The Middle Ages

1. The Middle Ages Christianizing the Roman Empire

2. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • The ancient religion of Rome • Little emotional content • Services performed for gods so they would show favor • Business bargain/contract • quid quo pro – this for that • Many gods were borrowed: • Greek • Egyptian • Middle-East/”Orient” • oriens – east in Latin • Originally, the term referred to Egypt, the Levant, and adjoining areas.

3. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • Greek • Iupiter (Optimus Maximus) – aka, Jupiter or Zeus • Mars – Ares, the god of war • Venus – Aphrodite, the goddess of love • ecetera – Latin for “and all the rest” • Egyptian • Isis married her brother, Horus, and helped raise her son, Osiris, back from the dead when he was killed by his brother, Set. • Middle-East/”Orient” • Cybele was known as Magna Mater ("Great Mother"). • Sol Invictus ("Unconquered Sun") was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers.

4. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • Roman religion was NOT exclusive. • The gods of Gauls & Brits were added and mixed with an existing god, or given their own place if new. • Always a problem with the Jews and their Yahweh • Later a problem with the Christians and their Jesus • They did not, nor intended to, inspire people to a high moral standard or teach them purpose. • Remember, this was a business deal. • Many people felt a yearning for truth and goodness • This is based on the widespread appeal of alternative philosophies and religions that we see in the records.

5. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture - STOICS • Beginning at around 301 BC, Zeno taught philosophy at the Stoa Poikile (i.e., "the painted porch") • ἡ ποικίλη στοά • Stoicism teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions; the philosophy holds that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker allows one to understand the universal reason (logos). • λόγος, the word; from λέγω lego "I say" • A primary aspect of Stoicism involves improving the individual's ethical and moral well-being: "Virtue consists in a will that is in agreement with Nature.“ • This principle also applies to the realm of interpersonal relationships; "to be free from anger, envy, and jealousy," and to accept even slaves as "equals of other men, because all men alike are products of nature."

6. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture - NEOPLATONISTS • Began with the philosopher Plotinus in the 3rd century AD. • Everything had to start somewhere: • the doctrine of "the One" beyond being. • Plato says that the Good is beyond being (ἐπέκεινα τῆς οὐσίας) in power and dignity. • Along the same road by which it descended, the soul must retrace its steps back to the supreme Good. It must, first of all, return to itself. This is accomplished by the practice of virtue, which aims at likeness to God, and leads up to God.

7. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • The appeal of Stoicism? • The appeal of Neoplatonism?

8. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • The appeal of Stoicism? • A natural law common to all people was attractive to the rulers of a “universal” empire. • Emperor Marcus Aurelius was a Stoic philosopher. • See a trace of this in St. Paul (Romans 2:14): • “Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires…” • The appeal of Neoplatonism? • A single eternal being known as “the One” or “the Good” • Promotion of virtue

9. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • Similarities of Stoicism, Neoplatonism, & Christianity?

10. Early Christian Church & Hellenistic Culture • Similarities of Stoicism, Neoplatonism, & Christianity? • All are concerned with the promotion of virtue and leading a “good life”. • In the beginning was the Word (λόγος) and the Word (λόγος) was with God and the Word (λόγος) was God … and the Word (λόγος) became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1: 1, 14)

11. Early Christian Church – Iconography

12. Early Christian Church – Iconography • Greek ἰχθύς - "fish“ • Ίησοῦς - Jesus • Χριστός – Christ (Annointed One/the annointed) • Θεοῦ - God’s (of God – genetive/possessive case) • Υἱός - son, • Σωτήρ - savior • An early circular ichthys symbol from Ephesus.

13. Early Christian Church – Iconography

14. Early Christian Church – Iconography • One of the earliest Christian inscriptions (3rd century), this funerary stele preserves the traditional abbreviation D. M., Dis Manibus, "for the Manes gods", with the Christian motto in Greek Ichthys zōntōn ("fish of the living") and the identity of the deceased in Latin. Dis Manibus - deities sometimes thought to represent souls of deceased loved ones.

