Tuesday, October 22, 2013 Students will define vocabulary associated with Chapter 5.4

Define: Pages Procurator Clergy Laity New Testament Jerusalem Jesus Constantine Theodosius the Great

An agent representing others in a court of law in countries retaining Roman civil law. Judaea embraced the lands of the old Jewish kingdom of Judah and had been made a Roman province placed under the direction of an official called a procurator.

Church Leaders- the body of all people ordained for religious duties

Church goers or regular church members.

Writings that give a record of Jesus’ life and teachings. The second portion of the Christian bible.

A Jewish teacher who traveled and preached throughout Judaea and neighboring Galilee. These teachings became known as Christianity.

The first Christian Emperor. When Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (reigned 306–337) ruled Rome, Christianity became the dominant religion of the Roman Empire.

Under his reign the Romans adopted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire.

In 63 BC, Rome took over Judea, the home of the Jewish religion. Judea was controlled by King Herod, a Jewish governor for Rome. After Herod’s death, fighting broke out among his sons. Rome sent troops to create peace in Judea.

Rome made Judea a province of Rome in A.D. 6 Zealots wanted to rid their homeland of Romans. Another group awaited the ‘Messiah’. According to Biblical tradition, God had promised that the Messiah would restore the kingdom of the Jews.

Judaism was tolerated by the Romans at first. First Monotheistic Religion: Only one supreme god. Jesus of Nazareth was born under the rule of Octavian (Caesar Augustus) Grew up preaching the idea of one true god Spread a message of peace, love, forgiveness. Many Jews believed that Jesus was the Messiah or Savior, from the Romans. Jesus was called Christ which means “savior” in Greek.

Born in Bethlehem, Judea, in 6 – 4 B.C. Both a Jew and a Roman Raised in the village of Nazareth Baptized by the prophet, John the Baptist Carpenter

His followers spread the teachings of Jesus throughout Palestine and Syria. The Pax Romana, which made travel and exchange of ideas safe, provided ideal conditions for Christianity to spread. The excellent Roman road system made traveling easier, and common languages allowed the message to be communicated.

Jesus referred to Peter as the ‘Rock’ on which his church would be built. Peter was the first bishop of Rome. Since Rome was the capital of the empire, the church was centered in Rome.

A critical moment in Christianity occurred in A.D. 312, when the Roman emperor Constantine was fighting three rivals for his title. He had marched to the Tiber River at Rome to battle his chief rival. He prayed for divine help.

He saw a cross of light in the heavens bearing the inscription, “In this sign, conquer.” Constantine ordered the Christian symbol of the cross to be put onto his soldier’s shields. His troops were successful on the battlefield. He gave all credit to the Christian God.

In 312 AD, Constantine became Emperor of Rome. During Battle, he saw an image of a cross and won. 313 AD- Constantine issues the Edict of Milan making Christianity a legal religion in Rome. To strengthen the religion he called the Council of Nicaea to establish the core beliefs of Christianity, leading to the Nicene Creed.

Roman Emperor from A.D. In 380 A.D. he made the Christian religion the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Embraced all people (men, women, slaves, poor, nobles) Gave hope to the powerless Appealed to those who were repelled by the extravagances of imperial Rome. Offered a personal relationship with a loving God. Promised eternal life after death.