Unlocking CHRISTIANITY

HRT 3MI

Learning Goals:

I will begin to understand important events in the history of the early Christian Church

I will begin to understand key values/beliefs in Christianity

Agenda:

Review assignment to prepare for tomorrow’s research work period (please meet in the library)

A Brief History and Timeline (note) Sacred Beliefs and Values (note) Documentary + Questions on the Early

Christian Church

Anticipation Guide – Agree or Disagree? It is more important for people to go their own way and have what they want than it is to

stick around and try to work it out to maintain the needs of the group

Doctrines don’t change*

Religions are not evil; it is their adherents

You should be willing to die for your beliefs

Jesus was fully human and fully divine

You can be saved – you only need to have faithvs. you can be saved – you need to have faith and good works

Baptism should happen when you are an adult

Lay people should be able to consecrate (“perform” or “say”) mass

The bread and body are just symbols

*Doctrine definition: a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or other group

CHRISTIANITY Viewing of: “The First Days of Christianity: The 12 Apostles”

Learning Goals:I will understand the impact of the 12 Apostles on the formation and growth of the Christian religion.I will understand the significance of the baptism of JesusI will understand the impact of Jesus’ practices on the Jewish tradition at the time.I will understand the impact of the birth of our church through the “Pentecost”

World Distribution of the Three main Christian Denominations

Percentage of Christian Denominations in the World, 2001

60%12%

4%

4%

4%

3%

2% 11%

Roman Catholic

Eastern Orthodox

Lutheran

Baptist

Anglican/Chruch ofEngland

Presbyterian &Reformed

Methodist

All Others

325 A.D. ~ Council of Nicaea Between 325 and 451 CE a number of

church councils were convened for the most part of the emperor of Constantinople

These councils addressed the questions of the nature of God & the nature of Jesus.

With regard to Jesus’ relationship with the Father & Holy Spirit, the Nicene Creed was composted at the Council of Nicaea & also a the Council of Constantinople 381.

Apostles Creed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Muo5W5GlGys http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=qHh_FUgTXKo

1054 A.D. The Great Schism This refers to the division of the

Church into East and West Differences in language,

culture, music, art, architecture, government, and ritual became increasingly distinct between the eastern and western wings of the Church

For example: WEST: Roman Church; Latin speaking; EAST: Eastern Church, Byzantine Empire; Greek speak

1095 A.D. The First Crusade Pope Urban II called for the first

crusade Warring Christian Kings stopped

fighting each other and united to lead a great army to conquer the Holy Land

The first crusade drove the Turks away from the Holy Land but eventually the Turks regained control again

More crusades followed; there were 5 between A.D. 1100-1250. Some met with success, but most failed

Though the idea was noble at the time, killing people to defend the Gospel of Peace seems rather contradictory today

1204 A.D. Constantinople is Destroyed

By the middle ages, the tensions between the Eastern and Western Church became worse and there were more differences

For example: The use of leavened bread for the Eucharist in the east and unleavened in the west

Differences made to the Nicene Creed by the West lead to more problems

Western Bishops added the line (“the Holy Spirit…who proceeded from the Father and the Son”) and they did not consult with eastern patriarchs who found this statement heretical

NOTE: The new mass has now moved us to the original words that were used. (It is now closer to the original Latin)

The destruction of Constantinople by Western Christian Crusaders in 1204 sealed the split between east and west

Though emperors in the west made attempts to reconcile, eastern Church authorities rejected the attempt.

1517 A.D. The Protestant Reformation

German monk Martin Luther called for a simpler faith free from outward signs and established rituals in the Roman Catholic faith

Luther believed that the authority of the Roman Catholic Church should have relied solely on the Bible and not on Church tradition and Church leaders. “Justification by faith”: The word means more than works. In other words, your actions don’t matter; you’re saved by the word alone!!

Please note that Protestants today believe in the importance of good actions!! However, it’s good for the sake of being good…you are saved by word alone.

Questions to reflect on: 1) Does this make sense to you?2) What do you think are some of issues with these teachings

according to the Universal Church known as the Catholic Church?

