WORLD RELIGIONS 3106 Christianity
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
W O R L D R E L I G I O N S 3 1 0 6
Christianity
P A G E S 2 6 4 - 2 6 9
Origins
Christianity
The world’s most successful religion
Over 2 billion people call themselves Christians (1/3 of the planet)
Began as a Jewish sect which spread through the Roman empire
Jesus
Born 4 BCE in Judea, a Roman province
Hebrew name, Yeshua ben Miriam (“Joshua, son of Mary”)
Jesus of Nazareth, a preacher for three years, before being crucified by the Roman authorities
Jesus did not write anything down. His followers wrote the new testament
Early Life
Christ born in Bethlehem
Raised in Nazareth near the Sea of Galilee
Family Life
Parents Joseph and Mary
Many brothers and sisters
Father a carpenter
Story of Jesus begins at age 30
John The Baptist
Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan by John the Baptist
Gospel of Mark: Chapter 1 (the oldest gospel)
Jesus’ Baptism
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17
Jesus’ Ministry
John the Baptist is arrested
Jesus retreats to the desert for 40 days to fast and pray
He is tempted by Satan
He returns and begins preaching that people must repent to prepare for the kingdom of God
Jesus’ Ministry
For three years Jesus preaches
He performs miracles
He heals the sick
Heads to Jerusalem for Passover
The Last Supper
Jesus and the disciples share the Passover meal in Jerusalem
Crucifixion
Jesus is arrested
Tried for sedition
Rebellion against the government
Sentenced to death
Crucified
Resurrection and Ascension
Jesus is raised from the dead
Ascends to heaven 40 days after the resurrection
Ascension
Jesus ascends into heaven 40 days after
Resurrection on a mountaintop
Day of Pentecost
Ten days after the Ascension, fifty days after Easter Sunday, Jesus followers meet in an upper room
They share a religious experience, Christianity is born
They begin to spread Christ’s teachings
Pentecost
10 days after Ascension
The start of the Christian church.
Documentary
Watch the documentary “Who Was Jesus?”
Part 2: The Mission (42:00)
Part 3: The Last Days (42:00)
P A G E S 2 6 9 - 2 7 4
Beliefs
Roman Empire
Christianity spreads through the Roman Empire
Many episodes of persecution and martyrdom
Thrown to the Lions
Council of Nicea
By the early 300s, 10% of Roman citizens are Christians
Emperor Constantine assembles all the Bishops at Nicea 325 AD
They hammer out the Nicene Creed
They determine which books will become the bible
The Nicene Creed (2:33)
What Christians Believe: The Nicene Creed 325 AD
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of
God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom
all things were made.
Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of
the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He
suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
What Christians Believe: The Nicene Creed 325 AD
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son;
who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the
prophets.
And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the
remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
What Christians Believe: The Nicene Creed 325 AD
The Nicene Creed 325 -381 AD
The fathers of the first council of Nicea 325 A.D.
Pages 270 – 271 in your text breaks down the Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed 325 -381 AD
The Role of Women
The Bible supports equality between the sexes Jesus interacted frequently with women in his public life and
treated them with high regard
The Church grew in societies that were largely dominated by men with women confined to domestic roles
Modern Christianity is more open to the equality of women The Salvation Army was the first Christian Church to recognize
full status for women in its ministry
Exploring Issues: Human Cloning
Task
Read pages 272 – 273 and answer questions 1-3
P A G E S 2 7 5 - 2 8 3
Practices, Rituals, Symbols & Festivals
Christian Symbols
The Lamb of God
Cross, Crown of Thorns, Fish
Chi-Rho, Trinity, Dove
Christian Symbols
The Alpha and the OmegaAlso known as the Chi Rho
Christian Symbols
The Cross
Christian Symbols
Catholic Cross
(P. 280)
Christian Symbols
Christmas and the Epiphany
Begins with Advent (four Sundays before Christmas)
Most Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25, however many Eastern Orthodox denominations celebrate Christmas on January 7
12 days after Christmas, on January 6, most Christians celebrate the Epiphany, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus
Christian Festivals: Easter
Holiest week of Christian calendar.
(Dates vary)
Palm Sunday
Sunday before Easter Sunday. When Jesus
entered Jerusalem on a donkey. His followers spread palm branches
in his path.
Good Friday
•Crucifixion “affixed to the cross”
•Between two criminals
•INRI posted on his cross
•Soldiers cast lots for his clothes
Easter Sunday
The first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Why?
Christ’s resurrection
(Question: Who discovered the tomb was empty?)
