Download Beginnings of Christianity

Beginnings of Christianity
From Polytheism to Monotheism
Religion and the Roman Empire
• Augustus was the leader of Rome and
the religious leader of Rome
• Rome was a polytheistic society which
included many of the beliefs and Gods of
the Greeks
Zeus – Jupiter
Hera – Juno
• Believed that refusal to worship gods
would bring harm to the empire =
government punishment
• Romans did allow Jewish people to live
in the empire and practice their own
religion
Jesus and his Teachings
• Jesus was born in Bethlehem
• Traveled and taught about belief
in one God and the Ten
Commandments
• Taught about a loving and
forgiving God
• People began to follow his
teachings (disciples) and believed
he was the messiah coming to
bring world peace(Torah)
• Some people disagreed and this
caused problems among the
Jewish people
Jesus' Teachings Spread
• As Jesus’ followers increased, Roman leaders
became concerned of a future army
• Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, ordered
he be crucified
• After his death, his disciples said that he rose
again
• They spread the word throughout the empire
• The Greek word for messiah is christos and
he became known as Jesus Christ
Rome and the New Religion
• People were allowed to worship, as
long as they also worshipped Roman
gods
• Christians were persecuted for their
monotheism
• This made Christians hold on more
strongly to their beliefs; some chose
death rather than follow Roman law
(martyrs)
Constantine Accepts Christianity
• General Constantine was battling to
become emperor of Rome
• Legend says he saw the Greek word for
Christ in the sky with the words “in hoc
signo vinces” (in this sign you will
conquer)
• He ordered his soldiers to paint crosses on
their shields, and he believed that was why
they won the battle
• Constantine became emperor and made
Edict of Milan, making Christianity the
official religion of the Roman Empire
In hoc signo vinces
Ways Christianity Spread
• Roman roads and trade made it
easy to carry Christian ideas
• The apostles, his closest
followers, taught about Jesus
• Paul, a later apostle, began
Christian churches (letter of Paul
to the…..)
• Edict of Milan
The Decline of Rome
• Rome was far from the center of
the empire
• Constantine moved the capital to
Byzantium, near the Black Sea
• Renamed it Constantinople (the
city of Constantine)
• People left Rome
• Visgoths attacked from the north
Rome loses power, but is still the
headquarters of the Christian
church - Vatican City
Rome splits into Eastern and
Western
Eastern part stays strong
Western part breaks up into
kingdoms
Christianity continues to spread