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Christianity (CH) which started among the Jews in
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R did not view CH as a threat to start with but it eventually became
the official religion of the Empire.
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CH is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (JC).
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The beliefs of JC were spread all over R Empire due to his followers.
The
Life of Jesus
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JC was born a Jew and grew up studying scriptures (sacred writings) of
Jews.
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At ~30 years old he started preaching to people that God loves them
like a father loves his children and everyone should put their faith in God.
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JC spoke so people could understand him in parables (stories) with
familiar things from their lives and that showed his religious beliefs.
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R were in charge in
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Jews were tired of paying high taxes and were looking for a messiah
(someone who would save them).
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When JC showed up in
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The R crucified him for treason.
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According to CH, JC rose from the dead and visited his disciples.
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His disciples believed he was the Son of God and could take away all
the sins in the human world if people believed in him.
Paul
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Disciples started to spread the gospel (teachings) of JC.
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Most Jews in
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Disciples had more effect on Jews in areas outside of
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Paul decided to start teaching CH to non-Jews and he had a large effect
as a missionary (one who spreads religious beliefs to those who don’t believe).
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Other people continued missionary work after Paul died.
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Since R had good transportation and most people spoke Latin or Greek
this helped to allow for CH to spread.
Political
Conditions
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Some of the beliefs of CH irritated the R including refusing to worship
the emperor, serve in army or public office, and belief that all people were
equal.
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R blamed CH for disasters like plagues and famines.
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CH was made illegal in R Empire and many were killed.
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CH had to used underground burial in catacombs since R would not allow
them to buried in other places.
The
Spread of Christianity
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CH continued to spread partially because it offered hope to poor who
lived bad lives that they would have a better afterlife.
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More people started to admire CH teachings.
Constantine
I (CI) and Theodosius (TH)
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CI won a battle after a religious vision.
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CI issued the Edict of Milan which gave religious freedom to all in
empire.
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He also allowed for government funds to pay for churches, church
schools, and allowed the leaders to act as advisors and not pay taxes.
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TH came after CI and he outlawed all other religions and made CH the
official religion on the R Empire in 392 AD.
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Christians (CHS) believed that end of the world was near and JC would
return.
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While they waited CHS formed churches (small groups to worship in).
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Apostles (people Jesus chose to teach his message) gave advice to
churches and helped unify them.
Church
Structure
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Churches started to organize themselves along the lines of R Empire.
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Each church was a parish and it had a leader called a priest.
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Several parishes formed a diocese which were headed by a leader called
a bishop.
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Most important bishops were called archbishops and 5 most important
archbishops were called patriarchs.
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Patriarch of
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People who spoke Greek split off and formed Eastern Orthodox Church.
The
New Testament
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Started writing down accounts of JC’s life and teaching and this became
the New Testament.
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Points of view that disagreed with church teachings were called heresy
(false doctrines).
Fathers
of the Church
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Jerome translated Old and New Testaments into Latin.
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Augustine defended the role of CH not having caused the fall of R.
Monasteries
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Hermits isolated themselves so they could pray alone away from cities.
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Eventually male groups of these hermits started living together as
monks in monasteries.
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Women who did this were called nuns and lived in convents.
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In E, rules set up were called Basilian Rule.
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In W, rules set up called Benedictine Rule that included poverty, no
marriage, service to God, and obeying the abbot (leader of the monastery).
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Monks helped to spread CH and helped to preserve R and Greek writings.