P A G E S 2 8 4 - 2 8 9
Milestones
Baptism
Christians believe the act of baptism cleanses their soul and signals the beginning of their Christian lives
Early Christianity linked baptism teaching that the sacrament removes the stain of original sin The defiance of Adam and Eve left a spot on each person’s soul
and baptism reclaims the soul for God by entering the person into the salvation of Christ’s death and resurrection
Depending on denomination, baptism can take place and infancy or later in life (adolescence or adulthood) as a sign of choice
Holy Communion
During the Passover Meal (the Last Supper) Jesus shared with his apostles bread and wine
“Take and eat; this is my body” ; “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26: 26-28)
Holy Communion
The Holy Eucharist (1:08)
Evolved from a communal meal in a home
Bread and wine = body and blood of Christ
“Transubstantion” – the “host” becomes the actualbody and blood of Christ
P A G E S 2 9 0 - 2 9 3
Sacred Writings
Sacred Writings
The New Testament
1. The 4 Gospels
2. Acts of the Apostles
3. Letters to Churches (Epistles)
4. Revelations
Angel, Lion, Ox, Eagle
The Gospels: Matthew
Written ~80 CE?
Apostle, Jewish tax collector
Connects Jesus to Old testament prophecy
Has the Nativity story
Has the Sermon on the mount
The Gospels: Mark
Written ~70 CE?
Associated with Paul and Peter
The earliest gospel
Shortest gospel
No Nativity
Most of Mark is incorporated in Matthew and Luke
The Gospels: Luke
Written ~85 CE?
A Greek Christian connected to Paul
Well educated, a Physician
Has the Nativity story
Many stories of healing the sick
The Gospels: John
Written ~100 CE?
A follower of the apostle John?
The “Gnostic” gospel
“Gnostic” means knowledge
More philosophical than the others
Acts of the Apostles
Also written by Luke ~70CE
Chronicles the missionary work of Peter and Paul in the early years of the church
Emphasizes the Holy Spirit
Epistles
Earliest works of the New Testament
Mostly written by Paul ~ 50s and 60s CE
Sent to Christian communities all over the Mediterranean.
Paul’s Journeys
Book of Revelations
“John” (not the apostle) ~95CE
Written on the Isle of Patmos to “The Seven Churches of Asia.”
Apocalyptic text predicting the imminent end of the world
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
P A G E S 2 9 6 - 3 0 4
Groups and Institutions
The Eastern Schism
A schism is a break
A split between Rome in the west and Byzantium (Constantinople [Istanbul]) in the east
There was disagreement within the church
The western Church believed that both the Father and Son sent forth the Holy Spirit
The eastern Church believed that the power of the Holy Spirit came only from God the Father
Handout – Newspaper Article
The Eastern Orthodox Church
Churches are constructed with a cross-shaped floor plan, meeting under a rounded central roof and are ornately decorated with religious icons
The Orthodox service, called the Divine Liturgy, is usually long and very elaborate, focused on rituals established early in Christian history
Eastern Churches are led by an Ecumenical Patriarch in Istanbul In 1965 the patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI met and lifted
the excommunications that their predecessors had put in place so long ago
The Eastern Orthodox Church
Only men can be Orthodox priests, and they are allowed to have been married before their ordination; however, once ordained, they cannot marry
The Orthodox Churches promote monastic (living in a monastery) life for men and women
Monastic priests and nuns are not permitted to have been married
The Roman Catholic Church
Led by the Pope, who Catholics believe are successors to Saint Peter and hold the huge membership of the Church together
In 1870 the First Vatican Council strengthened the pope’s authority by making papal infallibilityRoman Catholic doctrine
The Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church today is facing a shortage of priests, particularly in industrialized nations
Catholic priests must be males and they must remain celibate (abstain from marriage) and chaste (abstain from sexual relations)
They have a very strict personal code to maintain in an increasingly secular society
Catholic priests cannot marry and are not permitted to be married before becoming ordained
The Protestant Churches
With the translation of the Bible from Latin to German by Martin Luther Christianity began to spread across Europe
Educated people could now read and interpret the gospels themselves, without the direction of Roman Catholic clerics
Orthodox and Roman Churches had always focused on the importance of both faith and works, but Martin Luther introduced a new view that salvation by faith alone turns the expectation of belief inward
Knowing God through the study of the Bible became more important than following long-established rituals of worship
The Protestant Churches
This brought about the foundation of the Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican and other Christian Churches in the Protestant tradition
Protestant Churches include (but is not limited to): The Lutheran Church The Calvinist or Reformed Church The Anglican Church The Baptist Church The Methodist Church (United Church) The Salvation Army The Pentecostal Church The Evangelical Movement The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Mormons) The Jehovah’s Witness
Related Documents
