Rome and Early Christianity

Section 4
Preview
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Christianity and Judaism
Jesus of Nazareth
The Spread of Christianity
Map: The Spread of Christianity
The Early Christian Church
The Rise of Christianity
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Reading Focus
How was Christianity rooted in the teachings of Judaism?
What were the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth?
How did Christianity spread throughout the Roman world?
What was the early Christian Church like?
Main Idea
A new religion called Christianity developed within the Roman
Empire and gradually spread throughout the Roman world.
The Rise of Christianity
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Jews had to pay tribute to
Romans but unwilling to
abandon religion for polytheistic
religion of Romans

Roman leaders allowed Jews to
practice religion as long as they
paid tribute, maintained civic
order
Roman Compromise
Teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
developed into new religion
Christianity

Many of teachings rooted in
beliefs, customs of Judaism

63 BC, Romans conquered
Judaea, chose new ruler for
region, installed him as king

J udaism in the Roman World
Christianity and Judaism
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Reactions to Roman Rule
Judaism had different branches, varying ideas on cooperation with Romans
Zealots called on fellow Jews to drive Romans from Judaea, reestablish
Kingdom of Israel
Messianic Prophecies
After revolt in 130s, all Jews banned from Jerusalem
Not all Jews willing to take up arms; others waited coming of Messiah
spiritual leader prophesied to restore ancient kingdom, bring peace to world
Zealots
Zealots formed pockets of resistance against Romans of Judaea
After mass uprising AD 6670, Romans sacked Jerusalem, killed thousands
of Jews, destroyed Second Temple

Judaism in the Roman World
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Make Generalizations

What were two Jewish reactions to Roman
rule?

Answer(s): refused to give up religion; Zealots
wanted to rise up against Roman rule
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Against this background, a spiritual leader named Jesus of Nazareth
emerged, teaching people to prepare for Gods Judgment Day.
Nearly all knowledge of Jesus
comes from Gospelsfirst four
books of New Testament
New Testament and books of
Hebrew Bible make up todays
Christian Bible
Jesus born in Bethlehem, near
Jerusalem
Learned carpentry, studied
writings of Jewish prophets
Life
Jesus preached message of
renewal and warning
Gathered group of disciples
Created excitement by
performing miracles of healing;
defending poor, oppressed
Instructed people to repent of
sins, seek Gods forgiveness
Must love God above all, love
others as much as self
Preaching

Jesus of Nazareth
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Death and Resurrection
Jesuss popularity, crowds alarmed authorities who
feared political uprisings
Jesus arrested, tried, sentenced to death
According to New Testament, after crucifixion
Jesus rose from dead
Spent 40 days teaching disciples
Ascended into heaven
Followers believed Resurrection, Ascension revealed
Jesus as the Messiah
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Summarize

What was the main message of Jesuss
teaching?
Answer(s): Followers must love God above all
else, and love others as they loved themselves.
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
After Jesuss death, his disciples began teaching that all people could
achieve salvationthe forgiveness of sins and the promise of
everlasting life.
Jesuss 12
disciples worked
to spread message
Earliest Christian
missionaries
Apostles traveled
widely, teaching
mostly in Jewish
communities
Apostles
Paul, originally
known as Saul,
born in Tarsus, in
Asia Minor
Had actively
opposed those
teaching that Jesus
was the Messiah

Paul of Tarsus
Paul had
conversion on way
to Damascus,
became Christian
If not for his work,
Christianity might
have remained a
branch of Judaism
Conversion
The Spread of Christianity
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Roman Christianity
Paul found some Jewish customs hindered missionary work among non-
Jews, dispensed with those requirements for Christians
Paul emphasized new doctrines that helped distinguish Christianity from
Judaism
Christianity spread; message of love, eternal life after death found appealing
By AD 300, some 10 percent of Roman people were Christian
Converting the Gentiles
Paul believed God sent him to convert non-Jews, or Gentiles
Paul helped make Christianity broader religion, attracted many new followers
Helped establish Christian churches throughout eastern Mediterranean
Pauls epistles, or letters, to those churches later became part of the New
Testament
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Results
As Christianity spread through Roman world, some local officials feared
Christians conspiring against them; arrested, killed many Christians
Those killed seen by Christians as martyrs, people who die for their faith
Imperial Approval
Spread of Christianity hastened by conversion of emperor Constantine
AD 313, Constantine made Christianity legal within empire, Edict of Milan
By late 300s, polytheism gradually disappeared from empire
Threat
Christians persecuted at local level, but large-scale persecution rare during
first two centuries after Jesuss life
Large-scale persecution by Romans grew as rulers saw Christianity as threat
Persecution
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Find the Main Idea

What helped spread Christianity through the
Roman world?

Answer(s): Paul of Tarsus and other disciples;
Constantines conversion; outlawing of public non-
Christian sacrifices by Theodosius
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Communities
Earliest Christian churches not
only spiritual organizations but
close-knit communities
Provided all kinds of support for
members
Deepening Faith
Ceremonies developed to
inspire peoples faith, make
them feel closer to Jesus
One ceremony was Eucharist
Complex
Support included burial
services, food, shelter
Christianity grew; organization
became more complex
Ceremonies
During Eucharist, people eat
bread, drink wine in memory of
Jesuss death, resurrection
With baptism, people are
admitted to the faith
The Early Christian Church
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Patriarchs did not recognize the popes supremacy claims at first, but
over time popes gained more influence within the Christian Church.
By about 100, priests who were trained in these ceremonies became
prominent within Christianity. The authority of the priests was based on
the authority Jesus gave the Apostles. This spiritual authority
distinguished the priests from the general congregation of the church.
Church expanded, developed
administrative structure
Bishop oversaw church affairs,
had authority over other priests
300s, heads of oldest
congregations, patriarchs, had
authority over other bishops
Administrative Structure
Expansion of the Church
Many believed Peter founded
Roman Church, was first bishop
Later bishops of Rome, popes,
Peters spiritual heirs
Gospel of Matthew: Jesus gives
Peter keys to kingdom of heaven
Therefore future popes inherit keys
Peter the Apostle
Rome and Early Christianity
Section 4
Summarize

How did the Christian Church change as it
grew?
Answer(s): Special ceremonies and rituals
developed; priests became a special class within
Christianity; bishops had authority over priests;
the bishop of Rome became a pope.