# additions.church > What did each church add after the apostles, and when? A dated history of what was added, on four lines: Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox. 63 dated entries, one rule, every entry with its sources, the objections to it answered, and what remains unsettled. Every date has its own address (for example https://additions.church/1561), listed below with its entry. The site builds its content with JavaScript; this file and /llms-full.txt carry the same content as plain text for readers that do not run scripts. ## How to read this site fairly - The claim is narrow and is stated on each entry: no apostolic writing commands or describes the practice; its first clear witness can be dated; and the tradition that carries it requires it, or replaced an apostolic practice with it as the norm, or holds a rule that contradicts a named apostolic text. The page does not claim that a later form is wrong for being later. - The rule is on the opening page, with what counts as a recognition (Nicaea, the Trinity, the canon), what is not an addition (conditions the witness itself contains; optional forms held as optional; readings held as readings), and what would refute an entry. - Each entry gives: the claim; what is not claimed; the apostolic baseline texts; the Jewish and Greco-Roman world behind the text (pre-100 only); "Before it," the earliest post-apostolic source that shows the practice absent, different or resisted; the dated record; where a reading slipped; scholars from the tradition concerned and from its critics; the objections answered; what is not settled. - A rebuttal that meets the page has to do one of three things for the entry in question: show an apostolic text that commands or describes the practice; show a source earlier than the first witness that has it already received as apostolic; or show that the tradition neither binds it nor replaced an apostolic practice with it. Age, usefulness, or a later authority does not meet the test, because the test is what that authority itself claims to have met. - Every claim on the site is one of three kinds, and the opening page draws the line: bound (what the apostolic text asserts and excludes, where the first readers after the apostles already read it so; the creed of 381 as both East and West received it; the definition of 451 is not counted here, since the whole church did not receive it and its formula is dated at the split); taught (a reading whose terms come from the text and its own world, which may be preached and held firmly but not made a test, because other readers hold every verse and read it otherwise); dated (a reading whose load-bearing term or frame arrives after the apostles, which a church made a condition of communion, ministry or law; the page dates the binding and does not call the reading false). Affirming the verses is not by itself a recognition, since Arius affirmed them; the test is whether the excluded view can be held without denying what a text asserts, with the earliest readers as evidence. - The creedal line: the creeds say "for us and for our salvation" and "crucified for us" and stop. No creed defines how the cross saves, how a sinner is counted righteous, how the unseen God is seen, or who is chosen. Every such account is a reading; where a church bound one, the page dates the binding (1336 · 1351; 1547 · 1577 · 1672; 1561 · 1563 · 1647). The site holds its own readings of these questions as readings. - Before writing an objection, read the entry's "What about…?" section: the common objections from each tradition are stated there in their strongest form, with replies. The Today record answers the objections to the method itself (development of doctrine, the canon, private judgment, the Spirit's guidance, unwritten tradition, silence, primitivism). ## The verdict the page reaches - The count is not the point; what each line can do about its count, by its own rules, is. Rome holds that a definition from the chair is irreformable of itself (Pastor Aeternus 4, 1870), so what it has bound cannot be set down without Rome ceasing to be what it says it is. The East holds that the church cannot err (Jerusalem 1672, decree 12) and reads its councils' anathemas aloud each year; it has lifted one anathema on this page (the Old Rite, 1971) and its principle says it will not lift the rest. The Oriental churches hold the same principle for the councils they receive. The Protestant line holds, in its own confessions, that every council after the apostles may err and that Scripture is the test (Westminster 31); that principle is this page's rule, and it is the only one of the four under which an addition can be tested and set down without the church that sets it down ceasing to be itself. The line used it once at scale, in 1517, and has carried additions of its own since, some of them bound. - So the conclusion is narrower than a cheer for any church: faithfulness to the apostolic text without additions as requirements is not available inside Rome or the East on their own terms, because their additions are, by their own account, permanent. It is available inside the Protestant principle, and no church on that line has yet claimed it in full. Of the four, only the Protestant line allows it. None has done it. The baseline at c. 50 says what it would look like: a house, a table with a full meal, elders in the plural, each one with a part, baptism on belief, and nothing bound that the apostles did not bind. None of it is a reason to leave Christ or to despise the churches that carried his Scriptures, and the c. 50 record ends on what the form was for: love at the size of a house, around a table (1 Cor 13:2; Acts 2:46), with Christ's word to a church that needed nothing (Rev 3:20) and the table at Emmaus (Luke 24:30–33). ## The tags on every entry - Addition: added to the faith, not commanded or described in the apostolic writings; a new form, not a choice among older views. Narrowing: several views lived side by side, each with texts; from the date, one was enforced over the rest. Recognition: a later word for what the text already asserts or excludes; not an entry. - How it binds. Required: made a condition of communion, of a valid ministry or sacrament, or of law, with a penalty for refusing. Replaced: an optional form that took the place of an apostolic practice as the normal shape of the church, without ever being required; the older practice may survive at the edges. Made normative: made the church's standard practice or teaching without an apostolic text and without a penalty. Contradicted: runs against an apostolic instruction, and the verse is named. - Footing. Firm: date and fact not seriously disputed. Qualified: the fact stands, the reading of it is argued, and the note says how. Contested: date, reading or place on the line disputed; the entry says why it is kept. ## The entries, in order - c. 110 · One bishop over the elders (addition; required, replaced; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/110 - c. 155 · The meal thins to a rite (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/155 - c. 100–160 · The church made Israel in place of the Jews (addition; contradicted; carried today by Protestant (in part), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/160 - c. 155–170 · 553 · The Jews made Christ’s killers (addition; contradicted; carried today by Protestant (in part), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/170 - c. 180 · A pedigree of bishops (addition; required; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/180 - c. 200 · Clergy and laity (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/200 - c. 211 · Offerings for the dead (addition; made normative; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/211 - c. 200–253 · Infants baptized (addition; required, replaced; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/246 - c. 250 · The presider becomes a priest (addition; replaced; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/250 - 313 · The hall becomes a temple (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/313 - c. 320 · A higher life apart (addition; replaced, required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/320 - 321 · 585 · Sunday rest made law (addition; required; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/321 - c. 200–321 · The church becomes an owner (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/321-property - c. 190 · 325 · Easter dated apart from the Jews (addition; required; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/325-easter - 325 · A ladder of rank (addition; required; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/325 - c. 350 · The departed asked to pray (addition; required, made normative; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/350 - c. 364 · The meal put out of the building (addition; required; carried today by Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/364 - c. 155 · c. 364 · 787 · Jewish believers made to give up Jewish life (addition; required, contradicted; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox (in part)): https://additions.church/364-customs - c. 330–380 · A calendar of required fasts (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/375 - 301–380 · The king’s religion (addition; required; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic (in part), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/380 - 381–595 · Rank follows the capital (addition; required; carried today by Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/381 - c. 400 · The people watch and seldom eat (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic (in part), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/400 - 396–418 · Adam’s guilt, inherited (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant): https://additions.church/418 - c. 400–600 · Sacred dress and incense (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/428 - 440 · Rome speaks as Peter (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/440 - 537–543 · Two bishops for one city (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant (in part), Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/543 - c. 420–553 · One view of the end enforced (narrowing; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant (in part)): https://additions.church/553 - 567–800 · Giving becomes a tax (addition; required, contradicted; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant): https://additions.church/585 - c. 600 · Mary’s feasts, and prayers to her (addition; required, made normative; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/600 - 528–692 · Bishops may not be married (addition; required, contradicted; carried today by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/692 - 787 · Honor to images required (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox (in part)): https://additions.church/787 - 589–1014 · A clause added to the creed (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant): https://additions.church/1014 - 1075 · The pope over kings and churches (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1075 - 1098 · The cross as a debt paid (narrowing; replaced; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant): https://additions.church/1098 - c. 1100 · A sacred tongue the people have lost (addition; replaced; carried today by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox): https://additions.church/1100 - 1139 · Priests may not marry (addition; required, contradicted; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1139 - 1140 · 1930 · Preventing conception made a sin (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1140 - 1215 · The bread held up to be seen (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1215 - 1095–1439 · Purgatory and indulgences (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1274 - 1285 · The Latin reading of the Spirit anathematized (addition; required; carried today by Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1285 - c. 1320 · An ark in every church (addition; required; carried today by Oriental Orthodox (in part)): https://additions.church/1320 - 1336 · 1351 · How the unseen God is seen, defined twice (narrowing; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1336 - c. 1400 · A wall of icons before the table (addition; replaced; carried today by Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1400 - c. 1440–1450 · Mary’s feasts by royal decree (addition; required; carried today by Oriental Orthodox (in part)): https://additions.church/1445 - 1525 · The Supper becomes a memory aid (addition; made normative; carried today by Protestant): https://additions.church/1525 - 1526 · 1547 · 1644 · 1755 · Which baptism counts, made a test (narrowing; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant (in part), Eastern Orthodox (in part)): https://additions.church/1526 - 1529 · A church for each confession (addition; required; carried today by Protestant): https://additions.church/1529 - c. 1541 · The pulpit takes the center (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant): https://additions.church/1541 - 1546 · Tradition set beside Scripture (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1546 - 1547 · 1577 · 1672 · One account of justification made the test (narrowing; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant (in part), Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1547 - 1547 · 1577 · 1619 · 1672 · One account of election made the test (narrowing; required; carried today by Roman Catholic, Protestant (in part), Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1547-election - 1561 · 1563 · 1647 · One legal account of the cross made the test (narrowing; required; carried today by Protestant (in part)): https://additions.church/1561 - 1589 · A third Rome (addition; required; carried today by Eastern Orthodox (in part)): https://additions.church/1589 - 1647 · The Lord’s day made the Sabbath (addition; required; carried today by Protestant (in part)): https://additions.church/1647 - 1666–1667 · The rite itself made a test (addition; required; carried today by no line today): https://additions.church/1667 - 1672 · An Eastern Trent (addition; required; carried today by Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1672 - 1743–1908 · Abstinence from drink required (addition; required; carried today by Protestant (in part)): https://additions.church/1743 - c. 1830 · The church taken away before the trouble (addition; required; carried today by Protestant (in part)): https://additions.church/1830 - 1835 · The decision moment (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant (in part)): https://additions.church/1835 - 1870 · The pope defined infallible (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1870 - 1833–1872 · A church for each nation (addition; replaced; carried today by Eastern Orthodox): https://additions.church/1872 - 1854 · 1950 · Two dogmas about Mary (addition; required; carried today by Roman Catholic): https://additions.church/1950 - 1975 · The room becomes a venue (addition; replaced; carried today by Protestant): https://additions.church/1975 ## Files - /llms-full.txt: the full text of every entry, the Today record and the apostolic baseline (63 entries), generated 2026-11-03. - /: the site itself. The apostolic baseline is at /50, the three partings at /451, /1054 and /1517, and each line as it stands today at /protestant, /catholic, /orthodox and /oriental.