Download Judeo-Christian Tradition

Judeo-Christian Tradition
Essential Question: How did the Jews and Christians
contribute to our ideas about society today?
Roman Religion
• Polytheistic
– Adopted many Greek Gods
• Monotheistic
– Spread monotheistic Religion
in 2 ways:
1. Indirect
Emperor Constantine
312 AD
• AD 70 - Jews expelled from
Empire, spread beliefs all over the
world
Roman Religion
1. Indirect
• AD 70 - Jews expelled from Empire,
spread beliefs all over the world
2. Direct
• Hostile towards Christians in
beginning
• AD 380
– Christianity official religion of the Roman
Empire (Emperor Constantine)
Emperor Constantine
312 AD
Judaism & Christian Tradition
• Judaism & Christianity shape
Democratic Traditions
– Both religions are Monotheistic:
belief in one God
– Ideas about worth and
responsibility of individuals to the
community
Judaism
• Torah:
– Hebrew bible (Old Testament)
– Made of 5 books
• Man is created in God’s Image
– Individuals have value, unique
• Deserving of respect
• Greeks and Romans believed people
deserved respect due to their ability
to reason
Jewish Law
• Man has moral freedom
– Use reason to choose between
right and wrong
• Reason:
– Capacity for logical, rational
and analytical thought
Ten Commandments
• Jewish Law
– 1300-1200 BC
– Written code of Law given to Moses
• Focused on morality and ethics, NOT on
politics
Ten Commandments
• Focused on morality and ethics, NOT on
politics
• 1-4
– Morality: Mans relationship with God
• 5-10
– Ethics: mans relationship with fellow man.
Christianity
• Jesus Christ
– Born around 4 BC
– Jew and a Roman subject
– Taught about God’s
relationship to the individual
The Teachings of Christianity
•
New Testament
– Encompasses teachings of
Jesus and his disciples
•
Love for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
God
neighbors
family
enemies
and yourself
Spread of Christianity
• The Apostle Paul
– Disciple of Christ
– Christianity should welcome
all converts
– All human beings are equal
• central to democracy