15. Early Christian Church – Intermarriage • Marriage between a Christian and pagan is forbidden. • Although some argue that such marriages are indirectly supported the Pauline privilege in 1 Corinthians 7:12–14: "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his (believing) wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband." • I would argue that St. Paul said this to couples that were already married. • Imagine the situation, married couple, one converts, do they now divorce their spouse if they refuse to convert?

16. Early Christian Church & Pagans • For some Pagans, they were okay with Christianity. • Similarities to mystery religions? • Death and rebirth • Cybylene - Syria • Mythra – Persia • Osiris – Egypt • Cleansing one from sin and leading a virtuous life. • Some type of everlasting life promise. • Some Romans entered almost ALL of the cults. • They were like Pokemon! • Differences?

17. Early Christian Church & Pagans • Differences? • Jewish tradition of Monotheism • Mono= 1 in Greek, Theo= God in Greek • Immediate and concrete origin • Jesus was a real person who lived fairly recently. • Simple • Love God. Love your neighbor. • Complex • God is love. The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. • One Single God: Three Personae • Three roles: Father, Son, & Holy Ghost

18. Early Christian Church - Basics • NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE! • One single God. • Human nature flawed and corrupt with the first sin of disobediance. • God promised a Messiah. • The Redeemer appeared during the reign of Augustus Caesar. • God the Son became incarnate in the man, Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary. • Jesus proves his divinity through miracles.

19. Early Christian Church - Basics • NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE! • Mark 12:30-31 • 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment. • 31 And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. • Not just an external observance, but an inner change of heart and overflowing charity towards others.

20. Early Christian Church - Basics • NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE! • 1 John 3:17-18 • 17 He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him? • 18 My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth. • Not just an external observance, but an inner change of heart and overflowing charity towards others.

21. Early Christian Church - Basics • Compare and contrast with the standard Roman prayer: • To the gods above and the gods below, and all the ones I do not know, whether you be god or goddess, in return for my sacrifice grant me… • Remember! Roman pagan prayers were phrased like legal documents that could obligate gods for particular action and protection. • Public religious ritual had to be enacted by specialists and professionals faultlessly; a mistake might require that the action, or even the entire festival, be repeated from the start.

22. Medieval Church - Basics • NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE! • Eventually the Medieval Church (Catholic) will build a whole structure of sacramental theology on the basis of these scriptures, specifically: • Matt. 16:18 & 18:18 • 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. • 18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.

23. Medieval Church - Basics • NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE! • Eventually the Medieval Church (Catholic) will build a whole structure of sacramental theology on the basis of these scriptures, specifically: • Matt. 26:26-28 • 26 And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye, and eat. This is my body. • 27 And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. • 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission (forgiveness) of sins.

24. Early Christian Church - Basics • NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE! • Final Commandment • Matt. 28: 19-20 • 19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. • 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

25. Early Christian Church – It’s Spreading! • The Church spreads quickly among the Greek speaking communities; from Rome to Asia Minor. • It slowly spreads through the Latinized, western Empire. • By the third century (200’s AD) there are enough Christians that they become politically important. • When disputes arise they are settled by local councils of bishops.

26. Early Christian Church – Persecution • Given what we’ve covered on philosophy, pagan Roman religions & traditions, and early Christianity… • … WHICH IS A LOT! • …It’s obvious there would be no problems. <sarc/> • As Christianity spreads, it encounters scornful hostility from pagan intellectuals. • WATCH THE VIDEO(S) ON THE WEBSITE!!!

