Early ChristianityEarly Christianity

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Content Goals and Objectives:Content Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1 – ChristianityGoal 1 – Christianity The student will trace and evaluate the The student will trace and evaluate the

impact of Christianity on medieval Europe.impact of Christianity on medieval Europe.– Define the setting for Christianity during the Define the setting for Christianity during the

period before and after the birth of Christ.period before and after the birth of Christ.– Map the spread of Christianity through Roman Map the spread of Christianity through Roman

Empire during the first three centuries after the Empire during the first three centuries after the death of Jesus of Nazareth.death of Jesus of Nazareth.

– Summarize the early developments of the Summarize the early developments of the Christian church during the first three centuries Christian church during the first three centuries after its creation.after its creation.

– Evaluate the contributions of Christian culture Evaluate the contributions of Christian culture to the culture of medieval Europe.to the culture of medieval Europe.

EARLY CHRISTIANITYEARLY CHRISTIANITY

Roots lie in Roots lie in Judaism, the Judaism, the teachings of John teachings of John the Baptist, Jesus, the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostlesand the apostles

Earliest converts Earliest converts were who wished were who wished to be considered to be considered JewsJews

A NEW DIRECTIONA NEW DIRECTION

Christians began to Christians began to emphasize their emphasize their separatenessseparateness– Christian leaders Christian leaders

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

Dangerous because Dangerous because Christianity was Christianity was unapproved religion. unapproved religion. – Roman government by Roman government by

the time of Nero or the time of Nero or Domitian decided being Domitian decided being Christian could be Christian could be punishable by deathpunishable by death

GROWTHGROWTH Christianity strongest in Asia Minor and GreeceChristianity strongest in Asia Minor and Greece

– Also took hold in Rome and western Also took hold in Rome and western provincesprovinces

Hellenistic religions helped pave the way for Hellenistic religions helped pave the way for success of Christianitysuccess of Christianity– Shared similarities with such cults as Isis Shared similarities with such cults as Isis

made Christianity acceptablemade Christianity acceptable Many found Christianity superior to Hellenistic Many found Christianity superior to Hellenistic

cultscults– Jesus, a historical rather than a mythological Jesus, a historical rather than a mythological

figurefigure– His teachings presented in the Gospels His teachings presented in the Gospels

popular.popular.– Books were elevated in tone and Books were elevated in tone and

content but written in the language content but written in the language of the people and in a style that of the people and in a style that many educated people sneered atmany educated people sneered at Cult of Isis held

ritual purification rites and offered

promise of an afterlife

BIG GAPBIG GAP Christian literature composed in Christian literature composed in

classical rhetoric style after 100 classical rhetoric style after 100 ADAD– Pagan intellectuals still Pagan intellectuals still

offended by crude styleoffended by crude style– Huge spiritual gulf between Huge spiritual gulf between

Christian and pagan because Christian and pagan because much of Roman world much of Roman world offended Christians who saw offended Christians who saw

obscenity, loose sexual obscenity, loose sexual morals, skepticism, morals, skepticism, materialism and materialism and hedonism everywhere.hedonism everywhere.

St. Jerome confessed that hisfirst exposure to Jewish literatureand Christian works repelled himwhen he compared them to the

polished style of Cicero

WIDENING GAPWIDENING GAP Many early Christians, including St. Many early Christians, including St.

Paul, advocated obedience to Paul, advocated obedience to imperial and local authoritiesimperial and local authorities

Began to gradually set up a Began to gradually set up a state within a state after state within a state after reign of Nero and generally reign of Nero and generally came to reject the entire came to reject the entire social and cultural foundation social and cultural foundation of the empireof the empire

– As a result, they came to As a result, they came to be seen by the Roman be seen by the Roman government as a threat to government as a threat to the existing order of thingsthe existing order of things

St. Paul

CHRISTIANS AND THE FALL CHRISTIANS AND THE FALL OF THE EMPIREOF THE EMPIRE

Christianity grew most rapidly as the empire Christianity grew most rapidly as the empire declineddeclined– Number of individuals, like Edward Gibbon, Number of individuals, like Edward Gibbon,

argued that Christianity contributed to declineargued that Christianity contributed to decline Point has some validityPoint has some validity

– Loyalty of many Christians was to the Loyalty of many Christians was to the Church, not the EmpireChurch, not the Empire

Were not upset about prospect of Were not upset about prospect of the end of the Empirethe end of the Empire

– But Christianity had nothing to do with But Christianity had nothing to do with other problems that caused ultimate other problems that caused ultimate collapsecollapse

Civil war, famine, plague, and Civil war, famine, plague, and barbarian invasionsbarbarian invasions

NEW PAGAN GODSNEW PAGAN GODS Traditional religion also Traditional religion also

changed during this time of changed during this time of troublestroubles– Cult of Sol InvictusCult of Sol Invictus

United sun god of United sun god of Emesa with all other Emesa with all other major sun godsmajor sun gods

Recognized as chief Recognized as chief god of the state by god of the state by time of emperor time of emperor AurelianAurelian

– Replaced Jupiter at Replaced Jupiter at the topthe top

THE NEW PAGANISMTHE NEW PAGANISM

MithraismMithraism– Filled with mystery and Filled with mystery and

mysticismmysticism– Spread as rapidly as Spread as rapidly as

Christianity during 3Christianity during 3rdrd century ADcentury AD

– Devotees did speak of Devotees did speak of Mithra as the “only god” Mithra as the “only god” but they meant that all the but they meant that all the other gods could be other gods could be understood through himunderstood through him

