1. RISE OF CHRISTIANITY Jesus born - Mary and Joseph Bethlehem
DAY 1 NOTES
Jesus born - Mary and Joseph
Bethlehem
age 30 began preaching/teaching
”Lord, Liar, Lunatic”
used parables
short stories with simple moral lessons

2. TEACHINGS OF JESUS
Life and teachings of Jesus Christ becomes the New Testament
Teachings found in the Gospels (“Good News”)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Teaching based on Jewish Law, but taught followers to live “Ethically” not just to observe the laws
Jesus was God’s son
Jesus taught of God’s Love, Mercy, and Forgiveness
“Golden Rule”
Jesus taught of eternal life in Heaven for those that repent of their sins

3. TEACHINGS OF JESUS “Sermon on the Mount”
Moral and ethical teachings of Christianity
“Beatitudes”
“Lord’s Prayer”
became the value system for western civilization

4. ROMANS DISLIKE OF CHRISTIANITY
1) Did not worship Roman Emperor as a god
2) Did not worship Roman gods
3) Secret meetings
Roman gods were punishing the empire for Christian impiety

5. CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS KEY PLAYERS Pharisees Judas Iscariot Caiphas
Feared growing popularity of Jesus
Judas Iscariot
Garden of Gethsemane
Caiphas
High Priest
Pontius Pilate
Roman Governor allowed Jesus to be crucified
REASONS FOR CRUCIFYING CHRIST
1)BLASPHEMY
2)PLOTTING TO BECOME KING
3)FEAR OF INCITING REVOLT

6. RESURRECTION OF JESUS
RESURRECTION is the CENTRAL focus of Christianity
Jesus arose 3 days later
EASTER
believers in the Resurrection of Jesus
Christians
Jesus = MESSIAH

7. THE 12 APOSTLES

8. MARTYRDOM OF PETER
Peter traveled to Rome and was crucified upside down by Nero
Believed to be the first “Bishop” or Pope of the Christian Church
Today all Popes are believed to be descendants of St. Peter
“Petrine Doctrine”
Apostolic Succession
Rise of “Catholic Christian”
Catholic = “Universal”

9. Saul = “HATER” to Paul “LOVER”
persecuted followers of Jesus
“Public Enemy #1”
blinded by God on road to Damascus – Jesus asked “why are you persecuting me?”
becomes known as Paul
Paul was a Roman citizen which meant he could travel freely throughout the empire
Spread to Gentiles

10. WAYS THE ROMAN EMPIRE HELPED CHRISTIANITY GROW
Security of the Roman Empire allowed citizens (and ideas) to freely move around
Common Language of Greek throughout Empire (Alexander the Great)
Road System throughout the empire
Fatalism of Roman Religion
When you die there is nothing else
Hope of Christianity
Belief in an afterlife
Persecution of Christians
“blood of the martyrs is the seed of Christianity”
By the second century, as the Pax Romana began to
crumble, persecution of the Christians intensified. Romans
exiled, imprisoned, or executed Christians for refusing to
worship Roman deities. Thousands were crucified, burned,
or killed by wild animals in the circus arenas. Other
Christians and even some non-Christians regarded persecuted
Christians as martyrs. Martyrs were people willing to
sacrifice their lives for the sake of a belief or a cause.

11. APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
Passion of spreading Christianity
The idea that man was a sinner and could gain eternal life through faith was revolutionary
Christianity’s Visible Love
Julian the Apostate (ironically followed Constantine)
Pagan emperor – wanted to end Christianity
“Christianity has been specifically advanced thru the loving treatment rendered to strangers…there is not a single Jew who is a beggar…they care not only for their poor, but ours as well.”

12. APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
3.Universal offer of Salvation
anyone could believe
taught a simple message
“God’s Son became a man and died on the cross and rose and by faith you could trust him and be forgiven”
4.Offered answers to a crumbling Empire
Rome’s gods were too little – could not answer questions
Dignity of man
How to get rid of sin
Could not show you a moral base of righteousness – gave no absolute sense of right and wrong – Christianity did
5.Persecution / Martyrs
10 emperors – illegal to be Christian or own Bible

13. APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
5.Persecution/Martyrs cont.
Would not worship Roman gods
Considered atheists
Famine, pestilence, natural disaster
Not worship Roman Emperor
During “Pax Romana” – to keep blessing on Rome you would provide sacrifice to Goddess of Rome, Roma – a pinch of incense and proclaim “curia caesar” – “CAESAR IS LORD”
Not attend gladiator games
Not go to hospitals – dedicated to Roman god of healing, Aesculapius

14. APPEAL OF CHRISTIANITY
5.Persecution/Martyrs cont.
Conspiracy – early morning meetings
Cannibalism – Communion
Christians were not persecuted because they worshipped Christ, they were punished because they worshipped
ONLY Christ

15. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
64 Nero
Fire
Peter / Paul
98 Trajan
made it policy to not seek out Christians, but if someone was reported to be a Christian, they could recant, be punished, or on 3rd denial, killed

16. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
117 Hadrian // 139 Antonius Pius
upheld policy towards Christians, but did not consent to persecution
161 Marcus Aurelius
spy system against Christians
accuser would receive Christian property
persecution spread

17. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
– General drop in persecutions
303 DIOCLETIAN
re-instituted persecutions
stabilize government by getting rid of faiths opposed to Roman state religion
attempted to end Christianity
311 GALERIUS
realized persecutions were only making Christianity stronger
issued Edict of Toleration
312 30k Christians in Rome

18. CHRISTIANITY BECOMES ONLY RELIGION in ROMAN EMPIRE
Constantine becomes 1st Christian Emperor
Battle of Milvian Bridge
“in this sign conquer”
Edict of Milan
Constantine granted:
1) tax exemptions to church leaders
2) abolished crucifixion/gladiator games as capital punishment
3) established Sunday as a holiday
4) allowed Christians to meet in Churches no longer in catacombs

19. CHRISTIANITY BECOMES ONLY RELIGION in ROMAN EMPIRE
380 Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire
476 Western Roman Empire falls
Christian Church will become the main uniting and stabilizing force in Western Europe