Roman Empire & Religious Diversity. Divisions in Judea. Mystery Religions. Rome tolerated the varied religious traditions around the empire

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1 NOTE This lesson is a historical presentation about the beginnings and the early spread of Christianity and not a discussion about individual Christian denominations and their beliefs CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN AND AROUND TOWNSEND Alliance Bible Church Elkhorn Community Fellowship Church Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Faith Baptist Church Holy Cross Catholic Church Townsend First Assembly of God Radersburg Baptist Church Shepard of the Valley Lutheran Church Townsend Seventh-Day Adventist Church Townsend United Methodist Church Trailhead Christian Fellowship Church Roman Empire & Religious Diversity Rome tolerated the varied religious traditions around the empire As long as citizens showed loyalty to the Roman gods and the divine nature of the emperor they could worship other gods Most conquered people were polytheistic Mystery Religions Roman Empire had religions that focused on secret rituals and promised special rewards Cult of Isis - One of the most popular religions Originated in Egypt Gave women equal status with men Mithraism - Worship of the Persian god Mithra Championed good over evil and offered life after death Favored by Roman soldiers Divisions in Judea Jews were monotheistic and did not believe in worshipping other gods Romans excused the Jews from worshipping the Roman gods so as not to violate the Jewish beliefs 1

2 Divisions in Judea ZEALOTS were Jews who believed that a MESSIAH, a savior, would be sent a king from God to lead the Jews to freedom Several times, the Zealots would rebel against Rome. The last time led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersal (DIASPORA) of the Jews in the 2nd Century AD What we know about Jesus Christ comes from the first four books of the New Testament known as the GOSPELS (Old English for Good News) He was born in Bethlehem He was of the lineage of King David of Israel His mother, Mary, was told by an angel she would give birth to the messiah, the son of God He grew up in Nazareth At age 30, he began his ministry in villages near Sea of Galilee the Recruited 12 close followers called APOSTLES Performed miracles of healing and taught large groups of people Chief apostle was Peter 2

3 He taught using PARABLES, short stories with simple moral lessons, to communicate his teachings After three years, he and his disciples went to Jerusalem to teach Jewish priests felt Jesus was a threat to their authority in Jerusalem Romans thought he could lead a possible new rebellion in Judea He was betrayed by one of his disciples He was tried, condemned and crucified He rose from the dead to talk and teach his apostles, commanding them to spread his teachings Finally, he rose to Heaven Firmly based on Jewish tradition Believed and taught in only one God Accepted the Ten Commandments Preached obedience to the Law of Moses Defended the teachings of the Jewish prophets Identified himself as the Son of God He was to bring spiritual salvation and eternal life Sermon on the Mount taught followers to be: Meek (humble) Righteous Merciful Pure in heart Peacemakers Taught the need for justice, morality, and service to others Emphasized a person s responsibility was to love God and their neighbor Jesus emphasized the need for forgiveness in one s life for their own mistakes and to be given to those who give you offense 3

4 The Spread of Christianity After the death of Jesus Christ, his disciples taught Jews in Judea and people throughout the Roman world He had never seen Jesus He had persecuted the Christians He converted to Christianity after having a vision of Jesus He spread the teachings to not only Jews but also GENTILES, non-jews He set up Christian churches from Mesopotamia to Rome His EPISTLES, letters, make up a large part of the New Testament Paul by Kenneth Wyatt Paul taught that: Jesus sacrificed his life out of love for humankind Those who believed Jesus was the son of God and followed his teachings would achieve eternal life Rome s Persecution of Christianity Rome s tolerance of other religions did not extend to Christianity Christians would not sacrifice to the emperor or to honor Roman gods Christians would meet in secret to avoid persecution, and rumors spread that they were up to no good Rome s Persecution of Christianity In times of trouble, persecution increased Nero used the Christians as scapegoats for economic or social ills Thousands of Christians became MARTYRS, people who suffer or die for their beliefs 4

5 Christianity s Appeal Jesus had welcomed all people especially the humble, poor, and oppressed Comfort found in the message of love Equality, human dignity, and the promise of a better life beyond the grave were attractive teachings Paul taught discipline and moderation which was in line with Greek and Roman teachings Missionaries could teach easier because: Unity of the Roman Empire through safe roads and sea lanes Early documents were written in Greek and Latin, common languages across the empire Martyrdom provided strong examples of the faith of individuals Emperor THEODOSIUS made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD Roman persecution ended in 313 when CONSTANTINE issued the Edict of Milan granting the freedom to worship to all citizens of the Roman Empire 5