Eastern Roman Empire and the Church

It is easy to focus on the church in the west. But the church also expanded to the east and south of Jerusalem.

To the south, Ethiopia has a long history in the church, including references in the Old Testament and New. Several Ethiopian churches have richly illustrated interiors and are excellent examples of how art was used in the early church.

In the east, while the Western Romain Empire was in decline and eventually fell, the Eastern Empire endured for approximately another 1000 years. It became known as the Byzantine Empire but was essentially an unbroken kingdom originating in the Roman Empire. In this empire, the churches at Constantinople, Antioch, and Alexandria all sent out many successful missionaries to the east.