Christianity

I.  How do we know?

A.  Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

B.  Conflicting groups

1.  Pharisees

2.  Sadducees

3.  Zealots

4.  Essenes

II.  What do we know?

A.  Jesus of Nazareth (~4 B.C.E.-30 C.E.)

1.  Messiah or Christos

2.  Message & Miracles

a)  poor & kingdom of heaven

b)  love God & neighbor

3.  Resurrection

B.  Two Early Church Leaders

1.  Peter -- religion for Jews

2.  Paul  -- religion for all

-- wrote many epistles

C.  Rituals

1.  Baptism

2.  Eucharist

III.  Growth of the Christian Church

A.  Role of Emperors

1.  Constantine (r. 306-337 C.E.)

a)  Christianity legal (313 C.E.)

b)  Council of Nicea (325 C.E.)

-- Nicene Creed

2.  Theodosius (r. 379-395)

a)  official religion

b)  paganism outlawed

B.  What attracted people?

1.  open to all -- equality

2.  salvation & community

3.  conversion through assimilation

a)  Lupercalia -- St. Valentine's Day

b)  winter solstice -- Christmas

C.  Church Leaders

1.  St. Augustine (354-430 C.E.)

a)  Confessions

b)  City of God

2.  communal monasticism

a)  early forms (ascetic, copying)

b)  Rule of St. Benedict

IV.  Division in the Church (1054 C.E.)

A.  Roman Catholic

1.  capital = Rome

2.  pope

3.  unmarried clergy

4.  Latin

B.  Greek Orthodox

1.  capital = Constantinople

2.  patriarch

3.  married clergy

4.  Greek

5.  icon controversy