INTRODUCTION
IMPORTANT CHRISTIAN CENTERS IN ASIAN MISSION ACCORDING TO COUNTRIES: FROM 1ST CENTURY TO 10TH CENTURY
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDER: JESUS CHRIST born in Roman Asia (Bethlehem, Lk 2: 4-7))
"decree from Caesar Augustus" (r. 27 BC- 14 AD), (Lk 2: 1)
APOSTOLIC MISSIONARIES (1st century AD): 12 APOSTLES (acc. to tradition)
Peter: Antioch, Babylon, Martyred
Andrew: Antioch, Armenia, Martyred
James: Jerusalem, Martyred (Acts 12: 1-2)
John: Ephesus, Natural death
Bartholomew: Armenia, Martyred
Philip: Greece, Syria, Martyred
Matthew: Jerusalem and beyond, Martyred
Thomas: Armenia, India, Martyred
James, Son of Alphaeus: Syria, Martyred
Thaddeus (Jude): Armenia, Martyred
Simon the Zealot (Cannaites): Armenia, Persia Lebanon, Martyred
Matthias: Armenia, Martyred
I. BORDER OF EAST AND WEST: Euphrates River
II. CHURCH FATHERS: Origen of Alexandria, "praeparatio evangelium"
III. ROMAN EMPIRE: "Pax Romana"
IV. INTERIOR BIBLICAL CENTERS: GRECO-ROMAN, ASIA
A. Palestine
1. Judea- Jerusalem (Acts 1: 8)
2. Samaria (Acts 1: 8)
3. Galilee (Matt. 4: 15, 21: 11; Mk. 3: 17; Lk. 4: 14-30; John 1: 46; 7: 52)
4. Ends of the world (Acts 1: 8)
B. Asia Minor: Phhygia, Galatia, Pontus, Lycia, Pisidia, Pamphilia, Cappadocia (Book of Acts)
C. Syria: , Antioch (Lk 2: 1-2; Acts 11: 26)
"Quirius was a governor of Syria"
"The disciples were called Christians at first at Antioch."
D. Parthia (Iran, Southern Russia, Afghanistan border) (Acts 2: 5-11)
E. Media (South of Caspian Sea and, modern Teheran) (Acts 2: 5-11)
F. Elam (Khuzistaan, and Persian Gulf) (Acts 2: 5-11)
V. EXTRA BIBLICAL CENTERS:
A. OSROENE: Kingdom of Edessa (132 BC-214 AD)
1. Religion: Gnosticism, Christianity
2. Dynasty:
a. Abqarid
b. King Abgar V (Black, 13 AD-50 AD)
3. Missionaries: Thaddaeus or Addaï of Edessa (Apostle); Eusebius EH (I. 12);
Bardaisan of Edessa (b. 154)
4. Important cities: Edessa (Today Sanliurga, Turkey), Nisibus (Today Nusaybin, Turkey)
B. ARMENIA: Apostle of Armenia was Gregory the Illuminator (3rd century)
1. Religion: Zoroastrianism, Christianity
2. Dynasty: Tiridates III of Armenia (r. 298-330 AD)
a. Armenia was the first Christian kingdom. King Tiridates I (261-317)
b. Missionaries: Gregory the Illuminator
3. Important cities: Mtsbin, Yerevan
C. ARAB NATIONS, (Kuwait; Bahrain; United Arab Emirates, UAE; Oman)
1. Religions: Christian, Islam (c7th century)
2. Dynasty: Himyarites Kingdom (110 BC- 520 AD)
3. Missionaries: Apostle Paul (Gal 15-17);
Pamphilos of the Tannaye, who attened Council of Nicaea (325);
Mawiyya, the first Christian Arab queen; Hayyan of Yemen; Abdisho of Bahrain (390)
4. Important regions: Hira
D. IRAQ (Ancient Assyria)
1. Religion: Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity
2. Dynasty:Adianene kingdom
a. King Ezad converted to Judaism
3. Missionaries:Two disciples of Addaï (Thaddaeus); Aggai (Acts of St. Mari); Pkidha, bishop, Semsoun (2nd bishop); Tatian the Assyrian (c. 110-180)
4. Important cities: Arbela (Modern Erbil; once Iran)
E. IRANIAN (Persian Empire dissolved in 330 AD), ASIA
1. Religions: Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism
2. Dynasty:
a. Achaemenids (549-330 BC) Founder was Cyrus II, the Great.
