Today in Christian History: July 16

July 16

1054: Beginning of the ‘Great Schism’ between the Western and Eastern churches, evolved from the long standing theological, cultural and political differences between the two. 911 years later, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I came together in 1965 to declare an end to the schism.

1338: German princes and the electors of the Holy Roman Empire rally behind Ludwig IV of Bavaria at Rense, declaring that the emperor’s authority comes directly from God, is awarded by the electors’ votes, and doesn’t need any papal approval. Even the prominent churchmen and scholars including William of Ockham, Marsilius of Padua, and John of Jandun took side with the king,  Later Ludwig conquered Rome and erected a pope on his own.

1410: Archbishop Zbynek of Prague gets the works of Wycliffe burned because they were condemned by the anti-pope Alexander V, whom Zbynek had recently accepted as the legitimate pope during the Papal Schism.

1546: Anne Askew, a staunch Protestant follower, is burned for denying the doctrine of transubstantiation, after long weeks of trial.

1686: Demise of John Pearson, the bishop of Chester in England, a careful scholar and systematic theologian and the author of the work Exposition of the Creed.

1769: Father Junipero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan missionary, founds the San Diego de Alcala mission in California, the first permanent Spanish settlement on the west-coast of America.

1915: Passing away of Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, who was also known as the advocate of healthy diet. Widely venerated as a prophetess, she helped found Battle Creek College (now Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan) and a school in Australia, the precursor of Avondale College.

1931: Demise of C. T. Studd, a pioneer English missionary – one among the ‘Cambridge Seven.’ He also worked as a missionary in China, India and Central Africa.

1972: Soviet agents martyr Ivan “Vanya” Moiseyev after months of severe persecution, because of his Christian faith and for leading other soldiers to Christ.

1974: Paul Wei Han, a well known physician, scientist, and educator and the first president of the Yang Ming Medical College, represents Taiwan’s Christians at the Lausanne Conference.

1998: Passing away of Jeremiah Olatusi Akeredolu, first Anglican bishop of the Akoko diocese in Nigeria.

Edited by: T. Chempilayil MCBS

Courtesy: www.studylight.org