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The Rise of Christianity. Early Christianity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqzorkOz0m8. Before the birth of Christ. Canaanites: 3,000 BC Palestine: controlled by Babylonians, Egyptians, Alexander, Judaism 2,000 years of history Cycles of favor and discipline by God.
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The Rise of Christianity
Early Christianity • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqzorkOz0m8
Before the birth of Christ • Canaanites: 3,000 BC • Palestine: controlled by Babylonians, Egyptians, Alexander, • Judaism • 2,000 years of history • Cycles of favor and discipline by God. • God issues an extensive set of laws (through Moses) by which the Hebrews are to be set apart as God's people.
Importance of Abraham • Considered the founder of the Jewish religion. • God's role is as a patron deity who has bestowed his favor on Abraham. • The religion of the early Judaism was simple, and centered on the agreement between Abraham and God. • Religious practice consisted of sacrifice and prayer at a sacred altar, stone pillar, or sacred tree. • Religious thought revolved around the promise of land and many descendents.
Importance of Moses and the Covenant • A famine caused the Hebrew tribes to migrate to Egypt, where they were enslaved. • God rescued them from bondage by afflicting the Egyptians with successive plagues then drowning the Egyptian army in the Red Sea to allow the Hebrews to escape. • According to the Bible, Moses receives a covenant • The covenant required exclusive loyalty to Yahweh • Worship of other gods, veneration of idols (even of Yahweh), and magical practices are prohibited. • Rituals and festivals are established to celebrate God's historical and continuing provision.
Early Roman Influence • Conquered by Rome in 63 BCE by Pompey • Necessary to stabilize region
Herod • 40 BC • Senate appoints him king of Judaea (the Roman name for the area round Jerusalem). • He returns to the east with a Roman army, and by 37 BC is firmly in control of his new kingdom. • He will rule it till his death in 4 BC • Herod proves a great builder. He founds new Roman cities and a spectacular new Temple on the holy mount in Jerusalem • Jealous, proud: murders wife and family.
After Herod’s Death • Instability: Rome gives more local control to Palestine, but problems grow • Zealots: Determined to overthrow Roman rule • Assassinate Jews who cooperate with Rome • Jesus is seen as a problem by Conservative Jews AND Roman officials
Life of Jesus Baptism Agony in the Garden Crucifixion
In its first stage, Christianity begins not as a religion, it begins rather as the movement of people around a single charismatic teacher or preacher, • The holy man is executed by the authorities, probably as a trouble maker. He is seen by many as somebody who's best off dead. • This is how Christianity begins. • It turns into a Jewish sect, where the life, teachings and death of its holy man are seen as “cosmically significant.”
Paul • Spreads the word of Christ • Israel -- and the world -- must embrace both Jews and gentiles, all those who now accept the new covenant and the new faith.
Rome and the Spread of Christianity • By the third century there are sacred books, its own rituals, its own ideas • Still an age of confrontation with the Roman Empire. • The third century is the age of persecutions by the Roman Empire • Christians threaten the Roman social order and the political order of the entire Empire. • Adoption of Christianity means a break with the pagan past • By the fourth century Christianity becomes the state religion and by the end of the fourth century it is illegal to do any form of public worship other than Christianity in the entire Roman Empire.
