Constantine and the rise of Christianity
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Transcript of Constantine and the rise of Christianity
CONSTANTINE AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITYWeek Six
para = alongside
parallel paralegal parenthesis
ject/jet = throw
projectile jettison eject
CONSTANTINE AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITYWeek Six
I. A bride’s trousseau
The trousseau from the marriage of Secundus and Projecta combines pagan and Christian symbolism.
I. A bride’s trousseau Constantine
integrated Christianity with a pagan empire
Jerusalem Temple
II. The Jesus MovementA. Judaism
Toleration by Romans: No accommodation toward polytheistic cults, but Romans tried not to antagonize them
Pharisees: Stringent Jewish sect that resisted Roman culture, but did not advocate revolt
Zealots: Armed rebellion; Rome responds with severe repression
Masada
II. The Jesus MovementB. Jewish Origins of
Christianity1. Jesus of Nazareth
Message: a kingdom of peace and love
Crucifixion: Jesus, savior of the world, dies a scandalous death
New theology New practices:
ritual meals, feet-washing, baptism
2. Spreading the Faith Paul of Tarsus:
planted churches in Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy
Persecution Attractive
Christianity
II. The Jesus Movement
Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity
Question: How did a tiny and obscure messianic movement dislodge classical paganism and become the dominant faith of Western civilization?
Thesis: The central doctrines of Christianity prompted and sustained attractive, liberating, and effective social relations and organizations.
Questions for discussion, part IChapter One
Describe the network theory of conversion.
Chapters Four and Seven What made Christian
faith so attractive? Push and pull.
biblio/libri = book
bibliography Bible library
corp/carn = body
corpse corporal corpulent
Questions for discussion, part II Chapter Five: Stark argues that Christianity
was especially attractive to women. How so?
Chapter Eight: Stark argues that martyrs were not clinically crazy or masochistic. Why not?
Chapter Ten: In the end, what is the revolutionary message of the early Christians to the Roman world?
III. Constantine—Christianity with an AdvantageA. Empire on the
Defensive Over-extension of
imperial boundaries Archaic economic
system Barbarian menace The Empire under
Diocletian
B. Triumph of Christianity
Rise of Constantine Conversion of
Constantine Official religion of
Rome Suppression of pagan
cults Growth of Christianity
Constantine I
Constantine II
IV. Imperialism—Christianity of Violence
A. Theological debates1. Nature of Christ
Monarchians Gnostics Arians Origen and the
Council of Nicea2. Nature of
Salvation Donatists Pelagians Augustine of
Hippo
B. Coercion Emperor Theodosius Case of Gaza The Big Question
IV. Imperialism—Christianity of Violence
The Spread of Christianity
Critiques of the Constantinian Shift Tertullian: “It is no part of religion to compel
religion” Lactantius: “There is no occasion for violence
and injury, for religion cannot be compelled by force . . . We teach, we prove, we show.”
Augustine: “Christ-followers” had turned into “depraved persons who in mobs fill the churches in a bodily sense only.”
Jesus: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lauds those who are gentle, poor in spirit, peacemakers, and persecuted.
Epilogue #1 Stanley Hauerwas, Shane Claiborne,
Greg Boyd, and American civil religion
Boyd on Constantine
Epilogue #2 The Trousseau