Luther’s followers established the Lutheran Church and the Protestant Reformation came about; that is the reform of the Western Church “protesting” against its practices

The 95 Theses were written in Wittemberg, Germany protesting all the things that Luther objected about the Roman Catholic Church and its practices.

1534 A.D. Act of Supremacy in England (King Henry VIII)

King Henry VIII was one of the most famous and controversial kings in the country's history. His hearty appetites and fickle passions are legendary, and his demand for a male heir led him to marry six different women.

As the Protestant movement grew, King Henry VIII was having his own problems with the Catholic Church. (Put simply, let’s just say that the Church has some issues with King Henry’s ‘ways of living’) Therefore, these problems were centred around a personal matter against Pope Clement VII

Because the Pope refused to grant Henry his desire to live the way he wanted to, Henry countered by declaring himself head of the Catholic Church in England.

Anyone who refused to accept his “Act of Supremacy” was considered a traitor to the throne

The Catholic Church in England declared its independence from papal authority and became a national Church known as the Church of England.

1545 A.D. Council of Trent (Roman Catholicism)

Once Protestantism began spreading, Church leaders called a council of all the bishops throughout the world to identify the true teachings of the faith

This council took place at Trent over a twenty-year period in three sessions; 1545-47, 1551-52, 1562-63

There was a focus on theology and Church discipline

They restated some of the key teachings such as: the duty of the pope, and bishops instituted by Jesus Christ. The sacraments, devotion to Mary, the saints, and the religious life as a valid expression of the Gospel ideals

1870 A.D. First Vatican Council (Roman Catholicism)

The first Vatican Council opened on 8 December, 1869, and adjourned on 20 October, 1870.

Pope Pius IX and nearly 800 church leaders representing every continent attended

The pope's primary purpose in convening the council was to obtain confirmation of the position he had taken in his Syllabus of Errors (1864), condemning a wide range of modern positions associated with the ideas of rationalism, liberalism, and materialism.

The council accepted the proposition that when a pope speaks ex cathedra on faith or morals he does so with the supreme apostolic authority, which no Catholic may question or reject.

Remember teaching taught to us by Tradition with a capital “T” can never be changed!! Tradition with a small “t” can be modified, re-interpreted, etc.

Example: tradition- The rosary as a form of prayer and meditation vs. Tradition- Teaching and practice of the Eucharist

1962 A.D. Second Vatican Council(Roman Catholicism)

This council was different in that its purpose was not to fight against an error but rather to update the Church

Pope John XXIII called this council with a goal to bring about renewal in our understanding of our faith

There has probably never been a time in the entire history of the Church when the Church changed so much and so quickly

There were significant changes to the liturgy and the sacraments and this was a movement that focussed on the role of the laity and moving “ordinary” people to leadership and ministry in their churches.

Some of the greatest changes Vatican II introduced brought us back to the core ideas and ideals of the apostles and early Church.

Don’t forget this: All our core teachings, Traditions and traditions have been

taught to us by Christ Himself!! They are revealed to us through both the Word presented to us in the Bible and oral tradition that began with Christ and spread through the gift of the Holy Spirit that was entrusted upon Jesus’ apostles after His death and resurrection.

NOVEMBER 2011Embracing Change: The New Roman Missal Though it’s being called a “change”, the reality is that the new wording throughout parts of the Roman Catholic mass is actually bringing things back to its original wording.“In many ways, the changes that have been made to the words we speak at Mass are minor compared to other changes that we as a Church have been through. More is staying the same than is changing…”(Catechist Christine Way Skinner, a parish catechist in Newmarket and a member of the Archdiocese of Toronto's Roman Missal Implementation Committee.)We will be compelled to pay more attention to the words that we speak on Sunday. Because we learn our liturgical prayers by heart, it is easy to fail to go through the motions without being conscious of what we are saying. Having to use new expressions will, hopefully, make us more attentive and we will move towards that full, conscious and active participation for which the Second Vatican Council called.This new English translation will also unite us with other language groups. Using the same words in many tongues, we will raise our voices throughout the world in praise of our loving God. Perhaps this may help us to realize more profoundly that Christ is truly present in the neighbour with whom we worship.As well, because the language is more formal, it may help us to reclaim some of the reverence and mystery of liturgical celebrations of former times. While it would likely be a mistake to return to the strictness that once characterized our churches, a little formality may serve as a necessary corrective in a culture both inside and outside the Church that has forgotten its good manners.

