1. The Rise of Christianity
Preview
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Christianity and Judaism
Jesus of Nazareth
The Spread of Christianity
Map: The Spread of Christianity
The Early Christian Church

2. The Rise of Christianity
Main Idea
A new religion called Christianity developed within the Roman Empire and gradually spread throughout the Roman world.
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?

3. Christianity and Judaism
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
Judaism in the Roman World
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

4. Judaism in the Roman World
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
Zealots
Zealots formed pockets of resistance against Romans of Judaea
After mass uprising AD 66–70, Romans sacked Jerusalem, killed thousands of Jews, destroyed Second Temple
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

5. What were two Jewish reactions to Roman rule?
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

6. Jesus of Nazareth Life Preaching
Against this background, a spiritual leader named Jesus of Nazareth emerged, teaching people to prepare for God’s Judgment Day.
Nearly all knowledge of Jesus comes from Gospels—first four books of New Testament
New Testament and books of Hebrew Bible make up today’s 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 God’s forgiveness
Must love God above all, love others as much as self
Preaching

7. Death and Resurrection
Jesus’s 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

8. What was the main message of Jesus’s teaching?
Summarize
What was the main message of Jesus’s teaching?
Answer(s): Followers must love God above all else, and love others as they loved themselves.

9. The Spread of Christianity
After Jesus’s death, his disciples began teaching that all people could achieve salvation—the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life.
Jesus’s 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

10. 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
Paul’s epistles, or letters, to those churches later became part of the New Testament
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

11. Persecution Results Threat Imperial Approval
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
Threat
Christians persecuted at local level, but large-scale persecution rare during first two centuries after Jesus’s life
Large-scale persecution by Romans grew as rulers saw Christianity as threat
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

13. What helped spread Christianity through the Roman world?
Find the Main Idea
What helped spread Christianity through the Roman world?
Answer(s): Paul of Tarsus and other disciples; Constantine’s conversion; outlawing of public non-Christian sacrifices by Theodosius

14. The Early Christian Church
Communities
Earliest Christian churches not only spiritual organizations but close-knit communities
Provided all kinds of support for members
Complex
Support included burial services, food, shelter
Christianity grew; organization became more complex
Deepening Faith
Ceremonies developed to inspire people’s faith, make them feel closer to Jesus
One ceremony was Eucharist
Ceremonies
During Eucharist, people eat bread, drink wine in memory of Jesus’s death, resurrection
With baptism, people are admitted to the faith

15. Expansion of the 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
Many believed Peter founded Roman Church, was first bishop
Later bishops of Rome, popes, Peter’s spiritual heirs
Gospel of Matthew: Jesus gives Peter keys to kingdom of heaven
Therefore future popes inherit keys
Peter the Apostle
Patriarchs did not recognize the popes’ supremacy claims at first, but over time popes gained more influence within the Christian Church.

16. How did the Christian Church change as it grew?
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.