I. Religious Situation in Roman Empire in time of Christ

• A. Many people spiritually dissatisfied by available religions
• B. Many people felt alone and weak in the enormous empire, which cared only about wealth and power
• C. In response, new religions arose - the Mystery Cults
  • 1. Mostly based on Persian or Egyptian religion
  • 2. Promised secret magical powers to followers
  • 3. Often painful, expensive initiation rituals
  • 4. Often exclusive to certain groups - most popular was men-only
  • 5. Many viewed Christianity as a new mystery cult, though it was clearly different

II. Beginnings

• A. Dates for Christ uncertain - 6-4BC - 33AD, roughly
• B. Part of the Jewish tradition
  • 1. Charismatic faith healer
  • 2. Claimed fulfillment of Jewish prophecies
  • 3. Reflects different strains of Judaism 
    • a. Pharisees
      • i. virtue, benevolence, love and charity in ethics
      • ii. messianic hope for the establishment of a Kingdom of God on Earth
    • b. Essenes
      • i. apocalyptic withdrawal
      • ii. strict adherence to Law, emphasis on purity
      • iii. communal living, and ownership of property
      • v. importance of baptism and power of prophecy
      • vi. charity work
    • c. Zealots
      • i. God only true ruler
      • ii. No compromise with the Empire; called for and predicted the destruction of the Empire
• C. Second most important figure is Paul 6-67AD
  • 1. Hellenized Jew, Roman citizen
  • 2. cosmopolitan
  • 3. Used this background to travel, evangelize in Mediterranean
  • 4. Organized early Christian communities
  • 5. Took advantage of Roman roads, peace of empire, to travel widely
  • 6. Dies in anti-Christian persecutions of Emperor Nero

• A. Truly egalitarian - all equal in eyes of God
• B. Universal - anyone could join
• C. Evangelical - actively sought converts
• D. Offered hope and optimism in an unforgiving empire
• E. Spirit of mutuality - obligation to help others
• F. Strongly idealistic, while Roman empire cared only for wealth and power

• A. Persecuted as a non-Roman religion
  • 1. Christians refused to honor Roman gods
  • 2. Misunderstood as slave religion, as cannibalistic
  • 3. Persecution worst under Diocletian, but by then had spread throughout much of Empire
• B. Legalized under Emperor Constantine
  • 1. Edict of Milan, 313 AD
  • 2. This leads to Council of Nicae 325AD
    • a. brought Bishops from all over Empire together
    • b. established what would be considered orthodox belief, what would not
  • 3. 367 AD - Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, is first to put together what is now accepted as the canonical list of New Testament books
• C. Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of Empire - 381AD

• A. Because of persecution, could not have unified leadership before 313 AD
• B. Instead, depended on local leaders - Bishops - who organized on a regional level
• C. Bishops over priests over lay believers
• D. Often, because of isolation, many regional variations to Christianity
• E. Council of Nicae finally brings unity
• F. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, 354-430AD
  • 1. As Western Roman Empire collapsed, he defended Christianity against those who said it was responsible for collapse
  • 2. Put Christianity on solid philosophical ground
  • 3. City of God - church should focus on spirituality before political concerns
  • 4. Encouraged spirituality and meditation - this leads to monasticism.
  • 5. Christians should subordinate their will to the Church
  • 6. Developed the idea of original sin, that humans are inherently sinful
  • 7. Has much impact on medieval Christianity