1. Christianity From challenging the Roman empire
To becoming the largest empire the world has ever known

2. Time and Place of Origin
Christianity
Time and Place of Origin
Began in the Roman province of Judea, 2000 years ago, with the teachings of Jesus Region: Middle East Present Day: Israel

3. Christianity Beliefs -Core- There is only 1 God, the father
Jesus is the actual son of God
He came to earth and died for the sins of all people
-Spiritual Equality-
Everyone is equal in the eyes of God
Everyone is granted eternal salvation because of Jesus' sacrifice

4. The Rise of Christianity
Began as a sect of Judaism in the Roman province of Judea
Challenged Roman Society
Monotheism v. Roman Gods
Equality v. Roman hierarchy
Independence v. Empire
Popular message for many living under the rule of the Romans

5. Spread of Christianity
1) The Unity of the Roman world and the Pax Romana (Paul and others could travel and communicate with the early churches)
2) it is a syncretic religion (combined ideas from other religions)
3) it was young and dynamic
4) it had a moral code; it claimed to explain the existence of sin and evil, and it was exclusive and absolute
5) it had mystical and sacred rites
6) it appealed to the poor and the dispossessed
7) it had a sacred text (Old Testament/Torah and New Testament) and a history
8) it had an efficient hierarchical organization

6. Rome – Constantine 306 to 337CE
Christianity in the Roman Age of Crisis
Third Century in Rome brought anxiety, political chaos, economic crisis, and disease. 
Christianity offered Romans facing a hard life in this world the promise of salvation and the hope of an eternal afterlife.
Emperor Constantine
First Emperor to convert to Christianity
313ce official toleration of Christianity
Moved Capital to more central point of Empire, Byzantium later renamed Constantinople

7. Christianity Divisions of Christianity
Two major events created the three divisions of Christianity
The Great Schism
Christianity divides in two after power struggle between Rome and Byzantium
Catholicism in the West centered in Rome
Eastern Orthodox in the East centered in Constantinople
Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther challenges the power of the Catholic Church and starts a wide spread revolution against the authority of the Church
Protestant sects break away from the Catholic Church all over Europe & the New World

8. Christianity Age of Exploration
Europeans colonize and conquer land and people all around the world from 1500s-1900s
Missionaries believing they were saving the souls of indigenous people as they replaced indigenous beliefs with their own

9. Christianity Age of Exploration
Those regions that were colonized in the 15th to 18th centuries are still primarily Christian today
Note the regions that are dominated by Christianity