Held around 50 AD in the city of Jerusalem, this council was an assembly of the leaders of the early Christian Church, including Apostles like Peter, James, and Paul. The council debated whether Gentile converts to Christianity were required to follow the Mosaic Law, particularly regarding circumcision and dietary restrictions. The landmark decision excused Gentiles from most aspects of the ritual law, establishing Christianity as a distinct, universal religion rather than a localized Jewish sect. This decision facilitated the rapid expansion of Christianity across diverse ethnic populations throughout the Roman world.

By opening Christianity to the Greco-Roman world, this event allowed the merging of classical Greek poetic philosophy with Hebrew theology. Paul's letters, written around this time, contain early Christian hymns (like the Philippians Christ-hymn) that established the structural patterns of early Christian verse and theological dialogue.