PP Notes Christianity

Jerusalem
Pax Romana
Centuries after the Roman Republic was established, and after the wars with Gaul, the Punic Wars with Carthage (Hannibal), the Macedonian Wars, and other civil wars and revolution, the great Pax Romana ensued, an age of relative peace and toleration…
The Roman Empire extended from Britain to Mesopotamia to Egypt, with a population of perhaps one hundred million people…
In 63 B.C. Pompey marched his Roman armies down the Jordan Valley and up to Jerusalem, entered the Holy of holies of the Temple, and proclaimed Jerusalem subject to the authority of Rome.

D.K. Ogden, Jerusalem the Eternal City, p. 153
Jesus of Nazareth
Born between 1 and 4 BCE, in Bethlehem (10 miles south of Jerusalem)
Legend of the Virgin Mary
Raised in Nazareth as a carpenter, spoke Aramaic
Follower of John the Baptist, embraced doctrine of baptism (like the Hindus)
Began his ministry near John’s arrest



Preached love of fellow man and God.
Doctrine of resurrection
Preformed miracles, healings and exorcists
The Sermon on the Mount
Enters Jerusalem on Passover, to visit the Temple (Jesus was a devout Jew)



Am empty tomb (3 days) and the last supper

Gnosticism: Egypt, Montanism in Asia Minor, Marcionism in Syria.

Catholicism was only one of dozens of "denominations" within the early church until it was adopted as the state religion of the Roman Empire.


After Death
The Apostles organize and preach, increasing the gentile population
The tradition remains oral
With the loss of the apostolic order, a new debate for hierarchy begins
Thus begins the title of “Bishop”
Constantine

Constantine began to help with ideological conflicts and then in 321CE, made Sunday a day of rest, as was custom in the worship of Sol Invictus
In 312 CE, at the Tigris River Constantine met Maxentius and claimed victory, making him the Emperor of the West and Supreme Pontiff (fist Pope).
324 CE Constantine defeats Licinius and becomes Emperor of Rome.
Organized a conference of Bishops in 325, to resolve doctrinal issues
325 BCE made Byzantium: New Rome – today known as
Church moves away from consecration
Assimilation of paganism within the churhc: Christmas celebrated on Dec. 25th – birthday of Sol Invictus, pagan gods taking the faces of saints
In his 50’s Constantine was finally baptized by Eusebius (scholar and theologian) before the Emperor’s death.

Up to 400 CE
The Empire was split into thirds (Constantine’s sons)
Pagan-Christian conflicts again arise and by the tension between Jews and Christians increase
400 CE – Huns invade Armenia, Visigoths moved across the alps later joined by the Francs and other Germans – by 410 CE they held Rome
The city had not been pentrated since the Gauls 700 years earlier.
St Augustine
Authority of church split between Rome and Constantinople 451 CE
Origins of the canon: