Unit 6: World ReligionsChristianityDaily Question: How did Christianity originate and spread?

Warm-up Question: READ THE STORY and then ANSWER the QUESTIONS

The Lion and the Mouse Once when a Lion was asleep, a mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the Mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow the little creature. “Pardon, O Great Lion,” cried the little Mouse, “Forgive me this time, and I shall never forget it. Who knows? I may be able to do you a good turn one day.” The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted his paw and let him go. Sometime later, the Lion was caught in a hunters’ trap. The hunters, who wanted to bring the Lion alive to the king, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him. Just then, the Mouse happened to pass by. Seeing the sad plight of the Lion, the Mouse went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the mighty animal. “Was I not right?” asked the little Mouse.

1. List the characters in the fable.2. Summarize the plot with a series of short statements.3. What moral lesson do you think this fable if trying to teach?4. Why might a religious teacher use this type of storytelling?

Parables of Christianity Fables are loved worldwide because of their ability to teach a

lesson through a short creative story, usually involving animals or nature.

Parables are a similar type of story. They are brief stories that teach a spiritual lesson. The characters are usually people, not animals, and the events could have taken place in real life.

The founder of Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, often used parables to teach his followers. He told stories about everyday people and situations to illustrate how his followers should live.

Today we will learn about the origins and development of Christianity, the teachings of Jesus, and how Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire.

The Origins of ChristianityJudea: The Birthplace of Christianity

According to the Christian Bible, Jesus was a man born in Judea (modern Israel), which was once part of the ancient kingdom of Israel.

He was born in the year zero (this is why our dating system begins counting up at this time).

In 63 B.C.E., the Romans tried to control Jewish leaders in Judea.

In 37 B.C.E., Rome appointed Herod to be King of Judea, but he was distrusted by the Jews.

When Herod died in 4 B.C.E., the kingdom was divided between his three sons, so unrest broke out.

The Romans sent military and a military governor to keep order. Even though they remained peaceful, the Jews hated being under Roman control.

According the the Hebrew Bible, the Jews believed God would send a savior to restore the kingdom of the Jews. The savior was called the messiah (meaning “anointed one” or chosen by God).

The Origins of ChristianityThe Birth of Jesus

There is very little known about his birth and childhood other than what he told his followers later in life.

According to the New Testament, Jesus’ mother was a virgin, and she became pregnant by an act of God, who gave her his son.

It is important to know the exact year of his birth is uncertain.

The Origins of ChristianityThe New Testament The New Testament is

what Christians call the writings by Jesus’ followers about his life.

There are four Gospels – accounts of Jesus’ life written in Greek by four of his followers after his death.

The four Gospels are said to be written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

The Origins of ChristianityThe Gospel of Luke According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ mother, Mary, lived in a town

called Nazareth in the Roman territory of Galilee. An angel appeared to her and told her she would have a child and his name should be Jesus.

At this time, Roman Emperor Augustus ordered everyone be counted, so Mary’s husband, Joseph, set out for Nazareth to his hometown of Bethlehem in Judea and Mary went with him. In Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable.

Very little is known about Jesus’ childhood. The family returned to Nazareth and likely was learning to be a carpenter like his “father,” Joseph.

According to the gospel, at age 12, Jesus went to the Temple of Jerusalem and began to preach his wisdom and ideas of Jewish law.

At age 30, a preacher, John the Baptist, claimed that Jesus was the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for. Jesus prayed for 40 days in the desert before he began to preach in Galilee.

The Origins of ChristianityThe Life and Death of Jesus

As Jesus grew older, he began to share his ideas about life, religion and peace. Jesus began preaching in synagogues, but his following got to be too big. He began to teach in open areas – in the street, on hillsides, and the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus called for a small number to be his followers, or disciples. He chose average people – laborers and farmers.

Jesus chose to spend his life around average people, the poor and the sick.

Jesus based his teachings on traditional Jewish beliefs. The way in which he taught was through parables.

