The Rise of Christianity& the Fall of Rome

Salvador Dali, Christ of St. John of the Cross

Development of Christianity

• Jewish Roots– Romans conquer Judah (a.k.a. Judea), 63 B.C.– Jews treated badly by many conquerors– Belief in Messiah– Jesus was Jewish

Life of Jesus

• Source: Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John), written after Jesus’ death

• Birth & Early Life– Born Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth– Parents Joseph & Mary– Christmas

• Followers & Teachings– Traveling teacher→miracles– 12 disciples– Preached justice, compassion, & coming of God’s kingdom– Parables = stories with clear morals

Jesus Makes Enemies• Forgave those who broke Jewish

religious laws (but Jews believed only God could forgive)

• Associated with sinners & outcasts• Followers claimed Jesus was

Messiah → threat to Jews and Romans

• Traveled to Jerusalem for Passover & was hailed as a king

• Jesus publicly criticized Jewish leaders for how the Temple was run

• Arrested and turned over to Romans for punishment

Death & Legacy of Jesus• Executed by crucifixion• Buried in tomb• According to Gospels, resurrected on 3rd day

– Easter– Birth of faith that Jesus was the son of God & that he had died to bring new life into

to world - Christianity– Sin and death defeated– Key is belief in Jesus’ divinity & purpose

Early Christians & the Church

• Early Church– First members were Jewish converts– Believed Jesus was the promised Messiah– Shared property and had common meals– All members equal (attracted women & slaves)– Charity & helping prisoners– Spread teachings of Jesus and converted others– Conversion of Gentiles

• Conflict arises– Disagreements about Gentile converts – observe the Torah or

not?– Jewish leaders began to see Christianity as a different religion

Paul Spreads Christianity

• Paul’s advantageous background– Born Saul, a Jewish Pharisee – knew

Jewish law– From Tarsus in Asia Minor – heavily

influenced by Greek culture– Roman citizenship allowed him to travel– Pax Romana – safe to travel the Roman

Empire• Road to Damascus

– Sudden conversion to Christianity– Mission to convert Gentiles– Used Roman name Paul when traveled

Paul’s Teachings & Legacy

• Letters (Epistles in New Testament)– Started new churches & kept in touch– Explained Christian beliefs– No need for Gentiles to convert to Judaism before converting to

Christianity– Salvation available for all who believed in Jesus

• Death & Legacy– Arrested in Jerusalem, imprisoned 2 years– demanded to be tried by Caesar in Rome– Arrived in Rome in A.D. 60, imprisoned 2 more years– Still wrote letters until they stopped suddenly– Travels & letters spread Christianity throughout the empire

Rome’s Policy toward Christianity• Tolerated different religions as long as they didn’t

inspire rebellion

• Why Christianity a threat– Refused to worship Roman gods– Appealed to women and slaves– Rumors of Messiah implied end to Roman Empire– Conversion of Gentiles

• Persecutions begin– Scapegoating – Christians blamed for political and

economic troubles– Nero accused Christians of starting fire in Rome in A.D.

64– Imprisonments & executions → martyrs → more

converts

Why Christianity Popular

• Embraced all people: men and women, slaves, the poor and powerless

• Gave hope to the powerless• Spirituality attractive to those fed up with gross

luxury and wastefulness of wealthy Romans• Personal relationship with a loving god• Promise of eternal life after death• Supportive community – hospitals, schools, social

services

Emperor Constantine• Becomes emperor in A.D. 306• Battle with rivals in A.D. 312

– Amidst fighting, Constantine prays for help– Christian cross in the sky: “In this sign you will

conquer.”– Soldiers put cross on shields and flags– Constantine wins battle– Ends persecution of Christians

• Legalization of Christianity– Edict of Milan – made Christianity legal– Builds churches– Christian symbols on coins– Sunday a day of rest and worship– Constantine formally converts at the end of his

life

The Roman Catholic Church

• 380 A.D. – Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of Rome

• 390 A.D. – Theodosius closed all non-Christian temples

• Church hierarchy Pope (Archbishop of Rome)

Bishops

Parish priests, monks, friars

Nuns

The End of the Roman Empire

• Causes– Economic problems

• No new conquests → no new sources of wealth• Taxes• Decline in agriculture• Food shortages & internal unrest

– Military Problems• Constant wars with nomadic peoples• Mercenaries

– Political and Social Problems• Size of the empire• Corruption• Decline in loyalty, sense of civic duty, & education

The Empire Splits

• 235-284 A.D. – 37 emperors; 34 died in civil war or by assassination

• 284 A.D. – Diocletian takes power– Restores order– Permanent border patrols– Fed poor– Divides empire into east and west; takes east for himself– Appoints Maximilian to rule western portion

• 306 A.D. – Civil war– Constantine becomes emperor– Changes capitol to Byzantium in 330 A.D. → Constantinople– Power shifts to the eastern empire

The End

• Germanic “barbarians” conquer Rome in 476 A.D. – the end of the Western Roman Empire

• Western Europe falls into darkness– Roads and public structures decay or are destroyed– Trade and commerce decline– Illiteracy spreads– Only the Roman Catholic Church survives

• Eastern Empire becomes Byzantine Empire and lives on