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“The Rise of Christianity”. Notes. Objectives:. Understand the spread of Christianity through Jesus' followers, such as Paul of Tarsus.
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Objectives: • Understand the spread of Christianity through Jesus' followers, such as Paul of Tarsus. • Understand the Roman persecution of Christians, the efforts of church councils to standardize Christianity, and the growth of Christianity as a major religion.
The Earliest Christians • After the death of Jesus, his followers began to spread his teachings. • Jesus taught that God wanted everyone to be with him in the kingdom of heaven. • Jesus’ followers taught that God would eventually rule the world and judge each person for their sins. • In the early years of Christianity, Christians believed they were living at the end of time, and the world as they knew it would soon cease to exist.
The Earliest Christians • Jews did not accept the idea that a messiah would start a new age, so Christians and Jews began to argue with one another. • Eventually these two groups separated, and at various times in history have hated, slaughtered, and oppressed one another.
The Spread of Christianity • Christianity began in ancient Palestine, where Jesus had lived. • Eventually, a Christian community was established in Alexandria, Egypt, by early Christians. • Early Christians also traveled other places to spread their religion. • One of the most important early Christians was Paul. • One day, as Paul was going to Damascus to arrest Christians, he saw a bright light and was knocked to the ground. He heard a voice say, “Why are you persecuting me?” Paul answered, “Who are you?” The reply was, “I am Jesus.”
The Spread of Christianity • When Paul stood up he was blind. He remained that way for three days and nights, and did not eat or drink anything. • A Christian named Ananias was instructed by the lord in a dream to lay his hands on Paul, and heal him. He did this, and soon after, Paul was baptized as a Christian. • Paul traveled the land, preaching and establishing Christian communities. • Paul wrote that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection reveal God’s love for all human beings, Jews and non-Jews alike.
The Spread of Christianity • Paul was arrested for disturbing the peace in Jerusalem and is believed to have been executed there. • Paul played an important role in the spread of Christianity, by preaching to people not born of the Jewish faith.
Christianity Becomes a Major Religion • Christians were not always liked, and many Romans thought they had strange ideas. • The Roman government was suspicious of Christianity, and occasionally persecuted them. • Perpetua was a Christian who was arrested for her faith and told to renounce Christianity, but refused. When she refused, she and her slaves were whipped and then killed by wild animals in an amphitheater. • In A.D. 313, the Edict of Milan proclaimed Christians could legally practice their religion. • Just as Paul had, Christians kept reflecting on, and writing down their thoughts. • Many questions were answered by St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and other “Church Fathers.”
Christianity Becomes a Major Religion • Bishops decided to meet in councils, to address questions Christians had the same way everywhere. • In A.D. 25, Roman Emperor Constantine called together many church leaders for the Council of Nicea, where many important decisions affecting Christianity were addressed, Including the Nicene Creed and the idea of the Trinity. • By the 600’s Christianity flourished throughout most of Rome, and eventually the Roman government made it illegal to be a pagon.
