Christianity Clashes with Rome

Lesson Overview

1. Models of Christ and Culture2. Culture of ancient Rome3. Culture of Christianity4. Christ against Culture5. Legalization of Christianity

Models of Christ and Culture

• What is Culture? (Pg. 35)– Created by Humans (in a given context)– Ways of doing things– Belongs in the Public domain– Arises from traditions– Function as rules or norms

• Based upon the research of American Anthropologist Clyde Kluckohn

Culture of Early Christianity

• Apologetics• Unity• Apostolic Succession• Eucharist• Baptism• Heretics and schisms• Lapsi (Lapsed ones)• Petrine primacy• Epicopate in general

Church Fathers

• Clement of Rome (? – 101)• Ignatius of Antioch (50-107)• Irenaeus (130-200)• Tertullian (160-225)• Origen (184-253)

St. Clement of Rome

• Letter to Corinth 96 CE• Schism developed• Elders are direct successors of

apostles• Validates their authority

Ignatius of Antioch

• Martyrdom• Denounced schisms and

heresies• Advocated for Church’s

Episcopacy• Incarnation, Passion, Death,

Resurrection• Coined the term “Roman

Catholic”

Nature of Jesus

• Human? God? Demi-God?• God = Unlimited being in every

sense (Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresences, Omnibenevolent)

• Modalism• Docetism• Tertullian Rejects both

Irenaeus of Lyons

• Interested in Sotiriology• Why does the death of Jesus

save us?• Save us from What?• Why was such a gruesome

death necessary?• Answer: Saved through

Christ, from the Devil

Irenaeus’ theology would have an impact on the 20th Writer C.S.

Lewis when he wrote his children’s book, The Lion, the

Witch, and the Wardrobe

Origen

• How do we comprehend Jesus?

• Joining of two separate entities

• Divine Word and Human Flesh

• Infusion• Problems with this theory

Pax Romana

• Peace of Rome• Emperor Augustus had

established peace• Meant safe travels

Roman Infrastructure

• Mediterranean under Roman occupation

• Roads, mail system, ships, travel routes

• Hellenistic culture meant Greek common language

Persecution

• Initially, came from local• Shift to regional

governments• Nero• Seen as problematic,

Christians would not acknowledge the divinity of the Roman Emperor

Emperor Decius

• First Empire-wide persecution of Christians

• Decius attributed Empire’s misfortunes to Christianity

• Since Christianity called for ultimate allegiance to Christ, seen as dissident

Christ Against Culture

• Tertullian and Apostles

Roman Culture• Emperor = Lord• Pantheon of gods• Favour to “Roman

State”• Foster Virtue

Christian Culture• Jesus = Lord• One God• Favour weakest

members of society• Foster Virtue

Legalization of Christianity• Civil War (Constantine

against Maxentius)• Edict of Milan 313• Toleration and integration

of Christ and State• Good or Bad?