Christianity

Early Beginnings

• Starts as a cult of Judaism for 40 – 60 years – Keep monotheistic belief – Keep mythology• Does not keep doctrine

• Maintains Hellenistic prinicples – Body/Soul Dichotomy– Immortality– Gnosis

Scriptures• New Testament :– Gospels • Mark• Luke Synoptic Gospels• Matthew• John

– Acts (of the Apostles)– Epistles– Revelation (of St. John)

Unaccepted Texts

• Non-canonical texts– Gospel of Mary Magdalene– Gospel of Thomas– Infant gospel of thomas– Gospel of james– Gospel of judah– Others ?

Jesus of Nazareth• Jesus as Christ– Messiah / Anointed One

• Miraculous Birth– Virgin mother– Bethlehem

• Preacher– Teaches in parables– Reinterprets the Law

The “Passion Story”

• Jesus goes to Jerusalem for Passover– Eucharist

• Jesus is arrested and tried– Roman rule / Jewish Law (?)

• Jesus is crucified and entombed– Good Friday

• Family/friends return – Tomb is Empty– Easter Sunday

The “Passion Story”

• Appears to disciples– Not recognized

• Pentecost– Birth of the Church– Glossilalia

• Disciples now Apostles

Paul of Tarsus

• Strict Pharisee– Converted

• Converted Gentiles– Debate amongst apostles– Extremely successful

• Competing theologies

Christian Theology• Humanity is separated from God because of

Original Sin– Human beings cannot keep the Law

• Redemption / reconnection through Christ– Give of Grace (Agape) – Justified through BELIEF

• Body / Soul Dichotomy– Greek influence– Parousia

Earliest Christians • Early Converts– Women– Poor

• New World Coming– Apocalyptic

• Jewish / Christian separation – 80 c.e.

Early Heresies

• Gnosticism– Christ delivers gnosis– Return to the Supreme Being

• Bypass Demiurge / Creator God

• Rule of Faith Needed– Confirm authority of texts– Many texts rejected– Recently discovered

Early Church Structure

• Bishop– Head of the Church for

a large city– Disburses the Eucharist

• Prebyter (Early Priest)– Heads smaller churces– Disburses the Eucharist

• Deacon– Layman

Christian Persecution• Christians do not

participate in state rituals– Martyred in public

• Emperors encouraged Christian persecution– Decius– Valerian– Diocletian• “Great Persecution”

Constantine and the Early Church

• Legalized Christian Worship– Edict of Milan 313

• Bishop to the Bishops– Set holidays– Religious sites

• Set by Helena

• Settled dispute on Christology

Christology – The Nature of Christ• Arianism – Bishop Arius of Alexandria– Christ – Logos of God – is confused with God.• Polytheism - Gnostic influence

• Need to settle on the NATURE of Christ• Nicene Councils (325 / 381)– Christ is of the same essence as God• Monotheism

– Holy Spirit is added for the Trinity• Council of Chalcedon (451)– Perfect union of human and divine, without

confusion or division.

Sin and Salvation

• St. Augustine of Hippo– Defined sin as a choice of the

individual

• All aspects of creation are from God– Therefore good

• Uti / Frui

East – West Schism

Eastern and Western Churches split• Filioque Clause– Dispute since Nicene Council

• Papal Authority– Patriarchs refuse to accept Rome’s declaration

• Political Concerns– East – Islamic Empire– West – Germanic Invaders

• Excommunications – 1054

Medieval Christianity

• Charlemagne crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor– Dec. 25, 800

• Unites all of Europe under Christianity– Christendom

Medieval Contributions

• Purgatory

• Limbo

• Penance– 3 Elements

• Eucharist– Transubstantiation

Corruptions

• Simony

• Pluralism

• Indulgences

• Crusades

Scholasticism

• Synthesize Faith and Reason

• St. Thomas Aquinas – Summa Theologica– Nature and Revelation leads

to union with God– Same principles apply to sin

Protestant Reformation

• Martin Luther – 95 Theses

• Main Protestant principles1. Sola Scriptura

1. Justification by Grace through Faith ALONE

2. No penance / indulgences3. Every person is his/her own

priest

Catholic Reformation• Council of Trent – Reaffirmed the Catholic

position on:• Sacraments (7)• Tradition / Scripture equal

sources of truth• Justification by Grace through

Faith PLUS Good works for Satisfaction

• Society of Jesus (Jesuits)– Ignatius of Loyla– Conversions

Questions of the Enlightenment

• Scientific Advances– Bible not a source of

knowledge for the natural world

• Deism– “Clockmaker” God

• Biblical Criticism– Revelation is not a

source of truth– Philosophers seek non-

religious truth.

Secularization • Religion loses

control of some aspects of society– Government– School– Business

• Religion is seen as personal and private

Recent Developments• Great Awakenings– 2 Social Movements

• 1730 – 1750• 1800 – 1830

– Literal interpretation of the Bible

• Liberation Theology – God will help the

oppressed

Vatican Councils • Vatican I: 1869 – Pope Pius IX

• Limited infallibility – Faith and Morals

•Vatican II: 1962 – 1965•Pope John XXIII •Pope Paul IV

•Changes in services•Vernacular

•More local control

Protestant Denominations• Wide variety of

denominations– Liberal to conservative

• Renewal of Sola Scriptura

• Focus on the individual’s connection to God

Eastern Orthodox• Focuses on the unity

between human and divine in worship

• Icons and veneration of saints prevelant

• Some theological differences from the Latin Church