Make a web in your notes of any words,
ideas, or events that come to mind.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the relationship between the Jews
and the Romans.
 During the 900s B.C., two great kings, David and
Solomon, united the Israelites and created a kingdom
called Israel. It’s capital was ______.
 The kingdom soon split in two: Judah and Israel.
 These kingdoms were taken over by _____________.
 Israel was destroyed and its people scattered.
 The Jews, the people of Judah, ________.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the relationship between the Jews
and the Romans.
 Create word boxes for the following vocabulary words:
 Messiah
 Disciple
 Parable
 Resurrection
 Apostle
 Salvation
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the relationship between the Jews
and the Romans.
 In 63 B.C., the Romans took over Judah.
 At first they ruled through _______.
 In 6 A.D., Emperor Augustus turned Judah into a Roman
province, called Judaea.
 Instead of a Jewish king, it was ruled by a ____________.
 The Jews argued among themselves about what to do about
the Romans.
 Some wanted to work with the Romans.
 Many opposed Roman rule by closely following Jewish
traditions.
 Others turned their backs on the Romans, settling in isolated
areas and _______.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the relationship between the Jews
and the Romans.
 Some Jews wanted to fight the Romans and take back control
of their kingdom.
 They were called Zealots.
 In 66 A.D., they convinced many Jews to _____.
 The rebellion was brutally crushed by the Romans.
 Romans destroyed their temple and killed thousands of Jews.
 The Jews rebelled again in 132 A.D. and were defeated.
 This time they forced all the Jews to leave Jerusalem, and ________.
 Jews spread out and found homes elsewhere, as far west as Spain
and as far East as Asia.

Though they were scattered, they kept their faith by studying and
following their _______.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the relationship between the Jews
and the Romans.
 Sketch a scene that shows the relationship between the
Jews and the Romans. It can use dialogue, drawings,
explanations, or pictures.
 Be prepared to share!
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 Many Jews hoped that God would send a messiah, or
deliverer, to help them win their ________.
 Many Jews expected the messiah to be a great king, like
David, to reunite the Israelite kingdom.
 Around 30 A.D., a Jew named Jesus left his home in
Nazareth and began preaching throughout Judaea and
Galilee.
 He gathered a small group of ____ close followers, his
disciples.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 According to the Christian Bible, Jesus preached that
God was coming soon to rule the world.
 He urged people to turn away from their ______.
 He told them it was important to love God and to love
their neighbor.
 He referred to God as his _____.
 Jesus taught that a person had to love and forgive from
the heart, and not just go through the motions of
following _______.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 Jesus used parables to present his message. These were
stories about everyday events that expressed _____.


The parable of the Prodigal Son: A son took his money and left
home, wasting it all and being selfish. When he ran out of money,
his father welcomed him home again with open arms.
The parable of the Good Samaritan: A man is beaten by robbers. A
priest and another religious man pass the injured man on the
road. A Samaritan stopped to help him, treating his wounds and
paying for him to stay at an inn.
 What do you think the message of each parable was?
 Choose one parable to sketch in your notes. Write the
lesson of the parable underneath it.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 Jesus and his message caused ____________________.
 His followers told about miracles Jesus performed.
 They said he was the messiah, sent to deliver the Jews.
 Some rejected Jesus as a liar or troublemaker.
 Roman rulers feared how powerful Jesus’ message was.
 In 33 A.D., Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, an
important Jewish holiday.
 He celebrated the Last Supper with his 12 disciples.
 Leaders in Jerusalem arrested Jesus and charged him with ____.
 He was crucified, or __________.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 After Jesus’ death, his followers claimed he had ________.
 Many of his disciples claimed they saw him alive again.
 They showed his empty tomb as proof.
 The reports of Jesus’ resurrection, or rising from the dead,
led to a new religion: ___________.
 Jesus’ disciples spread his message around the Mediterranean
to Jews and non-Jews.
 Early Christians formed churches, or communities for worship
and teaching.

They prayed, studied the Hebrew Bible, and shared a ritual meal like
the Last Supper to _________.
 Apostles traveled, spreading the word and building churches.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 Christians taught that Jesus was the Son of God, who
came to _____________
 By accepting Jesus and his teachings, people could gain
salvation, or be saved from sin and ____________.
 Like Jesus, after death they would be resurrected and join
God in everlasting life.
 Because of their faith in Jesus, Christians began to think
of God as one entity made up of three parts: the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
 This idea, called the Trinity, comes from a word meaning
_______.
Section 1: The First Christians
Today we will describe the life and message of Jesus of
Nazareth through illustration.
 Create a cartoon strip of the life and message of Jesus
of Nazareth.
 Use captions or dialogue to convey the important
messages and events.
 Please be respectful and appropriate in your cartoon.
 Be prepared to share!
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the spread of Christianity by
choosing the 3 most important factors in its growth.
 During the 100 years after Jesus’ death, Christianity ___________.
 The peace and order created by the Roman Empire let people _____.
 Christians used Roman roads to carry their message from city to city.
 Since most of the Roman empire spoke Latin or Greek, Christians
could talk to them directly.
 Jesus’ message appealed to people.
 It gave their life meaning.
 It offered hope and comfort to the poor and powerless _________
 The idea of happiness after death was a familiar idea.
 Christianity gave people a caring community to belong to.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the spread of Christianity by
choosing the 3 most important factors in its growth.
 Roman officials began to see Christians as a _______.
 People could worship freely, but had to honor the emperor
__________.



