CHAPTER 3 The Lasting Legacy of the Apostles

 With the Council of Jerusalem Gentiles were freed from Jewish Law  Small Christian communities sprang up  Passed on storied by word of mouth

Answer  Why would the accounts of miraculous deeds prove a successful missionary tool for Christians working among pagan worshippers of many gods?  Can you explain why Christianity might overtake pagan religions at a time when they were flourishing (rather than when they were in decline)?

Why did the Gentile find Christianity so attractive?  Related to the people  Idols were dead…Jesus was alive  Apocalyptic understanding of faith  Signs and miracles were signs of the power of God

 Read take notes

Eucharist  Then  Today

Early Writings  Christian canon  Paul’s epistles  51 CE begins writing  Addresses them to Christian communities  Paul’s message  One God  Faithfully loves us  Sent Jesus  Jesus saves

Packing for Paul’s Journeys  What are ten modern items that you would give to Paul to ease his journey. They should be things that he can carry walking– not a car or a plane ticket. You should bring at least five of the actual items to class tomorrow. Or you can bring a collage of your items.

Paul’s Letters of Love  In most of the greetings what does Paul make very clear about his role?  What feelings does Paul have toward the people to whom he is writing? Give some examples of his feelings expressed in letters.  To the early Christians, receiving a letter from Paul was special. Who might give you the same feeling today if you were to receive a letter from them?  Today we have instant communication with TV, computers, cell phones, internet, facebook, . If all of these methods had been available to Paul, do you think he still would have written a letter to the Thessolonians? Why is a printed letter still a useful way of communicating important matters?

Modern Family  Read Eph  Write a letter that Paul might write to Christians today on the topic of the Christian household. Explore the language that Paul would use and what he would say to husbands, wives and children.

The Final Break  Separation was pronounced in 62 CE  Many Christians fled Jerusalem after James death  Jewish resentment toward Rome grew  Temple destroyed in 70 CE  Judaism was at risk of dying out  Needed conformity  Final break

Conclusions  Early Christians continued spreading the word  Developed rituals, and practices  Christian Testament

Implications  Small Christian communities are vital  Gain an understanding of how scriptures developed  Tradition as well as Scripture