Era 1: The Beginning of Christianity

Word List for Period 1 JesusPax Romana Twelve ApostlesEmperor Nero Caesaria PhilippiJewish Revolt Resurrection / EasterMasada Feast of PentecostNew Testament Canon St. Peter (Simon Peter)Martyrs St. Stephen (1 st martyr)Apologists St. James (brother of Lord)Apostates St. Paul (Saul)Perpetua and Felicity Council of JerusalemTertullian CircumcisionOrigen of Alexandria Jewish Dietary LawsEmperor Diocletian

Time Line 6 BC to 30 ADLife of Jesus 30 to 66 ADAge of Apostles 70 ADJewish Revolt, Christianity splits from Judaism 70 to 313 ADAge of Persecution and Growth: Martyrs, Apologists, Apostates; & New Testament canon

PART 1: LIFE OF JESUS 6 BCE to 30 CE Caesaria Philippi: Town north of Galilee where Jordan River begins from an underground cave and flows south into Sea of Galilee. – Site of pagan temple to Pan, god of underworld – Where Jesus appoints Simon as “Peter” (rock) and says gates of hell will not prevail against church

Jesus chooses 12 Apostles as his main followers

At Caesaria Philippi in far northern Israel, where Jordan River begins in cave. This was pagan temple and entry to Hades (underworld). Here, Jesus names Simon Peter as head of his 12 Apostles and the Church: “Simon, you are Peter (rock), and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.”

Simon Peter (Saint Peter, the Rock or “Rocky”)

Jesus’ death by crucifixion on a cross, resurrection, ascension

PART 2: APOSTOLIC AGE Twelve Apostles experience outpouring of Holy Spirit in form of wind and flames as they are in hiding. This occurs on Jewish feast of PENTECOST in Jerusalem. This is considered the BIRTHDAY of the church. Christian church grows, but it is a Jewish movement. Christians are Jews. The early church fights with other Jews, who oppose this new movement. A deacon, Stephen, is stoned to death and becomes the first Christian martyr (a person who witnesses to Christ by dying for the faith).

A Pharisee Jew, Saul, witnesses the stoning of Stephen and persecutes the Christian Jews. But then he hears voice of Jesus and becomes a Christian Jew himself. Saul (Paul) is bi-national & bilingual – a “Diaspora Jew” born in Greek-speaking Asia Minor (in Tarsus). He becomes a great missionary, starting new churches in Greece & Asia Minor. Non-Jews (Gentiles) join his churches.

Saul (Paul) meets with 12 Apostles at COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM. They agree to allow Gentiles to join the church without becoming Jews (especially, Gentiles do not need to follow Jewish kosher dietary laws and men do not need to undergo circumcision). James runs church in Jerusalem but is killed. Peter & Paul end up in Rome and are killed in the mid-60s AD when the Emperor Nero blames Christians for starting a fire that destroyed much of the city.

Three Worlds of Early Christianity: Jewish, Roman (Latin), Greek (Hellenistic)

Pentecost, the “birthday” of the Church, when the Holy Spirit (as flames) descends on the apostles and empowers them NOT to hide BUT to go out and spread the message of Jesus to the world.

PART 3: JEWISH REVOLT, 70 CE Some Jews in the Holy Land started a war to expel the Romans. The Romans crushed the revolt and destroyed the Jewish Temple. Christian Jews did not support the Jewish Revolt. After the revolt, surviving Pharisees took over leadership of Jews, creating a religion centered in synagogues, not in a Temple in Jerusalem. They declared Christians to be heretics and expelled Christian Jews from Jewish synagogues. Christianity separated from Judaism and became its own religion.

PART 4: AGE OF PERSECUTION AND MARTYRDOM, 70 to 313 CE Christianity no longer is seen as a legitimate religion by the Romans. Even so, most persecution is only sporadic and local. Two empire-wide persecutions of Christians occur: Under Decius, about 250 CE, and the worst of all, under Diocletian, end of 200s CE

Perpetua and Felicity: Two early North African martyrs. Perpetua was a young mother with an infant; Felicity, pregnant, was her servant/slave. Tertullian: A Latin (Roman) apologist. He wrote, “The blood of the martyrs is seed of the church.” He joined an ultra-strict movement and later was declared a heretic. Origen was an apologist/theologian from Alexandria, Egypt. His father was martyred. He was one of the most influential early Christian writers, but was later declared a heretic for teaching universal salvation.

Why Did Christianity Succeed? 1.God’s will. 2.Turmoil in Roman Empire. 3.Love of Early Christians. - “See how they love one another!” (Tertullian) - Christians cared for poor, sick, weak, marginalized 4. Courage of Early Christians - “Blood of martyrs is the seed of the church” (Tertullian) THIS IS AN AGE OF MARTYRS (People who die for the faith), APOLOGISTS (People who defend the faith), and APOSTATES (people who reject the faith in order to escape persecution)

Why Did Christianity Succeed? THIS IS AN AGE OF: MARTYRS (People who die for the faith),; APOLOGISTS (People who defend the faith), and APOSTATES (people who reject the faith in order to escape persecution)