Rome & the Rise of Christianity WORLD HISTORY NOTES
DATE:_______________
Christianity
Ø Early on in Pax Romana, a new religion, _________________ emerged in a distant corner of the Empire.
o Many different religions in the empire
Ø By 63 B.C., Romans had conquered __________ where most Jewish people lived.
Ø Romans allowed Jewish people to worship their one god.
o Many Jews reluctantly lived under Roman rule, however, some wanted a revolt against Rome and believed a _______________ would come to lead their people to freedom
Jesus
Ø Born in 4 B.C. in _____________
o Worshipped God and followed Jewish law
o At 30 began preaching to villagers, used ______________-short stories with simple moral lessons to communicate his ideas
o Recruited 12 disciples to help him spread his ideas, called ________________, in Jerusalem
o Some Jews in Jerusalem welcomed Jesus, many of the ____________- felt he threatened their leadership
o __________________ authorities felt Jesus would lead the Jews in a revolt against their rule
Death of Jesus
Ø According to the gospels, Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples, arrested by the Romans, and killed by _________________-a person was bound to a cross and left to die
o Rumors then spread that Jesus had not died but had __________ from death and commanded his disciples to spread his teachings
o After the disciples reported he ascended into _____________
Christianity Spreads
Ø Followers called __________________
Ø Disciples preach the messages of Christianity throughout the Roman world
o ______________ established Christianity in Rome itself
o _____________ played the most influential role in spreading Christianity
§ He spread Christianity throughout the ___________________________
§ His letters became part of the New Testament in the __________________
Christians Oppressed
Ø Romans were not tolerant towards Christians because:
o They refused to honor the emperor with _________________.
o They refused to worship Roman gods to protect the state.
Ø Christians were used as ___________________, blamed for social and economic problems.
Ø Many Christians became ___________________- or people who suffer or die for their beliefs.
Ø However, Christianity continued to spread due to the fact that all people were welcome.
Early Christian Church
Ø Emperor ________________ issued the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313.
o The Edict granted ___________________ to all citizens of the Roman empire
o By the end of the century, Emperor __________________ made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire
Structure of the Church