Introduction and Beginnings

1
Introduction and Beginnings

• The Study of Church History
• The Church of the Apostles

2
The Church

• Henceforward the Church, endowed with the gifts
  of her founder and faithfully observing his
  precepts of charity, humility and self-denial,
  receives the mission of proclaiming and
  establishing among all peoples the kingdom of
  Christ and of God, and she is, on earth, the seed
  and the beginning of that Kingdom.
• Lumen Gentium, 1

3
Church History

• The study of the proclamation of the Kingdom of
  God in the world
  
• Learning how Christ has and continues to reveal
  himself in humanity
  
• Studying the good and the bad of the Churchs
  influence on the world to continue to work for
  the Kingdom of God on earth

4
The ChurchJewish Roots

• Historical Jesus
• A Jew living under the Law in 1st century
  Palestine
  
• Shaped by the Jewish culture and religion
• The original followers of Christ were Jews
• Their understanding of God (Yahweh) has shaped
  our own belief in the God that saves

5
Abraham Exodus

• Father in Faith of Christians
• Abrams yes to God ? monotheism
• Sacrifice of Isaac ? prefigured Crucifixion
• The Exodus
• Gods saving intervention in history remembered
  each year during Passover
  
• As God heard the cry of his people Israel and
  helped, God heard the cry of humanity and sent
  the Son, Jesus Christ

6
Impact of Hellenism

• Hellenism
• The influence of Greek ideas into a culture
• Babylonian Captivity
• Jews forced out of Palestine, some never to
  return led to
  
• Diaspora
• expansion of Judaism from Palestine

7
Synagogues and Septuagint

• Synagogues
• Diaspora Jews not able to worship in Temple
• Become examples of early Christian churches
• Septuagint
• Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures
• Basis for writers of the Gospels and New Testament

8
The ChurchBuilt on the Good News

• Jesus as Messiah
• The anointed one
• Kingdom of God (reign of God)
• Proclaimed by Christ
• Radical transformation
• Present reality ? Church
• Fully realized in Heaven

9
Key Themes of the Kingdom

• While on earth, Jesus prepared his followers to
  continue his mission
  
• Radical trust in God
• Freedom through Gods intervention
• Personal and social conversion
• A community inspired by the Holy Spirit
• Go out to all the world and baptize in the name
  of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
  Spirit
  

10
Post-Resurrection Ascension

• Jesus appeared to his disciples after the
  Resurrection teaching them more about the
  Kingdom
  
• Ascension
• 40 days after Easter, Jesus returned to Heaven
• Promised to send the Holy Spirit as an advocate
  and guide to help carry out the mission
  
• Disciples felt alone and afraid until

11
Pentecost

• Descent on the Holy Spirit
• Symbols
• Dove and tongues of fire
• Led to preaching and conversion
• Today ? Confirmation

12
The ChurchBegun at Pentecost

• Beginning of the Church
• Stories recorded in the Acts of Apostles
• Acts 21-13
• The first history book of Christianity
• Accounts of the spreading of the Gospel
• Continuation of the mission of Christ
• Small beginnings immediate growth

13
St. Peter

• Leader of the Apostles
• Originally named Simon
• Petrus Rock
• Peter ? the Rock of the Church
• Holds the keys to Heaven
• Martyred 64 A.D. crucified upside down

14
Pentecost and St. Peter

• At Pentecost, Peter and the Apostles were filled
  with the Holy Spirit
  
• Peter preached about Jesus to the crowds
• Acts 214-41
• Recognized as the leader of the early
  Jewish-Christian community
  

15
Early Christian Communities

• The first Christians gathered together to recall
  Jesus command to remember him
  
• Acts 242-47
• 3 Key Aspects ? Devoted themselves
• to the teachings of the Apostles
• to the communal life
• to the breaking of bread and prayers
• Depended on each other and lived in community
• Continued to grow in numbers

16
Mary and the Church

• Mother of God / Jesus
• Looked to for leadership by the early Christians
• Various titles and honors
• Mother of the Church
• Assumed into Heaven
• Did not die

17
Gamaliel and Toleration

• As Peter and the Apostles continued to preach,
  Jewish leaders became outraged
  
