A Growing Faith
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* A Growing Faith
description
A Growing Faith. Main Idea : Christianity won many followers and eventually became the official religion of the Roman Empire. . A Growing Faith . Lecture Focus : Why do you think people like to belong to a community? Think about the Roman culture and their communities…. A Growing Faith . - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of A Growing Faith
*A Growing Faith
*A Growing Faith * Main Idea:
* Christianity won many followers and eventually became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
*A Growing Faith * Lecture Focus:
* Why do you think people like to belong to a community? Think about the Roman culture and their communities…
*A Growing Faith * During the 100 years after Jesus’ death Christianity won followers
throughout the Roman world.
* The Empire itself helped spread Christian ideas.
*A Growing Faith * The peace and order established by Rome allowed people to travel in
relative safety.
* Christians used well paved Roman roads to carry their messages from place to place
*A Growing Faith
* Since most of the empire’s people spoke either Latin or Greek, Christians could talk with them directly.
*A Growing Faith * Why did Christianity attract followers?
* First, the Christian message gave meaning to people’s lives.
*A Growing Faith * Rome’s official religion “Roman Mythology” urged people to honor the state
and the Emperor.
* Christianity instead reached out to the poor and the powerless who lead very difficult lives, it offered hope and comfort.
*A Growing Faith * Second, the ideas of Christianity were familiar to many Romans.
* They already knew about other eastern religions and like these faiths Christianity appealed to the emotions and promised happiness after death.
*A Growing Faith * Finally, Christianity gave people the chance to be part of a caring group.
* Within their churches, Christians not only worshiped together but helped each other and organized their communities better.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians* Over time, Roman officials began to see the Christians as a threat.
* All people in Rome were usually allowed to worship freely, but Christians had to honor the emperor and their god.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
*Christians, like the Jews, believed in one god and refused to do this.
* Christians also refused to serve in the army or hold public office.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
* The Christians criticized Roman festivals and games…GLADIATORS!!!
* Thus the Romans saw the Christians as traitors who deserved punishments
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
* In 64 C.E. the Roman government began to persecute, or mistreat Christians.
* At this time , the Emperor of Rome, Nero falsely accused Christians of starting a fire that burned much of Rome.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
* Christianity was made illegal by Rome and many Christians were slaughtered.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
*During these difficult times, many Christians became martyrs…people willing to die rather than give up their
beliefs.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
*At that time, Romans required dead people to be cremated, or burned to ashes.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians* This was an issue for Christians, because they wanted to bury their dead.
* They were forced to bury their dead outside in catacombs, or underground burial places.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
* Catacombs were also used for religious services during times of persecution, or when Rome was on the hunt for Christians.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians* Even with all of the hardships, Christianity spread.
* Over time it even began to draw people from all classes…rich people…poor people
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
* After 250 C.E., many Romans grew tired of war and feared the end of the Empire.
* They began to admire the faith of the Christians.
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
*Questions:
*What does the term persecute mean?
*What was a Christian martyr?
*What does the term catacomb mean?
*What did the Romans do when they became tired of war?
*How did the Romans Treat the Christians
*Questions:
*What does the term persecute mean?
* To mistreat people
*What was a Christian martyr?
* A person willing to die than to give up their beliefs
*What does the term catacomb mean?
* They were underground burial places.
*What did the Romans do when they became tired of war?
* They began to admire the Christians faith
*Christian Catacombs * Christians believed in resurrection, the idea that the body would one
day reunite with the soul.
* For this reason, they would not allow their bodies to be burned, which was a Roman costume.
*Christian Catacombs * Also, Roman law did not allow bodies to be buried aboveground.
* Therefore, starting in 100 C.E., Christians buried their dead beneath the city of Rome in a series of dark, cold, stench filled tunnels called…catacombs.
* Catacomb entrances were often found in Churches or cemeteries.
*Christian Catacombs
*Christian Catacombs *Each tunnel was about 8 feet high and less then 3 feet
wide.
*Bodies were stacked in slots along the sides of tunnels.
*Christian Catacombs
*Catacombs walls were painted with images from the bible, Greek Mythology and Roman Mythology.
*Christian Catacombs
*Christian Catacombs * More than five million bodies were buried under Roman streets and buildings.
* Many Christians buried in the catacombs were martyrs who had been killed for their beliefs.(Paris Catacombs)
*Christian Catacombs * Paris Catacombs:
* The catacombs were maintained through the donations of the relatives of the deceased.
* Each new body was placed in a temporary niche and later placed
into a more permanent place.
* As long as the contributions continued, the body remained in
its proper place but when the relatives did not send money any
more, the body was put aside on a shelf until they resumed payment. * .
*Christian Catacombs *Questions:
*Why did Christians bury their dead in catacombs?
*What skills do you think would be necessary to dig and plan catacombs?
*Rome Adopts Christianity* In the early 300’s C.E. the emperor Diocletian carried out the last
great persecution of Christians.
* It failed, and Roman officials realized that Christianity was to strong to be destroyed.
*Rome Adopts Christianity* Then in 312 C.E., the Roman Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity
as his religion.
* According to tradition, Constantine saw a flaming cross in the sky as he was about to go into battle.
*Rome Adopts Christianity* Written beneath the cross were Latin words that said “In this sign you will conquer”.
* Constantine won the battle and believed that the Christian god had helped him.
*Rome Adopts Christianity* In 313 C.E. Constantine issued an order called the Edict of Milan.
* It gave religious freedom to all people and for the first time in Roman history made Christianity legal.
*Rome Adopts Christianity* Constantine began giving government support to Christianity.
* With the help of his mother, Helena, he built churches in Rome and Jerusalem.
*Rome Adopts Christianity*He also let church officials serve in the government and excused them
from paying any type of tax.
* Constantine's successor, the emperor Theodosius, made Christianity Rome’s official religion in 392 and outlawed all other religions.
*Rome Adopts Christianity*Questions:
*Why was emperor Constantine important for Christianity in Rome?
*What did Constantine and his mother build throughout Rome and Jerusalem?
*What did Theodosius do to Christianity in the Roman Empire?
*Rome Adopts Christianity*Questions:
*Why was emperor Constantine important for Christianity in Rome?
*Accepted Christianity as his religion and made it legal in Rome.
*What did Constantine and his mother build throughout Rome and Jerusalem?
*Churches
*What did Theodosius do to Christianity in the Roman Empire?
*Made it the official religion of Rome in 392 C.E.
*Rome Adopts Christianity*Reading Check:
*Explain in a well written paragraph why did the Romans see the Christians as traitors???
