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Of all things, the earliest surviving incarnation of Christianity may be found in India among what are called Saint Thomas Christians. They are quite certain that their Church was founded by Thomas the Apostle who came to them in 52AD and indeed they retain quite a few Jewish traditions. They lived in relative isolation until the Portugese showed-up in the 16th century and tried to force them to convert to Catholicism but failed. They're something of a living relic of early Christianity. It's a fascinating read in any event.
Of all things, the earliest surviving incarnation of Christianity may be found in India among what are called Saint Thomas Christians. They are quite certain that their Church was founded by Thomas the Apostle who came to them in 52AD and indeed they retain quite a few Jewish traditions. They lived in relative isolation until the Portugese showed-up in the 16th century and tried to force them to convert to Catholicism but failed. They're something of a living relic of early Christianity. It's a fascinating read in any event.
The word catholic is from the Greek word katholikos, meaning "universal".
Jesus was the Messiah for whom the Jews were waiting (Mt 16:16). Approximately two thousand years ago He was born of a virgin (Mt 1:18-25). Around age 33, He was unjustly put to death (Mk 15, 24-37). Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead. Forty days after that Jesus ascended into heaven, and then sent the Holy Spirit to empower His apostles to spread His gospel. He established the Catholic Church on Peter, the first pope, whom Jesus called the "rock" (Mt 16:18).
A strong case for the Catholic faith is also made by studying history. If you look at the extra-biblical writings of the early Christians, you will see that they taught Catholic doctrines. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church was often referred to by name. The first recorded usaged of the word catholic is found as early as 107 AD. A disciple of the apostle John, St Ignatius of Antioch, said: "Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there, just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church" (Epistle of the Smyrnaeans, 8:2)
The Catholic Church can trace its authority as the one true Chruch through its unbroken line of more than 260 popes from Pope Benedict XVI back to St. Peter.
I just came across these postings so sorry for the belated reply.
Weatherologist's comments above are substantially incorrect WC ROB's post was closer to the mark. Christianity started in Judea, the first of the major chuches, that was headed by James in Jerusalem. From there it spread to the ancient Greco-Roman cites of Asia Minor mentioned in Paul's epistles (Philadelphia, Ephesus, Antioch etc,) and somewhat later made its way west to Rome.
The emperor Constantine who made Chrsitianity the religion of the empire ruled from the eastern capital at Constantinople, not Rome. When the four major patriarchates were formed (Rome Alexandria, Constantinople, Antioch) the bishops were considered equals and there were no sects other than heretical sect that were gradually expunged. It was one catholic (with a small "c") church.
Weatherologist conflates this term with "Roman Catholic" in his mention of the term used in 107 A.D. There was no such thing as Roman Catholic back then as we now that particular church today. There was only a church at Rome that was part of the universal catholic church.
Roman Catholicism as a distinct sect with separately formulated doctrines did not come into being until centuries later. The only doctirnes in the first 500+ years of Christianity were those accepted at the early councils of Nicea and Constantinople.
Technically, the oldest Christian sect was the Gnostic Christians who predated Christianity and then embraced it. If you discount them because
they were branded as heretics then you would have to default back to the progresssion of the churches started in Asia Minor or Alexandria.These were not sects at that time but they eventually became Orthodox Churches after the East/West schism of the middle ages.
The answer to the posters original question is somewhat dependment on how you define a sect. The reality is that each ancient Christian communion had its own practices and beliefs to some extent because they were heterodox at the time and not orthodox until Constantine and the councils. If you discount all the qualifiers I've thrown out, what became the oldest surviving modern sects would be the Eastern Orthodox/Roman Catholics who were substantially one church until 1454.
Unless you count my heresy. A belief in the restitution of all things was a standard view in the early church, held by the majority of early Christians. It has also been held by a minority throughout all of church history even during the Dark Ages.
Four out of six theological schools from 170 AD to 430 AD taught universal salvation while the only one that taught Hell was in Carthage, Africa, where Latin was the teaching language, not Greek. Those early church leaders familiar with the Greek and Hebrew (the original languages of the Bible) saw universal salvation in those texts. Those who advocated Hell got it from the Latin, not from the original Greek and Hebrew.
Not trying to put universalism on blast yet again, but I feel this sect, because it was all but stamped out, is often overlooked.
Unless you count my heresy. A belief in the restitution of all things was a standard view in the early church, held by the majority of early Christians. It has also been held by a minority throughout all of church history even during the Dark Ages.
Four out of six theological schools from 170 AD to 430 AD taught universal salvation while the only one that taught Hell was in Carthage, Africa, where Latin was the teaching language, not Greek. Those early church leaders familiar with the Greek and Hebrew (the original languages of the Bible) saw universal salvation in those texts. Those who advocated Hell got it from the Latin, not from the original Greek and Hebrew.
Not trying to put universalism on blast yet again, but I feel this sect, because it was all but stamped out, is often overlooked.
I don't know that it was particularly a separate sect that believed in Universalism, but segments of existing congregations that believed in it prior to making a different doctrine a dogma. As I've mentioned before, there's still a great deal of similarity within current Eastern Orthodox eschatology as far as the interpretation of Hell.
I don't know that it was particularly a separate sect that believed in Universalism, but segments of existing congregations that believed in it prior to making a different doctrine a dogma. As I've mentioned before, there's still a great deal of similarity within current Eastern Orthodox eschatology as far as the interpretation of Hell.
Well, it wasn't actually a seperate sect, but actually a prevailing belief throughout most sects. I still plan on furthering my studies into Eastern Orthodox eschatology.
It is my understanding that the "Coptic Christians" were the first known group of Christians who could be defined as organized.
Spiritwalker
Again, these matters depend on semantics and definitions, but the first organized Church was considered to be Antioch in Syria
peter mercanti
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What's The Oldest Sect Of The Christian Religion?
A belief in the restitution of all things was a standard view in the early church, held by the majority of early Christians. It has also been held by a minority throughout all of church history even during the Dark Ages. 
