Christianity World History/Napp
“About 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, Christianity began. Christianity is based on the beliefs and life of Jesus Christ. Jesus was a Jew born in Bethlehem and he taught the importance of forgiveness, mercy, love, and compassion for the poor. Jesus lived in the conquered Roman territory of Palestine. The Jews of Palestine longed for political freedom and believed that one day, God would send them a messiah or king to lead them to freedom. Some Jews believed that Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus grew up in Nazareth) was this messiah. Jesus preached that God loved all people equally. The Romans and some Jewish leaders feared that Jesus and his followers would rebel against Rome. Rebellion would lead to bloodshed. Eventually, one of Jesus’ followers betrayed him. The Romans crucified Jesus.
According to the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus’ followers believed that God raised Jesus from the dead. His followers also taught that Jesus was the son of God and the Christos, which is the Greek word for messiah. Those who believed that Jesus had risen from the dead became known as Christians, or followers of Christ. While the first Christians were Jews, early converts preached to gentiles or non-Jews. The Romans persecuted many early Christians for refusing to worship the Roman emperor as a god. But by the 300s A.D., the Roman emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity. By 395 A.D., Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.” ~ World History
1- Who was Jesus of Nazareth and what did he believe?
2- Why did some leaders fear Jesus?
3- What actions did the Romans take against Jesus?
4- What did Christians believe about Jesus?
5- Why did the Romans initially persecute Jesus?
6- Why did the Roman persecutions of Christians eventually stop?
7- Who was Constantine and how did he change the history of Christianity?
8- How is Christianity similar to Judaism?
9- How is Christianity different than Judaism?
10- How is Christianity similar and different than Hinduism?
Spread and Persecution / World Religion- Paul was a Jew who had never met Jesus and at first was an enemy of Christianity
- While traveling to Damascus in Syria, he reportedly had a vision of Christ
- He spent the rest of his life spreading and interpreting
Christ’s teachings
- The Pax Romana, which made travel and the exchange of ideas fairly safe, provided the ideal conditions for Christianity to spread
- Paul stressed that
Jesus was the son of God who died for people’s sins
- He also declared that
Christianity should welcome all converts, Jew or Gentile (non-Jew)
- It was this universality
that enabled Christianity to become more than just a local religion
- Christians refused to worship Roman gods
- This refusal was seen as
opposition to Roman rule
- Romans exiled, imprisoned, or executed Christians for refusing to
worship Roman deities / - Despite persecution of its followers, Christianity became a powerful force
- Christianity grew because it embraced all people – men and women, enslaved persons, the poor, and nobles - it gave hope to the powerless
- It appealed to those who were repelled by the extravagances of imperial Rome and Christianity offered a personal relationship with a loving God as well as promised eternal life after death
- In A.D. 313, the Roman Emperor Constantine announced an end to the persecution of Christians
- In the Edict of Milan, he declared Christianity to be one of the religions approved by the emperor
- In 380, the emperor Theodosius made it the empire’s official religion
- Where was Christianity most widespread in A.D. 325?
- What was the extent (north to south, east to west) of Christianity’s spread by A.D. 500?
“A major turning point in Christian history occurred when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. Whether this conversion was sincere or politically motivated, historians can only speculate. But the result was the end of persecution of Christians and the beginning of Christendom.
In 313 A.D., 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. Constantine outlawed the barbaric gladiatorial shows (although they persisted until the fifth century) and forbade Jews to stone to death other Jews who chose to become Christians.
Contrary to popular belief, however, Constantine did not make Christianity the official religion of the empire. This was to be accomplished by Emperor Theodosius in 380. Constantine’s program was one of toleration only, and he continued to support both Christianity and paganism. In 314, the cross appeared on Constantine’s coins, but so did the figures of Sol Invictus and Mars Convervator. He raised his children as Christians and secured Christian clergy as personal advisors, but retained the title pontifex maximus, the chief priest of the state cult, until his death.
1- Why was the conversion of the Roman Emperor, Constantine, a turning point in world history? ______
In the practice of religion, the Ten Commandments are to Christianity as the Eightfold Path is to1. Buddhism
2. Daoism
3. Islam
4. Shinto
- Mauryan Emperor Asoka incorporates Buddhist ideas into his laws.
- Constantine legalizes Christianity throughout his empire.
- Prince Vladimir forces Russians to become Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Which generalization can be made based on these statements?
1. Religions have had little impact on the development of empires.
2. Many political leaders discouraged religious toleration.
3. Leaders are often influenced by cultural belief systems.
4. Christianity has been a dominant force in Europe and India.
A goal of modern-day religious fundamentalism is to
1. combine the religious teachings of Islam and Christianity
2. maintain traditional religious values in society
3. encourage the practice of other religions
4. adopt secular attitudes instead of religious beliefs
The doctrines of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant churches are all based on the
1. concept of reincarnation
2. principles of Christianity
3. teachings of Muhammad
4. leadership of the pope / Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are similar in that they all ask their followers to
1. believe in reincarnation
2. strive for nirvana
3. follow a code of behavior
4. practice polytheism
· Sunnis and Shiites have different views about who should lead the Muslim faith.
· Today some Hindus follow caste rules more closely than others do.
· Most Buddhists belong to one of two main sects.
· Christianity is practiced by both Catholics and Protestants.
Which generalization is supported by the information in these four statements?
1. In many religions, a range of beliefs often exists.
2. A belief in a god is common to all religions.
3. A hierarchy of leadership exists in all religions.
4. Religion is becoming less important to people.
Which quotation from the teachings of Confucius (K’ung-fu-tzu) is most similar to the Golden Rule from Judeo-Christian teaching?
1. "If a ruler is upright, all will go well without orders."
2. "By nature, men are pretty much alike. It is learning and practice that set them apart."
3. "While a father or mother is alive, a son should not travel far."
4. "Do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself."