The Earliest Christian Meeting Places: Almost Exclusively Houses? (Biblia.com)

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Edward Adams challenges a strong consensus found in New Testament and early Christian studies—that the early Christians met almost exclusively in houses. This assumption has been foundational for research on the social formation of the early churches, the origins and early development of church architecture, and early Christian worship. Recent years have witnessed increased scholarly interest in...

Christians were in the habit of gathering. An initial ‘house-church’ phase of assembly is the bedrock of this reconstruction. In the light of this study, it may be contended that the earliest phase of Christian meeting is better characterized as the ‘available space’ stage, in which, to borrow and paraphrase Justin’s reply to Rusticus, Christians met ‘wherever was chosen and was possible for each group’. This broadened view of the earliest Christian meeting places actually fits with White’s understanding

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