Name:______

Early Church 33-313 A.D.

Church History

Mr. Schwarz

  1. Christianity spreads throughout the Roman Empire EXTREMELY FAST!

Reasons for the quick spread

•

•

•

•

This quick expansion of the new religion causes Roman and Jewish authority’s fear and suspicion.

  1. Beliefs and Practices of the Early Church

•

•

•

•

•

•

House Liturgies

  1. ______is the heart of Christian worship
  2. Mass celebrations were held within ______or in ______. Secrecy was necessary because of ______
  1. Hierarchy of the Early Church

•Different people have different roles

•Paul’s teaching on Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12)

•From the early Church the roles and responsibilities of ______were as they are today.

•Roles however did evolve.

______– name comes from Greek word for supervisor, regional leaders under the authority of the pope (the Bishop of Rome, called the 1st among equals)

______– supported the ministry of the Bishop especially related to taking care of people with special needs

______– name comes from the word for elder; exclusive representatives of the bishop as Christian communities grew (equivalent of modern day priests)

  1. Persecution and Martyrdom

•Martyr – Greek for “______”

•First known Christian martyr: ______

  • Feast day: December 26th – immediately after Christmas - a way of making us aware of the early Church

•Early Christians expected to ______for Christ. Their love and zeal for Jesus and each other is HUGE.

•Immense ______was endured in the name of Christ.

-______- a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race or beliefs.

Christians are persecuted all over including Syria, Greece, Asia Minor, and Europe (France and Spain).

Which Persecution is the worst? ______

Romans tolerated Christianity (because of their tolerance of Judaism) until it came into direct conflict with the desires of the emperor

Ex: Emperor worship

  1. Why is this happening?
  2. Christians were not ______
  3. Christians believed in ______
  4. Romans feared ______
  5. ______were not worshipped or seen as divine.
  6. Eucharist thought to be ______
  7. Idea of “brothers/sisters” of Christ thought to bring about ______
  1. Effects of Persecution
  2. ______- Created a profound unity among the Christians and led to a more organized structure
  3. ______-Increased the number of converts

People thought that there must be something to the faith if these people were willing to die for it.

  1. ______- Frustration grew among the oppressors and set off more

Persecution

______- An underground series of tunnels, chambers and tombs dug by Christians to serve as burial places, shrines, and places of worship.

-Many martyrs and Christians were buried within these underground cemeteries.

  1. Martyrs of the Church

“______” – Tertullian

______- (50-170 A.D.) First to use “Catholic Church” – eaten by lions

______- (100-165 A.D.)- Great apologist of the faith- scourged and beheaded.

______- (130-202 A.D.)- Orthodox defender of the Faith

  1. Apologists – They’re not sorry
  2. ______- The defense of the Faith. Coming from the Greek word apologia meaning “______.”

Early Apologists

•St. Aristides

•St. Justin Martyr

•Tatian

•Athenagoras

•St. Thepophilus

•Minucius Felix

•Tertullian

  1. Heresy

______- thought to predate Christianity but borrows and copies many rites and figures.

 Believe that the Spirit is good and matter is bad- “______.”

Comes from Greek word ______meaning knowledge

Denied the Incarnation (God Who is good could not have taken on a body which is evil. Proved this with “secret knowledge”