Christianity

Early followers

First followers were Jewish

focused reforming Judaism

taught fellow jews in Jesus and his ideas

Jesus

Born in Palestine

Ministry was 3 years long

Was crucified in his 30's

Jesus pt2

Followers found his empty tomb

Resurrected from the dead and appeared to his followers

Proclaimed the kingdom of God before ascending

Written materials

Written materials emerged about 25 to 30 years after Jesus's lifetime and gospels

Branches of Christianity

Catholic church, orthodox Christian chruch, and protestant church

Ministry

Centered around Jesus and his teachings

Background

Expectation of Jew's God would intervene in the ‘end times’ on their behalf which would include the Messiah

Sacred texts

Christian Bible (old Testament and the new Testament)

Old Testament

The Hebrew scripture

New Testament

The writings of the 1st and 2nd century church leaders

Old and new Testament

Christian church regards both testaments as inspired but holds the new Testament bears witness to the fulfillment of the old

Writings/sacred texts

Gospels and epistles

Gospels

The genre of oral stories and teaching into written materials (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

Epistles

Letters written by traveling preachers wrote encouragement instruction and correction to small congregations

Apostle Paul

Largely responsible for the spread of belief in Jesus beyond the Jewish world

Apostle acts

Prophesying the destruction of the world or revelation

Language

Greek was predominant language of the literate community in the region

Septuagint

Greek version of the jewish scriptures produced for Jewish people residing in Egypt and other less familiar with the Hebrew

Apocrypha

Protestant reformers of the 16th century used copies of the Jewish Hebrew Canon of scripture as their basis for their translation

Denominational acceptance

Differences of opinion between Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Rastern Orthodox Christians

Creeds

A summary of a statement of faith

Major creeds

Apostles Creds and Nicene Creed

Baptism

Early christian tradition where a person puts on new white clothes, ritual immersion in water, and affirm commitment to Christian beliefs

Apostles Creed

Oldest creed

Formed from questions composed in 159 CE

Acknowledged as the official statement of faith of the catholic church in the west

Christian beliefs

Trinity, Baptism and Lord's supper, Easter and Christmas/holidays that market significant times in Jesus's life

Trinity

Father (God), Son (Jesus), and the holy spirit (power of God)

Schism

A split or division between strongly opposed parties

Schism results

Emergence of catholicism in the west and drive to create a unified church opinion

Led to Protestant reformation in Germany 1517

Great Schism

Long standing disagreements about belief and practice between European churches

Missionaries

Mainly belonged to catholic religious orders

Followed strict rules of life and commitment to spreading the faith

Taught faith to local communities

Puritans

Emigrated to north America in the 17th century

Efforts to bring gospel to indigenous inhabitants of the new England colonies

Misguided attempts increased indigenous people vulnerability to European diseases

Bible translation contribution

Allowed western ifra of Christianity to be modified to cultural assumptions shaped by language

Focused on converting all people to Christian European practices and beliefs