The Origins of ChristianityThe Life and Death of Jesus

After about 1-2 years of teaching and preaching, Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Passover (to celebrate God’s rescue of the Jews from Egypt)

According to the gospels, Jesus knew his enemies would destroy him. He had a final meal with his disciples, known as “The Last Supper.”

As Jesus became more and more influential, the Roman leaders in the land of Israel became more and more worried about him causing problems because he shared a different view of religion than they did.

One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas, betrayed him by reporting his location to the Romans.

Pontius Pilot, the Roman governor of Judea, ordered that Jesus by executed. The Romans took Jesus to a hill outside the city walls and nailed him to a cross.

According to the Gospels, three days after his death, he rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. This was called the Resurrection, which convinced his disciples that he was the son of God.

The Origins of ChristianityThe Missionary Work of Paul

The early converts to Christianity were Jews, just like Jesus and his disciples.

At first, a man named Paul was against Christianity and helped persecute (punish) the Christians.

According to the New Testament, Paul saw a blinding light and heard the voice of Jesus. After that, Paul became a missionary and devoted his life to spreading the teachings of Jesus. He taught all people were God’s children. Paul was jailed in Rome and then beheaded. After his death, the Roman Catholic Church named him a saint.

The Origins of ChristianityChristianity Spreads

By 60s C.E., Christianity was spread by preachers in Rome.

Since Christians refused to worship other Roman gods and refused to worship the emperor as a god.

As the number of Christians grew, Romans saw them as a threat to Roman order and patriotism, so Christianity was declared illegal.

Many Christians were sentenced to death, but Christianity still spread because even the poor and slaves could have a better life.

By 300 C.E., there were as many as 30 million Christians in the Roman Empire.

A victory in battle, led the Roman Emperor Constantine to favor the Christian religion. In 313 C.E., Constantine announced the Edict of Milan. An edict is an order. In this edict, Constantine gave Christians the freedom to practice their religion openly, so Christianity was accepted. Emperor Theodosius I banned all pagan sacrifices. And, by 380 C.E., Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Visual Thinking Strategies

WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS PICTURE?

WHAT MORE CAN YOU FIND?

WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?

Visual Thinking Strategies

WHY MIGHT SO MANY PEOPLE BE GATHERED ON THIS MOUNTAINSIDE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK JESUS IS DOING?

This image shows Jesus seated on the side of the mountain in Galilee, preaching to people of all ages. Jesus often used parables teach his message in a way people could understand.

Vocabulary Fable: a short story that teaches a moral lesson.

Christianity: the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Jesus: the founder of Christianity upon whose life and teachings the religion is based.

Messiah: a savior who many Jews believe had been promised to them by God.

Gospel: an account of the life and teachings of Jesus; four of them are included in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

Disciple: a person who helps spread the religious teachings of another.

Parable: a simple story that explains a moral or religious lesson.

Resurrection: in Christian belief, Jesus’ rise from the dead.

Missionary: someone who tries to convert others to believe in a particular religion or set of beliefs

. Constantine: Roman emperor from about 280 to 337 C.E.; the first Roman emperor to

become a Christian.

Activity: Parables

Read one of Jesus’ parables with your partner.

Analyze the parable for meaning, morals and teachings.

Use the graphic organizer to take notes.

Word Web: Parables

Journal Reflection #1

Answer at least 3 of the following: Based on these parables, what behaviors

did Jesus want others to follow? Which characters did he approve of? How

can you tell? Which did he not approve of? How can

you tell? Why do you think Jesus used parables in

his teachings? How are they an effective teaching tool?

Homework

Write your own parable.

Your parable should teach a lesson about some aspect of good citizenship.

Include a symbol or small illustration that shows the main idea of the moral lesson you want to teach.

Unit 6: World ReligionsChristianityDaily Question: How are Christians’ lives shaped by the beliefs and practices of Christianity?

Warm-up Question: Make a T-chart with 3 (three) things you already know and 3 (three) questions of what you want to know on loose-leaf.

