Rise of Christiani

ty in Rome

The Teachings of Jesus

• Jesus born in the Roman province of Judea

• He was both a Jew and Roman citizen

Jesus’ Message• By age 30, he began preaching publicly

and for 3 years he:– Preached– Taught– Did good works– Performed miracles

• Contained many ideas of Judaism such as: Monotheism and the 10 Commandments

• He emphasized God’s personal relationship with each human being.

Jesus’ Message• Stressed importance of love for

God, neighbors, enemies and even their own selves.

• He gathered 12 apostles or pupils = disciples

• Main source of information about Jesus comes from the Gospels – the first 4 books of the New Testament of the Bible

• Gospels written by one or more of the apostles (disciples).

Jesus’ Death• The people called him

the Messiah which means King.

• This worried the Roman and Jewish leaders, Pontius Pilate a Roman governor arrested Jesus.

• Sentenced to be crucified or nailed to a cross.

Resurrection• According to

Gospels he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven

• One of the first apostles, Peter, spread the teachings of Jesus throughout Palestine and Syria

Christianity Spreads• Another apostle, Paul had

enormous influence of the development of Christianity

• Spread during the Pax Romana where conditions were safe for travel on the Roman Roads.

• Paul stressed that Jesus was the son of God who died for people’s sins.

Persecution of the Christians

• Christians would not worship Roman Gods = viewed as opposition to Roman rule

• Some Romans blamed bad economic conditions on Christians

• When a disastrous fire occurred in Rome, and Emperor Nero blamed the Christians and ordered them to be persecuted.

• Thousands were exiled, imprisoned, crucified, burned or killed by animals in circus arenas

A World Religion• Christianity still survived

because of widespread appeal:

– 1. Embraced all people

– 2. Gave hope to the powerless

– 3. Appealed to people who rejected the extravagances of imperial Rome

– 4. Offered a personal relationship with a loving God

– 5. Promised life after death.

Influence Today

• Short Term Effect: Christianity became the official religion in Europe during the Middle Ages

• Today : 33% of the world’s population practices Christianity ( 2 billion people)

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Pictures Cited• Slide 1 – http://timothyministries.org/images/Jesus_Nativity.jpg • Slide 2 – http://www.utilitarianism.com/jesus-christ.jpg• Slide 3 – http://www.chappellhillumc.org/images/IMG_0734_edited.JPG• Slide 4 – http://sovereignjohn.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/ten-commandments.jpg• Slide 5 – http://www.srichinmoycentre.org/images/jesus_christ.jpg• Slide 6 – http://www.truecatholic.org/pix/sc12.jpg• Slide 7 –

http://www.stmatthewsnj.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/Ascension.jpg• Slide 8 – http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/El-Greco/Saint-Paul-the-Apostle-Giclee-Print-

C12983506.jpeg• Slide 9 –

http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9905/18/knesset.01/israel.jerusalem.map.jpg• Slide 11 – http://www.freefoto.com/images/05/08/05_08_10---Cross-at-

Sunset_web.jpg