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Roman Religion and Christianity

Roman Religion and Christianity. Overview of Christianity Mini-Unit. Context for Christianity: Paganism and Judaism Life of Jesus Paul of Tarsus Spread of Christianity Persecution Constantine. Common Traits of Mediterranean Religion. Polytheistic Focused on the Present

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Roman Religion and Christianity

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  1. Roman Religion and Christianity

  2. Overview of Christianity Mini-Unit • Context for Christianity: Paganism and Judaism • Life of Jesus • Paul of Tarsus • Spread of Christianity • Persecution • Constantine

  3. Common Traits of Mediterranean Religion • Polytheistic • Focused on the Present • Observance: Prayer/Sacrifice • Tolerant

  4. Judaism • Similarities to Paganism • Differences from Paganism • Monotheism • Jewish Law • Variation

  5. Life of Jesus: Historical Challenges • Inaccessibility of ancient people • Early Pagan Sources

  6. Life of Jesus: Historical Challenges • Inaccessibility of ancient people • Early Pagan Sources • Early Jewish Sources • Josephus “… brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others”

  7. Life of Jesus: Historical Challenges • Inaccessibility of ancient people • Early Pagan Sources • Early Jewish Sources • Christian Sources and their Challenges

  8. Life of Jesus: Historical Challenges • Inaccessibility of ancient people • Early Pagan Sources • Early Jewish Sources • Christian Sources • Biblical Scholars look for…

  9. Life of Jesus • Who was he?

  10. Life of Jesus • Who was he? • Jesus’ Teachings • Salvation and Forgiveness

  11. Life of Jesus • Who was he? • Jesus’ Teachings • Salvation/Forgiveness • Apocalypticism • Political? • Rooted in Judaism

  12. Life of Jesus • Who was he? • Jesus’ Teachings • Salvation/Forgiveness • Apocalypticism • Political? • Rooted in Judaism • Jesus’ Death and Crucifixion

  13. Life of Jesus • Who was he? • Jesus’ Teachings • Stories • Apocalypticism • Political? • Rooted in Judaism • Jesus’ Death and Crucifixion • Resurrection

  14. Paul of Tarsus • Influence • Background: From Persecutor to Apostle Caravaggio (1573-1610), The Conversion of St. Paul on the way to Damascus.

  15. Paul of Tarsus • Influence • Background: From Persecutor to Apostle • Ideas of Paul • The Messiah • Jewish Law • Spreading to Gentiles

  16. Paul, Romans 2:25-29 28A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

  17. Paul of Tarsus • Influence • Background: From Persecutor to Apostle • Ideas of Paul • The Messiah • Jewish Law • Spreading to Gentiles

  18. Paul of Tarsus • Influence • Background: From Persecutor to Apostle • Ideas of Paul • The Messiah • Jewish Law • Gentiles • Spreading Faith • Message to Pagans • Paul’s Strategy

  19. Paul of Tarsus • Influence • Background: From Persecutor to Apostle • Ideas of Paul • The Messiah • Jewish Law • Spreading to Gentiles • Spreading Faith • Message to Pagans • Paul’s Strategy • Results

  20. Spread of Christianity • How did Jesus’ band of lower-class Jewish followers manage to create a world religion that commanded respect of highest Roman officials in just 300 years? • Grassroots Growth • Grows roughly 40% every decade • 5% of Empire by Constantine

  21. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Capitalizing on Spiritual Malaise? • In Pagan Terms • Exclusivity

  22. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Capitalizing on Spiritual Malaise? • In Pagan Terms • Exclusivity • Roman Context

  23. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Capitalizing on Spiritual Malaise? • In Pagan Terms • Exclusivity • Roman Context • Polit/Econ Context

  24. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Capitalizing on Spiritual Malaise? • In Pagan Terms • Exclusivity • Roman Context • Polit/Econ Context • Infrastructure

  25. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Capitalizing on Spiritual Malaise? • In Pagan Terms • Exclusivity • Roman Context • Polit/Econ Context • Infrastructure • Persecution and Tolerance

  26. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Capitalizing on Spiritual Malaise? • In Pagan Terms • Exclusivity • Roman Context • Polit/Econ Context • Infrastructure • Persecution and Tolerance • Constantine

  27. Spread of Christianity • Grassroots Growth • But Why? • Speaking to Pagans • Roman Context • Other Themes • Sense of Community • Redemption and Salvation • Role of Women • Diversity and Orthodoxy

  28. Persecution • Why Were Christians Persecuted?

  29. Persecution • Why Were Christians Persecuted? • Refusal to Worship “They think the Christians the cause of every public disaster, of every affliction with which the people are visited. If the Tiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not send its water over the fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there is an earthquake, if there is famine or pestilence, straightway the cry is ‘Away with the Christians to the Lion.’” Tertullian, Christian apologist

  30. Persecution • Why Were Christians Persecuted? • Refusal to Worship • Suspicious Behavior

  31. Persecution • Why Were Christians Persecuted? • Refusal to Worship • Suspicious Behavior • Extent of Persecution • Local, Sporadic, Limited • Mostly Grassroots

  32. THE EMPEROR TRAJAN'S INSTRUCTIONS TO PLINY THE YOUNGER CONCERNING TREATMENT OF THE CHRISTIANS Around 100 CE the emperor Trajan received a letter from Pliny the Younger, his governor in Asia Minor, describing his treatment of the growing sect of Christians. After describing how he only executed them after giving them numerous chances to renounce their faith and worship the emperor, he asks Trajan for further instructions on how he should deal with this problem. “The method you have pursued my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of those denounced to you as Christians is eminently proper...No search should be made for these people; when they are denounced & found guilty they must be punished; but where the accused party denies that he is a Christian, & gives proof...by adoring our gods, he shall be pardoned...Information without the accusers name subscribed must not be admitted in evidence against anyone."

  33. Persecution • Why Were Christians Persecuted? • Refusal to Worship • Suspicious Behavior • Extent of Persecution • Local, Sporadic, Limited • Mostly Grassroots • Effects of Persecution • “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and unto God which is God’s.” • Helps spread?

  34. Constantine • Christianity on Eve of Constantine

  35. Constantine • Christianity on Eve of Constantine • Conversion of Constantine (Milvian Bridge, 312)

  36. Constantine • Christianity on Eve of Constantine • Conversion of Constantine (Milvian Bridge, 312) • Why?

  37. Constantine • Christianity on Eve of Constantine • Conversion of Constantine • Increasing Support of Christianity

  38. Constantine • Christianity on Eve of Constantine • Conversion of Constantine • Increasing Support of Christianity • Effects • Growth of Christianity • Political Impact

  39. Constantine • Christianity on Eve of Constantine • Conversion of Constantine • Increasing Support of Christianity • Effects • Growth of Christianity • Political Impact • Long-Term • Christianity in Europe • Constantinople

  40. Relation to Jewish Texts • Shedding Jewish Ideas • Keeping Old Testament • Conflict

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