3 things you already know 3 questions of what you want to know

The Origins of ChristianityBeliefs and Practices of Christianity

There are many different interpretations of Christianity, but there are central beliefs about God and his relationship with humankind.

Holy Trinity: Christians believe in one God. God is three beings in one – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This union of three beings in one God is known as the Trinity.

▪ God the Father is the creator of the universe. They believe that the world and everything in it reveal his power and love.

▪ God the Son is Jesus Christ. Jesus was both divine and human. He lived and died like a human being so that people could be saved.

▪ The Holy Spirit is God’s power at work in the world. They believe that when they feel God present in their lives, the Holy Spirit has touched them.

Resurrection and Salvation: Christians believe that after his execution and burial, Jesus rose from the dead and

appeared to his disciples before joining his father in heaven – the Resurrection. Christians believe that thanks to Jesus, they too can look forward to life after death.

Each person at the end of life faces God’s judgment. God decides who should be saved from sin and evil to enjoy eternal life in heaven. Christians belief that God can save people from sin – Salvation – is a gift from God. The gift is open to everyone who has faith in Jesus and repents, or asks God to forgive

their sins

The Origins of ChristianityFrom One Church to Many The Great Schism of 1054 C.E.

There was a conflict between eastern and western European church leaders over who was to be the leader of the church. ▪ Western Europe recognized the pope in Rome as the authority of the

Christian church Roman Catholic Church▪ Eastern Europe recognized the patriarch of Constantinople as the

authority over all Christians in eastern Europe Eastern Orthodox Church

The Reformation In 1517 C.E., a German priest named Martin Luther called for

reforms in the Roman Catholic Church. When the pope rejected the reforms, Luther rejected the pope’s authority and formed his own church. The new church called themselves Protestants because their church protested against the Roman Catholic Church. As of now, there are thousands of denominations of the Protestant Church that differ in their beliefs and practices.

Answer these questions on loose-leaf paper:

1. What interesting details do you see?

2. What do you think is happening in these images?

3. What can these images tell you about the sacrament of baptism?

BAPTISM

Christian Sacraments Christianity was spread across the world by missionaries. Wherever

Christians live, sacred rituals called sacraments shape their lives. Two of the most important are:

Baptism: involves the use of water to symbolize a new phase in a person’s life. The sacrament of Baptism marks a person’s entry into the Christian Church. Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist. Christian churches differ on when they baptize their members and how they go about baptizing.

Holy Communion: also known as the Eucharist, is central to Christian worship. According to the New Testament, Jesus began this sacrament at the Last Supper. He gave bread to his disciples, saying, “This is my body.” He poured them wine, saying, “This is my blood.” He told them to practice this sacrament in remembrance of him. The Christians differ in their vision of Holy Communion and its meaning. They perform the sacrament differently and at different intervals during the year. Some see the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ, and others symbolic. However, all Christians believe that the presence and power of Christ is conveyed through the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Answer these questions on loose-leaf paper:

4. What is the purpose of baptism?

5. What do all baptisms have in common?

6. What other sacraments do Christians observe and why?

BAPTISM

Answer these questions on loose-leaf paper:

7. What interesting details do you see?

8. What types of activities are these people doing?

9. What do these images tell you about Christian worship services?

CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS SERVICE

Christian Worship For most Christians, going to church and

worshipping with others is an important part of Christian life. However, some Christians attend church regularly and others do not.

Places of Worship – most Christians gather in churches built as places of worship.

Sunday Services – most churches hold their worship services on Sunday because that is the day Jesus is believed to have rose from the dead. Sunday Services look different with hymns and readings from the Bible. Hymns are songs to praise to God. Some churches celebrate Holy Communion every Sunday, others only once or twice a year. Many services include a sermon given by a church leader, like priest or minister. A sermon is a speech intended for religious instruction.

