The Rise of Christianity

Early Empire Includes Diverse Religions

• Roman empire was culturally diverse• Rome tolerated varied religious beliefs as long

as citizens showed loyalty by honoring Roman gods and acknowledging that the emperor was divine

• By 63 BC, Rome had conquered Judea, where most Jews lived– Roman excused Jews from worshipping Roman

gods

Divisions in Judea

• Some Jews were willing to live under Roman rule• Others, called Zealots, called on Jews to rebel

against Rome and reestablish an independent state• Believed that a messiah, or anointed king sent by

God, would appear to lead them to freedom• Several rebellions by Jews over the years were

crushed by the Romans until around AD70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem

Jesus Proclaims His Teachings

• As Jews were fighting the Romans in Palestine, a Jew named Jesus began a new religion

• Most of what we know about the life of Jesus comes from the Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament of the Christian Bible–Written by four followers of Jesus: Matthew,

Mark, Luke, and John

Jesus Begins Preaching

• Born about 4 BC• Believed to be a descendant of King David of

Israel• Began preaching at age 30– Used parables, or short stories with moral lessons,

to spread his ideas– Chose 12 disciples (close followers) that he called

apostles

Jesus Teaches New Beliefs

• Teachings based on Jewish tradition– Believed in one god and accepted the Ten

Commandments– Preached obedience to the laws of Moses

• New beliefs– Called himself the Son of God– His mission was to bring spiritual salvation and

eternal life to anyone who believed in him–Many believed he was the messiah

Teachings of Jesus

• Most teachings contained in a group of sayings called the Sermon on the Mount

• As in Judaism, emphasized God’s love and the need for justice, morality, and service to others

• Taught you must love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself

• Emphasized the importance of forgiveness

Sermon on the Mount

Parable of the Good Samaritan

Jesus Condemned to Death

• Romans considered Jesus a threat– Believed he encouraged those who wanted to rebel against

Roman rule

• AD 33, Jesus travels to Jerusalem for Passover and is greeted by large crowds

• Fearing Jesus’ ability to attract followers, the Romans arrest him and charge him with treason (disloyalty)

• Condemned to death by crucifixion• His followers then claimed that he had risen from the

dead (resurrection)

The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci

The Message of Christianity Spreads

• Disciples of Jesus spread his message• Taught that he was the messiah, or Christ (Greek

word for “anointed one”)• Followers were called Christians• Peter spread Christianity to Rome• Paul spread Jesus’ teachings to non-Jews– Traveled around the Mediterranean setting up churches

in Greece and Asia Minor– Taught that Jesus had died out love for humankind and

his followers would achieve salvation (eternal life)

Paul Preaching in Athens

Christians Are Oppressed• Rome not tolerant of Christians since they

would not consider emperor divine; considered traitors– Did not support class division; believed in equality

• During difficult times, they were used as scapegoats and blamed for social or economic problems (remember Nero?); persecuted

• Christians who were killed during times of persecution were called martyrs

The Message Appeals to Many• Christianity grew among the poor who found

comfort in the message of equality and the promise of a better life after death

• Educated Romans also embraced Christianity which incorporated the discipline and moderation of Greek philosophy

• Christians easily traveled around the empire on its roads and across the Mediterranean

• Early documents were written in Greek or Latin which many people understood

Rome Accepts Christianity

• Christianity continued to spread and attract people from all classes

• Last persecution of Christians under Diocletian ended in early AD 300s

• AD 313, after Emperor Constantine believes he saw the message, “In this sign you will conquer”, he issued the Edict of Milan which granted freedom of worship to all citizens of the Roman empire

• By end of the century, Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire and bans all other faiths

Constantine’s Conversion

The Early Christian Church

• Needed to be baptized to join; all members were considered equals

• Women served as teachers, but later were barred from any official positions

• Missionaries converted people to Christianity throughout the empire and beyond

• Met on Sundays for a ceremony in memory of Jesus

Structuring the Clergy• Developed into a hierarchy• Only men could be members of clergy (people

who conduct services)• Grouped into a diocese– Each diocese had a priest– Diocese was overseen by a bishop• Bishops of the most important cities in the empire had

greater authority• Called patriarchs

Differences Arise Within the Church

• Rivalries developed between the patriarchs, especially between the Latin-speaking west and the Greek-speaking east– Bishops of Rome became known as popes, claiming

authority over all other bishops– Greek patriarchs thought all patriarchs should be

equal

• Heresies (beliefs thought to be contrary to official church teachings) caused disputes– Councils set up to determine official church teachings

Scholars and Christianity

• Scholars produced many works of theology (discussion about God)

• Greatest was Augustine who combined Christian doctrine with Greek philosophy

The Spread of Christianity