Rise of Christianity

1
Rise of Christianity

• Christianity arose in the Roman Empire, and
  spread throughout the Empire as the Empire was in
  decline
• The rise of Christianity marks the historical
  transition between the Roman Empire and the
  Medieval period
• This period is called late antiquity 284-610
  C.E.

2
Who was Jesus?

• A Jew born in Palestine (Judea) during the reign
  of King Herod
• Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem (where
  Joseph went for the census)
• Actually, his name was Joshua (Jesus is his name
  in Greek and Christ is a name added by St. Paul,
  Greek translation of Hebrew Messiah, meaning
  anointed one)

3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
Who was Jesus?

• In his early 30s he became a public preacher and
  caused hostility and suspicion both among the
  Jews and among the Roman authorities.
• He was crucified in 33 C.E. for subversion, under
  authority of Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
Greco-Roman Background

• Roman religion was eclectic adopted gods from
  Greece, tolerated other religions
• No concept of eternal life or damnation based on
  ethical behavior
• Hellenistic philosophies, however, offered
  alternative ideas
• Stoicism equality of people
• Neoplatonism (Plotinus) eternal soul ascends
  toward purification

10
Greco-Roman Background

• Roman Empire absorbed Eastern idea of emperor as
  a god Empire became theocratic
• At the same time, discontented citizens of Empire
  looked to the East for alternative, mystical
  religion

11
Near-Eastern Background

• Mystery Cults, e.g., Isis (Egypt) Dionysus
  (Greece) Mithra (Persia)
• Celebrated seasonal change and rebirth
• Celebrated rituals of spiritual death and
  rebirth baptism eating flesh and blood of deity
  in a communal meal
• Were tolerated by Rome so long as Romans
  continued to honor the Roman gods and emperors

12
Roman Mystery Rites, Pompeii, c. 50 C.E.
13
Mithraism

• Most popular mystery cult, worshipped ancient
  god-hero Mithra
• Mithras slaughter of Sacred Bull believed to
  make the earth fertile
• Believed in eternal life
• Rituals baptism meal of bread and wine
• Male religion No women at rites

14
Mithraism

• Mithras birth celebrated on December 25
• At first, Romans considered Christianity an
  imitation of Mithraism
• Christians considered Mithraism a parody of
  Christianity

15
Jewish Background Review1. Period of
Patriarchs

• after 2000 BCE Abraham covenant I will be
  your God you will be my people
• Chosen People
• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (aka Israelsoldier of
  God)

16
2. Period of Exodus

• After 1700 BCE into Egypt, where they are
  enslaved
• C. 1300 BCE Moses leads out of Egypt to Canaan,
  but Canaan is occupied

17
3. Period of Conquest

• Battles for the land of Canaan recorded in the
  books of Joshua and Judges

18
4. United Monarchy

• Samuel, Saul (first king), and David battle the
  Canaanites David conquers them (King David was
  the ancestor of Joseph, father of Jesus,
  husband of Mary)
• 960-920 BCESolomon establishes Jerusalem, builds
  a temple for the Ark of the Covenant (50)

19
(No Transcript)
20
5. Divided Kingdom and Exile

• Israel divided North and South
• North Israel
• South Judah
• Nebuchadnezzar invades Jerusalem, takes Hebrews
  (Jews) into captivity in Babylon (586-538 BCE)
• Book of Job probably written during this time

21
(No Transcript)
22
6. Return from Captivity

• 538 BCE return from captivity
• Jews later ruled by Persians, Greeks, andafter a
  short independence
• In 63 B.C.E. Rome captured the Jewish homeland of
  Jerusalem and surroundingsbecame the province of
  Judea
• 70 CE Rome destroys Jerusalem, including the
  temple

23
Jewish Background

• Unlike the mystery cults, Judaism was
  monotheistic and did not allow the worship of
  Roman gods and emperors
• Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 C.E. while
  repressing a Jewish revolt

24
Jewish Background

• At the time of Christ, there was much controversy
  among rabbis (Jewish religious teachers)
  regarding the Messiah (Anointed One)
• Sadducees envisioned political leader who would
  overthrow the Romans they did not believe in
  eternal reward or punishment
• Pharisees did believe in eternal life their
  Messiah would lead good people to salvation

25
Jewish Background

• Another Jewish group was called the Essenes
• Practiced asceticism and sought liberation of the
  immortal soul from the body
• believed in a leader who would come at the end of
  time
• All these groups were awaiting the appearance of
  a great spiritual teacher

