1922 in Christianity

1922 in Christianity was a year marked by significant ecclesiastical events, the passing of influential leaders, and the founding of enduring religious organizations. It saw pivotal developments within Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Catholicism, against a backdrop of global political change. The year also witnessed the publication of important theological works and the births of future key figures in the Christian world.

Events

In January, the Holy See concluded the Lateran Treaty negotiations, though the final signing would occur in 1929. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople declared the Autocephaly of the Polish Orthodox Church, a significant move in Eastern European Christianity. In the United States, the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy intensified, notably within the Northern Baptist Convention and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. The Anglican Communion saw the Lambeth Conference of 1920's resolutions on church unity begin to influence global dialogues. In the Soviet Union, the state intensified its anti-religious campaign, leading to the confiscation of Russian Orthodox Church property under the pretext of famine relief, an event known as the Decree on the Separation of Church and State enforcement. Missionary activity continued with figures like John R. Mott promoting the World Student Christian Federation.

Births

Notable births included Billy Graham, the influential American evangelist who would found the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. John Stott, a leading Anglican clergyman and theologian central to the evangelical movement in Britain, was also born. The year saw the birth of Joseph Bernardin, future Cardinal and Archbishop of Chicago. In the realm of theology and scholarship, Jürgen Moltmann, the German Reformed theologian known for his Theology of Hope, was born. Other significant births included Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, later known as Mother Teresa, founder of the Missionaries of Charity, and Fulton J. Sheen, who would become a prominent American bishop and televangelist.

Deaths

The year witnessed the death of William Ashley Sunday, better known as Billy Sunday, the famed American baseball player-turned-evangelist. Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church during the early Soviet persecution, died under mysterious circumstances. Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val, the former Cardinal Secretary of State for Pope Pius X, passed away in Rome. The Protestant world lost Charles Fox Parham, a seminal figure in the early Pentecostal movement. Also dying was Annie Armstrong, a prominent leader in Southern Baptist missions for whom the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is named.

Publications

Key publications included the first edition of Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen, a defining text of Christian fundamentalism. The Bulletin of the John Rylands Library published a significant papyrus fragment, **P⁵²**, the oldest known fragment of the New Testament. Rudolf Bultmann began publishing his groundbreaking work on demythologization, influencing Liberal Christianity. The Journal of Religion was founded at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Karl Barth continued publishing his seminal theological commentary, The Epistle to the Romans, which profoundly shaped Neo-orthodoxy.

Organizations founded

Several enduring organizations were established. The Pocket Testament League was formally incorporated to promote scripture distribution. In the United States, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes had its earliest foundational meetings. The Catholic Biblical Association was founded to promote biblical scholarship. In England, the Student Christian Movement of Great Britain and Ireland saw significant reorganization. The missionary society known as the Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM) was officially organized. Additionally, the initial framework for what would become World Vision International began to take shape through the efforts of Bob Pierce.

Category:1922 in Christianity Category:20th-century Christianity