Growth of the Three Main Branches of CHRISTANITY

B ap tis t

L u th eran

M eth od is t

A n g lican

PROT EST ANT

ROM AN CAT HOLIC

A rm en ian

G reek

R u ss ian

E th iop ian

EAST ERN ORT HODOX

JESU S C H R IST1 S T C en tu ry

The Roman Catholic Church(St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome)

The Roman Catholic ChurchMore people belong to the Roman Catholic Church today than to all of the other Churches put

together.Catholic beliefs:

a) The Mass is the central act of worship where we eat consecrated bread and wine which IS the body and blood of Jesus to remind us of the death of Jesus; (Jesus told His disciples to eat of His body and drink of His blood. This is not something the our first Pope Peter invented! Christ is the cornerstone of His church and has instituted all our Traditions. After his death, the Apostles practiced this in remembrance of what he commanded them to do; early Christians practiced this and today, we practice this.)

b) The saints and the Virgin Mary play an important part in worshipc) Heaven and purgatory exist; and d) The Pope has supreme authority in the Church. The Church is ‘Roman’ because it

accepts the leadership of the Pope in Rome (as St. Peter’s successor). Jesus declared Peter the leader of the Church!!

e) The Church practices the 7 sacramentsThe Four Marks of the Church: The Church is one The Church is Holy The Church is Catholic. (Note: Catholic means Universal) The Church is Apostolic

“Christian faith cannot accept "revelations" that claim to surpass or correct theRevelation of which Christ is the fulfillment” (Catechism of the Catholic Church- 67)

The Orthodox Church(Russia former U.S.S.R.)

The Orthodox Church The Orthodox (right-thinking) Church was formed in 1054 AD. In 1054 (The Great Schism) was the division of East and West. The

west was under the authority of the Pope, while the Church in the east wanted to be independent.

Today there are about 150 million Orthodox Christians in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Greece.

Orthodox Christians take their believes from two places: 1) The Bible; and 2) the traditions of the Church – same as early Christianity.

They believe in the Seven Sacraments as well, but they call them ‘Mysteries’.

Orthodox Churches are beautiful buildings, inside the church is dominated by the iconostasis which stands in front of the altar.

As well there are many religious paintings and icons throughout the church.

They believe that the Holy Spirit comes upon the bread & wine, which become the Body & Blood of Christ. The bread is dipped in wine & placed at the back of the throat by the priest on a long spoon.

The Anglican Church(St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Ontario)

The Anglican Church The Anglican Church which is most commonly known as the Church of

England, is a Protestant Church. The Queen is the head of the Church, leaders of the Church are

appointed by the Prime Minister. There are two different kinds of Anglican Churches, the High Church

and the Low Church. The High Church is more Roman Catholic than Protestant and vice versa for the Low Church. In fact, Anglican Churches uphold and proclaim the Catholic and Apostolic faith.

The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the revealed Word of God;

The Nicene Creed as the sufficient statement of the Christian Faith; The two Sacraments - Baptism and the Eucharist are practiced. Most of the Churches are built in a cross shape and surrounded by a

graveyard. The Bible is an integral part of the Anglican Church, there are three

Bible readings in most Anglican services taken from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospels.

The Methodist Church (United Methodist Church ~ St. Petersburg, Florida)

The Methodist Church The Methodist Church is Nonconformist – as are the Baptist Church, the United

Reformed Church, the Quakers, the Pentecostal Church and the Salvation Army Church.

Simply this means that these Churches do not agree totally with the beliefs with the Church of England (Anglican) and prefer to remain independent even though they are all similar to one another.

This Church emerged in the early 18th Century, when a group of students lead by John and Charles Wesley began to meet and study the Bible.

