Transcript Rome, Jesus, and the Spread of Christianity

Rome, Jesus, and the
Spread of Christianity
Rome at the Birth of Christ
Rome at the Birth of Christ
Rome: The Right time… The
right place!!!
 GEOGRAPHIC
FACTORS
 PHILOSOPHIC
AL FACTORS
 POLITICAL
FACTORS
Rome: The Right time… the
right place!!!
RELIGIOUS FACTORS
 Blending of Greek &
Other Religious beliefs
 Polytheism… Many
Gods
 Pagan
 State recognition of
Traditional Greek Gods
 Emperor cult worship
Rome: The Right time… the
right place!!!
GREECE
 Culture
 Language
 Metaphysics
Rome: The Right time… the
right place!!!
ROMAN ORDER
 Transportation
◦ “All roads lead to
Rome”
 Legal
System
Rome: The Right time… the
right place!!!
JEWISH RELIGIOUS
FOUNDATION

Jewish Beliefs

Monotheism
◦ One God

Hope for a Messiah
Christianity: Seizing the
moment
Christianity: Seizing the
Moment
 Christ
is born
between 6 BC
& 6 AD
The Appeal of Jesus
 His
Ministry
 His
Death
 His
Claim
Y’Shua min Nazaret
…Jesus of Nazareth
The Appeal of Jesus
HIS MINISTRY
 Healing

Preaching

“The Kingdom of
God”
◦ Harsh judgment or
Loving Father?
Y’Shua min Nazaret
…Jesus of Nazareth
The Appeal of Jesus
HIS DEATH
 Pontius
Pilate
 Scandal
Y’Shua min Nazaret
…Jesus of Nazareth
The Appeal of Jesus
THE CLAIM
 Resurrection
 Available to
Believers
 Hope After
Death
Y’Shua min Nazaret
…Jesus of Nazareth
Key People & Actions foster the
Spread of Christianity
PETER
 Traveling Preacher
 Later revered as
“First Pope” or the
“Bishop of Rome”
 Martyred in Rome in
mid-60’s AD
Key People & Actions foster the
Spread of Christianity
PAUL (Saul of
Tarsus)
 Jewish
 Started Gentile
Churches
 Wrote letters
which make up
1/3 of the New
Testament
 Martyred in Rome
in mid-60’s AD
Key People & Actions foster the
Spread of Christianity
THE JEWISH WAR
 Destruction of
the Jewish
Temple in 70 AD
 Clear Division
between Jews &
Christians
Martyrdom -- POLYCARP
Christians Oppressed
•Romans were not tolerant towards Christians because:
•they refused to honor the emperor with sacrifices
•they refused to worship Roman gods to protect the
state
• Christians were used as scapegoats, blamed for social
and economic problems
•Many Christians became martyrs- or people who suffer
or die for their beliefs
•However, Christianity continued to spread due to the
fact that all people were welcome
19
Key People & Actions foster the
Spread of Christianity
 Constantine’s
Edict of
Toleration (313 AD)
 Theodosius declares
Christianity the official religion
of the Roman Empire (380 AD)
 Augustine & the Rise of the
Holy Roman Empire (d. 430
AD)
Key Resource for the Spread of
Christianity
THE NEW
TESTAMENT
 Portable
Translatable
Religion