The early church

1
The early church

• Ascension, Pentecost, and the Apostles

2
Paschal Mystery

• Jesus is executed
• After three days, Jesus rises from the dead
• He remains with his followers for 40 days
• (We will talk more about the Paschal Mystery in
  the Spring)

3
The Ascension

• Jesus is taken up on a cloud
• Jesus ascends into heaven
• Jesus is no longer present in his body, but is
  now available to the entire world spiritually
• He says he will send the Holy Spirit

4
Pentecost

• The Apostles (12 close friends and followers of
  Jesus) and some other disciples are gathered
  together
• There is a great wind
• Tongues of fire descend on each of them
• They are able to speak in other languages
• This is the coming of the Holy Spirit

5
Pentecost

• Great Wind powerful new action of God
• Tongues of Fire zeal, enthusiasm, fervor
• Speaking other Languages spreading the Gospel,
  unity, diversity. What is important is not how
  they spoke, but what they spoke

6
Early Church Communities

• People are being baptized
• They devoted themselves to the apostles
  teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread
  and the prayers
• The followers of the Way were still faithful
  Jews who attended the Temple, but who also met in
  their small communities

7
Early Church Communities

• The movement spread outside of Jerusalem
• Soon Gentiles (non Jews) became attracted to the
  way
• The first community that included Gentiles and
  Jews was at Antioch
• It is at Antioch that they are first called
  Christians

8
The First Council!!!

• The first ecumenical council is in the Bible!
• There is a questionDo Gentiles need to become
  Jewish in order to be Christians?
• The Apostles and community leaders meet to
  discuss

9
The Council of Jerusalem

• Ultimately Peter decides that the Gentiles do not
  need to become Jews before becoming Christians
• We see in the early church the roots of
  Ecumenical Councils and the authority of Peter
  (the Pope)

10
Paul

• Originally Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee
• Persecutor of Christians, present at the stoning
  of Stephen (first martyr)
• During his travels he is literally knocked off of
  his horse and sees a vision of Jesus
• He is struck blind until he is later baptized

11
Paul

• Paul becomes known as the Apostle to the Gentiles
• He would visit a city/community and write them
  letters from other places or in prison
• Many of these letters, or epistles, are in the
  new testament

12
Separation From Judaism

• Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, but
  eventually they separated
• Christians accepted non-Jewish converts who did
  not follow Jewish law
• The Temple was destroyed in 70 AD and Jewish
  leaders placed even more emphasis on the law
• Soon Christians were no longer allowed to worship
  in the synagogues (local houses of prayer for the
  Jews)

13
Separation From Judaism

• Christians still maintain their roots in Judaism
• Continue to read and pray the Hebrew scriptures