b. Seleucids (312-238 BC) It was Greek. Heir of Alexander the Great.
c. Pathians (247-226 AD) It was Asian again.
d. Sasanian Empire (224 AD- 651 AD)
3. Missionaries: Peter, Thomas Parthians; , Thadaeus, Bartholomew and Addeus, Mesopotamia regions.
4. IImportant cities: Seleucia-Ctesiphon
F. CENTRAL ASIA (700 BC- 10th century: Persian Empire; Greek Empire 4th century BC); Indo-Parthian (1st century AD); Kusan (200-300 AD); Xionites (400 AD); Hephthalites and Hunas (500 AD); Sui (6c)and Tang (7th century), China; Arab empire; Mongol (13th century)
1. Religion: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism
2. Countries: Pamirs, Tajilistan, Azerbaijan, 7 Stans countries
3. Missionaries:
4. Important cities: Bactria, Afghanistan
G. INDIA, ASIA
1. Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism
2. Dynasty
a. Maurya empire (321 BC)
3. Missionaries: St. Thomas (1st century), Pantaenus of Alexandria (ca. 180 or 190), Persian missionaries (400 AD), Bishop David of Basra,
4. Important cities and centers: Karela, Malabar
F. CHINA (SINIC)
1. Religion: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism
2. Dynasty
a. Jin daynasty (221 BC- 207 BC)
b. Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD)
3. Missionaries: An Shih Kao (c. 149 AD); Alopen (635
4. Important cities: Xi'an
I. MONGOL CHINA (13th)
1. Reglision:Tengrism, Shamanism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity
2. Dynasty: Genghis Khan (1206-1227); Sorkaktani (His daughter-in-law was a Christian.)
Ögetai (1229-1241)
Guyuk (1246-1248)
Möngke (1251-1259)
Kublai (1260-1294) (His mother was Sorkaktani.)
3. Missionaries: Ongud tribe, Keraites tribe
4. Important cities: Avarga
J. KOREA
1. Religion: Shaminism, Buddhism, Confucianism
2. Dynasty:Three Kingdoms (300 AD- 700 AD), Northern-Southern Period (700 AD- 900 AD), Koryo Period (936 AD- 1392 AD)
3. Missionaries: Nestorian missionaries
4. Important cities: Anshan, Liaotung peninsula
INTRODUCTION
FOUNDER: JESUS CHRIST born in Roman Asia (Bethlehem, Lk 2: 4-7))
"decree from Caesar Augustus" (r. 27 BC- 14 AD), (Lk 2: 1)
APOSTOLIC MISSIONARIES (1st century AD): 12 APOSTLES (acc. to tradition)
Peter: Antioch, Babylon, Martyred
Andrew: Antioch, Armenia, Martyred
James: Jerusalem, Martyred (Acts 12: 1-2)
John: Ephesus, Natural death
Bartholomew: Armenia, Martyred
Philip: Greece, Syria, Martyred
Matthew: Jerusalem and beyond, Martyred
Thomas: Armenia, India, Martyred
James, Son of Alphaeus: Syria, Martyred
Thaddeus (Jude): Armenia, Martyred
Simon the Zealot (Cannaites): Armenia, Persia Lebanon, Martyred
Matthias: Armenia, Martyred
I. BORDER OF EAST AND WEST: Euphrates River
II. CHURCH FATHERS: Origen of Alexandria, "praeparatio evangelium"
III. ROMAN EMPIRE: "Pax Romana"
IV. INTERIOR BIBLICAL CENTERS: GRECO-ROMAN, ASIA
A. Palestine
1. Judea- Jerusalem (Acts 1: 8)
2. Samaria (Acts 1: 8)
3. Galilee (Matt. 4: 15, 21: 11; Mk. 3: 17; Lk. 4: 14-30; John 1: 46; 7: 52)
4. Ends of the world (Acts 1: 8)
B. Asia Minor: Phhygia, Galatia, Pontus, Lycia, Pisidia, Pamphilia, Cappadocia (Book of Acts)
C. Syria: , Antioch (Lk 2: 1-2; Acts 11: 26)
"Quirius was a governor of Syria"
"The disciples were called Christians at first at Antioch."