Christians and Jews believed in one god, and refused to do this.
They refused to serve in the army or hold public office.
They criticized Roman festivals and games
 So Christians were seen as traitors who ______________.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the spread of Christianity by
choosing the 3 most important factors in its growth.
 In 64 A.D., the Roman government began to persecute
Christians.
 Nero accused the Christians of starting a fire ________.
 Christianity was made illegal, and many Christians were killed.
 Many Christians became martyrs, people willing to die for their beliefs.
 Christians wanted to bury their dead, instead of cremating them, or
_________.
 They had to bury them outside Rome in catacombs, underground
burial places.
 Despite the hardships, Christianity spread.


It drew people from all classes.
After 250 AD, many people were tired of war. They began to _______.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the spread of Christianity by
choosing the 3 most important factors in its growth.
 In the early 300s A.D., the emperor Diocletian carried out a great
persecution of Christians.
 It failed, and Roman officials realized Christianity was _______.
 In 312 A.D., emperor Constantine converted to Christianity.
 In 313 A.D., he issued the Edict of Milan.
 It gave religious freedom to all people, and made Christianity ____.
 With the help of his mother, he rebuilt churches in Rome and
Jerusalem.
 He let church officials serve in government and _______.
 In 392 A.D., emperor Theodosius made Christianity the ______.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the spread of Christianity by
choosing the 3 most important factors in its growth.
 Choose the 3 most important factors in the growth and
spread of Christianity.
 Number them 1 to 3, with 1 being the most important
factor.
 Be prepared to share.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will illustrate the hierarchy of the early church.
 In its early years ,Christianity was ____________.
 The disciples traveled and preached, teaching people
they were all part of one body, called the church.
 It was a challenge to ________.
 Early Christians looked at the Roman Empire as a
model to organize the church.
 The church came to be ruled by a hierarchy, or an
organization with different levels of ______.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will illustrate the hierarchy of the early church.
 The laity were regular church members.
 The clergy were __________.
 Women were not allowed to serve as clergy, but they did have jobs as
laity, like taking care of the sick and poor.
 By 300 A.D., churches were led by clergy called priests.
 Several churches together formed a diocese, led by a bishop.
 A bishop in charge of an entire region was called an archbishop.
 The 5 leading archbishops were called patriarchs.
 They had churches in large cities and were in charge of ________.
 The bishops explained Christian beliefs, took care of church
business, and met to discuss ______________.
 Decisions made at these meetings were accepted as doctrine, or ___.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will illustrate the hierarchy of the early church.
 In addition to explaining Christian ideas, church leaders
preserved a written record of ____________.
 Jesus himself left no writings, but his followers _______.
 By 300 A.D., four accounts of Jesus’ life, teachings, and
resurrection had become well-known.
 They were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
 Each work was called a gospel, which means “_______.”
 Christians later combined the four gospels with writings of
Paul and other early Christian leaders to form the New
Testament of the Christian Bible.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will illustrate the hierarchy of the early church.
 As the church grew, the bishop of Rome, who was also the
patriarch of the West, began to _________
 He believed he had the authority of Peter, Jesus’ leading disciple.
 His diocese was in Rome, the capital of the Empire.
 By 600 A.D., the bishop of Rome was called pope, a Latin title
meaning “________.”
 Latin-speaking Christians accepted the pope as the head of
the church. Their churches became known as __________.
 Greek-speaking Christians did not yet accept the pope’s
authority.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will illustrate the hierarchy of the early church.
 Draw the graphic
organizer in your
notes. Next to
each level, write a
brief description
of what that group
is responsible for.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between
the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 Recall: In 395 A.D., the Roman Empire split into the
Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire
 The church of Rome survived the fall of the Western
Roman Empire.
 The pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church,
became the ___________.
 In the East, the Roman Empire continued through the
Byzantine Empire.
 Like the Catholics in the West, the Byzantines developed
their own form of Christianity based on ___________.
 The church was known as the Eastern Orthodox Church
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between the Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 Church and state worked together closely in the
Byzantine Empire.
 Byzantines believed their emperor represented _______.
 The emperor was crowned in a religious ceremony.
 The emperor chose the patriarch of Constantinople, the
leader of the Byzantine Church.
 The emperor controlled _______ and ________!
 Byzantines believed God wanted them to _________.
 All Church and government officials were united in this
goal.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between the Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 Byzantines—from the emperor down to the poorest
farmers—were interested in religious issues and loved to
__________.
 In the 700s A.D., there was a major disagreement about
the use of icons.
 Icons are images of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Many
Byzantines honored icons, covering the walls of their home
and churches with them.
 Some icons were believed to ___________.
 Some people said icons were a form of idol worship.
 Others said they were daily reminders of God’s presence
and a _____________
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between the Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 Emperor Leo III did not approve of icons. In 726 A.D. he
ordered all icons be ________.
 The government officials who carried out his orders were
known as iconoclasts, or “image breakers.”
 Most Byzantine church leaders and even the pope in Rome
opposed Leo’s order.



