the roman empire and christianity copyright © pearson education, inc. or its affiliates. all rights...

The Roman Empire and Christianity

Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Many Jews opposed Roman rule in Judea.

Jesus was an influential Jewish teacher whose followers believed he was the Messiah.

Jesus’ followers founded Christianity and spread it to many people, despite Romanpersecution.

Origins of Christianity

Key IdeasKey Ideas



resurrection—coming back to life

baptism—ritual cleansing by plunging into water

crucifixion—slow and painful Roman method of execution in which the victim was nailed or tied to a large cross and left to hang until dead


Key TermsKey Terms



conversion—a heartfelt change in one’s opinions or beliefs

martyrs—people who die for their beliefs


Key TermsKey Terms



Zealots Saw Romans as foreign occupiers; hoped God would send a Messiah to save the Jews from oppressionPharisees Were educated and followed Jewish law; believed in resurrectionSadducees Came from upper class; supported Roman rule and Jewish traditionsOther Groups Some isolated themselves; some practiced baptism.


Jewish Groups Under Roman RuleJewish Groups Under Roman Rule



• In what religion was Jesus raised?• Judaism

• Why did followers first begin to think Jesus was the Messiah?

• He spoke out for the poor and outcast and they believed he could heal the sick.

• According to Christianity, what happened that caused Jesus’ followers to believe that he definitely was the Messiah?

• Jesus’ resurrection


Jesus’ Life and TeachingsJesus’ Life and Teachings



The apostles spread the new religion after Jesus’ death.

More and more non-Jews became Christians.

Paul traveled widely and preached about Christianity.

Paul welcomed non-Jews, and argued that they did not have to follow all Jewish laws and traditions.


How did Christianity become a new How did Christianity become a new religion?religion?



Romans had mostly tolerated Jewish worship.

Romans opposed Christianity as a new religion, fearing it would anger Roman gods and that Christians were disloyal.

Emperor Nero falsely blamed Christians for a big fire, and began to persecute them.


The Roman ResponseThe Roman Response



Early Christians wrote books about the life of Jesus and other topics that form part of Christianity’s scripture.

Most Christians share a core set of beliefs, including faith in Jesus as the son of God and in the Trinity.

Christians believe that it is important to follow Jesus’ ethical teachings.

Beliefs of Christianity

Key IdeasKey Ideas



New Testament—collection of holy writings, or scripture, created by early Christians

Gospels—first four books of the New Testament that describe the life of Jesus

parable—story with a moral


Key TermsKey Terms



epistle—formal letter, several of which appear in the New Testament

Trinity—according to Christian beliefs, three forms of God: God the father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit


Key TermsKey Terms



ethics—issues of right and wrong and how to treat people

denomination—religious group within a larger religion


Key TermsKey Terms



What holy text did the first Christians use?Hebrew Bible

How did early Christians add to their holy text? They created the New Testament

What are the Gospels, epistles, and the Book of Revelation?•Gospels: Describe the life and teaching of Jesus from four

points of view•Epistles: letters from Church leaders to new churches offering

guidance and explanation of Christian teachings. •Book of Revelation: predicts future events


The Christian BibleThe Christian Bible



God exists in three forms, or Trinity. Jesus was God in human form. His resurrection proves that he was divine.

Belief in Jesus offers the believer the chance of eternal life in the presence of God. People’s actions and beliefs in life determine what happens to their souls after death.

God has the power to forgive people’s sins. Jesus’ crucifixion was a sacrifice for human sin.


What do most Christians believe?What do most Christians believe?




Christianity TodayChristianity Today



Problems, including civil wars and foreign invasions, led to the decline of the Roman empire.

The Roman empire was divided into eastern and western halves, each with its own emperor.

The western half of the Roman empire collapsed while the eastern half survived.

Decline of the Roman Empire

Key IdeasKey Ideas



inflation—a general rise in the cost of goods

barbarians—the word Greeks and Romans used for people who did not share their cultures


Key TermsKey Terms



mercenary—soldier who fights for pay rather than for his or her country

orthodoxy—traditional or establishedreligious beliefs


Key TermsKey Terms




What ended the Pax Romana?What ended the Pax Romana?

Military commanders beganchallenging emperors.

A series of civil wars broke out.

Septimus Severus tried unsuccessfully

to restore peace.

More civil wars occurred.



Diocletian • split the empire into two halves• reorganized the imperial government into two co-emperors with junior emperors for support• restored peace on the frontier• persecuted Christians

Constantine• made Christianity a legal religion in the empire• started to build a new capital for the eastern empire, in the city now called Constantinople


Two Important EmperorsTwo Important Emperors

the roman empire and christianity copyright © pearson education, inc. or its affiliates. all rights...

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