explosions around the world. The first cities, states and
kingdoms begin to emerge. The first organized religions emerge as a
response to the social, economic and political changes brought about by
agriculture. The early states that emerged are theocracies in which the
political power is justified by religion.
100th to 34th century BCE
Four to five pine posts are erected near the eventual site of
The settlements of Catalhoyuk develop as a likely spiritual center of
Anatolia. Possibly practicing worship in communal shines, its
inhabitants leave behind numerous clay figurines and impressions of
phallic, feminine, and hunting scenes.
Newgrange, the 250,000 ton (226,796.2 tonne) passage tomb aligned to the
winter solstice in Ireland, is built.
History of Religion
33rd to 12th century BCE
The initial form of Stonehenge is completed. The circular bank and ditch
enclosure, about 110 metres (360 ft) across, may be complete with a
Sumerian Cuneiform emerges from the proto-literate Uruk period, allowing
the codification of beliefs and creation of detailed historical
3000 : The second phase of Stonehenge is completed and appears to
function as the first enclosed cremation cemetery in the British Isles.
Stonehenge begins to take on the form of its final phase. The wooden
posts are replaced with that of bluestone. It begins taking on an
increasingly complex setup --including altar, portal, station stones,
etc-- and shows consideration of solar alignments.
The first of the oldest surviving religious texts, the Pyramid Texts,
are composed in Ancient Egypt.
Minoan Civilization in Crete develops. Citizens worship a variety of
Earliest Vedas are composed.
Abraham is thought to have lived. Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh is also
thought to have been written.
Zoroaster (a.k.a. Zarathushtra), founder of Zoroastrianism, the first
monotheistic religion, is thought to have been born
The ancient development of Stonehenge comes to an end.
13th to 9th century BCE
Reign of Akhenaton in Ancient Egypt. He is credited with introducing
Monotheism to religion
The time of the Hebrew exodus from Egypt. The first books of the Torah
The Greek Dark Age begins.
Olmecs build earliest pyramids and temples in Central America.
The first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch are written.
Parsva, the penultimate (23rd) Tirthankara of Jainism is born.
8th to 3rd century BCE
Early Brahmanas are composed.
The Greek Dark Age ends.
Earliest Confucian writing, Shu Ching incorporates ideas of harmony and
Mahavira, the final (24th) Tirthankara of Jainism is born.
Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism is born.
Confucius, founder of Confucianism, is born.
Zoroastrianism enters recorded history.
Theravada Buddhism is introduced to Sri Lanka by the Venerable Mahinda.
The Third Buddhist council was convened.
2nd to 1st century BCE
Pompey captures Jerusalem and establishes Roman annexes Judea as a Roman
The early time-frame for the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the central
figure of Christianity.
1st to 4th century CE
The later time-frame for the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the central
figure of Christianity.
Time of the Crucifixion of Jesus.
Council of Jerusalem is held.
Siege of Jerusalem and the Destruction of the Temple.
Manichaean Gnosticism is formed by profit Mani
Some of the oldest parts of the Ginza Rba, a core text of Mandaean
Gnosticism, are written.
Classic Mayan civilization, Stepped pyramids are constructed.
The oldest known version of the Tao Te Ching is written on bamboo
The first Ecumenical Council, the Council of Nicaea, is convened to
attain a consensus on doctrine through an assembly representing all of
Christendom. It establishes the original Nicene Creed, fixes Easter
date, recognizes primacy of the sees of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch
and grants the See of Jerusalem a position of honor.
Theodosius the 1st declares Nicene Christianity the state religion of
the Roman Empire.
The second Ecumenical Council, the Council of Constantinople,
reaffirms/revises the Nicene Creed repudiating Arianism and
Theodosius proscripted paganism within the Roman Empire.
The Synod of Hippo, the first time a council of bishops of early
Christianity listed and approved a Biblical canon.
