Beginning of Christianity

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Beginning of Christianity

• 1st 4th C. CE

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Jesus (0-33 CE)

• Born in Bethlehem in Roman province of Judea
• Grew up in the town of Nazareth
• Lived during reign of Augustus
• Educated in Judaism, became preacher
• From 30-33 CE traveled through Judea and Galilee
  preaching
• Taught
• Single God father all men brothers
• Love God above all
• Life of each is sacred
• Practice charity, justice, golden rule Do unto
  others as you would have them do unto you
• All people can be cleansed of sin and are worthy
  of salvation

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Jesus Death

• Romans afraid because Jesus had aroused such
  strong feelings
• Believed he endangered Roman Rule
• 33 CE Roman governor Pontius Pilate arrested
  Jesus and ordered him crucified as a political
  rebel
• His 12 disciples (followers) believed
• He was the Son of God sent as the savior (Christ)
• Proclaimed Jesus has risen from the dead and
  appeared to them
• Teachings are written in the New Testament

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Early Church Leaders

• St. Paul (1st C. CE)
• Jewish, but born in Greece, so he could appeal to
  Greeks
• Saw Christianity as a universal religion
• Directed missionaries to focus on the gentiles
  (non-Jewish people)
• Wrote letters to many churches which became part
  of the New Testament
• St. Peter (1st C. CE)
• First Bishop of Rome
• Shaped Churchs internal structure
• Used bureaucracy of Roman Empire as his model

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Travels of St. Paul
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Spread of Christianity within Roman Empire 1st
4th Centuries CE

• Christianity gained converts because
• People dissatisfied with old pagan religions
• Ideas of one God, universal love, eternal
  salvation, and equality appealed to many
• Equality especially appealed to poor and
  oppressed
• Missionaries traveled throughout empire
• Impressive early church leaders courage,
  sincerity, ability
• People impressed by early martyrs who died and
  were persecuted rather than denouncing their faith

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More Christianity in Rome

• Oppression and Persecution
• Pagan priests feared doom of their religions
• Upper class considered it a slave religion
• Romans accused Christians of treason because
• Refused to worship emperor
• Refused to serve in army
• Disapproved of gladiator fights and pagan rituals
• 300 years Christians persecuted
• Loss of citizenship, confiscation of property,
  torture, death BUT still grew
• Triumph of Christianity
• 313 Constantine ordered religious toleration by
  the Edict of Milan
• 392 Theodosius proclaimed it official state
  religion