Rome, Jesus, and the Spread of Christianity What are the basic facts about Christianity from a historical perspective? How did Christianity go from an unknown, illegal movement to being one of the main driving forces behind western civilization? What are the basic facts about Christianity from a historical perspective? How did Christianity go from an unknown, illegal movement to being one of the main driving forces behind western civilization?

Rome: The Right time… The right place!!!  GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS  RELIGIOUS/SOCIAL FACTORS  POLITICAL FACTORS All above Factors paved the way for Christianity to spread. Christianity could not have expanded the way it did at any other time in history.  GEOGRAPHIC FACTORS  RELIGIOUS/SOCIAL FACTORS  POLITICAL FACTORS All above Factors paved the way for Christianity to spread. Christianity could not have expanded the way it did at any other time in history.

Rome at the Birth of Christ

Rome: The Right time… the right place!!! Geographic Factors Roman Order  Transportation  “All roads lead to Rome” Geographic Factors Roman Order  Transportation  “All roads lead to Rome”

Rome: The Right time… the right place!!! RELIGIOUS/SOCIAL FACTORS  Roman Religion (mythology)  Blending of Greek & Other Religious beliefs  Polytheism… Many Gods  Pagan  State recognition of Traditional Greek Gods now known as Roman Gods  Seen with the Emperors some considered themselves descendants of the Gods RELIGIOUS/SOCIAL FACTORS  Roman Religion (mythology)  Blending of Greek & Other Religious beliefs  Polytheism… Many Gods  Pagan  State recognition of Traditional Greek Gods now known as Roman Gods  Seen with the Emperors some considered themselves descendants of the Gods

Political Factors  Rome provided for religious freedom  Christians and Jews looked down upon for their condemnation of Roman gods however, free to do pretty much as they wished, in most places, most of the time.  Persecution did take place but were infrequent and involved very few people.  Once Roman Religion (mythology) no longer embraced by the Head of the empire allowed for Christianity to be embraced more  Example: when a Roman governor in Asia Minor began a persecution of Christians during the second century, "the entire Christian population of the region paraded before his house as a manifesto of their faith and as a protest against injustice“. The more significant part of this story is not that the Christians had the nerve to protest, but that they went unpunished.  Rome provided for religious freedom  Christians and Jews looked down upon for their condemnation of Roman gods however, free to do pretty much as they wished, in most places, most of the time.  Persecution did take place but were infrequent and involved very few people.  Once Roman Religion (mythology) no longer embraced by the Head of the empire allowed for Christianity to be embraced more  Example: when a Roman governor in Asia Minor began a persecution of Christians during the second century, "the entire Christian population of the region paraded before his house as a manifesto of their faith and as a protest against injustice“. The more significant part of this story is not that the Christians had the nerve to protest, but that they went unpunished.

Christianity: Seizing the moment

Christianity: Seizing the Moment  Jesus is born in 4, 5, or 6 BC  Why not 0?  What the heck does AD mean?  Jesus is born in 4, 5, or 6 BC  Why not 0?  What the heck does AD mean?

The Appeal of Jesus  His Ministry  His Death  His Claim  His Ministry  His Death  His Claim …Jesus of Nazareth

The Appeal of Jesus HIS MINISTRY  Healing  Preaching  “The Kingdom of God”  Embrace God and have eternal life? HIS MINISTRY  Healing  Preaching  “The Kingdom of God”  Embrace God and have eternal life? Jesus of Nazareth

The Appeal of Jesus HIS DEATH No trial or execution in history has had such an impact as that of Jesus in Roman- occupied Jerusalem, 2000 years ago. But was it an execution or a judicial murder; and who was responsible? HIS DEATH No trial or execution in history has had such an impact as that of Jesus in Roman- occupied Jerusalem, 2000 years ago. But was it an execution or a judicial murder; and who was responsible? Jesus of Nazareth

The Appeal of Jesus THE CLAIM  Resurrection  Available to Believers  Hope After Death THE CLAIM  Resurrection  Available to Believers  Hope After Death Y’Shua min Nazaret …Jesus of Nazareth

Key People & Actions foster the Spread of Christianity PETER  Traveling Preacher  Later revered as “First Pope” or the “Bishop of Rome”  Martyred in Rome in mid- 60’s AD  Killed by emperor Nero in 64 ad PETER  Traveling Preacher  Later revered as “First Pope” or the “Bishop of Rome”  Martyred in Rome in mid- 60’s AD  Killed by emperor Nero in 64 ad

Key People & Actions foster the Spread of Christianity PAUL (Saul of Tarsus)  Jewish  Started Gentile Churches  Wrote letters which make up 1/3 of the New Testament  Martyred in Rome in mid-60’s AD  Paul is a key figure in this transition – he specifically went to non-Jewish people and told them that if they became followers of Jesus, they were acceptable to God PAUL (Saul of Tarsus)  Jewish  Started Gentile Churches  Wrote letters which make up 1/3 of the New Testament  Martyred in Rome in mid-60’s AD  Paul is a key figure in this transition – he specifically went to non-Jewish people and told them that if they became followers of Jesus, they were acceptable to God

Key People & Actions foster the Spread of Christianity  Constantine’s Edict of Toleration (313 AD)  Theodosius declares Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire (380 AD)  Augustine & the Rise of the Holy Roman Empire (430 AD)  Constantine’s Edict of Toleration (313 AD)  Theodosius declares Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire (380 AD)  Augustine & the Rise of the Holy Roman Empire (430 AD)

Was this universally appealing? The Alexamenos graffito is an inscription carved in plaster on a wall near the Palatine Hill in Rome, now in the Palatine Antiquarian Museum. It may be the earliest surviving image of Jesus and is alleged to be among the earliest known pictorial representations of the Crucifixion of Jesus

Key Resource for the Spread of Christianity THE NEW TESTAMENT  Portable Translatable Religion  Spawns other writings THE NEW TESTAMENT  Portable Translatable Religion  Spawns other writings

Who Killed Jesus  The story begins when the Galilean rebel Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, deliberately fulfilling a prophecy in the Hebrew Bible about the coming of the Messiah. He's mobbed by an adoring crowd.  The next day Jesus raids the Temple, the heart of the Jewish religion, and attacks money-changers for defiling a holy place.  The leaders of the Jewish establishment realize that he threatens their power, and so do the Romans, who fear that Jesus has the charisma to lead a guerrilla uprising against the Roman Empire.  Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, tried by Caiaphas and then by the Roman Governor. He's sentenced to death and executed.  The story begins when the Galilean rebel Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, deliberately fulfilling a prophecy in the Hebrew Bible about the coming of the Messiah. He's mobbed by an adoring crowd.  The next day Jesus raids the Temple, the heart of the Jewish religion, and attacks money-changers for defiling a holy place.  The leaders of the Jewish establishment realize that he threatens their power, and so do the Romans, who fear that Jesus has the charisma to lead a guerrilla uprising against the Roman Empire.  Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, tried by Caiaphas and then by the Roman Governor. He's sentenced to death and executed.

Meet the Defendants  Caiaphas Pontius Pilate Jesus