1. Christianity and the roman empire
Chapter 9-Section 2

2. How did the religions of the Roman Empire affect its culture?
Essential question
How did the religions of the Roman Empire affect its culture?

3. The rise of Christianity

4. Unrest in Judea
Christianity was one of many religions in the vast Roman Empire.
The Romans were tolerant toward the people in these lands, and allowed them to follow their own religions.
One of the conquered territories was Judea in 63 B.C.
At first, the Romans allowed the Jews' to worship their own God, but Jewish resentment towards foreign rule began to resonate throughout Judaea.

5. Unrest in Judea
The Jewish people believed a messiah( a savior) would bring justice and freedom to the land, thus causing the Romans to treat the Jews harshly.
In 37 B.C., the Roman senate appointed a new ruler named Herod-during this time Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem.
As we know today, Jesus teachings and stories of how he lived are found in the New Testament in the Christian Bible.
After Jesus died, his disciples(followers) told the stories of his life, and four stories have been written from oral traditions- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John(known as the Gospels)

6. Christian beliefs
According to the New Testament, Jesus grew up in Nazareth, where he learned to be a carpenter-later teaching at 30 years old.
Christian tradition holds that for three years Jesus traveled from place to place preaching to Jews
Jesus would preach that there was only one true God, and all people must love God with all their hearts

7. Fears about Christianity
Jesus' teachings alarmed many people, as the people complained to the Romans that Jesus was teaching that God was greater than the emperor.
The Romans were afraid Jesus would lead an armed revolt against the Roman government, so the Roman governor condemned Jesus to death.
Jesus was crucified, and the Gospels told others Jesus rose from the dead and spoke to his disciples advising them to spread his teachings

8. YouTube video This show what happened when Jesus was crucified

9. Christianity spreads

10. The letters of Paul
After the death of Jesus, his followers now called Christians-spread the new religion from Jerusalem to Rome
One of the most devoted followers was a Jewish man named Saul, who spoke Greek and Roman
One day, Saul stated Jesus spoke to him and he changed his name to Paul, spreading Christianity as he traveled
Paul wrote many epistles(letters) to Christian groups in distant cities, which are now apart of the Christian Bible.

11. Christianity moves to the cities
By A.D. 100, groups of Christians gathered to worship in cities such as Alexandria, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, and Thessalonica.
Early Christians used the word paganus for anyone who did not share their beliefs
The English word pagan is used to describe someone who is not a Christian, Jew or Muslim

12. Ways of worship
Over time, the scattered communities of Christianity organized a structured church modeled after the Jewish worship.
At church, Christians would pray, sing, and read scriptures from Paul's letters
Christians set aside Sunday for their day of worship, as it is the day they believed Jesus rose from the dead

13. Rome reacts

14. Rome reacts The fast growing new religion alarmed the Roman government
Christians refused to worship the Roman gods and did not show the emperor respect that was required
Now Roman officials began to see Christians as enemies of the empire.
Under the emperor Nero, the first campaign against the Christians came in A.D. 64

15. Rome burns
One night a fire started in some shops in Rome, later the fire spread throughout Rome burning for 9 days-leaving the city in ruins
According to some accounts, Nero blamed the Christians and ordered the arrest and deaths of some Christians
Some were forced to fight wild animals in the Colosseum, while others were soaked with oil and burned alive
Paul was imprisoned for two years, then later killed

16. Treatment of Christians
The Romans persecuted Christians at various time for the next 250 years
As the Roman Empire began to decline, the Romans looked for scapegoats to blame and decided to place the blame of Christians.
Despite the persecution, Christianity still spread throughout the world

17. The appeal of Christianity
Emperor after emperor tried to stop the spreading of Christianity, and the worse actions came under such emperors as Domitian and Diocletian.
Diocletian was determined to stamp out the new religion by outlawing Christian services, imprison Christian priests, and put many believers to death.
However, the Romans saw Christians as martyrs instead and by A.D. 300, most Romans were Christians

18. Jesus
Messiah
Disciple
Epistle
Martyr