The two brothers were actually priests in the Church of England. The Church is controlled by an Annual Conference which is made up of

ministers and lay people. Each year the Conference chooses a president. Inside of the Churches are smaller and simpler and do not have an altar, and

the preaching of the Bible is done from a Pulpit.

The Lutheran Church (Lutheran Church of Finland ~ Helsinki, Finland)

The Lutheran Church The Lutheran church teaches and responds to the love of the Triune God: the Father,

creator of all that exists; Jesus Christ, the Son, who became human to suffer and die for the sins of all human beings and to rise to life again in the ultimate victory over death and Satan; and the Holy Spirit, who creates faith through God's Word and Sacraments. The three persons of the Trinity are coequal and coeternal, one God.

They accept and teach Bible-based teachings of Martin Luther who “protested” and inspired the reformation of the Christian Church in the 16th century. The teaching of Luther and the reformers can be summarized in three short phrases: Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.

Grace alone God loves the people of the world, even though they are sinful, rebel against Him and do not deserve His love. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly. Faith alone By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life for them. Those who hear this Good News and believe it have the eternal life that it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him. Scripture alone The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine

Two sacraments are celebrated in the Lutheran faith; baptism and communion The communion is believed to have only a presence of Christ’s body and blood They focus on the message of God’s forgiving love and consider the Bible as the sole guide

to religious truth rather than Church doctrine

The Baptist Church (First Baptist Church ~ Brockport, New York)

The Baptist Church Although Baptist churches have been continually fractured and

divided over the centuries, there are a number of broad characteristics which are common to most if not all. These characteristics include adult baptism through full immersion, evangelism, pietism, and sectarianism. All of these are intimately related to another characteristic: intense volunteering and the independence of local churches.

In Baptist churches they believe that becoming a Christian should be a mature and informed decision and not a birthright

The sacrament calls for the total immersion of adults in water, in the way that John the Baptist baptized Jesus

In the sacrament of communion Christ is present in spirit only Baptists celebrate using Bible preaching and hymn singing,

usually celebrating in the morning and evening

The Umbrella of Christianity

Sacraments(Not all practice all 7)

Celebrations/Rituals and Practices

Founders

Symbols

Icons/Statues

Church Art History and Liturgical

Music

CHRIST

Many forms of prayerSignificant Voices

(Both men and women)

Celebrations of the Three Main Branches of Christianity

(Research to find out who celebrates what?)

Festivals Roman Catholic Church

Orthodox Church

Protestant Church

Advent Yes

Christmas Yes

Epiphany Yes

Ash Wednesday

Yes

Holy Week Yes

Easter Yes

Ascension Yes

Pentecost Yes

Sacraments of the Three Main Branches of Christianity

(Research to find out who practices what)

Sacraments Roman Catholic Church

Orthodox Church

Protestant Church

Baptism Yes

Reconciliation Yes

Communion Yes

Confirmation Yes

Marriage Yes

Holy Orders Yes

Anointing of the Sick

Yes

Text Resources

The Many Paths of Christianity The Christian Faith and its Symbols World Religions Aspects of Christianity Educating for Life Exploring the Religions of Our World Understanding Catholic Christianity Exploring World Religions

Website Resources www.creco.org - Catholic Religious Education Consultants of ON www.google.com - Images - for pictures of Churches www.cccb.ca - The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops www.vatican.va - The Vatican (& Catechism of Catholic Church) www.rcec.london.on.ca - Diocese of London www.silk.net - Famous Lives (Information of famous Catholics

as well as the lives of other saints - other resources also available)

www.newadvent.org - Catholic Encyclopedia www.statcan.ca - Statistics Canada www.patriarchate.org - Patriarch of Constantinople www.bbc.co. - British Broadcast (go to

worldservice/people/features/world_religions/index/shtml

Video Resources Brother Sun/Sister Moon -

Biography of St. Francis of Assisi Christianity; the Way of Goodness and Mercy

- The split between East and West, the Reformation, the rituals that are a part of Christian tradition

Civilizations in Conflict: Byzantium, Islam, The Crusades - examines three main subjects:1st the rise and fall of the world's first Christian state, the Byzantine Empire; 2nd the growth of the Islamic civilization; 3rd is the Crusades.