Christianity Notes Triumph of Christianity article: three reasons that Christianity succeeded and examples of each 1. The broad base of its appeal to those searching for what was lacking in Rome’s state a. Thus the initiates experienced the sense of belonging, special status and exclusivity previously provided by cultural identity 2. Acceptance of all people of whatever social station, race, or gender a. Christianity simply out populated its competitors 3. Its belief that the Kingdom of God was at hand a. was that as an apocalyptic cult it was not prone to revolutionary politics because it saw no point in revolting against a system Christians assumed would be shortly replaced by a just kingdom instituted by God Christ term...what it means - The Gospels describe a three-year teaching and healing ministry during which Jesus attracted 12 close disciples and other followers who believed him to be the Messiah. This is the basis of Jesus' title "Christ," which comes from the Greek word for "Messiah." what is a mystery religion: Cybele, Atargatis, Isis and Osiris, and Dionysus and Gnostic 3 main divisions of Christianity - Roman Catholic - Orthodox (Eastern and Oriental) - Protestant Pharisees: acknowledge the authority of both the written and oral Torah and focused on personal obedience on the law over temple ritual. They were among the most observant and religious Jews of the time and many were pious Sadducees: were the most conservative group. They rejected the Oral Torah along with the doctrine of the oddly resurrection, much of the beliefs about angels and demons held by other groups Essenes: were a much smaller sect, but they have become well known since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls that they are believed to have authored. They were an apocalyptic and ascetic group that emphasized extreme personal purity Paul: - founder of Christianity, he separated people from Judaism, and argued for a resurrection of the dead, he embraces non-Jews into fold - He separated Christianity from Judaism Peter: Argued for circumcision and the rejection of Gentiles/non-Jewish into the new fold James Crusades (also watch embedded film on it): The Crusades were expeditions of Christian Europe in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries for the recovery of the Holy Land (specifically Jerusalem). They are a part of the thousand years' conflict between Christianity and Islam; yet they constitute in themselves a complete phase of historical development - Crash Course o Driven y religious faith o Began by Pope Urban the II, he thought of the common enemy, he liberated Jersualem o Pilgrimage was made to convince the takeover o The crusades were not an example of the middle east and was not a part of the history o Religion shapes the world o The crusaders wer taking arms to protect God and his Kingdom and “God Wills it” o There were no notble leaders and were still remarkably successful and captures the holy land o They took Jerusalem and succeeded o Third crusade: Solodan wanted to expand and take Jerusalem, Richard was going to lead the third crusade but called it off o The fourth crusade: more people volunteered and went by boat and the venetians built boats and made the crusaders a deal to help one another one and the crusaders failed to take Zara and alxius III promised to help them out and then Alexus was dethroned and the Crusaders ran out of money. o Crusading did not have to be about pilgrimage and were a total failure and did not establish much and did not bring Europe, but matter because they show much about the mid-evil era Inquisition (also watch embedded film on it): The Inquisition was a Roman Catholic tribunal for discovery and punishment of heresy, which was marked by the severity of questioning and punishment (even death) and lack of rights afforded to the accused. - FILM o They were killed and tortured bcuawse of their religious beleifs and the inquisition was the cause o First and most terrifying example o Was established to eliminate spainairds and spain and keep one flag and one royality o So many racist o The inquisition was to punish for violating God o Records show fear was generated o Inquisiton lasted for over 300 years o Employed scribes of detailed documents and brought psychological effects on its suspects o Interregations were being used o Inquistion would interreogate and was interested in stopping people o Prisoners commited herey (most violent crime) o Heresy believing thigs that the church said were untrue and was seen as Cancer (an illness) where you can catch it from other people o Being Jewish was a tough break and were persecuted Constantine: Roman emperor, ordered the war in communities to hold a council to develop a position. HE CONVERTED TO CHRISTIANITY AND