Christian History Today
Resources for your journey through the exploration of Christian History.
February 9, 1943 - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Arrested
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was one of the most influential Christian writers of the twentieth century, and he became a fierce critic of the Soviet government and its brutal repression of the Russian people.
February 8, 1587 - Mary, Queen of Scotland, is Beheaded
As the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England inevitably drew near in the late sixteenth century, uncertainty blossomed over England as it questioned whether it would remain a Protestant nation or revert back to Roman Catholicism.
February 7, 1649 - Parliament Ratifies Westminster Confession of Faith
February 7, 1649 marks one of the most pivotal days in Protestant church history. On this day, the British Parliament formally ratified the Westminster Confession of Faith.
February 6, 1564 - John Calvin Preaches His Last Sermon
John Calvin is one of the most influential preachers and theologians in church history. A central figure in the Protestant Reformation, he delivered his final sermon on February 6, 1564, in Geneva, Switzerland.
February 5, 1631 - Roger Williams Arrives in Massachusetts
Roger Williams first arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on February 5, 1631 in search of a place where he could freely practice his Christian faith. The colony, however, did not deliver the true religious liberty he had hoped to secure, especially pertaining to the close union of church and state.
February 4, 1928 - Manche Masemola Murdered for Her Faith in Christ
Yesterday on Christian History Today, we discussed that South Africa did not appoint its first black Anglican Bishop until 1985, which marked a major breakthrough for the nation. However, just sixty years prior, the religious landscape of South Africa was vastly different.
February 3, 1985 - Desmond Mpilo Tutu Becomes First Black Anglican Bishop of South Africa
On February 3, 1985, Desmond Mpilo Tutu became the first black Anglican bishop of Johannesburg, South Africa, which marked a historic milestone in South African church history during the final years of apartheid in South Africa.
February 2, 1900 - Annie Wittenmyer, WCTU President, Dies
February 2, 1900 marks the death of Annie Wittenmyer, the first president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), one of the most powerful Christian social reform movements in American history.
February 1, 1933 - Dietrich Bonhoeffer Issues Radio Message against Hitler
As Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime began to consolidate power in Germany, few individuals were willing to publicly renounce the growing dictatorship. However, one Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, courageously delivered a national radio address against the Nazi regime on February 1, 1933.
January 31, 1686 - King Louis XIV Orders Waldensian Churches to be Burned
After revoking the previously Protestant-tolerating Edict of Nantes, King Louis XIV of France ordered all Waldensian churches to be burned on January 31, 1686.