Answer these questions on loose-leaf paper:

10. What interesting details do you see?

11. What do you think is happening in this scene?

12. Why might Christians celebrate this event as a holiday?

PALM SUNDAY

The Christian Year Advent (December)

▪ Days leading up to Christmas Christmas (December 25th)

▪ Celebration of Christ’s birth Lent

▪ 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness before he began to preach; he fasted so Christians symbolically give up something. It begins with Ash Wednesday and leads to Palm Sunday, the last week of Lent is Holy Week, Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified, then Easter Sunday.

Easter ▪ Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus

Answer these questions on loose-leaf paper:

13. Why and how do Christians celebrate this holiday?

14. What other holidays do Christians celebrate and why?

PALM SUNDAY

Vocabulary Trinity: in Christianity, the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three

beings in one God.

Salvation: being saved from sin; in Christianity, to be specifically saved by Jesus, the source of salvation.

Roman Catholic Church: a Christian church headed by the pope in Rome.

Eastern Orthodox Church: a Christian church that grew out of Christianity in eastern Europe and present-day Turkey.

Protestant: any member of a Christian church founded on the principles of the Reformation.

Sacrament: a sacred rite, or ritual, of Christian churches.

Baptism: the Christian sacrament that makes a person a member of the Christian church.

Holy Communion: a Christian sacrament in which bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples.

Journal Reflection #2 Answer at least 3 of these questions (including the

bolded question) What did you learn about Christianity that you did not

know before this activity? What information about Christianity will you most

remember from this activity? How are Christians’ lives shaped by the beliefs and

practices of Christianity? What are three important ways that Christians’ lives are

shaped by their beliefs and practices? Write at least 5 questions you would ask a person

about the beliefs and practices of their religion?

Homework

FAITH INTERVIEW

Interview someone who identifies as one of the religions we will study (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism) and ask him or her about his or her beliefs and practices.

Unit 6: World ReligionsChristianityDaily Question: How can the Bible have different interpretations?

Warm-up Question: Based on your interview, what do you learn about religious beliefs and practices? Christian beliefs? How are those beliefs similar or different from your own beliefs? (on loose-leaf)

Denominations of Christianity

Denomination: a group or branch of any religion. Major Christian Denominations:

▪ Restorationism: the belief that a purer form of Christianity should be restored using the beliefs and practices of the early Church.

▪ Anabaptism: the doctrine that baptism should only be administered to believing adults, held by a radical Protestant sect that emerged during the 1520s and 1530s.

▪ Protestantism: the faith, practice and church order or the Reformation.▪ Anglicanism: the national church of England▪ Roman Catholicism: (western or Latin rite and eastern rite)▪ Eastern Orthodoxy: derived from the Byzantine Church▪ Oriental Orthodoxy: Eastern Orthodox Church that only recognizes three ecumenical councils.▪ Assyrian Church: church that came out of Mesopotamian Assyrian Empire.

There are 38,000 Christian denominations

Vocabulary

Evangelism: the spreading of the Christian gospel by preaching or personal witness; zealous advocacy of a cause.

Liberalism: a political orientation that favors social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution.

The Institution of Religion Institution: a society or organization

founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose.

The different religious denominations all have an institution that sets the rules for the religion based on its interpretation of the bible.

The Institution of the Catholic Church

Example: ▪ In the Catholic Church, there is a hierarchy

within the institution. The clergy has levels and the Pope is the leader who determines how the bible should be interpreted and the Church’s stance on the issues. ▪ The Pope runs the Catholic Church from

Vatican city. Vatican City is an independent papal state in the city of Rome, the seat of government of the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Catholic Church Interpretation of the Bible Gay, lesbian and transgender people

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination ▪ Leviticus 18:22

There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. ▪ Deuteronomy 23:17

Roman Catholic Church Interpretation of the Bible Gay marriage

Marriage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman, joined as husband and wife in an intimate partnership of life and love ▪ 47-bishop committee in a statement on 9/10/03

Roman Catholic Church Interpretation of the Bible Divorce

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, ‘Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one”? So they are no longer two but one. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.’ They said to him, ‘Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?’ He said to them, ‘For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for unchastity, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman, commits adultery.’

