ch. 1: Beginnings. Read pgs. xiii What is the mission of the church? 2. Describe how the Holy Spirit has influenced/shaped the history of the church? 3. What is history? 4. Why do we study the history of the church? (list the 3 reasons.) 5. Who are the Hebrews? Why are they relevant in the study of Christianity? 6. What is the relationship between Passover and Paschal Mystery? 7. What does Hellenization mean? Describe the period of Hellenization. 8. Why is Jesus and his message crucial for understanding Christianity? 9. What key role does Kingdom of God play in the history of Christianity?

CHURCH HISTORY

Why Study History?

History is Useful Useless History is helpful; it tells us truths about human behavior It makes us self-aware When we are self- aware we can make wise and informed decisions Knowing history can make us better human beings History repeats itself Evidence shows that even if we know history and our past mistakes as individuals and societies, we still repeat them History is useless if People do not learn its lessons and do not practice new behaviors now

History is biased Stories of what happened in the past will differ depending on who tells them Winners have a different story from losers Due to their different roles and lack of education for women, throughout history, men’s stories often differed from or excluded women’s stories Example: How Christians, Jews, and Muslims understood the Crusades is highly varied.

History is Dynamic Because there is more than one way to describe an event And because people differ in how they remember and interpret events History is dynamic; it can change History can also change due to finding new facts Example: The Dead Sea Scrolls and the gnostic gospels found in the 19 th -20 th centuries

Why study Church History Two goals to study church history: 1. To better understand the Church’s past 2. To look at how that past has formed the Church as it exists today The history of the church is also the history of the world History is not about memorizing names, dates and events, it is about learning who we are, how we got here, and where we are going It is about us, the Church, and our world. Family background/history- warm-up Genesis creation accts.

Why is it important to study the history of the Catholic Church? It goes beyond the record of popes and bishops It’s about people who felt they were answering God’s call It is an essential part of the history of the Western world. It shares much of its history with that of other Christian churches It’s the study of the wider history of Christianity Understanding (church) history helps us understand our world    ultimately helps us understand ourselves

Major events of Church history