The Early Church

A History of the ChurchImmaculata Catholic School

8th Grade

A Movement led by the Spirit

The Church really begins at Pentecost

Acts 2:2-3

The Early Church felt convicted by the power of the Spirit to tell the world about Jesus, the Messiah. This was a Kingdom

meant for All People!

A community of compassion: People would gather

into close communities.

They held everything in common.

While acknowledging societal roles, they emphasized their new relationships as brothers and sisters in Christ! Activity on page 78 of the Textbook

Food for thought: Could we live like the early Christians today?

Early CommunitiesPlaces of Worship

Under the grid: Early Christians had to

forge a new religious community apart from any formal institutions.

Gather for worship and communion in a persons home. These were small

gatherings, usually in a wealthy Christian’s home.

Liturgy

Communion From the earliest parts of

Christianity we know they celebrated Communion.

Breaking bread together was an important part of Christian Life and Unity.

Read from the Torah (first five books of the Bible) There wasn’t a New

Testament yet! Discussed the life and

gospel of Jesus. How they should live like

Jesus.

Paul and the Early Christian Mission

Paul represents both the controversy and spirit of the early Christian movement.

Paul begins as a zealous Jew who is determined to quell the Christian Heresy! Jews thought the Christians were blasphemers.

He eventually converts, and spreads the word throughout the World. The Mission is to preach the Word of God to the Gentiles (non-Jews)

because the kingdom of God is for everyone!

The Roman Empire was at Peace! This was a good time in the Roman Empire, full of prosperity. There was a good travel system – harbors and roads – and you

could travel about the entire empire under the protection of Rome.

Evangelism: the process of spreading the Word of God.

Conflict with the Jews As with any new religion,

conflict was inevitable. As we saw with Paul,

zealous Jews sought out some Christians and put them to death for blaspheming and distorting the Laws of God. Christianity also divide

Jews among themselves! Early Christians were

sought out and sometimes killed or persecuted for the same reasons that Jesus was Crucified.

Saint Stephen is the first recorded Martyr. A martyr is a person

who dies for their belief in Jesus Christ.

The Jewish Connection

Earliest Christians were Jews who did not think they were breaking away from Hebrew Law They saw Jesus as the

Messiah! Earliest Christians

wished to be considered Jews since the Jewish religion was officially recognized by the Roman government and its adherents had certain privileges

Jews could worship freely, and were not forced to make sacrifices to Caesar.

A NEW DIRECTION The Jews revolt against

Rome in 66 BCE. Gulf between Jews and

Christians had become much bigger as Jews denounced Christians and visa versa. Christian leaders had

decided that Gentiles who converted to Christianity did not have to become Jews in order to become Christians

Jews were persecuting Christians.

By the time of the Jewish Revolt, Christians identify themselves apart from Jews.

Separation from the Jews was a double edged sword. It helped the Christians.

The Jews were now an Enemy of Rome! By separating Christianity from Judaism, Christians were not associating with rebellion.

But, now Christians couldn’t claim the same rights as the Jewish faith had been offered.

Conflict with Rome As Christians begin to

identify themselves apart from Jews, Christians came under scrutiny of Rome for several reasons.

1) Like the Jews, Christians refused to make sacrifices to Caesar.

2) Christians did not recognize the national Gods or the divinity of Caesar.

3) Social Reasons: The freedom and equality

emphasized by early Christian life was both appealing and counter cultural. Christianity offered a new

life of dignity and respect!

All people were brothers and sisters in Christ!

Some of the Romans thought this kind of movement could turn into a revolutionary political movement.

Roman Persecution In 64 CE, we begin to

see the first of the Christian Persecutions from the hands of the Roman Empire.

However, Christianity spread faster than ever!

Activity on page 79 of the TextbookFood for thought: Why do you think persecution fanned the flame of early Christianity?