Transcript PowerPoint Resource

Christianity and Judaism
Judaism in the Roman World
Roman Compromise
• Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
developed into new religion—
Christianity
• Jews had to pay tribute to
Romans but unwilling to
abandon religion for polytheistic
religion of Romans
• Many of teachings rooted in
beliefs, customs of Judaism
• 63 BC, Romans conquered
Judaea, chose new ruler for
region, installed him as king
• Roman leaders allowed Jews to
practice religion as long as they
paid tribute, maintained civic
order
Judaism in the Roman World
Reactions to Roman Rule
• Judaism had different branches, varying ideas on cooperation with Romans
• Zealots called on fellow Jews to drive Romans from Judaea, reestablish
Kingdom of Israel
Zealots
• Zealots formed pockets of resistance against Romans of Judaea
• After mass uprising AD 66–70, Romans sacked Jerusalem, killed thousands
of Jews, destroyed Second Temple
Messianic Prophecies
• After revolt in 130s, all Jews banned from Jerusalem
• Not all Jews willing to take up arms; others waited coming of Messiah—
spiritual leader prophesied to restore ancient kingdom, bring peace to world
Jesus of Nazareth
Against this background, a spiritual leader named Jesus of Nazareth
emerged, teaching people to prepare for God’s Judgment Day.
Life
Preaching
• Nearly all knowledge of Jesus
comes from Gospels—first four
books of New Testament
• Jesus preached message of
renewal and warning
• New Testament and books of
Hebrew Bible make up today’s
Christian Bible
• Created excitement by
performing miracles of healing;
defending poor, oppressed
• Jesus born in Bethlehem, near
Jerusalem
• Instructed people to repent of
sins, seek God’s forgiveness
• Learned carpentry, studied
writings of Jewish prophets
• Must love God above all, love
others as much as self
• Gathered group of disciples
The Spread of Christianity
After Jesus’s death, his disciples began teaching that all people could
achieve salvation—the forgiveness of sins and the promise of
everlasting life.
Apostles
• Jesus’s 12
disciples worked
to spread message
• Earliest Christian
missionaries
• Apostles traveled
widely, teaching
mostly in Jewish
communities
Paul of Tarsus
Conversion
• Paul, originally
known as Saul,
born in Tarsus, in
Asia Minor
• Paul had
conversion on way
to Damascus,
became Christian
• Had actively
opposed those
teaching that Jesus
was the Messiah
• If not for his work,
Christianity might
have remained a
branch of Judaism
Converting the Gentiles
• Paul believed God sent him to convert non-Jews, or Gentiles
• Paul helped make Christianity broader religion, attracted many new followers
• Helped establish Christian churches throughout eastern Mediterranean
• Paul’s epistles, or letters, to those churches later became part of the New
Testament
Roman Christianity
• Paul found some Jewish customs hindered missionary work among nonJews, dispensed with those requirements for Christians
• Paul emphasized new doctrines that helped distinguish Christianity from
Judaism
• Christianity spread; message of love, eternal life after death found appealing
• By AD 300, some 10 percent of Roman people were Christian
Persecution
Results
• As Christianity spread through Roman world, some local officials feared
Christians conspiring against them; arrested, killed many Christians
• Those killed seen by Christians as martyrs, people who die for their faith
Threat
• Christians persecuted at local level, but large-scale persecution rare during
first two centuries after Jesus’s life
• Large-scale persecution by Romans grew as rulers saw Christianity as threat
Imperial Approval
• Spread of Christianity hastened by conversion of emperor Constantine
• AD 313, Constantine made Christianity legal within empire, Edict of Milan
• By late 300s, polytheism gradually disappeared from empire
The Early Christian Church
Communities
• Earliest Christian churches not
only spiritual organizations but
close-knit communities
• Provided all kinds of support for
members
Deepening Faith
Complex
• Support included burial
services, food, shelter
• Christianity grew; organization
became more complex
Ceremonies
• Ceremonies developed to
inspire people’s faith, make
them feel closer to Jesus
• During Eucharist, people eat
bread, drink wine in memory of
Jesus’s death, resurrection
• One ceremony was Eucharist
• With baptism, people are
admitted to the faith
Expansion of the Church
By about 100, priests who were trained in these ceremonies became
prominent within Christianity. The authority of the priests was based on
the authority Jesus gave the Apostles. This spiritual authority
distinguished the priests from the general congregation of the church.
Administrative Structure
• Church expanded, developed
administrative structure
• Bishop oversaw church affairs,
had authority over other priests
• 300s, heads of oldest
congregations, patriarchs, had
authority over other bishops
Peter the Apostle
• Many believed Peter founded
Roman Church, was first bishop
• Later bishops of Rome, popes,
Peter’s spiritual heirs
• Gospel of Matthew: Jesus gives
Peter keys to kingdom of heaven
• Therefore future popes inherit keys
Patriarchs did not recognize the popes’ supremacy claims at first, but
over time popes gained more influence within the Christian Church.