FROM THERE IT BOOMED - Fourth Century: Constantine and first church councils; New Testament; Augustine; etc. Council of Nicea in 325 CE: Arius vs. Athanasius (homoiousious vs homoousious) Council of Constantinople in 381 CE: re-affirm Nicea and deal with Trinity issue Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE: Doceticism vs. Human and Divine doctrine Theodosius: Made Christianity the official religion of the empire! Edict of Milan: In 313 Constantine issued the "Edict of Milan," which commanded official toleration of Christianity and other religions. He ordered that Sunday be granted the same legal rights as pagan feasts and that feasts in memory of Christian martyrs be recognized. Council of Nicea and purpose of other councils: One argued that Jesus was the son of God Arius' position: He argued that Jesus was a remarkable human being, BUT WAS NOT DIVINE Inclusive, Exclusive, Pluralism: "Pluralism" is the view that there are many, equally valid paths to God. Christianity is only one of these, and is no more superior than the others. The foremost proponent of this view is John Hick, a "Exclusivism" is the diametric opposite of pluralism, holding that salvation is only through explicit faith in Christ. "Inclusivism" holds that while Christ is the only way to salvation, people of other faiths may be saved. 10 branches of Christianity: Amish: branch of Anabaptists with Swiss origins; Jakob Ammann as founder; simple life and dress; anti-modern; adult baptism; Pennsylvania hey are best known for their 19th century way of life that was portrayed in the 1985 Harrison Ford film Witness, in which violent crime clashed with their peaceful existence. Their old-fashioned traditions are not what is now called a 'lifestyle choice'. Amish believe that their religious faith and the way they live are inseparable and interdependent. Quaker: George Fox; the Religious Society of Friends; England 1600s; truth revealed to individuals by God; “quake” Quakers believe that there is something of God in everybody and that each human being is of unique worth. This is why Quakers value all people equally, and oppose anything that may harm or threaten them. Quakers seek religious truth in inner experience, and place great reliance on conscience as the basis of morality. They emphasise direct experience of God rather than ritual and ceremony. They believe that priests and rituals are an unnecessary obstruction between the believer and God. Baptist: adult baptism; started in Amsterdam and London in 1600s and meme spreadTheir three core beliefs went on to shape later Baptists. They were: 1. The Bible, not church tradition or religious creed, was the guide in all matters of faith and practice. 2. The church should be made up of believers only, not all people born in the local parish. 3. The church should be governed by those believers, not by hierarchical figures like bishops. Catholic: (1.2 billion; 24% of Americans fit here; Latin America makes up 40% of Catholics in world) represents the continuation of the historical organized church and is headed by the Pope Catholics believe that the Pope, based in Rome, is the successor to Saint Peter whom Christ appointed as the first head of His church. He therefore stands in what Catholicism calls the apostolic succession, an unbroken line back to Peter and has supreme authority. Popes can speak infallibly on matters of faith and morals but in practice do so rarely. Church of England: King Henry the 8th in the 1500s established it; Catholic rites similar; The Book of Common Prayer; modern issues today Pentecostalism: Pentecostals are the fastest growing group of Christians in the UK. It is a form of Christianity that emphasizes the work of the holy spirit and the direct experience of the presence of God by the believer. They believe that faith must be powerfully experiential and not something found merely. Through ritual or thinking Methodist: John Wesley; came out of Church of England in 1800s; charity work and piety; Salvation Army; rejects CalvinismMethodists stand within the Protestant tradition of the worldwide Christian Church. Their core beliefs reflect orthodox Christianity. Methodist teaching is sometimes summed up in four particular ideas known as the four alls. 1. All need to be saved - the doctrine of original sin 2. All can be saved - Universal Salvation 3. All can know they are saved - Assurance 4. All can be saved completely - Christian perfection Eastern Orthodox: At least 225 million; Eastern Orthodox: Russian, Greek, Poland, Serbia, etc; recognized 7 councils; no pope; no filoque clause; no icons, etc. Is the continuation of the historical organized church as it developed in Eastern Europe. It has a refusal of allegiance to the Pope, its emphasis on the use of icons in