D. Parthia (Iran, Southern Russia, Afghanistan border) (Acts 2: 5-11)
E. Media (South of Caspian Sea and, modern Teheran) (Acts 2: 5-11)
F. Elam (Khuzistaan, and Persian Gulf) (Acts 2: 5-11)
V. EXTRA BIBLICAL CENTERS:
A. OSROENE: Kingdom of Edessa (132 BC-214 AD)
1. Religion: Gnosticism, Christianity
2. Dynasty:
a. Abqarid
b. King Abgar V (Black, 13 AD-50 AD)
3. Missionaries: Thaddaeus or Addaï of Edessa (Apostle); Eusebius EH (I. 12);
Bardaisan of Edessa (b. 154)
4. Important cities: Edessa (Today Sanliurga, Turkey), Nisibus (Today Nusaybin, Turkey)
B. ARMENIA: Apostle of Armenia was Gregory the Illuminator (3rd century)
1. Religion: Zoroastrianism, Christianity
2. Dynasty: Tiridates III of Armenia (r. 298-330 AD)
a. Armenia was the first Christian kingdom. King Tiridates I (261-317)
b. Missionaries: Gregory the Illuminator
3. Important cities: Mtsbin, Yerevan
C. ARAB NATIONS, (Kuwait; Bahrain; United Arab Emirates, UAE; Oman)
1. Religions: Christian, Islam (c7th century)
2. Dynasty: Himyarites Kingdom (110 BC- 520 AD)
3. Missionaries: Apostle Paul (Gal 15-17);
Pamphilos of the Tannaye, who attened Council of Nicaea (325);
Mawiyya, the first Christian Arab queen; Hayyan of Yemen; Abdisho of Bahrain (390)
4. Important regions: Hira
D. IRAQ (Ancient Assyria)
1. Religion: Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity
2. Dynasty:Adianene kingdom
a. King Ezad converted to Judaism
3. Missionaries:Two disciples of Addaï (Thaddaeus); Aggai (Acts of St. Mari); Pkidha, bishop, Semsoun (2nd bishop); Tatian the Assyrian (c. 110-180)
4. Important cities: Arbela (Modern Erbil; once Iran)
E. IRANIAN (Persian Empire dissolved in 330 AD), ASIA
1. Religions: Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism
2. Dynasty:
a. Achaemenids (549-330 BC) Founder was Cyrus II, the Great.
b. Seleucids (312-238 BC) It was Greek. Heir of Alexander the Great.
c. Pathians (247-226 AD) It was Asian again.
d. Sasanian Empire (224 AD- 651 AD)
3. Missionaries: Peter, Thomas Parthians; , Thadaeus, Bartholomew and Addeus, Mesopotamia regions.
4. IImportant cities: Seleucia-Ctesiphon
F. CENTRAL ASIA (700 BC- 10th century: Persian Empire; Greek Empire 4th century BC); Indo-Parthian (1st century AD); Kusan (200-300 AD); Xionites (400 AD); Hephthalites and Hunas (500 AD); Sui (6c)and Tang (7th century), China; Arab empire; Mongol (13th century)
1. Religion: Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism
2. Countries: Pamirs, Tajilistan, Azerbaijan, 7 Stans countries
3. Missionaries:
4. Important cities: Bactria, Afghanistan
G. INDIA, ASIA
1. Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism
2. Dynasty
a. Maurya empire (321 BC)
3. Missionaries: St. Thomas (1st century), Pantaenus of Alexandria (ca. 180 or 190), Persian missionaries (400 AD), Bishop David of Basra,
4. Important cities and centers: Karela, Malabar
F. CHINA (SINIC)
1. Religion: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism
2. Dynasty
a. Jin daynasty (221 BC- 207 BC)
b. Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD)
3. Missionaries: An Shih Kao (c. 149 AD); Alopen (635
4. Important cities: Xi'an
I. MONGOL CHINA (13th)
1. Reglision:Tengrism, Shamanism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity
2. Dynasty: Genghis Khan (1206-1227); Sorkaktani (His daughter-in-law was a Christian.)
Ögetai (1229-1241)
Guyuk (1246-1248)
Möngke (1251-1259)
Kublai (1260-1294) (His mother was Sorkaktani.)
3. Missionaries: Ongud tribe, Keraites tribe
4. Important cities: Avarga
J. KOREA
1. Religion: Shaminism, Buddhism, Confucianism
2. Dynasty:Three Kingdoms (300 AD- 700 AD), Northern-Southern Period (700 AD- 900 AD), Koryo Period (936 AD- 1392 AD)
3. Missionaries: Nestorian missionaries
4. Important cities: Anshan, Liaotung peninsula