26
Dura-Europos

• In present-day Syria destroyed by Persians in
  256 covered with sand and uncovered in 1930s
• Discovery of
• Christian church
• temple to Zeus
• Mithraism meeting place, and
• Jewish synagogue
• shows that these religions could coexist
  peacefully

27
Christian House Church, Dura-Europos
28
Christ Walking on Water,Dura-Europos
29
Synagogue, Dura-Europos
30
Mithra Fresco, Dura-Europos
31
Temple of Zeus,Dura-Europos
32
Jesus

• We know about Jesus through the Gospels (good
  news) of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These
  were Greek texts and the first (Mark) was not
  written until about 40 years after Christs
  death.
• All that Christ says in the Gospels can be
  repeated in about 2 hours

33
The Good Shepherd, c. 300 C.E.
34
Christs Teachings

• Challenged the materialism and power of the Roman
  world, at a time of increasing gap between rich
  and poor
• How blessed are the poor in spirit the kingdom
  of Heaven is theirs (Matthew 53)
• Blessed are the gentle they shall have the
  earth as inheritance (Matthew 54)
• Do not store up treasure for yourselves on
  earth (Matthew 619)

35
Christs Teachings

• Challenged traditional Judaism
• Emphasized spirit rather than letter of law,
  moral intention rather than outward behavior
• (when you pray, go to your private room
  Matthew 66)
• Characterized God as compassionate and loving
  rather than punishing
• Emphasized eternal life the kingdom of Heaven

36
Christs Teachings

• Challenged people with a higher standard of
  morality, defying common sense
• love your enemies and pray for those who
  persecute you (Matthew 544)
• if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him
  the other as well (Matthew 539)

37
The Ministry of Paul

• Saul of Tarsus (about 10-65 C.E.)
• A tentmaker, he was a persecutor of Christians
  and then he became a Christian, changing his name
  to Paul
• Paul was a busybody before his conversion, and a
  busybody after his conversion his beliefs
  changed, but his personality did not

38
(No Transcript)
39
Caravaggio, The Conversion on the Way to
Damascus, 1600
40
(No Transcript)
41
(No Transcript)
42
Pauls letters

• Romans
• I Corinthians
• II Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians

• I Thessalonians
• II Thessalonians
• I Timothy
• II Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

43
(No Transcript)
44
I Corinthians 13 1-13 1 If I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And
if I have prophetic powers, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all
faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I
have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
45
4 Love is patient and kind love is not
jealous or boastful 5 it is not arrogant or
rude. Love does not insist on its own way it is
not irritable or resentful 6 it does not
rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. 7
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things.
46
8 Love never ends as for prophecies, they will
pass away as for tongues, they will cease as
for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For our
knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is
imperfect 10 but when the perfect comes, the
imperfect will pass away.
47
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child
when I became a man, I gave up childish
ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but
then face to face. Now I know in part then I
shall understand fully, even as I have been fully
understood. 13 So faith, hope, love abide,
these three but the greatest of these is love.
48
Pauls contributions

1. Proclaimed Christianity to be a universal
   religion, not just for Jews. He was Apostle to
   the Gentiles
2. Supported idea of Jesus as Christos (Gr.
   Annointed One Messiah), the God/man who died
   for mans sins Jesus death an act of atonement.
   Jesus as New Adam (see Fiero 185).
3. Salvation through faith, not Jewish law

49
Crucifixion, Santa Sabina, Rome, c. 430 C.E.
50
Christianity in Roman Empire

• At first, Christians were persecuted because they
  refused to worship the Roman gods and they
  refused to serve in the Roman army.
• Persecution was horrific but not very widespread.
  It brought publicity to the Church and won
  converts by showing the strength of Christians
  faith.

51
Christianity in Roman Empire

• 312 Emperor Constantine converted to
  Christianity
• 313 Edict of Milan ends persecution of
  Christians
• By end of 4th century, Theodosius the Great
  prohibited paganism of any kind

52
Why did Christianity prevail?

• Theological Factors
• Social Factors

53
Theological Factors

• New and exclusive
• Explained the existence of evil
• Offered a view of salvation
• Salvation equally for men and women

54
Theological Factors

• Free of bothersome regulations (compared to
  Judaism) and big rituals (compared to mystery
  cults)
• Historically credible Jesus was an actual
  person who set an example of how to live

55
The Good Shepherd, c. 425-50 C.E., Ravenna, Italy
56
Social Factors

• Easy to spread Empire had good roads, common
  language
• Gap between rich and poor meant that the poor
  were looking for comfort
• Paul wrote that in this religion there is
  neither Jew nor Gentile male nor female slave
  or free person.