▪ Mt. 19:3-9

Roman Catholic Church Interpretation of the Bible Intermarriage

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

▪ 2 Corinthians 6:14 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy

daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

▪ Deuteronomy 7:3 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife,

and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband.

▪ 1 Corinthians 7:12-14

Roman Catholic Church Interpretation of the Bible Abortion

[Angel told the mother of Sampson] As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb.

▪ Jgs 13:5 Did not he who made me in the womb make him? Did not

the same one fashion us before our birth? ▪ Job 31:15

Truly you have formed me inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb

▪ Psalm 139:13 The word of the Lord came to me thus: Before I formed

you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

▪ Jerome 1:4-5

Roman Catholic Church Interpretation of the Bible Jesus’ Love

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

▪ Matthew 7:12 For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only

Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

▪ John 3:16-17

Conflicts divide the Catholic Church today in much the same way that conflict over beliefs has divided the Christian Church over the years.

Historic Religious Conflict Overview: In Northern Ireland, there

has been recent conflict between different denominations of Christianity. In Northern Ireland, there has been a conflict between Catholics and Protestants for years.

Since the 1300s, Catholics and Protestants have been in conflict in Ireland.

Ireland is a predominantly

Catholic Country

England is predominantl

y a Protestant

Country

Timeline

1801: England takes full control of the whole island of Ireland.

1916: Ireland rebels and starts a petition for independence from England.

1920: England divides Ireland into two parts. In Northern Ireland, Protestants discriminate against Catholics.

1967-1967: Catholics begin civil rights protests, inspired by the African American civil rights protests in the U.S.

Since 1920, Ireland has had 26 counties. On the island, there are 6 more counties that are a part of England. These 6

counties are known as “Northern Ireland” or “The North” to its residents.These 26 counties

are the country of Ireland.

The majority of Northern Ireland is Protestant.

The majority of Ireland is Catholic.

Bloody SundayDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND-

1968 A civil rights march in Derry became violent when British police used excessive force. It was televised. Great Britain made some reforms but they did not meet the demands of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. (NICRA)

January 30, 1972: BLOODY SUNDAYMarches were banned and prisoners were being held with no charges or trial. NICRA organized a march. This also became violent and British paratroopers opened fire killing 14 and injuring 13 others.

1972-1996The Irish Republican Army (IRA) fought with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC – Great Britain).

This lasted for 24 years.

1974The IRA launched a bombing campaign in 5 cities in Ireland.

The British responded by enacting a law called the Prevention of Terrorism Act that allowed them to detain suspects for up to 7 days without being charged.

Hunger Strikers

1980sSeveral political prisoners protested by refusing to eat prison food or wear prison clothes. Ten people died as a result of this act. They were considered martyrs by the Catholic community.

Peace Talks

1985-1996:Peace talks and negotiations go back and forth between the governments and religions as do acts of terrorism by the Irish Republican Army.

Good Friday Agreement (1998)

A six week cease-fire allowed terms to be worked out:

• Ireland shall not be one united country without the consent of a majority in Northern Ireland• The people of the North have the right to call themselves either Irish or British.• A multi-party government will be elected.• A north/south council will mediate conflicts.• All people shall have basic human rights, civil rights and equality.• Both Irish and English will be taught in all schools.• The security forces in Northern Ireland will be reduced, they will work toward an unarmed police force. • Political prisoners to be released providing the ceasefire is maintained.

A referendum held on 23rd May 1998

showed an overwhelming

majority of the people of Ireland supporting

the Good Friday Agreement.

NEWSCASTER

NEWSCASTER

Daily Questions:

NEWSCASTER

Quiz Questions:

Venn Diagram

How to compare Judaism and Christianity using a Venn Diagram:

Homework

Complete Missing Work Extra Credit: Write a movie review

after watching a movie about Christianity. Suggestions…▪ The Chosen (PG)▪ The Passion of the Christ (R)

Be sure to get approval to watch this film from a parent/guardian.