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Christian Traditions

Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.

GSTR 220-BWestern Traditions I

Berea College

Fall 2004

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THE IMPERIAL CONTEXT OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

Following assassination of Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE), “dictator for life,” Rome becomes an empire ruled by Octavian (63 BCE-14 CE) and his successorsAs Augustus (Revered One), Octavian is regarded as Son of God (Apollo)Under early emperors, Pax Romana (Roman Peace) quiets conflicts, brings prosperity, and expands Roman power throughout world

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Greatest Extent of Roman Empire, c. 117 CE

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LIFE UNDER THE EMPERORSUnlike the Republican era, women enjoy many economic freedoms, but are forbidden to hold office, can be killed by their husbands if adulterous, and usually do not receive educationsPoliticians are exiled or executed at whim of emperors, leading to decline of interest in public serviceSlaves work at all levels of society and represent approximately 1/3 of Roman subjects

Dominant value: pietas (dutiful performance of social and spiritual obligations)Roman religion:

1. Polytheistic – Greek and Roman deities seen as interchangeable; amalgamated into one pantheon

2. Pluralistic – religious diversity generally tolerated, unless seen as threat to stability of state

3. Patriotic – religious activity intended to secure blessings of gods for the state

4. Patriarchal – organized around male authorities (pontiff, priest; paterfamilias, male head of household)

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NEW RELIGIONS IN AN OLD WORLD

As empire grows less stable after 200 CE, more Romans question traditional religion“Mystery religions” become popular:

1. Feature miracle-performing founders

2. Offer secret knowledge 3. Promise individual salvation and

eternal life4. Develop religious activities

independent of family and state5. Focus on savior deities who die and

come back to life6. Often connected with “exotic”

cultures of Near East

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JESUS OF NAZARETH (4 BCE-29 CE?)

Born poor in Roman-occupied Palestine Becomes a wandering rabbi who heals and teaches Hebrew scriptures Teaches necessity of moral perfection, casual attitude toward ritual purity, “blessedness” of society’s outcasts, and nonviolence as best means of resolving social conflictsExecuted by RomansIdentified as resurrected Messiah (Greek translation: Christos) by his followers

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WHO IS JESUS?… God’s “suffering servant” who bears the sins of Israel (Isaiah 55:6) …… God himself, incarnated “in the form of a slave” (Philippians 2:6-7) … … “Raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20) and “ascended” to God (John 20:17) …These images of Jesus gradually become known as “orthodox” (right-believing)Other early Christians hold different views of Jesus as…

… Teacher of secret knowledge (Greek gnosis) that only the initiated can understand (Gospel of Thomas 70)…… The new god who has come to sweep away Jewish tradition, including the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish God who made this corrupt material world (Gospel of Marcion 6:17-42) …Such“heterodox” (differently-believing) views compete with “orthodox” views for several centuries

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THE GROWTH OF CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONSWithin three hundred years of Jesus’ execution, Christianity’s status changes from obscure Jewish sect to persecuted Gentile faith to official Roman religion:313: Emperor Constantine (274?-337) ends persecution of Christianity and embraces faith395: Emperor Theodosius I (346-395) establishes orthodox Christianity as empire’s sole faith

Christian institutions model themselves on imperial structures, complete with Pontifex Maximus (High Priest) based in Rome

Collapse of Western Roman Empire in 476 leaves Western Europe sparsely populated, poor, and vulnerable to invasions Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, ruled from Constantinople (modern Istanbul), endures in spite of territorial losses to Islamic forces“Christendom” (Christian West) loosely unified by rule of Germanic kings and increasingly powerful Pope (Bishop of Rome)

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WHY DID CHRISTIANITY SUCCEED?

Roman persecution was sporadic, allowing Christianity to become publicly acceptable in some areasUnlike paganism, Christianity encouraged prosyletization and conversion, and seemed simpler and more unifiedChristianity offered strong, egalitarian, humane community in a mass society driven by class distinctions and peppered with cruelty and violence

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