57
Social Factors

• Threat of Germanic tribes created a sense of
  social insecurity
• As the Empire declined, the Church provided an
  alternative authority (priests) and an
  alternative source of social services caring for
  the sick, burying the dead, etc.

58
Seated Buddha, c. 200 C.E., Pakistan
59
Who was Buddha?

• Buddha (Enlightened One) was a man, not a god
  his name was Siddhartha Gautama (about 500
  B.C.E.)
• He was a Hindu. Buddhism developed out of
  Hinduism, as Christianity developed out of
  Judaism
• Siddhartha tried marriage and asceticism before
  discovering meditation as his vocation

60
What did Buddha teach?

• The goal of life is to reach nirvanaa state of
  enlightenment and release from reincarnation
• Buddha rejected the strict caste system and the
  330 million gods of Hinduism
• Instead, he focused on personal enlightenment

61
Four Noble Truths

• Pain is universal (Life is suffering)
• Desire causes pain
• Ceasing to desire relieves pain
• The Eightfold Path leads to release of pain
• Right views, right intention, right speech, right
  action, right livelihood, right effort, right
  mindfulness, right concentration

62
Buddhism and the Self

• Enlightenment involves extinguishing the Self
• What we call self is a combination of five
  skandhasbody, feelings, perceptions,
  disposition, consciousnesswhich change from
  moment to moment

63
Buddhism and the Self

• In Buddhism, properly speaking, there is no soul,
  because the soul would be unchanging
• Buddha believed that you could become free of
  karma Hinduism believes that karma stays with
  you

64
Buddhism and other religions

• Buddhism does not reject the truths of other
  religions, and has supplemented other religions
  in China and Japan
• However, originally Buddhism sought to get beyond
  the attachment to gods altogether

65
(No Transcript)
66
The Wheel of Law (Dharmachakra)
67
Dharma with Deer
68
The Spread of Buddhism

• Emperor Asoka (3rd century B.C.E.) made Buddhism
  the state religion of India and sent missionaries
  as far as Greece to the West and Ceylon to the
  Southeast
• By first century C.E. two major sects of Buddhism
  had emerged Hinayana (Theravada) and Mahayana
• Ultimately Buddhism did not stick in India the
  Brahmin caste resisted its egalitarianism

69
Hinayana (Theravada) Buddhism (Little Raft)

• Spread from India to Southeast Asia Ceylon (Sri
  Lanka), Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand
• Emphasizes role of monks and monasteries monks
  seek Enlightenment and society supports them
  (Hindu influence priestly caste)

70
Hinayana (Theravada) Buddhism (Little Raft)

• Men can become monks permanently or temporarily
  in Thailand and Myanmar, every male spends some
  time in monastery
• Centrality of monastery leads to complex
  philosophy

71
Mahayana Buddhism (Big Raft)

• Spread from India north and east to China, Tibet,
  and Japan, beyond Hindu cultures and social
  structures
• Taught that Buddha is a divinity
• Strongly emphasized bodhisattvas, Buddhas-to-be
  who stayed back from enlightenment to help others
  along the way. E.g., Guanyingoddess of mercy

72
Standing Bodhisattva, late 2nd century C.E.,
Pakistan
73
GuanyinChina, Northern Zhou or early Sui
dynasty, about 580 A.D
74
Mahayana Buddhism (Big Raft)

• Chinese Buddhism believed in an actual heaven,
  The Pure Land of the West, instead of the
  abstract notion of nirvana
• Another sect, Chan or Zen, focused on meditation

75
Theravada vs. Mahayana

• Individual
• Self-effort
• Wisdom
• Monks
• Buddha a saint
• Anti-ritual
• Meditation
• Conservative

• Society
• Grace
• Compassion
• Laymen
• Buddha a savior
• Pro-ritual
• Supplication
• Liberal

76
Christianity vs. Buddhism

• Similarities
• Both spread through, respectively, the Roman
  world and Asia, in the early centuries of C.E.
• Christianity developed from an older religion,
  Judaism, and Buddhism developed from Hinduism
• Both religions provided consolation to people in
  periods of imperial instability in Roman Empire
  and in Han Empire

77
Christianity vs. Buddhism

• Similarities
• Both emphasized equality in face of hierarchical
  cultures
• Both emphasized mysticism in face of rationalist
  and materialist traditions

78
Christianity vs. Buddhism

• Differences
• Christianity emphasizes human sinfulness
  Buddhism does not
• Christianity emphasizes the identity of God
  Buddhism emphasizes the path to enlightenment

79
Christianity vs. Buddhism

• Differences
• Christianity emphasizes communal ritual, dogma,
  hierarchy
• Buddhism emphasizes private meditation, monastic
  instruction, decentralized authority