Transcript The Rise of Christianity

THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
RAPID DIFFUSION
• Christianity arose in Roman-occupied Judea and spread
throughout the Roman Empire
Dark Blue:
Spread
until 325
AD.
Light Blue:
Spread
until 600
AD
ROMANS CONQUER JUDEA
• Rome’s power spread
to Judea by 63 B.C.
and they take over by 6
A.D.
• Jewish kings ruled as
representatives of
Rome
JEWS DIVIDED
1. Zealots
•
Wanted to rid their homeland from the Romans
2. Group that believed the Messiah was to appear
and restore the kingdom of the Jews
THE LIFE OF JESUS
• According to the
Gospels
• Born in Bethlehem 6-4
B.C.
• Jew & Roman subject
• Carpenter
JESUS’ MESSAGE
• Monotheism and Ten
Commandments
• God’s relationship
• Love everyone
WHERE DID WE GET THIS
INFORMATION?
• Little is found in
historical records
• Main source
• The Gospels, first 4
books of the New
Testament
• Written by one or more
of Jesus’ apostles
LIFE OF JESUS
• Began preaching at 30
• Taught, did good works,
and performed miracles
• Ignored wealth and status
• Many believed he was the
Messiah (son of God)
• Twelve disciples or
apostles help spread his
message
Jesus healing the blind man
JESUS’ DEATH
• Jesus’ popularity
concerned Roman and
Jewish leaders
• Roman governor,
Pontius Pilate arrests
Jesus & sentences him
to be crucified
• He challenges the
authority of Rome
• “King of the Jews”
Jesus rides into Jerusalem
AFTER HIS DEATH
• Body placed in tomb
• Three days later, he
reappears to his followers
and ascends into heaven
• Apostles convinced that he
was the Messiah
THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY
• Peter ,the 1st apostle,
spread the teachings
through Palestine &
Syria
• 1st Pope or father of
Christian Church
• Cross became symbol
for beliefs
PAUL’S MISSION
• Jew
• Hebrew name Saul
• Convert to Christianity
after he has a vision of
Christ
• Taught that Christianity
welcomes all converts
EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
1. Priest - local
2. Bishop - supervise
local churches
3. Pope - “Father or
head of Christian
Church”
• Peter: Bishop of
Rome = First
Pope
CONSTANTINE ACCEPTS CHRISTIANITY
• Roman emperor
battles for control of
Rome in A.D. 312
• Has vision of cross
• Places on soldiers’
shields
• Believes Christian God
helped him win
• Formally baptized on
his deathbed in 337
EDICT OF MILAN
• In A.D. Constantine
issues edict that
legalizes Christianity
• In A.D. 380 Emperor
Theodosius makes
Christianity religion of
empire
DISPUTES ARISE OVER BELIEFS
• Heresy: beliefs that
contradict basic
teachings
• Church leaders met in
Nicaea in Anatolia to set
a single, official
standard
• They wrote the Nicene
Creed