Transcript The Rise of Christianity

The Rise of Christianity
Objective: To describe and interpret the origins and
doctrinal beliefs of Christianity.
Essential Questions: How are elements of
Christianity reflective of Judaism?
The Life of Jesus
 Born in Palestine (Bethlehem)
when it was under Roman
rule
 As a young man he was
Jewish and studied with
Rabbis & learned carpentry
 At 30 became a preacherteacher poor -merciful God
 Perform miracles- healing
the sick and raising the dead
 Attract disciples- 12 to help
him do his work
Life of Jesus contd.
 Story of Jesus comes from
Gospels
 Story of Jesus' birth told in
New Testament of the Bible
in writings of Matthew &
Luke
 Some Jews believed a
messiah (Savior from God)
would deliver the Jews from
foreign rule & restore Israeli
kingdom
 Others saw him as a trouble
maker breaking with
traditions
 Roman officials see his
growing popularity as a
threat/ rebel
 Jesus showed respect for
HRE but refuse to accept
him as a God
 Jesus arrested AD 33
sentenced to death by
crucifixion
 Resurrection: On Sun.
following his execution the
followers discover his tomb
was empty- Jesus appears
as he had been alive
 God had raised Jesus from
the dead
The Teachings of Jesus:
 Used Parables (short stories with
moral lessons)
 There is 1 God- Monotheism
 Same God as Hebrews
recognized
 10 Commandments of Hebrews
as Gods law
 Stress love for God and
compassion for people
 Offer a forgiving God & loving
father of all people (poor, rich,
People who were humble, merciful, &
Jewish, non-Jewish)
unselfish rewarded with eternal life
 Everyone is EQUAL in the eyes of Justification by faith
Acquiring wealth does not guarantee
God said Jesus
salvation
The Spread of Christianity:
St. Peter
St. Paul
 Followers believe he was the son of God
 His followers called Christians from Greek word
Christos- messiah
 Christianity spread across the Roman World
 Missionaries Peter & Paul – Paul dramatic conversion
and early missionary work
 Some say without work of St. Paul Christianity would
have been just another Jewish sect
Persecution & Appeal
 Romans overall tolerant except suspicious of Christians –
refuse to show respect for Roman Gods –persecuted
 1000s of people persecuted- became martyrs: people who
suffer/ die for beliefs
 1 Roman observed: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the
Christian Church.”
 AD 313 Roman Emperor Constantine converts and ends
persecution- by 395 official religion of Roman Empire!!!
 Appeal: to rich and poor alike
 Offer of hope and salvation of eternal life
 Christian belief that each person could achieve salvation
through moral choices- control over own destiny
The Great
Schism
 AD 330 Roman Empire is
divided and eastern half
becomes Byzantium
1054 patriarchs of Eastern
and Western division of
Constantinople and Rome
unable to resolve differences
Church split into
Orthodox (Constantinople)
and Roman Catholic (Rome)
 Eastern ruler refuse to
recognize pope in Rome as
head of Church- Byzantine
Emperor heads Church
himself
Christianity at a Glance:
 Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament
 Jesus Christ is the son of God- sent to save humanity
from its sins
 There is only one God but 3 elements: The Holy Trinity
– God the Father
– God the Son
– The Holy Spirit
 The Bible is the Christian holy book- Old and
New Testament
 Prayer is how Christians communicate with God
 Church where Holy Spirit manifests in Earth and Christians
brought into the faith
 The Eucharist: commemorates the Last Supper Jesus took
with his disciples- in some churches literally interpreted as
Christ is present in the bread and wine- others symbol
How is Judaism related to
Christianity?
• Judaism predates Christianity – it is the foundation of
Christianity but is not a part of it
• Jesus was Jewish, as were his followers and the Apostles
• Jews do not believe that Jesus was anything more than a good
and wise man who lived and died 2000 years ago – Jews still
await their messiah
• The Jewish messiah would not be divine. He would be a
political figure who restores the Hebrew monarchy and
causes peace to reign on Earth
• Jews are not concerned about salvation and the “world to
come”
• Both foundations in Palestine
• Monotheistic
• Recognize some of the same Prophets
• Christians recognize the Old Testament
Sources:
• Google Images
• BBC Religions: Christianity:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christ
ianity/