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A Brief History of Christianity

A Brief History of Christianity. Roots of Christianity in Judaism. ~ AD 6 Augustus took over Judah – renamed it Judea (it is the mountainous southern part of Palestine). Roots of Christianity in Judaism. Jews were allowed to practice their religion but were treated cruelly by Romans

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A Brief History of Christianity

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  1. A Brief History of Christianity

  2. Roots of Christianity in Judaism • ~ AD 6 Augustus took over Judah – renamed it Judea (it is the mountainous southern part of Palestine)

  3. Roots of Christianity in Judaism • Jews were allowed to practice their religion but were treated cruelly by Romans • Many Jews hoped for a savior (called a “messiah” / “one anointed by God”) to restore Jewish independence • One Jew – Jesus – traveled though Judea from AD 30–33 saying that God’s rule was close at hand & people should repent for their sins • Some Jews thought Jesus was the messiah

  4. Roots of Christianity in Judaism • Because the Jews in Judea disagreed about Jesus’ messiah status, there was much internal Jewish conflict • The Romans were afraid that this conflict would de-stabilize Judea – thus they arrested Jesus as a political rebel • Jesus was crucified – the typical Roman method of punishing criminals

  5. What was crucifixion? Religious depictions usually show Jesus supported by nails through the palms, but the flesh cannot support one’s body weight – perhaps his wrists were tied to the cross?

  6. What was crucifixion? • A method of execution – very painful and gruesome – nails inserted into feet & above wrists between radius and ulna • Death possibly came through asphyxiation – victim would have trouble exhaling while holding himself up (particularly after his legs were broken) • Other possible causes of death: whipping (loss of blood), dehydration, exhaustion

  7. What happened next? • Some of Jesus’ followers said that he had risen from the dead & appeared to them • Those who believed became known as Christians because the word “messiah” translated into Greek is “Khristos” • People like Paul and Peter helped spread the Christian message throughout the Mediterranean region

  8. Why were Christians persecuted? • Monotheistic Christians refused to honor the Roman emperor as a god • Some Christians refused to provide military service – this led to charges of treason • Some Romans also feared the wrath of their own deities because of the rejection of those deities by Christians • As a result, Romans killed some Christian martyrs who would not give up their beliefs

  9. How does the story end? • Christianity spread – especially in cities • In AD 312 the Roman general Constantine had a vision of a flaming cross in the sky before a battle

  10. How does the story end? • Constantine had the soldiers paint crosses on their shields and when they won, he attributed his victory to the Christian God • When Constantine became emperor of Rome, he issued the Edict of Milan, granting freedom of worship to all religious groups • 80 years later (AD 392), Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Empire and banned older religions

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