Christianity

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Christianity
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Roman Religion - Polytheistic

• 1. Names - Jupiter, Mars, Juno, Minerva, Venus,
  Apollo
• 2. Religious festivals were popular
• 3. Relationships with the gods were important
• 4. Tolerant of other religions (Accepted ideas)

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Judaea Land of the Jews
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Conquering Judaea

• Judaea under procurator (Roman official)
• Jewish population differed in reaction to Roman
  ruleZealots want revolt!
• 66 AD Revolt against Romans
• Romans crush revolt in four years

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Jesus

• Born in Judea (Circa 4 B.C.)
• Educated to be a carpenter in the Jewish
  tradition in the small town of Nazareth
• Founder of Christianity
• Claimed to be the Messiah (the savior, son of God)

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Death of Jesus

• 1. Jesus developed a following
• 2. Jewish priests saw a threat to their authority
• 3. The Romans feared a revolutionary
• 4. The Romans arrested, tried condemned Jesus
• 5. His disciples claimed he rose from the dead 3
  days later, giving them instruction and ascended
  into heaven
• 6. Jesus ordered them to spread his teachings
• These disciples were the 12 APOSTLES

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The New Testament

• 2nd part of the Bible which contains the life and
  teachings of Jesus
• Many Gospels were written by early
  Christians/followers of Jesus in the Roman Empire
  (4 make up the New Testament Matthew, Mark,
  Luke and John )
• Disciples Jesus followers who believed him to
  be the Son of God

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Spread of Christianity

• St. Paul Went from persecutor to greatest voice
  of Christianity - The Apostle to the Gentiles
  (non-Jews)
• St. Peter - first Bishop of Rome structured
  church organization. His position later became
  Pope.

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Spread of Christianity
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Christianitys appeal

• People were dissatisfied with old pagan religions
• Attractive ideals one God, universal love, and
  eternal salvation
• Christians believed that Jesus was the Son of God
  - gave them a special closeness to God

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Christianitys Appeal

• Missionaries could travel and preach with
  relative ease in the united Roman Empire
• Early Church leaders displayed courage and
  sincerity

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Enemies of the State

• Pagan priests feared success of Christianity
  would doom their religions
• Upper classes considered Christianity a slave
  religion

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Enemies of the State

• Roman officials accused Christians of treason
  because they
• refused to worship Roman Emperor
• refused to serve in Roman armies
• disapproved of gladiatorial combats and pagan
  feasts

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Persecution

• Most severe under emperors Nero and Diocletian
• Christians stripped of Roman citizenship and
  property
• Christians tortured and killed
• Christian martyrs emerged (people who suffer or
  die for their beliefs)

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Nero and Diocletian
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Throwing Christians to the Lions
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Survival

• Even under Persecution, Christianity continued to
  spread and gain converts.
• Poor found comfort in teachings
• Educated Romans appreciated a religion that
  incorporated Greek philosophy
• Martyrs impressed others with the strength of
  their beliefs

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Church Organization

• Pope - leader of the Church in the Roman Empire
• Arch-bishop- ruled over a province (a number of
  dioceses)
• Bishops - officials who were responsible for all
  Christians in a diocese
• Priests - officials who were to conduct both
  services and the business of village churches

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Triumph

• 313 AD under the reign of Constantine, the Edict
  of Milan was granted which gave freedom of
  worship to all Roman citizens
• Constantine converted to Christianity giving the
  faith new public esteem

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Triumph

• 325 AD, the Council of Nicea created the Nicene
  Creed stating that God and Christ were of the
  same substance
• In 392, Emperor Theodosius proclaimed
  Christianity the official state religion of Rome