Transcript The Background

Medieval Europe’s Religious
Background
The Background
Common themes emerging?
 Differences between the religions?

The Background
• Relevant Terms
– Polytheism
– Monotheism
– Messiah
– Apocalyptic
Greco-Roman Religion
• Traditional Religion
– Olympian gods
– Oracles
– State-run priesthoods
in Rome
– No established
“orthodoxy”
Athena Parthenos (438 BC)
Greco-Roman Religion
Greco-Roman Religion
The Pantheon (AD 118-125), Rome
Greco-Roman Religion
Greco-Roman Religion
• Mystery Religions
– Communion with
particular deity
– Ethical guidance
– Spiritual equality
– Afterlife
Isis
Greco-Roman Religion
• Emperor Worship
– Worship of rulers an
ancient practice
– Origins during reign of
Augustus
– Imperial cult
established
Cult statue of Augustus (early 1st cent.)
Greco-Roman Religion
• Questions?
Judaism
• The Basics
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YHWH
The patriarchs
Exodus under Moses
Kings, Temple
Disobedience  exile
Judaism
• Second-Temple
Period
– Jews returned
(539 BC)  Second
Temple
– Eventual Roman
occupation
– Religio licita
– Religious diversity
– Apocalyptic
– Messiah
Judaism
The Second Temple (“Herod’s Temple”)
Judaism
• Jesus of Nazareth
(ca. 6 BC–AD 30)
– Itinerant rabbi
– Three-year ministry
(ca. 27-30 AD)
– 12 apostles
– Preached coming
“Kingdom of God”
– Miracles, prophecy?
– Presented himself as
Messiah?
Judaism
• Jesus and the
Kingdom
– Kingdom ethics
– “Thy kingdom come…on
earth as it is in heaven…”
(Matthew 6:10)
– Kingdom parables
– Included the outcasts,
Gentiles
Judaism
Judaism
• Jesus’ Prophecy regarding the Temple?
– “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones
those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your
children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her
wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left
to you desolate!” (Matt. 23:37-38)
Judaism
Judaism
• The Fate of Jesus
– “Action in the Temple”
– Criticized religious
leaders
– Betrayed to
authorities, tried
– Sentenced to death by
crucifixion
– Resurrected?
Judaism
• The Fate of the Jews
– Anti-Roman sentiment
continued
– Jewish War (AD 70) 
Jewish defeat,
destruction of Temple
– Bar Kochba Revolt
(132-35) a failure 
Jews lost homeland
Judaism
• Questions?
Early Christianity
• The Apostolic Church
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Apostles, Paul, women
Based in Jerusalem
Produced Gospels
Preached “Good
News”
Early Christianity
• Ecclesiastical Structure
– Bishops
– Presbyters
– Deacons
Early Christianity
• The Sacraments
– Baptism: rite of initiation
– Eucharist: sacred meal of bread and wine
Early Christianity
• Persecution
– Local, then Empirewide persecutions
– Why?
• Distinct from Judaism
• Refusal to worship
emperor
– Martyrs: “witnesses”
Early Christianity
• Constantine I (r. 306-337)
and Toleration
– Pagan convert to
Christianity
– Edict of Milan (313) 
toleration of Christians
– First Christian emperor
• Launched Christianization
of Roman Empire
• Lavished wealth upon
Church
• Church now privileged
Constantine the Great,
Capitoline Museum, Rome
Early Christianity
Old St. Peter’s (324), Rome
Early Christianity
Column from Old St. Peter’s, Vatican Grottoes
Early Christianity
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem
Early Christianity
• Doctrinal Orthodoxy
– Trinity
– Christology
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God
Human
One person
Divine and human
natures preserved
Early Christianity
• Questions?
The Background
Common themes emerging?
 Differences between the religions?
