Our Hebrew and Jewish Heritage Our Catholic Heritage approximately A.D. 29–1534 Our Anglican Heritage 1534–1738 Our Methodist Heritage 2000 B.C.1000 B.C.Christ’s Birth A.D Today After Christ’s death and resurrection, the next 1,700 years of our faith history take place in the Catholic Church and, eventually, the Anglican Church.

At first many people were not happy with Christianity—off and on for about 300 years, Christians were persecuted by the government.

In 312 the Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity Theodosius I would make Christianity the official religion of the Empire in 380 In 312 the Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. Theodosius I would make Christianity the official religion of the Empire in 380.

Differences in language, culture, and doctrine split the church in The Roman Catholic Church in the West The Orthodox Church in the East

Because the church is made up of imperfect people, the church developed some imperfect practices. In 1517 a monk named Martin Luther posted 95 points on a church door, calling for reforms in the Catholic church; and the church split once again.

Those who protested the ways of the Catholic Church were called Protestants. Some Protestants followed Luther and became Lutherans. Others followed a reformer named John Calvin and became Calvinists (ancestors of today’s Presbyterians). John Calvin

England’s King Henry VIII was a Catholic... until the Pope wouldn’t let him get a divorce. So Henry started the Church of England, got divorced (several times), kicked the Catholic Church out of England, and took the church’s land and money.

The Church of England (known as the Anglican or Episcopal Church) became an important Christian denomination. Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church cleaned up its act; but the hard feelings of the Reformation remained. The Canterbury Cathedral

Because the church is made up of imperfect people, the church once again needed reform. An Anglican preacher named John Wesley set out a different path, and the Methodist movement began. Anglican Church (Church of England) 1534 Methodist Movement in England Methodist Movement in America Methodist Episcopal Church 1784

Wesley preached and lived a message of God’s grace and holy living that spoke to the common people, who were often not welcome in the Church of England. His dedication and methods ignited and fanned the flame of Methodism.