Transcript Chapter Six: Jerusalem and Early Christianity

Chapter Six:
The Rise of the Biblical Tradition
Abraham
 Age of Hebrew Patriarchs
 Hebrew Bible
 Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Biblical History
 Biblical tradition + Graeco-Roman Culture
 Children of Israel, Israelites, Jews, Hebrews
 Period of the Patriarchs
 Period of the Exodus
 Period of the Conquest
 The United Monarchy
 Divided Kingdom and Exile
 The Return
6.2 Spoils of Jerusalem (detail from the Arch of Titus), 81ce. Rome, Italy
The Hebrew Bible and Its Message
 “Bible”  Byblos
 The Law, the Prophets, the Writings
 Hebrew canon (C.E. 90)
 Septuagint
 Moral guide, ethical and religious stability
 Not a philosophical treatise
Basic Motifs of the Bible
 Biblical Monotheism
 God exists before the world
 God pronounces creation as “good”
 Humans are the crown of creation
 God deeply involved in the world
Basic Motifs of the Bible
 The Covenant
 “I will be your God; you will be my people”
 Testament = Promise
 Renewed covenant = New Testament
Basic Motifs of the Bible
 Ethics
 Moral code for individuals and society
 Ten Commandments
 Prohibitions, positive commands
 Prophetic writings
 Critics of social injustice, defenders of poor
 Reminders of the covenant
Basic Motifs of the Bible
 Models and types
 Events, stories, characters as models
 Book of Job
 Contemporary impact of biblical tradition
 Literature
 Art
 Social institutions
Dura-Europos
 Evidence of religious buildings—early
Christian meeting house and synagogue
 Complex religious existence—pagan
temples and homes
 Artistic mingling of Eastern and Roman
styles
6.6 Fresco of Moses and the Exodus, from the Dura-Europos synagogue. Damascus,
Syria
The Beginnings of Christianity
 Life of Jesus
 Gospels
 Prophetic tradition of Jesus
 Parables, Beatitudes
 Jesus as Christ, the Messiah
 Significance of resurrection
Christianity Spreads
 Saul of Tarsus (Paul)
 Tireless missionary
 Theological letters
 Early martyrs—Vibia Perpetua
 Social, religious factors for growth
 Peace, facility of travel, koine, audience
 Emphasis on salvation, freedom
 No class distinction
Christian Persecution
 Nero’s Circus
 Claudius, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian
 Christians as traitors to the state
 Refusal to express pietàs
 Apologists
 Tertullian (155/160-225)
 Justin Martyr (100-165)
 Emperor Constantine
Early Christian Art
 Catacombs, underground cemeteries
 Frescoes
 Salvation; Communion; Virgin and Child
 Glass and Sculpture
 Christ as Good Shepherd, glass disks
 Carved sarcophagi
 Inscriptions
 Name, date of death, decorative symbol
6.7 The Good Shepherd, early 4th century ce. Catacomb of Saints
Pietro and Marcellino, Rome, Italy
6.10 The Good
Shepherd, ca 300 ce.
Marble, 3’3” (99
cm)_ high. Museo
Pio Cristiano, Vatican
Museums, Vatican
City, Rome, Italy.
6.9 Chi-rho monogram, 4th century ce. From a wall painting in a
Roman villa, Lullingstone, Kent, England. Detail of wall painting, 90
cm, diameter of inner circle. The British Museum, London, United
Kingdom.
6.8 Anchor with entwined fish, 4th century ce. Mosaic from the
Catacombs of Hermes, Sousse, Tunisia
Early Christian Architecture
 Basilica-Style Churches
 Current site of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican)
 Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem)
 Jesus’ burial site
Early Christian Music
 From Jewish traditions
 Chanting sacred texts
 Professional Chorus vs. Single Cantor
 Greek doctrine of ethos
 Instrumental music = unsuitable
 Standardization of vocal music
 Responsorial, antiphonal
6.14 The Blind
Harper, ca 1340-1330
B.C.E. From the
tomb of
Paatenemmhib,
Saqqara, Egypt.
Limestone basalt
relief, detail, 11 ½”
(29 cm) high.
Rijksmuseum van
Oudheden Leiden,
Netherlands.
Chapter 6: Discussion Questions
 Discuss contemporary examples that illustrate the
permeation of the biblical tradition in our culture.
 Explain why Nero and other Roman emperors were
unwilling to tolerate Christianity. From a political
standpoint, was the severity of punishment inflicted
on Christians warranted? Why or why not?
 Consider the archeological findings of Dura-Europos.
In what ways does history over-simplify past events?
In two thousand years, what will future generations
assume about our culture, religions, and religious
tolerance? Explain.