Paganism did not decline Paganism did not decline during this periodduring this period

Mithra

PERSECUTIONPERSECUTION Great persecutions of Christians Great persecutions of Christians

began in 3began in 3rdrd century AD century AD– Started by emperor Decius Started by emperor Decius

around 250 and continued around 250 and continued until death of Galerius in 311until death of Galerius in 311

Christian intolerance of pagan Christian intolerance of pagan beliefs bred powerful retaliatory beliefs bred powerful retaliatory hatred of Christianshatred of Christians– Accused Christians of Accused Christians of

cannibalism, atheism, and of cannibalism, atheism, and of being haters of mankindbeing haters of mankind

– Charged with being sneaky Charged with being sneaky and with dishonoring the and with dishonoring the emperoremperor

– Also blamed with all the evils Also blamed with all the evils that afflicted the statethat afflicted the state

INTELLECTUAL DEBATEINTELLECTUAL DEBATE Pagan intellectuals began to attack Pagan intellectuals began to attack

ChristianityChristianity– Celsus and Porphyry pointed out Celsus and Porphyry pointed out

inconsistencies, contradictions, and inconsistencies, contradictions, and impossibilitiesimpossibilities

Christian intellectuals responded in Christian intellectuals responded in kindkind– Origen of Alexandria provided Origen of Alexandria provided

rational-philosophical basis for rational-philosophical basis for ChristianityChristianity

Entire intellectual discourse had little Entire intellectual discourse had little impact of growth of Christianityimpact of growth of Christianity– It was immune to rational argumentIt was immune to rational argument– Most people adopted Christianity Most people adopted Christianity

because they accepted its relatively because they accepted its relatively simple message on an emotional, not simple message on an emotional, not an intellectual, levelan intellectual, level

Porphyry

Origen

POPULAR HOSTILITYPOPULAR HOSTILITY

Celsus and Porphyry Celsus and Porphyry saw structure of saw structure of Christian Church as Christian Church as dangerous state within dangerous state within a state.a state.

Felt it caused divided Felt it caused divided loyaltiesloyalties

Neither advocated Neither advocated persecution of persecution of ChristiansChristians

Strong popular aversion Strong popular aversion to Christians continued to Christians continued

Massacre of Christians Massacre of Christians at Lugdunum in 170 ADat Lugdunum in 170 AD

MOTIVATION FOR MOTIVATION FOR PERSECUTIONSPERSECUTIONS

Emperors like Trajan, Hadrian, Emperors like Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelian deplored and Marcus Aurelian deplored the ignorance and the ignorance and stubbornness of Christians, stubbornness of Christians, but did not think they were but did not think they were responsible for disasters that responsible for disasters that afflicted the stateafflicted the state

Many later military emperors Many later military emperors came from same stock as came from same stock as superstitious pagans of superstitious pagans of Lugdunum believed that Lugdunum believed that disasters of the age reflected disasters of the age reflected anger of the gods at anger of the gods at ChristiansChristians

Beginning with Decius, they Beginning with Decius, they felt duty-bound to free the felt duty-bound to free the state of what they saw as a state of what they saw as a sacrilegious, blasphemous, sacrilegious, blasphemous, and dangerous groupand dangerous group

REVERSAL OF FORTUNEREVERSAL OF FORTUNE In the end, the persecutions did In the end, the persecutions did

not succeed in eradicating not succeed in eradicating ChristianityChristianity– Simply too many Christians and Simply too many Christians and

some were in a position to some were in a position to protect othersprotect others

– Persecutions also created Persecutions also created martyrs who inspired othersmartyrs who inspired others

– Came to an end with death of Came to an end with death of Galerius and then Constantine Galerius and then Constantine officially protected themofficially protected them Constantine credited with Constantine credited with

being the first Christian being the first Christian emperoremperor

Constantine

JULIAN THE APOSTATEJULIAN THE APOSTATE Sons of Constantine Sons of Constantine

followed father’s followed father’s policy towards policy towards ChristiansChristians

Nephew named Nephew named Julian the Apostate Julian the Apostate became emperor in became emperor in 360 and tried to 360 and tried to restore paganism restore paganism and weaken and weaken Christianity by Christianity by reducing privileges reducing privileges of Christiansof Christians

VICTORYVICTORY Theodosius became emperor Theodosius became emperor

in 379 AD and proclaimed in 379 AD and proclaimed Christianity to be the official Christianity to be the official religion of the statereligion of the state– Christians immediately Christians immediately

begin to persecute begin to persecute paganspagans Destroyed temples or Destroyed temples or

converted them into converted them into churcheschurches

– Church firmed up its Church firmed up its organization and settled organization and settled theological disputes with theological disputes with a powerful intellectual a powerful intellectual vigorvigor

MIXED BLESSING FOR THE MIXED BLESSING FOR THE EMPIREEMPIRE

Many men of outstanding ability Many men of outstanding ability turned away from public service turned away from public service and joined the Churchand joined the Church

St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. JeromeJerome

Wealthiest man in the empire, Wealthiest man in the empire, Paulinus of Nola, sold all his Paulinus of Nola, sold all his family’s possessions and became a family’s possessions and became a monkmonk

St. Ambrose

St. Augustine