27. Early Christian Church – Persecution • Calligula (37-41 AD) • In his defense, he was crazy. • He kills some, not as much as.. • Nero (54-68 AD) • Fire in Rome? Umm, it was the Christians! • Marcu Aurelius (121-180 AD) • Yes, even the last of the “good Emperors”! • Persecutions increase under him. • Diocletian • Great Persecution – Do you think it was bad? • Ordered that the deacon Romanus of Caesarea have his tongue removed for defying the order of the courts

28. Early Christian Church – Persecution • Difficulties for Educated Pagans • Miracles? That’s okay. • Resurrection? No problem.

29. Early Christian Church – Persecution • Difficulties for Educated Pagans • Miracles? That’s okay. • Resurrection? No problem.

30. Early Christian Church – Persecution • Difficulties for Educated Pagans • Miracles? That’s okay. • Resurrection? No problem. • Executed as a criminal, displacing all other gods, having simple teachings instead of using elegant myths or nuanced arguments.

31. Early Christian Church – Persecution • Difficulties for Educated Pagans • Miracles? That’s okay. • Resurrection? No problem. • Executed as a criminal, displacing all other gods, having simple teachings instead of using elegant myths or nuanced arguments.

32. Early Christian Church – Persecution • To many pagan intellectuals it was a perverse and irrational cult. • Celebration of the Eucharist? Cannablism. • Christian love? Unrestrained licentiousness. • In the words of one critic: • They know one another by secret marks and signs and they love one another almost before they know one another… there is a religion of lust among them… their vain and sensless superstition glories in crime. • The real problem with Christianity lies in the reality that pagans found it could not be assimilated the way other religions had been; thus it was a danger to the state – in their eyes.

33. Licentiousness, Mr. C? • promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters. • synonyms: dissolute · dissipated · debauched · degenerate · immoral • Need I go on?

34. Early Christian Church – Triumphant • So what changes?

35. Early Christian Church – Triumphant • Constantine – watch the video • Battle of the Milvian Bridge • Attacking Maxentius in Rome. Maximin is in the east. Constantine & Licinius will kick his butt later. • 312 AD"(ἐν) τούτῳ νίκα“ • (In hoc signo vinces) In this sign, conquer. • 313 AD Edict of Milan issued by Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius; Christianity was legalized. • Greek letters: X (chi) P (rho) • first two letters of Χριστός – Christ

36. Early Christian Church – Triumphant • Constantine: • Christianity transformed from a persecuted sect to the favored religion of the Empire. • Modern historians are skeptical and look for reasons. • But there is no good reason for him to convert. • Christians not popular • Not represented in the army • Safe to say Constantine believed in the Christian God • [I was] “brought to the faith by God to be the means of the faith’s triumph.”

37. Early Christian Church – Triumphant • Rights under Constantine: • Receive legacies (endowments/inheritance) • Freedom from taxes • Legal jurisdiction (cannon law) • Sanctuary • All of Constantine’s successors, save one – Julian (361-363 AD) were Christian.

38. FINAL BIG IDEA • Constantine becomes the sole Emperor in 324AD. • In the east, a religious controversy has started. • Arianism – Arius a priest in Alexandria • The Son, the logos, had not existed from all eternity but was created by the one God who alone was eternal. • Constantine decides to settle it once and for all by calling all the bishops together to discuss it. • Previously, local groups of bishops would settle disputes. • He makes all the traveling facilities of the imperial postal service at their service. • Constantine creates a new institution of Church government, the general council.

39. FINAL BIG IDEA – Council of Nicea • Produces a definition of doctrine and condemns Arianism. • The Son is of “one substance with the Father”. • Later becomes the Nicene Creed. • This argument will continue on in the churches in the east for several decades. • It is not finally settled until Theodosius I (379-95 AD). • Theodosius I supports the Nicene Creed. • He called for another council. • The Council of Constantinople (381 AD) • Reaffirms the doctrine of Nicea.

40. FINAL BIG IDEA – Council of Nicea • It is important to know: • This debate has bishops eventually arguing with the Emperor over interference in Church matters • This matter is not settled in the east until the Emperor steps in. • This will have lasting ramifications.