Christian Traditions

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Christian Traditions

• Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
• GSTR 220-BWestern Traditions I
• Berea College
• Fall 2004

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THE IMPERIAL CONTEXT OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

• Following assassination of Julius Caesar (100-44
  BCE), dictator for life, Rome becomes an empire
  ruled by Octavian (63 BCE-14 CE) and his
  successors
• As Augustus (Revered One), Octavian is regarded
  as Son of God (Apollo)
• Under early emperors, Pax Romana (Roman Peace)
  quiets conflicts, brings prosperity, and expands
  Roman power throughout world

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Greatest Extent of Roman Empire, c. 117 CE
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LIFE UNDER THE EMPERORS

• Unlike the Republican era, women enjoy many
  economic freedoms, but are forbidden to hold
  office, can be killed by their husbands if
  adulterous, and usually do not receive educations
• Politicians are exiled or executed at whim of
  emperors, leading to decline of interest in
  public service
• Slaves work at all levels of society and
  represent approximately 1/3 of Roman subjects

• Dominant value pietas (dutiful performance of
  social and spiritual obligations)
• Roman religion
• Polytheistic Greek and Roman deities seen as
  interchangeable amalgamated into one pantheon
• Pluralistic religious diversity generally
  tolerated, unless seen as threat to stability of
  state
• Patriotic religious activity intended to secure
  blessings of gods for the state
• Patriarchal organized around male authorities
  (pontiff, priest paterfamilias, male head of
  household)

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NEW RELIGIONS IN AN OLD WORLD

• As empire grows less stable after 200 CE, more
  Romans question traditional religion
• Mystery religions become popular
• Feature miracle-performing founders
• Offer secret knowledge
• Promise individual salvation and eternal life
• Develop religious activities independent of
  family and state
• Focus on savior deities who die and come back to
  life
• Often connected with exotic cultures of Near
  East

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JESUS OF NAZARETH (4 BCE-29 CE?)

• Born poor in Roman-occupied Palestine
• Becomes a wandering rabbi who heals and teaches
  Hebrew scriptures
• Teaches necessity of moral perfection, casual
  attitude toward ritual purity, blessedness of
  societys outcasts, and nonviolence as best means
  of resolving social conflicts
• Executed by Romans
• Identified as resurrected Messiah (Greek
  translation Christos) by his followers

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WHO IS JESUS?

• Gods suffering servant who bears the sins of
  Israel (Isaiah 556)
• God himself, incarnated in the form of a
  slave (Philippians 26-7)
• Raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 1520)
  and ascended to God (John 2017)
• These images of Jesus gradually become known as
  orthodox (right-believing)
• Other early Christians hold different views of
  Jesus as

• Teacher of secret knowledge (Greek gnosis) that
  only the initiated can understand (Gospel of
  Thomas 70)
• The new god who has come to sweep away Jewish
  tradition, including the Hebrew Bible and the
  Jewish God who made this corrupt material world
  (Gospel of Marcion 617-42)
• Suchheterodox (differently-believing) views
  compete with orthodox views for several
  centuries

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THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS

• Within three hundred years of Jesus execution,
  Christianitys status changes from obscure Jewish
  sect to persecuted Gentile faith to official
  Roman religion
• 313 Emperor Constantine (274?-337) ends
  persecution of Christianity and embraces faith
• 395 Emperor Theodosius I (346-395) establishes
  orthodox Christianity as empires sole faith
• Christian institutions model themselves on
  imperial structures, complete with Pontifex
  Maximus (High Priest) based in Rome

• Collapse of Western Roman Empire in 476 leaves
  Western Europe sparsely populated, poor, and
  vulnerable to invasions
• Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, ruled from
  Constantinople (modern Istanbul), endures in
  spite of territorial losses to Islamic forces
• Christendom (Christian West) loosely unified by
  rule of Germanic kings and increasingly powerful
  Pope (Bishop of Rome)

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WHY DID CHRISTIANITY SUCCEED?

• Roman persecution was sporadic, allowing
  Christianity to become publicly acceptable in
  some areas
• Unlike paganism, Christianity encouraged
  prosyletization and conversion, and seemed
  simpler and more unified
• Christianity offered strong, egalitarian, humane
  community in a mass society driven by class
  distinctions and peppered with cruelty and
  violence

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