World's "Oldest Christian Church" Found in Jordan (from Soon After the Crucifixion and Resurrection)

[mdgspencer]

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/jordan/2106752/Worlds-oldest-Christian-church-discovered-in-Jordan.html

“‘We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from 33 AD to 70 AD,’ Abdul Qader al-Husan, head of Jordan’s Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, said.
‘We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians…’”

(The year 33 is probably the year when Christ was crucified, and 70 was when when the Jews rebelled against the Roman Empire and Israel was destroyed. Evidence shows the Christians who made this church fled persecution in Jerusalem [which the Romans would wipe out as a Jewish city in 70].)

This article has been put into the Catholic forum in accord with the Catholic belief that the earliest Church was Catholic.

 

[Peebo]

The article is dated 2008…that’s 9 years ago…is there any update on the finding…

 

[Tim_D]

The article is dated 2008…that’s 9 years ago…is there any update on the finding…

Probably not. The first Christian “gatherings” were in people’s homes to celebrate the Eucharist. The claim of “first church” is really specious.

 

[friardchips]

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/jordan/2106752/Worlds-oldest-Christian-church-discovered-in-Jordan.html

“‘We have uncovered what we believe to be the first church in the world, dating from 33 AD to 70 AD,’ Abdul Qader al-Husan, head of Jordan’s Rihab Centre for Archaeological Studies, said.
‘We have evidence to believe this church sheltered the early Christians…’”

(The year 33 is probably the year when Christ was crucified, and 70 was when when the Jews rebelled against the Roman Empire and Israel was destroyed. Evidence shows the Christians who made this church fled persecution in Jerusalem [which the Romans would wipe out as a Jewish city in 70].)

This article has been put into the Catholic forum in accord with the Catholic belief that the earliest Church was Catholic.

Hi. WADR, everyone knows the earliest Church was Catholic.

You are posting this…because you are using the source to defend the true belief that the earliest ‘Christian’ community was Catholic? Just to be clear.

While it might be true, that there at some point would have existed a physical Church along the lines of a temple-type building, the point about Catholics being the true line of Christianity doesn’t need to rely on a physical building, though this kind of finding, if true, is certainly extra evidence.

The article speaks of N. Syria and this location does make sense.

Thanks.

 

[mdgspencer]

Actually, I said the church was Catholic simply to say why I put my post in the Catholic forum, not as a bit of polemics, which would not quite have been in keeping with a news site.
I was in Capernaum, Israel, a few years back, and the guide showed us the building there that was used as a church a few years after Jesus’ crucifixion. So there were actual church buildings at that very early time.
Interestingly, this building most probably first was Saint Peter’s house, which a few years after Christ was crucified was turned into a church. See biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/the-house-of-peter-the-home-of-jesus-in-capernaum/

Probably not. The first Christian “gatherings” were in people’s homes to celebrate the Eucharist. The claim of “first church” is really specious.

 

[friardchips]

Actually, I said the church was Catholic simply to say why I put my post in the Catholic forum, not as a bit of polemics, which would not quite have been in keeping with a news site.
I was in Capernaum, Israel, a few years back, and the guide showed us the building there that was used as a church a few years after Jesus’ crucifixion. So there were actual church buildings at that very early time.
Interestingly, this building most probably first was Saint Peter’s house, which a few years after Christ was crucified was turned into a church. See biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/the-house-of-peter-the-home-of-jesus-in-capernaum/

The second article looks more to be relating the site to possibly being St. Peter’s house.

The first, seems to be indicating a place where people fled from persecution.

Is Rijab near Capernaum? Capernaum sounds Roman, doesn’t it! I remember from all my old Asterix the Gaul books!

Which version do you think is likely? Or maybe they are combined? Maybe Christian fled persecution by hiding in Peter’s house?

 

[Wesrock]

Interesting mention of an apparent apse and seats for clergy, but the article is so low on details that any claims should be taken with a pinch of salt, in case people are projecting assumptions onto the site.