The%20Rise%20of%20Christianity

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The Rise of Christianity
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Traditional Roman Religion

• Etruscan nature gods
• Greek gods
• Ancestor spirits
• Emperor 1st priest
• Cult of the Emperor
• Freedom of worship many religions

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Judaism

• Idea of a Messiah one who would save the Jews
  from oppression
• Romans treated Jews cruelly
• Polytheists vs. monotheism
• 1 god
• Would not honor the emperor as god
• Prior to the 1st C there had been a few
  rebellions against Rome in Judea

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Kingdom of Judah becomes a Roman Province 6 C.E.
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Jesus of Nazareth

• Born in the reign of Caesar Augustus
• Started teaching when approx 30 years old

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Jesus of Nazareths teachings

• Gods kingdom will govern all soon
• Give to others and care for others
• Do not sin- based on 10 commandments
• God is forgiving and loving
• Give up material wealth- spiritual equality
• Uses parables (symbolic stories) to explain
  beliefs

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Romans and some Jewish leaders believed

• Leading people astray from god (J)
• Danger to Roman govt. (R)
• Could bring rebellion (R)
• Result
• Executed by Romans by Crucifixion

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Christians worship in secret and are persecuted
by the Romans because

• Refused to worship emperor or serve in the
  military (thou shalt not kill)
• Tried to actively convert Romans (some seen as
  threat to traditional Roman values and Power)
• Nero uses Christians as scapegoats for Great Fire
  of Rome 67AD
• It was seen as a sect of Judaism - It was
  believed they might actively spread rebellion
  (like the Jewish Uprisings)

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Romans Put Down Jewish Uprising in 70 C.E.

• Romans banned Jews from Jerusalem in 132 C.E.
  Start of Jewish Diaspora

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Martyrs in Rome

• Emperor Trajan to Pliny - 1st Century AD
• You observed proper procedure, my dear Pliny,
  in sifting the cases of those who had been
  denounced to you as Christians. For it is not
  possible to lay down any general rule to serve as
  a kind of fixed standard. They are not to be
  sought out if they are denounced and proved
  guilty, they are to be punished, with this
  reservation, that whoever denies that he is a
  Christian and really proves it--that is, by
  worshiping our gods--even though he was under
  suspicion in the past, shall obtain pardon
  through repentance. But anonymously posted
  accusations ought to have no place in any
  prosecution. For this is both a dangerous kind of
  precedent and out of keeping with the spirit of
  our age.

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How Christianity Became Accepted in Rome

• 312 Emperor Constantine wins Battle of Milvian
  Bridge over the Tiber River in Rome

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Constantine

• Saw Flaming Cross in the sky before battle with
  Roman Rivals
• Had soldiers paint sign of cross on their shields
  won the Battle

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313 C.E. Edict of Milan

• Legalized Freedom of Religion (Including
  Christianity
• 325 C.E.- Nicean Council in Anatolia, Asia Minor
• Chose 4 Gospels
• Nicean Creed
• New Testament

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Spread of Christianity
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Other events

• 332 C.E.- Constantine is Babtized and then Dies
• Late 4th century C.E.- The Scholar Augustine
  writes The City of Gods which is first history
  book from Christian Perspective
• 392 C.E.- Emperor Theodosius made Christianity
  the official religion of Rome

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Constantinople is made the 2nd Rome