Chapter 10: The First Christians

1. Chapter 10: The First Christians Interesting fact: Palm Sunday is a holy day in remembrance of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem the week before His death. At that time, many people spread palm branches on the ground before Jesus. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of our Holy Week.

2. Chapter 10-1The Jews and the Romans • Zealots: Jews who rebelled against the Romans • Romans had conquered the people of Judah in 63 BC • In AD 66 they (the Jews) wanted to take back their kingdom. They were defeated and the temple was destroyed. • Jews rebelled again in AD 123 and again were defeated • Because of this, the Romans forced the Jews to leave Jerusalem • They were banned from ever returning.

3. Chapter 10-1The Jews and the Romans • Jerusalem: the capital city of the kingdom of Israel when David and Solomon united together during the 900s B.C • Israel was divided into 2 parts (2 separate kingdoms), Israel and Judah • Eventually Israel was destroyed but the people of Judah survived • Judah turned into Roman province in AD6 and called Judaea • Judaea had a ruler called a procurator

4. Chapter 10-1The Life of Jesus • Messiah: A deliverer • The Jews believe God would send a Messiah to restore their kingdom. • Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah • Jewish people do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah

5. Chapter 10-1The Life of Jesus • Jesus: a Jew born in Nazareth • He traveled throughout Judaea preaching His ideas. • He had disciples • One message was the Sermon on the Mount which tells us of God’s love and how to be a good person • He taught to love one another as He loves us, forgiveness, as well as following religious rules • Used parables: short stories about every day life that teach a lesson

6. Chapter 10-1The Life of Jesus • Jesus was charged with treason and was crucified • Jesus’ followers believed in Jesus’ resurrection: rising from the dead • Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God • This lead to the development of Christianity.

7. The First Christians • The first Christians accepted Jesus as the messiah • Apostles: early Christians who preached Jesus’ word • Helped to establish the first churches • Peter and Paul were two apostles • Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God who came to save people • Christians believe that people gain salvation, or be saved from sin by and allowed into heaven by accepting Jesus. • Christians also believe in the trinity: one God as three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

8. Chapter 10-1The First Christians • Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God who came to save people • Christians believe that people gain salvation, or be saved from sin by and allowed into heaven by accepting Jesus. • Christians also believe in the trinity: one God as three persons; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

9. Chapter 10-2A growing Faith • Interesting fact: The pope lives in Vatican City. Vatican City is the smallest populated country in the world.

10. Chapter 10-2 A Growing Faith • Christianity spread throughout Rome • Appealed to the lower classes • Offered hope • Ideals of Christianity were similar to what people already believed • Gave people opportunity to be part of a caring group of people

11. Chapter 10-2 A Growing Faith • Roman officials felt threatened by the Christians • Began to persecute (treat bad due to beliefs) in A.D. 64 • Martyrspeople who are willing to die rather than give up beliefs • In A.D 312, Constantine accepted Christianity • Edict of Milan A.D. 313 gave religious freedom to all people • made Christianity legal • Helena, Constantine’s mother, helped build churches in Rome and Jerusalem • Theodosius, the emperor after Constantine, made Christianity the official religion of Rome in 392.

12. Chapter 10-2The Early Church • Early Christians modeled churches after Roman Empire’s government structure. • Set up a hierarchy(an organization with different levels of authority) • Christians had 5 levels • Patriarchs • Archbishops • Bishops • Clergy • Laity • Church members were called laity • Leaders were called clergy(later called priests)

13. Chapter 10-2The Early Church • Several churches got together and formed a diocese • Diocese are led by a bishop • Archbishops are in charge of entire region • five leading archbishops were called patriarchs

14. Chapter 10-2The Early Church • Doctrine official church teachings • Matthew, Mark, Luke, John left a written record called a gospel which is part of the New Testament • Popeis the a bishop of Rome and gradually claimed power over other bishops • Latin-speakingchurches in West became the Roman Catholic Church

15. Chapter 10-3The Byzantine Church • Interesting fact: According to myth, St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland and used three-leaved clovers to teach the idea of the Trinity.

16. Chapter 10-3The Byzantine Church • The Byzantine Church • The Greek-speaking Christians in the East developed their own form of Christianity; the Eastern Orthodox Church

17. Chapter 10-3The Byzantine Church • Eastern Orthodox Church • believed that their emperor represented Jesus Christ on earth • appointed the patriarch of Constantinople the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church • argued over use of icons (images of holy people) • 726 Emperor Leo III ordered all icons out of churches • People who carried this out were called iconoclasts (image breakers) • Today, iconoclasts attack traditional beliefs or institutions.

18. Chapter 10-3The Byzantine Church • Byzantines didn’t accept the pope’s claim that he was head of all Christian churches, including the Eastern Orthodox Church • Eventually, the EOC church and the RC church excommunicated, a declaration that a person is no longer a part of a church, each other • This split was called a schism • 1054 was the official split into the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox church

19. Chapter 10-3The Spread of Christian Ideas • The Spread of Christian Ideas • Christianity helped people achieve order after Rome fell • Religious men called monks formed religious communities called monasteries The Savina Monastery, Montenegro

20. Chapter 10-3The Spread of Christian Ideas • Basil(a monk) created rules for monks and nuns and we call this the Basilian Rule • Benedict, an Italian monk, created the Benedictine Rule, which are the rules for Western Monks • Charlemagne was made emperor by the pope • Women became nuns and formed convents • A special woman named Paula helped build churches, hospitals, and convents. She helped translate the Bible into Latin.

21. Chapter 10-3The Spread of Christian Ideas • Missionariesare people who teach their religion to those who do not believe and were used by both early Christian churches • Cyril was a Byzantine missionary who created the Cyrillic alphabet so Slavic people could read the Bible. Methodius was also a missionary and Cyril’s brother • Christianity spread north of the Byzantine Empire into Slavic countries and then into Ireland and Britain

22. Chapter 10-3The Spread of Christian Ideas • Anglos and Saxons invaded Britain and united to form the Anglo-Saxons • The Celts who lived in Britain before the invasion of the Anglos and Saxons fled to Ireland • Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland