Religion in History
Explore 36 historical moments related to religion — from pivotal breakthroughs to world-changing events.
📅 19th Century(1)
📅 20th Century(7)
Muhammad Ali Name Change Announcement
Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad announced in a radio broadcast that boxer Cassius Clay would change his name to Muhammad Ali.
Assassination of Archbishop Óscar Romero
Archbishop Óscar Romero was assassinated while celebrating Mass in San Salvador on March 24, 1980. This occurred one day after he pleaded with soldiers to stop government repression.
Jim Bakker Resigns from PTL Club
American televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as the host of The PTL Club in the midst of a sex scandal.
Khomeini Invites Gorbachev to Consider Islam
Representatives of Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini delivered a letter to Mikhail Gorbachev, inviting him to consider Islam as an alternative to communism. The letter predicted the dissolution of the Soviet Bloc.
Hebron massacre
Israeli physician Baruch Goldstein opened fire on Palestinian Muslims praying at the Cave of the Patriarchs, killing 29 and wounding 125.
Heaven's Gate Cult Suicide
Police discovered the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate religious group in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The deaths were ruled an apparent cult suicide.
Ugandan sect mass murder
Hundreds of followers of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a Ugandan sect, died in a mass murder committed by its leaders.
📅 21th Century(28)
Tiananmen Square Self-Immolation Incident
Five people attempted to set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, an act claimed to have been staged by the Chinese Communist Party to escalate persecution of Falun Gong.
Religious violence in Gujarat
During a period of religious violence in Gujarat, India, mobs of Hindus attacked Muslims in Naroda Patiya and in Chamanpura, resulting in 166 deaths.
Egyptian Court Ruling on Identity Documents
Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that individuals not adhering to recognized religions are eligible for government identity documents.
Nag Hammadi Coptic Christian Massacre
In Nag Hammadi, Egypt, Muslim gunmen opened fire on Coptic Christians leaving church after Christmas Liturgy. Eight Christians and one Muslim bystander were killed.
Jos Riots
The first spate of violence between Muslims and Christians began in Jos, Nigeria, resulting in over 200 deaths.
Alexandria church bombing
A suicide bombing occurred outside a Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria, Egypt, following a New Year service. The attack killed 23 people.
Pope Benedict XVI resigns
Benedict XVI became the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign from the papacy.
Pope Francis Elected
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as Pope Francis, becoming the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere.
Willie Barrow
Willie Barrow was an American minister and activist.
Execution of Nimr al-Nimr
Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, was executed by the Saudi government along with 46 other people. This event occurred on January 2, 2016.
Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill meet
In the first meeting between the leaders of the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow signed the Havana Declaration at José Martí International Airport in Cuba.
Death of Mother Angelica
Mother Angelica, an American Roman Catholic religious leader and media personality, passed away.
Helena Kmieć
Helena Kmieć was a Polish Roman Catholic missionary.
Johan van Hulst
Johan van Hulst was a Dutch politician, academic, author, and a Yad Vashem recipient.
John Bathersby
John Bathersby, Australian Catholic bishop, died on March 9, 2020. He was born in 1936.
William Meninger
William Meninger was an American Trappist monk and a principal developer of Centering Prayer.
Thích Nhất Hạnh
Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, and founder of the Plum Village Tradition.
Remi De Roo
Remi De Roo, a Canadian bishop of the Catholic Church, died. He was born in 1924.
Mary Lou Kownacki
Mary Lou Kownacki was an American Roman Catholic nun, peace activist, and writer.
Death of Thomas Gumbleton
Thomas Gumbleton, an American Roman Catholic prelate, died.
Mike Rinder
Mike Rinder was an Australian-American former Scientologist and critic.
Muhsin Hendricks
Muhsin Hendricks, a South African imam, Islamic scholar, and LGBT activist, has died. He was born in 1967.
Arthur Blessitt
Arthur Blessitt was an American Christian preacher known for carrying a cross around the world.
Richard Williamson
Richard Williamson was a British Catholic traditionalist bishop.
Aga Khan IV
Aga Khan IV was the 49th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili community.
Gerald Ridsdale
Australian laicised Catholic priest and sex offender.
Theodore McCarrick
Theodore McCarrick, an American former cardinal, died.
Jesse Jackson
American civil rights leader, activist, and politician.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the most important religion events in history?
- Notable religion events include: Book of Mormon published (1830), Muhammad Ali Name Change Announcement (1964), Assassination of Archbishop Óscar Romero (1980).
- How many religion events are in the timeline?
- Our collection includes 36 historical entries related to religion, spanning centuries of human history.
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