Quick Answer
The origins of Christianity — how a Jewish movement centred on Jesus of Nazareth became a world religion — is one of the most studied questions in historical scholarship. The Nag Hammadi discovery in 1945 revealed that early Christianity was far more diverse than the New Testament alone suggests.
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Quick Facts
- Jesus was crucified c. 30–33 AD; the earliest Christian writings (Paul's letters) date to c. 50 AD
- The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written c. 70–100 AD
- Dozens of other gospels, letters, and apocalypses existed — most suppressed by the 4th century
- The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) was a watershed in defining orthodox Christian doctrine