Transcript The Rise of Christianity

The Rise of Christianity
Early Empire Includes Diverse Religions
• Roman empire was culturally diverse
• Rome tolerated varied religious beliefs as long
as citizens showed loyalty by honoring Roman
gods and acknowledging that the emperor was
divine
• By 63 BC, Rome had conquered Judea, where
most Jews lived
– Roman excused Jews from worshipping Roman
gods
Divisions in Judea
• Some Jews were willing to live under Roman rule
• Others, called Zealots, called on Jews to rebel
against Rome and reestablish an independent state
• Believed that a messiah, or anointed king sent
by God, would appear to lead them to freedom
• Several rebellions by Jews over the years were
crushed by the Romans until around AD70 when
the Romans destroyed Jerusalem
Jesus Proclaims His Teachings
• As Jews were fighting the Romans in
Palestine, a Jew named Jesus began a new
religion
• Most of what we know about the life of Jesus
comes from the Gospels, the first four books of
the New Testament of the Christian Bible
– Written by four followers of Jesus: Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John
Jesus Begins Preaching
• Born about 4 BC
• Believed to be a descendant of King David of
Israel
• Began preaching at age 30
– Used parables, or short stories with moral lessons,
to spread his ideas
– Chose 12 disciples (close followers) that he called
apostles
Jesus Teaches New Beliefs
• Teachings based on Jewish tradition
– Believed in one god and accepted the Ten
Commandments
– Preached obedience to the laws of Moses
• New beliefs
– Called himself the Son of God
– His mission was to bring spiritual salvation and
eternal life to anyone who believed in him
– Many believed he was the messiah
Teachings of Jesus
• Most teachings contained in a group of sayings
called the Sermon on the Mount
• As in Judaism, emphasized God’s love and the
need for justice, morality, and service to others
• Taught you must love God with all your heart
and love your neighbor as yourself
• Emphasized the importance of forgiveness
Sermon
on the
Mount
Parable of
the Good
Samaritan
Jesus Condemned to Death
• Romans considered Jesus a threat
– Believed he encouraged those who wanted to rebel
against Roman rule
• AD 33, Jesus travels to Jerusalem for Passover
and is greeted by large crowds
• Fearing Jesus’ ability to attract followers, the
Romans arrest him and charge him with treason
(disloyalty)
• Condemned to death by crucifixion
• His followers then claimed that he had risen from
the dead (resurrection)
The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci
The Message of Christianity Spreads
• Disciples of Jesus spread his message
• Taught that he was the messiah, or Christ (Greek
word for “anointed one”)
• Followers were called Christians
• Peter spread Christianity to Rome
• Paul spread Jesus’ teachings to non-Jews
– Traveled around the Mediterranean setting up churches
in Greece and Asia Minor
– Taught that Jesus had died out love for humankind and
his followers would achieve salvation (eternal life)
Paul Preaching in Athens
Christians Are Oppressed
• Rome not tolerant of Christians since they
would not consider emperor divine; considered
traitors
– Did not support class division; believed in equality
• During difficult times, they were used as
scapegoats and blamed for social or economic
problems (remember Nero?); persecuted
• Christians who were killed during times of
persecution were called martyrs
The Message Appeals to Many
• Christianity grew among the poor who found
comfort in the message of equality and the
promise of a better life after death
• Educated Romans also embraced Christianity
which incorporated the discipline and
moderation of Greek philosophy
• Christians easily traveled around the empire on
its roads and across the Mediterranean
• Early documents were written in Greek or
Latin which many people understood
Rome Accepts Christianity
• Christianity continued to spread and attract people from
all classes
• Last persecution of Christians under Diocletian ended
in early AD 300s
• AD 313, after Emperor Constantine believes he saw the
message, “In this sign you will conquer”, he issued the
Edict of Milan which granted freedom of worship to all
citizens of the Roman empire
• By end of the century, Theodosius makes Christianity
the official religion of the Roman empire and bans all
other faiths
Constantine’s
Conversion
The Early Christian Church
• Needed to be baptized to join; all members
were considered equals
• Women served as teachers, but later were
barred from any official positions
• Missionaries converted people to Christianity
throughout the empire and beyond
• Met on Sundays for a ceremony in memory of
Jesus
Structuring the Clergy
• Developed into a hierarchy
• Only men could be members of clergy (people
who conduct services)
• Grouped into a diocese
– Each diocese had a priest
– Diocese was overseen by a bishop
• Bishops of the most important cities in the empire had
greater authority
• Called patriarchs
Differences Arise Within the Church
• Rivalries developed between the patriarchs,
especially between the Latin-speaking west and
the Greek-speaking east
– Bishops of Rome became known as popes, claiming
authority over all other bishops
– Greek patriarchs thought all patriarchs should be equal
• Heresies (beliefs thought to be contrary to official
church teachings) caused disputes
– Councils set up to determine official church teachings
Scholars and Christianity
• Scholars produced many works of theology
(discussion about God)
• Greatest was Augustine who combined
Christian doctrine with Greek philosophy
The Spread of Christianity