Curiosities of Christian History Prior to the ReformationPaterson, James
History
Curiosities of Christian History Prior to the Reformation
Paterson, James
Church history -- Middle Ages, 600-1500; Church history -- Miscellanea; Church history -- Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600
There are two theories of historians as to the first foundation of the
Anglican Church. Some say it began with the mission of St. Augustine;
others say it was coeval with the Apostles. The latter party maintain that
there were Christian Britons at Rome when St. Peter was there, and that
the British kings and nobles used to send their sons to be educated at
that period in Rome. It is said that at the time of Peter's preaching
there were about a hundred converts, Britons and others, who were in the
habit of assembling at a certain house for prayer and worship. This house
belonged to a British lady, Claudia, and her husband, Pudens. One Eubulus
was the father of Claudia. In this house, and entertained by Claudia and
Pudens, lived St. Peter, by whom they had been converted to Christianity,
and many of their friends and acquaintances. Few things are said to be
clearer than that St. Peter, when in Rome, was the guest of this British
lady Claudia. Claudia and Pudens had two daughters, Pudentiana and
Praxedes, and their son Novatus. Nearly all these persons are mentioned by
St. Paul, who must have known them well. The poet Martial corroborates
this account in his fifty-third epigram. Therefore, as there were British
Christians at Rome known to St. Peter and to St. Paul, it is highly
probable that those converts increased in number, and that some of them
found their way to their native place. Justin Martyr, in the early part of
the second century, says that professors of Christianity had gone to every
country; and Tertullian expressly mentions Britain as one of these
countries. So does Eusebius in the fourth century. Moreover, Gregory and
St. Augustine, in sending their mission to England at the end of the sixth
century, recognise the fact of an already existing Church in Britain.
HOW POPE GREGORY CAME TO SEND MISSIONARIES TO ENGLAND.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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