worship and the date it celebrates Easter Coptic Orthodox: The main Christian Church in Egypt, they believe that their church dates back to around 50aD when the Apostle Mark is said to have visited Egypt. Modern Copts clam in that they are still disadvantaged and play a lesser part in Egyptian public life. It is lead by the Pope of Alexandria based in Cairo 7th Day Adventist: Ellen White in 1860s; Saturday; heath and spirituality; literalistsThe Seventh-day Adventists share most of their beliefs with the mainstream Christian churches, but have some extra beliefs of their own: Creation Salvation The remnant The great controversy The Heavenly Sanctuary The Sabbath Prophecy Death Millennialism Protestantism arose in the 16th century during the Reformation, which took place mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and Britain. Protestants do not acknowledge the authority of the Pope, reject many traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church, emphasize the importance of reading the Bible and hold to the doctrine of salvation by faith alone FILMS My Life, My religion on Christianity (main points) - Christianity is the world’s biggest religion (2 billion followers) - - Jesus was killed on a cross and rose 3 days later It all happened in Jerusalem Jesus told God’s message and people thought he was a liar and was sentenced to death and prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (the night before he died) he felt and talked to God Jesus was crucified, way of sorrows Easter celebrates the start of Christianity, where Jesus resurrected from the dead Angelic Christians light fires to celebrate, and is a reminder of Jesus’s crucifixion Holy communion: reenactment of the last supper, the bread was his body and the wine was his blood o Needs classes before they can take holy communion o Classes and confirmation Frontline film on early Christianity (main points) - - - Scholars decode the stories told from the sources of the actual time Jesus was poor, no royalty Jesus was born a subject to the Roman empire Emperor Augustus, son of the divine (Julius Caesar) Peace to the Rome and quiet to the provinces Palestine, Jesus was born (Judiah) Harrod rebuild the temple Harrod constructed an aqueduct and named the city Caesarea Birthdate Born before Harrod the great Gospels claim he was born in Bethlehem but historians claim Nazareth Scholars question the social class of Jesus and said where he got this wisdom Scholars question whether he was poor (as a carpenter) Nazareth was built at the time Jesus was growing up and living next door Jesus participated in both Arabic and Hebrew cultures (not sure if correct) Jesus left Nazareth to fulfill One temple in Jerusalem, the center of their religious life, one temple for the one God, unifying source for the Jewish community, the only place symbolic, There is no State Church, but indeed there is a diversity of Judaism in this period Political agenda Dead Sea scrolls, were produced by a group whom abandoned Jerusalem and get away from the worldliness of the temple Community is indigenous and lives very strict and contained Apocalyptic Sent, think of themselves as the true form of the religion Dead sea scrolls say there is two messiahs one that a messiah of errand a priestly who will restore the worship of the God a messiah of David, a kingly figure who will come to lead the war John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness proclaiming repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near and was a renown kind of centric and had. Profethetic creature wearing unusual clothes and is planting apocalyptic expectations Jesus was the one predicted by John - - Difference, john is an apocalyptic escapologist (someone who sees the problem of the world is so radical and God is going to ascend to save the world) ethical escapology (demand that god is making it on us to do something about the evil of the world). Jesus’s career home was in the Galilei and ministered there in the villages and were essential to his ministry Jesus had healing powers and was his specialty Why would God work through a Jewish peasant and that was the question? Jesus’s teaching was characterized by metaphors Jesus said, “give them something to eat” and he said “bring them here, to me” Jesus takes 5000 people and has a picnic for everything and multiples 5 loafs and two fishes to feed many people Jesus found himself in conflict with the Roman authorities, and was basically saying their system was not the system of God People go to Jerusalem during Passover holiday ( a holiday of freedom and a political holiday) and pilgrims comes into town Money changers are told in different ways in the Gospel and was done on the last week of Jesus’s life and appears in all the gospels
