Transcript Religion Notes Continued - Dripping Springs Independent

Jesus of Nazareth to development of
Christianity to the first main split of
the Christian Church
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King Herod the Great
◦ Paranoid; had many of his own family members
killed.
◦ Ordered executions of newborn baby boys around
the time of Jesus’ birth.
◦ Also a master architect
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Jesus began to preach in the midst of the conflict of the
day.
◦ Conflict : life under increasingly repressive Roman rule.
◦ Topic of Sermon: Humility, charity and love of others.
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Some historians say that Jesus was not one person, but
many and the Jesus that died on the cross was the
symbol or the fall guy for the movement that sought
freedom from Rome.
In his day, Jesus was believed (by some) to be the son of
God and King of the Jews – the prophesied Messiah to
lead the Jewish people out of oppressionThis indicated to some leaders that he makes a case for
divine right to rule.
The Judeans that turned Jesus over to the Romans were
concerned that Rome would come after Jerusalem in an
act of war.
The procurator, Pontius Pilate, ordered his crucifixion.
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Simon Peter – he and other disciples
taught that Jesus was the Savior and
Son of God who had come to Earth to
save all people. Jesus’ death could
make up for people's sins and offer
them salvation.
God relays through him that his
salvation is open to Jews and Gentiles.
Paul of Tarsus – he followed Jesus
command to preach the gospel to
both Jews and non-Jews or Gentiles.
He founded many Christian
communities in Asia Minor and along
the Aegean Sea.
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Between 40 and 100 CE Paul wrote
down letters to Christian
communities and other disciples are
believed to have written down Jesus’
sayings. These form the Gospels of
Jesus life and teachings, the basis of
the New Testament.
At first Romans paid little attention
to the spread of Christianity,
Then the political order saw it as
harmful to public order and morals
since the Christians would not
worship Roman gods.
Roman persecutions had begun
under Nero who blamed them for a
fire that burned much of Rome.
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Initial Roman tolerance trumped Jewish
leaders’ persecution.
Roman infrastructure supported missionary
activity.
The Pax Romana allowed for easier
establishment of Christian communities.
A common language united the Western
Europeans.
The Spread of Christianity
Imperial Roman Road System
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Persecution forced Christianity to
become more organized.
Bishops controlled Christian
communities.
A distinction arose between the clergy
and the laity.
Reasons for growth of Christianity
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It
It
It
It
was a more personal religion.
was familiar in its offer of immortality.
fulfilled the human need to belong.
was attractive to the poor and powerless.
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Emperors in the third century began new
waves of persecution.
Diocletian was the last.
Then, Constantine became the first
Christian emperor
◦ Edict of Milan officially sanctioned tolerating
Christianity
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Then under Theodosius the Great,
Christianity became the official state
religion.
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Each large city had a bishop that was the
head of the church there.
Peter was the bishop of Rome and had been
one of the original disciples of Jesus.
Many leaders other than Peter described
incorrect teachings among the laity.
Peter was correcting the misinterpretations or
teachings in his letters.
The bishop of Rome became known as the
pope-head of the church.
The bishop of Constantinople was known as
the patriarch which means father.
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The city of Constantinople was built on the
old town of Byzantium by the Roman Emperor
Constantine well into the decline of the
empire.
It was built as a Christian capital.
It was built to take administration to the
wealthy east and get away from political
aristocratic families in Rome.
As the empire continued to decline,
Constantinople remained stronger and the
eastern half lived on as the Byzantine Empire.
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The Byzantine empire had a strong emperor
whose power was re-enforced by the church
which had gained more and more power during
the decline of Rome.
However, the Byzantine Emperor identified
himself as the highest rule in the land – higher
than the church.
In the western Christian world the Pope was the
highest authority when the last Roman Emperor
was taken out of power by the invading Germanic
tribes.
What had been the Roman Empire was left rural
and decentralized.
The Church was the only source of unity across
the land.
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The Byzantine Emperor and Patriarch did not
want to recognize the Pope as the highest
power.
Also, the Crusades eroded the relationship
between east and west.
In addition, there were interpretive
differences in the following areas.
◦ Priests being able to marry
◦ Type of communion bread
◦ Description of the divinity of Jesus and his
placement in the trinity.
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The Byzantine empire spread its brand of
Christianity north of its domain into Eastern
Europe and Russia.
The Russians were just developing their
culture hearth and taking on Eastern
Orthodox Christianity also impacted the style
of government they would copy.
The Catholic Church of the West was very
active in spreading its brand of the religion
through the developing Germanic kingdoms
of the areas directly north and west of Italy.
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Seljuk Turks (Crusades)
Ottoman Turks (Eventually took out Byzantine
Empire.)
Communism shut down Russian Orthodox
Church.
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Black Death
Western Schism
The Great Schism (French Pope?)
Martin Luther and Protestant Reformation
Scientific Revolution
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Russian Orthodox allowed to become
important to the people as Mongols allowed
the institution to function under their rule.
Serbians and other Balkan peoples
maintained their religion under Ottoman rule,
though extremely difficult.
Development of silent Kolos.
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Later Catholic missionary efforts teamed with
European exploration and colonialism
motivated in part by anxiety over Muslim
expansion.