37 A.D. - Joseph of Arimathea brings gospel to Britain?

I truly do not believe this is true, but interestingly, "St. Botolph's Anglican Rite Catholic Church" website claims, "The first Gentile Church was established in the British Isles circa 50 AD..." and that "Tradition teaches that Christianity was brought as far west as Britain by St. Joseph of Arimathea about the year AD 37...."

It is important to point out the church's own disclaimer: "It has been necessary, for us to repudiate any connection with the Church of England, the Episcopal Church of the United States, and other member Churches of the Anglican Communion - embracing modern errors. We remain in the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH, Anglican in Our Tradition of Worship...." The congregation is located in Trenton/Ewing, New Jersey, USA.

Obviously, the Bible does not tell us everything about the spread of the Gospel (e.g., where are the accounts of Andrew, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, etc.), but Jesus did tell the apostles, "you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The book of Acts records the spread of the gospel in this fashion. Admittedly, Joseph of Arimathea was not an apostle, but there is no indication of the gospel being spread beyond Jerusalem until the Christians are scattered as a result of persecution following the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 8:4). Cornelius is the first recorded gentile convert (Acts 10), and Acts 11:26 tells us that, "the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."

It would interesting to read historical accounts of this "tradition" that Joseph of Arimathea brought the gospel to Britain. Scholarly accounts of the history of Christianity in the United Kingdom regarding the account of Joseph of Arimathea as a myth.

Christianity was first introduced through the Romans (English mythology links the introduction of Christianity to Britain to the Glastonbury legend of Joseph of Arimathea) and the Romano-British population after the withdrawal of the Roman legions was mostly Christian. However the Anglo-Saxon invasions largely wiped out Christianity from the areas occupied by the Saxons - although whether this was due to conversion of the native population or ethnic cleansing of the original population is widely disputed. What is not disputed is that Anglo-Saxon England was largely pagan by the 7th century (See Anglo-Saxon polytheism).

Ireland was converted largely by Romano-British missionaries - notably Saint Patrick at some time after the withdrawal of the Roman legions from England. Irish Christianity developed in a monastic style. Celtic missionaries from Ireland spread Celtic Christianity then came to Scotland - notably through Saint Columba and later the Kingdom of Northumbria. Many works of art and faith were inspired, such as the Lindisfarne Gospels.

The above quote is from Answers.com.

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