RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
4 - 6 BC
Jesus born - Mary and Joseph
•Bethlehem
•Herod the Great
age 30
began preaching/teaching
•”Lord, Liar, Lunatic”
•used parables
•short stories with simple moral lessons
TEACHINGS OF JESUS
Life and teachings of Jesus Christ becomes the New
Testament
Teachings found in the Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Teaching based on Jewish Law, but taught followers to live
“Ethically” not just to observe the laws
Monotheism
Jesus was God’s son
Jesus taught of God’s Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness
“Golden Rule”
Jesus taught of eternal life in Heaven for those that repent of their
sins
TEACHINGS OF JESUS
“Sermon on the Mount”
Moral and ethical
teachings of Christianity
“Beatitudes”
Lord’s Prayer
Became the value system
for western civilization
ROMANS DISLIKE OF JESUS
1) Did not worship Roman Emperor as a god
2) Did not worship Roman gods
3) Secret meetings
Roman gods were
punishing the empire for
Christian impiety
CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
Judas Iscariot
Garden of Gethsemane
Pontius Pilate
Roman Governor allowed
Jesus to be crucified
1)BLASPHEMY
2)PLOTTING TO
BECOME KING
3)FEAR OF INCITING
REVOLT
RESURRECTION OF JESUS
Jesus arose 3 days later
Easter
Christians believe in
Jesus’ resurrection
Jesus = Messiah
THE 12 APOSTLES
MARTYRDOM OF PETER
Peter traveled to Rome and was
crucified upside down by Nero
Believed to be the first “Bishop” or
Pope of the Christian Church
Today all Popes are believed to be
descendants of St. Peter
Apostolic Succession
Petrine Doctrine
Today this church is called the
“Catholic” Church
Catholic = “Universal”
ST. PETER’S BASILICA in VATICAN CITY
THE VATICAN
PAUL -- “HATER” to “LOVER”
Paul was originally
known as Saul
•Used to persecute
followers of Jesus
•Blinded by God on road
to Damascus – Jesus
asked why are you
persecuting me
•Becomes known as Paul
and follows teachings of
Jesus
•Paul was a Roman
citizen which meant he
could travel freely
throughout the empire
•Spread to Gentiles
REASONS FOR GROWTH OF
CHRISTIANITY IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Security of the Roman Empire allowed citizens
(and ideas) to freely move around
Common Language of Greek throughout Empire
(Alexander the Great)
Road System throughout the empire
Fatalism of Roman Religion
 When you die there is nothing else
Hope of Christianity
 Belief in an afterlife
Persecution of Christians
 “blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity”
APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
REASONS FOR SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY:
1. Passion of spreading Christianity
– The idea that man was a sinner and could gain eternal
life through faith was revolutionary
2.Christianity’s Visible Love
– Julian the Apostate
•
•
Pagan emperor – wanted to end Christianity
“Christianity has been specifically advanced thru the loving
treatment rendered to strangers…there is not a single Jew
who is a beggar…they care not only for their poor, but ours as
well.”
APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
3.Universal offer of Salvation
Anyone could believe
Taught a simple message “God’s Son became a man and died on the
cross and rose and by faith you could trust him and be forgiven”
4.Offered answers to a crumbling Empire
Rome’s gods were too little – could not answer questions
•
•
•
Dignity of man
How to get rid of sin
Could not show you a moral base of righteousness – gave
no absolute sense of right and wrong – Christianity did
5.Persecution / Martyrs
– 10 emperors – illegal to be Christian or own Bible
APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
5.Persecution/Martyrs cont.
– Would not worship Roman gods
• Considered atheists
• Famine, pestilence, natural disaster
– Not worship Roman Emperor
• During “Pax Romana” – to keep blessing on Rome you would provide
sacrifice to Goddess of Rome, Roma – a pinch of incense and
proclaim “curia caesar” – “CAESAR IS LORD”
– Not attend gladiator games
– Not go to hospitals – dedicated to Roman god of healing,
Aesculapius
APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
5.Persecution/Martyrs cont.
• Conspiracy – early morning meetings
• Cannibalism – Communion
• Equality
– paganism supported upper classes served by lower
• Economy – hurt sellers of idols, etc…
Christians were not persecuted because they
worshipped Christ, they were punished because they
worshipped ONLY Christ
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
64 Nero
•Fire
•Peter / Paul
98 Trajan
•made it policy to not seek out Christians,
but if someone was reported to be a
Christian, they could recant, be punished,
or on 3rd denial, killed
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
117 Hadrian // 139 Antoninus Pius
•upheld policy towards Christians, but did not
consent to persecution
161 Marcus Aurelius
•spy system against Christians
•accuser would receive Christian property
•persecution spread
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
253-303 – General drop in persecutions
303
DIOCLETIAN
•re-instituted persecutions
•stabilize government by getting rid of
faiths opposed to Roman state religion
•attempted to end Christianity
311
GALERIUS
•realized persecutions were only making
Christianity stronger
•issued Edict of Toleration
312
30k Christians in Rome
CHRISTIANITY BECOMES ONLY
RELIGION
312 Constantine becomes 1st Christian Emperor
Battle of Milvian Bridge
“in this sign conquer”
Edict of Milan
380 Theodosius makes Christianity the official
religion
476 Western Roman Empire falls
Christian Church will become the main
uniting and stabilizing force in W. Europe