Transcript Chapter 3 PowerPoint

Chapter 3
The Two Worlds in Which
Christianity Originated: Jewish
and Greek
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Key Topics/Themes
• Early Christianity born within Palestinian
Judaism
• Rapidly expanded into surrounding GrecoRoman world
• Interpreted by Gentile converts in light of
Hellenistic thought and culture
• Eventually resulted in Christianity’s
separation from parent religion of Judaism
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The One God, Yahweh
• The Shema
• The divine name
• The Jewish deity’s name in the New
Testament
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The Torah
• The Mosaic Covenant
• The purity laws
• Views of Hebrew Bible authors
concerning applicability of Mosaic
Covenant
• Views of New Testament authors
concerning applicability of Mosaic
Covenant
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The Divine Promises
• The promise to Abraham
• The Hebrew monarchy
• Attitudes toward the divine promises
after the fall of the Hebrew monarchy
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The Jerusalem Temple
• History of the Jerusalem Temple
• Significance of the Temple for devout
Jews
• The Day of Atonement
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The World of Greek Thought
and Culture
• The impact of Alexander the Great (reigned
336-323 B.C.E.)
• The Hellenistic period (323 B.C.E.-312 C.E.)
– Death of Alexander 323 B.C.E.
– Conversion of Roman emperor Constantine 312
C.E.
• Impact of Greek culture during Hellenistic
period
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Greek Philosophy
• Socrates, Plato, and the immortal soul
– Socrates (ca. 469-399 B.C.E.)
– Plato (ca. 429-347 B.C.E.)
– Plato’s philosophical dualism
– Impact of Plato’s thought
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Greek Philosophy (cont’d.)
• Stoicism
– Founded by Zeno (ca. 336-263 B.C.E.)
– The Logos as the divine principle
– Influence of Stoicism in the Hellenistic
world
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Greek Philosophy (cont’d.)
• Epicureanism
– Founded by Epicurus (ca. 342-270 B.C.E.)
– Relationship with atomistic doctrines of
Democritus (b. ca. 460 B.C.E.)
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Greek Philosophy (cont’d.)
• Cynicism
– Founded by Diogenes of Sinope (ca. 404323 B.C.E.)
– Antimaterialism
– Opposition to cultural norms
– Relationship to lifestyle of Jesus of
Nazareth
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Greco-Roman Religion
• The twelve Olympians
• The Hymn to Zeus an image of ancient
devotion to the Olympian gods
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Gods Offering Worshipers a
Personal Relationship
• Asclepius
– God of healing arts
– Worshipped at healing shrines throughout GrecoRoman world
• Dionysus
– Son of a god and a mortal
– God of wine making
– Myth involved Dionysus dying and rising from
death
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The Mystery Religions
• Orphism
• Mithraism
• The Isis Cult (worship of the mother
goddess)
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Summary
• Christianity anchored in Judaism
• Developed in society dominated by
Hellenistic worldview
• Competition with wide variety of
Hellenistic religions
• Inevitable parallels between early
interpretations of Christianity and other
Greco-Roman religions
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