1. The Rise of Christianity

2. Entering a Time of Peace
Under Julius Caesar, Rome became an empire.
Octavian Augustus was the first emperor of Rome.
Rome became too powerful to be challenged and entered a time of peace in the empire, known as the Pax Romana or “Roman Peace.”
Allowed ideas to spread across the world.

3. How Powerful Was Rome? 3 million square miles 80 million people
1 million residents in city of Rome.

4. Roman Religion Polytheistic: belief or worship of several gods
Romans were polytheistic
Jupiter
Juno
Minerva
Mars
Apollo
Diana
Venus
Roman Emperors became Gods, starting with Augustus
Romans also worshiped Isis (Egyptian God) and Mithras (Persian God)
Myths gave explanations to questions Roman’s couldn’t answer

5. Jupiter Mars Minerva

6. Tolerant of other religions Allowed “local” religions
State priests performed rituals that brought Romans into the right relationship with the gods
Guaranteed peace and prosperity
Tolerant of other religions
Allowed “local” religions
Even adopted some “local” gods

7. Judaism Judaism was one of the religions that Rome had tolerated
Given considerable independence
Conquered by Rome in 63 B.C.
Judea had been a Roman province since 6 A.D.
Placed under control of a Roman official called a procurator

8. Jewish Tension Groups
Sadducees were priests who favored cooperation with Rome
Pharisees were scholars who wanted to protect Judaism from Roman influence
Essenes lived apart from society, waited for God to save Jews from oppression
Zealots, called for overthrow of Roman rule

9. The Rise of a New Religion
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.

10. The Birth of Christianity
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.

11. Jesus of Nazareth Born 6 to 4 B.C. Born in Bethlehem
Raised in Nazareth
Baptized by John the Baptist
Began preaching at the age of 30
Stressed love, (God, neighbors, enemies)
Eternal kingdom for those who repent

12. How do We Know About Jesus?
Followers of Jesus wrote about the teachings and experiences that occurred during his life.
These writings were called Gospels, meaning ‘good news’
Can be found in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.
The Old Testament is used by the Jewish faith which does not believe Jesus was the true Messiah.

13. The Life and Teaching of Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth (continued)
According to the four Gospels (of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) Jesus is said to perform miracles.
He stresses a personal relationship with God, love for friends and enemies.

14. The Life and Teaching of Jesus
A Growing Movement
Apostles-from the Greek word “apostolos” means literally “someone sent out.” These are twelve men who are close disciples of Jesus.
Jesus ignores wealth and status; his message appeals to the poor.
Sermon on the Mount by Danish painter Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1890.

15. The Pros and Cons of Christianity
Why did Christianity appeal to people?
Embraced All people
Promised life after death for
ALL people.
Appealed to poorer people
who were not wealthy like Romans.
Because of the Pax Romana, these ideas of Christianity were able to spread quickly through the empire.

16. Jesus Preaching caused controversy
Some saw him as revolutionary who would lead a revolt against Rome
Jesus was turned over to Rome’s procurator Pontius Pilate and was crucified.
Jesus

17. The Crucifixion of Jesus (link)
The popularity of Jesus with the poor angered the Romans and the Jews.
Jesus was called the “Son of God” and a “King”
Jews feared Jesus’s preaching would anger the Romans
Jewish leaders turned Jesus over to the Roman governor of Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate to be Crucified.

18. The Life and Teaching of Jesus
Jesus Death
Many Jews view Jesus as the Messiah; others see him as a false teacher.
Roman governor Pontius Pilate sentences Jesus to be crucified.
Apostles believe Jesus resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven.
Jesus comes to be called “Christos,” the Greek word for “savior.” The word Christian and Christianity is derived from that word.

19. Golgotha- “Place of the Skull”

20. After the Apostles *Followers of Jesus became known as Christians.
Much of what is known about Jesus comes from the writings of his Apostles.
*Apostle means “One who travels”.
Apostles traveled, spread Christian teachings,
and wrote the Gospels of the Bible.
Peter and Paul were two very influential Apostles.

21. The 12 Apostles

22. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire
Paul’s Mission
Was originally named Saul, and was a member of the strict Jewish sect of Pharisees.
Saul/Paul persecutes Christians at first, but on his way to Damascus to arrest some Christians he has an experience where he claimed Jesus appeared to him calling him to be an Apostle to the Gentiles.
Saint Paul, by El Greco, circa

24. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire
Paul spends his life preaching and interpreting Christianity.
Paul stresses Jesus is the Son of God who died for people’s sins.
Paul declared that Christianity was open to all, Gentile as well as Jew.
The common languages of Latin and Greek, spoken throughout the empire, helps the spread of the Christian message. The New Testament is written entirely in common (Koine) Greek spoken by most people who live in the eastern Mediterranean region.

25. Christianity Spreads Through the Empire
Paul is the author of epistles or letters to the churches. All of these letters existing were included in the New Testament.
Romans
1 and 2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 and 2 Thessalonians
The Pastoral Epistles to Timothy and Titus
Philemon

26. Spread of Christianity
By 100 A.D. Christian churches were in major cities of the eastern empire

27. A World Religion Christianity’s Expansion
Christianity becomes a powerful force and appeals to people because of these reasons:
embraces all people
gives hope to the powerless
appeals to those repelled by extravagance of Roman life
offers a personal relationship with God
promises eternal life after death

28. Roman Persecution of Jews and Christians
Why did the Romans hate Christianity/Judaism?
Monotheism vs. Polytheism
Christians/Jews didn’t recognize the emperors as Gods.
Blamed for any problems in Roman society.
Emperors such as Nero crucified and tortured Christians and Jews as traitors.
Many Jews fled their homeland to escape- Known as the Jewish Diaspora- or “spreading out”
Christians and Jews became Martyrs: Dying for their beliefs.

29. Roman Persecution
Rome only tolerated religions if they didn’t threaten public order or public morals
Many Romans saw Christianity as a threat
Christians refused to worship Roman gods
Romans thought that was act of Treason
Romans began persecuting Christians
Fire that destroyed Rome blamed on Christians by Emperor Nero
Christians were put to death
Called Martyrs, people who suffer or die for their beliefs
Both Peter and Paul were martyrs

30. The Martyrdom of Peter
Peter the Apostle traveled to Rome and was crucified upside down by Nero.
Believed to be the first “Bishop” or Pope of the Christian Church.
Today, all Popes are believed to be descendants of St. Peter.
What happened to the other apostles?

31. Jewish Revolt Zealots led a revolt against Rome in 66 A.D.
Thousands of Jews killed
Jewish temple in Jerusalem destroyed
Many Jews driven from Judea called the Diaspora
Spread throughout Mediterranean

32. The Jews Strike Back 66 AD- Jews rebel against the Romans.
70 AD- Romans stormed Jerusalem and destroy their temple, leaving only the Western Wall a.k.a the “wailing wall”.
73 AD- Jews and Romans fight at the Battle of Masada. Over 500,000 Jews died in this battle, mostly of suicide.
Today- The Western Wall is Jerusalem’s holiest shrine.

33. The Victory Arch of Emperor Titus over the Jews in Jerusalem

34. Hilltop Fortress at Masada

35. Jerusalem’s Western Wall