• Peter and John arrested for preaching
• Gamaliel argued for their release saying
• if this plan or undertaking is of human origin,
  it will fail but if it is of God, you will not
  be able to overthrow them in that case you may
  even be found fighting against God Acts
  538-39
• Not all Pharisees agreed persecution to follow

18
Early Persecution

• Stephen, a deacon of the early Church, preached
  about Christ
  
• Arrested and brought to trial before the
  Sanhedrin accused of blasphemy
  
• Stoned in Jerusalem around 36 A.D.
• Known as Christianitys First Martyr
• Martyr ? Greek word witness

19
Aftermath

• After Stephens death, persecution began and
  Christians fled to Samaria, Syria, and Cyprus
  eventually leading to a community in Antioch
  3rd largest city in Roman Empire
• As Christians spread so too did the faith as more
  martyrs (witnesses) gave the example of the
  faith
  
• Challenge for leaders of the early Church in
  ministering to a growing geographic area
  

20
Christianity SpreadsThe Roman Empire

• The importance and prominence of the Roman Empire
  greatly influenced Christianitys spread and
  growth
  
• http//darkwing.uoregon.edu/atlas/europe/interact
  ive/map26.html
  
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reli
  gion/maps/

21
The ChurchGentile Converts

• As the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus spread, other
  people began to believe including non Jewish
  people or Gentiles
  
• Initial problem for the infant Church
• What should be done with these Gentiles?
• Dietary Circumcision issues
• Disagreement as to what exactly would be required
  for one to convert

22
Council of Jerusalem

• 1st Church council attempted to resolve the
  controversy in the year 50 A.D.
  
• Results
• Converts did not first have to become Jews (male
  circumcision)
  
• Non-Jews quickly become the majority
• Christianity continues to spread as even more
  enter the Church now through Baptism
  
• The decision to open the doors of the Christian
  community to all believers made possible the
  Churchs growth into every corner of the earth

23
St. PaulApostle to the Gentiles

• Originally, Saul a persecutor of the Church
• Present at Stephens martyrdom
• Famous conversion story on the road to Damascus
• Converted, changed name
• Traveled, bringing Gospel to new regions and
  communities
  

24
Paul of TarsusAn Autobiography

• About himself
• I am a Jew, born in Tarsus Acts 223
• About his mission
• I had been entrusted with the gospel to the
  uncircumcised, just as Peter was to the
  circumcised Gal 27
  
• His teachings
• For through faith you are all children of God in
  Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew or Greek,
  there is neither slave or free, there is not male
  or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
  Gal 326-28

25
Conversion of St. Paul

• On the road to Damascus, Saul encounters Christ
• Why do you persecute me?
• Continues to Damascus where he was baptized by
  Ananias

26
The Major Cities of Pauls Travels
27
Pauls Journeys

• Paul made three missionary journeys
• On his journeys, Paul established and solidified
  communities
  
• Offers the first discussion of the Eucharist from
  these communities. 1 Cor 11
  
• Martyred in Rome during the persecution of Nero
  in 64 A.D.
  

28
Composition of Scripture
29
Scripture in 1st Century

• Stories about Jesus were passed on from the
  Apostles to others using oral tradition
  
• The scriptures were not initially recorded
  because the early Church believed that Christ
  would return quickly
  
• As the time began to pass, Paul, the Evangelists,
  and other writers began to preserve the stories
  about Jesus in written form

30
Composition of the Gospels

• Mark
• Written after Peters death in Rome between 65-70
  A.D.
  
• Audience Gentile converts
• Probably source material for Matthew and Luke
• Matthew
• Written in Antioch between 80-100 A.D.
• Audience mix of Jews and Gentile converts

31
Composition (cont)

• Luke
• Written in southern Greece around 85 A.D.
• Gentile converts
• Drew upon Mark and possibly Matthew
• John
• Final Gospel written between 90-100 A.D.
• Highly theological reflection
• Written to counter heresy of Gnosticism

32
Break with Judaism

• Arrest and stoning of St. James (Apostle) in
  Jerusalem 62 A.D.
  
• Destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.
• Judaism on the ropes ? no longer welcomed those
  who believed in Jesus
  
• Permanent separation between Jews and Christians
  by the end of 1st century