His order damaged the relationship between ________.
Over the next 100 years, the argument cooled and icons were
accepted in the Byzantine Empire again.
They are still an important part of Greek Orthodox Christianity
today.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between the Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 Icons weren’t the only thing Rome and Constantinople
argued about. They disagreed about ____________.
 The pope claimed he was the head of all Christian
churches. The Byzantines believed the patriarch and other
bishops were _____________.
 Sometimes the churches refused to help each other when
they were attacked by outsiders.


In the 700s A.D., the emperor refused to help the pope when Italy
was invaded.
The pope turned to a Germanic tribe called the Franks, who were
Roman Catholics loyal to the pope, for help.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between the Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 The pope was grateful to the Franks for stopping the invasion,
so in 800 A.D., he gave the Frankish king Charlemagne, ____.
 The Byzantines were outraged because they believed the
Byzantine emperor was the only true Roman emperor.
 After centuries of tension, the pope and the patriarch of
Constantinople ___________.
 In 1054 A.D., they excommunicated each other from the church.
 To excommunicate means to declare that someone no longer belongs
to the church.
 This began a schism, or a split, between the 2 most important
branches of Christianity.

The split between the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches
has lasted to this day!
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe the factors leading to the split between the Roman
Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches.
 The Roman Catholics and Byzantines disagreed about
many things.
 Choose to be either a the pope or the patriarch of
Constantinople, and write a letter to the head of the other
church explaining the 3 main reasons you are
excommunicating him.
 Be prepared to share!
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe how early Christian ideas spread.
 After the fall of Rome, the people of Western Europe
faced confusion and _______.
 As a result, people were looking for order and _______.
 Christianity helped meet this need. It spread quickly to
lands that had been part of the Roman Empire.
 It also brought new ways of ________to these areas.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe how early Christian ideas spread.
 During the 300s AD, a new kind of religious group was
born in the Eastern Roman Empire.
 Men called monks formed religious communities called
monasteries.
 Some monasteries were built near cities, others were in
_______.
 Monks tried to live a spiritual life apart from the
temptations of the world.
 Many also tried to do good deeds and be examples of ____.
 Women soon followed monks' example and ________.
 As nuns, they lived together in convents.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe how early Christian ideas spread.
 A bishop called Basil drew up a list of rules for monks and nuns to
follow.
 The list, called the Basilian Rule, became the model for Eastern
Orthodox religious life.
 In the West, another set of rules was followed. It was written by an
Italian monk named Benedict.
 Monks who followed the Benedictine Rule gave up their belongings,
lived simply, and spent their time in ________.
 Like Basil's rule in the east, Benedict's rule became the model for
monasteries and convents in the West.
 Monks and nuns began to play important roles in Roman Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox life.
 They ran hospitals and schools and aided the poor.
 They helped preserve Greek and Roman _____.
 They served as missionaries, teaching __________.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe how early Christian ideas spread.
 The Greek brothers Cyril and Methodius were two of the
most successful Byzantine missionaries.
 They carried the message of Christianity to the Slavs in
Eastern Europe.
 About 863 A.D., Cyril invented a new ____.
 He wanted to present the Christian message in the Slavic
languages.
 He thought people would understand it better if they could
worship and read the Bible _______.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe how early Christian ideas spread.
 In the West, Christian missionaries traveled to Britain
and Ireland.
 In the 400s A.D., a priest named Patrick brought
Christianity to Ireland. He set up many monasteries and __.
 Over the next centuries, Irish monks played an important
role in preserving Christian and Roman ______.
 The Anglo-Saxons in Britain were slower to accept
Christianity, but eventually Britain became an important
________.
Section 2: The Christian Church
Today we will describe how early Christian ideas spread.
 Without using any words, draw a collage, illustration, or
cartoon strip showing the spread of Christian ideas.
 Be prepared to share!