5th to 9th century CE
St. Jerome completes the Vulgate, the first latin translation of the
The Western Roman Empire begins to decline, signaling the onset of the
The Assyrian Church of the East formally separates from the See of
Antioch and the western Syrian Church
The third Ecumenical Council, the Council of Ephesus, is held as a
result of the controversial teachings of Nestorius, of Constantinople.
It repudiates Nestorianism, proclaims the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos
("Birth-giver to God", "God-bearer", "Mother of God"), repudiates
Pelagianism, and again reaffirmes the Nicene Creed.
The Second Council of Ephesus declares support of Eutyches and attacked
his opponents. Originally convened as an Ecumenical council, it's
ecumenicality is rejected and is denounced as a latrocinium by the
The fourth Ecumenical Council, the Council of Chalcedon rejects the
Eutychian doctrine of monophysitism, adopts the Chalcedonian Creed,
reinstated those deposed in 449 and deposed Dioscorus of Alexandria, and
elevates of the bishoprics of Constantinople and Jerusalem to the status
The Oriental Orthodox Church rejects the christological view put forth
by the Council of Chalcedon and is excommunicated.
The fifth Ecumenical Council, Second Council of Constantinople,
repudiates the Three Chapters as Nestorian and condemns Origen of
Life of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
Qur'an is completed.
The sixth Ecumenical Council, the Third Council of Constantinople,
rejects Monothelitism and Monoenergism.
The Quinisext Council (aka "Council in Trullo"), an amendment to the 5th
and 6th Ecumenical Councils, establishes the Pentarchy.
Kojiki the oldest surviving book and Shinto texts are written
The latrocinium Council of Hieria supports iconoclasm.
The seventh Ecumenical Council, Second Council of Nicaea, restores the
veneration of icons and denounces iconoclasm.
10th to 13th century CE
The Great Schism between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
churches formally takes place.
The first Crusade takes place.
Sigurd I of Norway wages the Norwegian Crusade on Muslims in Spain, the
Baleares, and in Palestine.
The Second Crusade is waged in response to the fall of the County of
The Third Crusade, European leaders attempt to reconquer the Holy Land
The Fourth Crusade takes place.
Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade sack the Christian Eastern Orthodox city
of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire.
The Albigensian Crusade takes place in Occitania, Europe.
The Church attempts the Fifth Crusade.
The Sixth Crusade occurs.
Jerusalem is sacked again, instigating the Seventh Crusade.
The Eighth Crusade is organized.
The Ninth Crusade fails.
14th to 18th century CE
The Roman Catholic Church is split during the Western Schism.
African religious systems are introduced to the Americas, with the
commencement of the trans-Atlantic forced migration.
Martin Luther, of the Protestant Reformation, posts the 95 theses.
The life of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism
19th to current century CE
The life of Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith
Aradia (aka the Gospel of the Witches) is published by Charles Godfrey
Becoming a place of pilgrimage for neo-druids and other pagans, the
Ancient Order of Druids organized the first recorded reconstructionist
ceremony in Stonehenge.
Rastafarianism, the Nation of Islam is founded.
Scientology is created.
Wicca, invented by Gerald Gardner.
Various Neopagan movements gain momentum.
The Church of All Worlds, the first American neo-pagan church, is formed
by a group including Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, Morning Glory
Zell-Ravenheart, and Richard Lance Christie.
The Stonehenge free festivals are held.
Germanic Neopaganism (aka Heathenism, Heathenry, Ásatrú, Odinism, Forn
Siðr, Vor Siðr, and Theodism) begins to experience a second wave of
The Iranian Revolution results in the establishment of an Islamic
Republic in Iran.
The Stregherian revial, the Arician Tradition is founded and "The Book
of the Holy Strega" and "The Book of Ways" Volume I & II are published.
The Battle of the Beanfield forces an end to the Stonehenge free
European pagan reconstructive movements (Celtic, Hellenic, Roman,
Slavic, Baltic, Finnish, etc) organize.
Pope John Paul II the most ecumenical Pope in history passes away.