On May 11, 1926, two of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, met at The Eagle and Child Pub, also known as The Bird and Baby.

Within the Vatican, near St. Peter’s Basilica, stands the Sistine Chapel, the very spot where a new pope is selected. Michelangelo, sculptor, painter, and architect, painted the ceilings, which are recognized as some of the greatest works of art in the world.

As one of the most influential Bible Commentators in Chrisitan history, Matthew Henry was one of the many men who desired to be a priest in England during the period following the Act of Uniformity that restricted non-conformist ministers.

Possibly one of the most famous theologians, John Calvin established the theological idea of predestination, raising doctrinal discussions on the topic of man’s free will to choose salvation.

The Great Schism was one of the most influential church splits in history- the formal division between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. The split took place in 1095 following centuries of tension from cultural, political, and theological differences.

On May 6, 1536, King Henry VIII, the monarch who initiated the English Reformation and broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, mandated that a Bible be chained to every church in England in order to prevent theft. This led to the birth of the term “chained Bible.”

May 5, 533 held the Fifth Ecumencial Council, also known as the Second Council of Constantinople. It was one of the seven Ecumencial councils recognized by many Christian traditions, and it was held with the purpose of doctrinal clarification.

The first bishop of the Methodist Church, Thomas Coke was an early leader in global Methodism and missions. Both an attorney and the mayor of Brecon, Wales, he was ordained by John Wesley and was a key agent in spreading Methodism beyond England.

James Sharp was a key and controversial religious leader in 17th-century Scotland. Following the Restoration of the monarchy under Charles II, he was named archbishop of St. Andrews, making him the head of the Church of England in Scotland and reimposing episcopal church governance.

The former bishop of Alexandria, Egypt, Athanasius, was the first person to use the term “canon” when referring to Scripture and its authority, and he opposed a major heresy known as Arianism. Named for Alexandrian churchman Arius, Arianism stated that Jesus was not in full agreement with God the Father, and therefore the concept of the Trinity could not be correct. This led to the formation of the Council of Nicea, where Athanasius would be exiled several times and ultimately flee for his life. Despite this, his faith and his positions about the total authority of Scripture never wavered. He died on May 2, 373.

During the 1930s, Germany gained several unexpected allies as it fell to Nazi influence, one of which being Father Charles Coughlin from Michigan. Coughlin was one of the first major political influencers in U.S. history as his national radio program reached 30-40 million listeners weekly. Originally he supported FDR, but upon Hitler’s rise to power, he began to support the Nazi regime.

The Council of Nicea in 325 AD marked one of the first major instances of imperial involvement in church doctrine. Pelagius, the original “anti-calvanist” was a theologian who believed in human moral responsibility, rejecting the idea of original sin as taught by his opponents. His primary theological opponent was Augustine of Hippo, who argued for grace and human inability without God. On April 30, 418, at the Council of Carthage, Pelagianism was officially condemned, and all Pelagians were banned from Rome as they were considered a threat to the Empire’s peace. Roman Emperor Honorius issued the ban in an attempt to maintain religious and political unity within the empire.

In 1529, during the early stages of the Protestant Reformation, the nation of Switzerland began to separate itself from the Roman Catholic Church. The city of Basel became a center for Reformation thought and printing, helping to spread Protestant ideas across Europe.

At Piccadilly Circus, the busiest intersection in London, England, there sits a fountain called “The Angel of Christian Charity,” which some call “Eros.” Placed there to commemorate Lord Shaftesbury, born April 28, 1801, it symbolizes Shaftesbury’s belief that his Christian duty was to support the less fortunate.

With Marxism on the rise, Nowa Huta, Poland was planned to be a communist city fashioned to be a model of an atheistic, industrial society with no churches. On April 27, 1960, police were deployed to remove a cross from a church construction site, which sparked what is frequently known as the “Defense of the Cross” protests.

A Scottish immigrant, Scott was one of the most effective early evangelists of the Stone-Campbell (Restoration) Movement in the United States. He arrived in the United States in 1818, and he became closely connected with reform efforts led by Alexander Campbell and those who sought to restore New Testament Christianity free from denominational creeds.