©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Chapter 21

The Judeo-Christian Bible and Subsequent History

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Evolution of the Hebrew and Christian Greek Scriptures Bible

• Evolution of Hebrew biblical canon– Completed by late first century C.E.– Influenced by rabbis at Jamnia

• Hebrew biblical canon ends at 1 Chronicles

• Christian New Testament begins at Matthew; ends at Revelation

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Hebrew Bible (cont’d.)• Christians: their canon as fulfillment of

Old Testament covenant promises• New Testament reflects dominance of

figure of Jesus Christ• Place of Revelation in canon reflects

impact of apocalypticism in early Christian thought

• 1 Clement, 2 Peter, and the delay of the Parousia

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Constantine the Great

• Roman emperor 306-337 C.E.

• Issued Edict of Milan (313 C.E.)

• Decreed religious toleration for Christians

• Hailed by some Christians as realization of Christ’s sovereignty over the world

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

The Church and the Secular World

• Christianization of Roman Empire led to espousal of realized eschatology

• Renewed emphasis on individual, personal elements of eschatology

• Christianity continued to struggle with various challenges over the centuries

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Shocks and Readjustments

•Christianity’s continuing struggle with various challenges

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

The Rise of Islam

• Founded by Muhammad in seventh century• Incorporates traditions from Judaism and

Christianity• Muhammad the last and greatest prophet of

Allah, the only God• Allah demands Islam (“submission”) from all• Aggressive spread of Islam into previously

Christian areas of Europe and Asia in Middle Ages

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Split Between Eastern and Western Christianity

• Dispute over papal authority caused schism between papacy at Rome and patriarchate of Constantinople

• 1054 C.E.: final split between Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Church

• Recent attempts at reconciliation

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

The Protestant Reformation

• Spurred by Martin Luther’s criticisms of Roman Catholicism in sixteenth-century Europe

• Championed primacy of Scripture over church tradition as basis of Christian teaching

• Resulted in rapidly proliferating Christian denominations

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Fragmentation of Christendom

• Proliferation of denominations

• Splintering of doctrinal “core” of medieval Christianity an actual reflection of diversity within the New Testament itself

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Exploration and the Scientific Revolution

• Copernicus, Galileo propose a heliocentric view of the universe

• Forced Christians to reconsider the role cosmology plays in Christian doctrine

• Archbishop Ussher reads Bible literally; determines earth created in 4004 B.C.E.

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Science (cont’d.)• Geologists determine earth is in fact

billions of years old• The impact of Darwin’s theories about

evolution on a Christian understanding of human nature

• The challenge Christians face of reconciling the claims of modern science with their vision of Christian faith

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

The Continuing Centrality of Jesus in Christian Faith

• The ethics of Jesus a promising guide for humankind

• Jesus’ personal welcoming of all persons regardless of social class

• Belief in Jesus’ resurrection as a sign of the deep impact Jesus had on his followers

©McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Summary

• Rapid growth of Christianity during and after Constantine I

• Challenges to Christianity by Islam, internal schisms

• Challenges to Christianity by modern science