Unit 1 Church history

Church

Comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning an assembly of people called out together to to live a life of fellowship and service

Mission of the Church

4 fold: live in community, worship the lord, sharing the message, and serve others

Ecclesia Semper Reformanda

the church is always reforming

Jesus of Nazareth

Born in Bethlehem amid Pax Romana. Spent 2-3 years working in Galilee and taught about the kingdom of God. Executed by crucification and was charged with sedition and raised again in the resurrection

Pax Romana

word meaning roman peace

Kingdom of God

Was what Jesus's ministry was taught about

Sedition

what Jesus was charged with for crucifixion

Acts of the Apostles

Considered the gospel of the church. Written by Luke and addressed to Theophilus. Narrates the growth of the church from its small beginnings to its spread throughout the Roman Empire

Theophilus

Word means friend of god and who acts of the apostles was addressed to

Pentecost

Birthday of the Church

Shavuot

Happens on the same day as Pentecost it celebrates the first fruits of harvest and giving of the law to Moses

St Paul also known as Saul of Tarsus

St.Paul formerly known as Saul of Tarsus. Second most influential figure in the New Testament who had a conversion experience after a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ. Became known as Paul and undertook 3 missionary journeys and established churches and wrote epistles

Church

recruited to root out Christianity

Epistles

letters

House Churches

gatherings of the Early Churches

Council of Jerusalem

First Church council: The main issue discussed was should gentle converts follow Jewish laws. The outcome was gentles were welcomed into the church without needing to follow Jewish customs

Baptismal Theology

Belief that through peoples baptism they are one in Christ

Early Church Beliefs and Practices

centered on the Apostles’ teaching, prayer, etc.

Bapstismal Theology

baptism as a sacred ordinance or sacrament

Role of Women in the Early Church

church leaders, teachers, prophets

Martyrdom

Act of willingly suffering death rather than renouncing one's faith. Come from the Greek word that means witness

Religio

Something that binds

3 charges against Early Christians

Atheism, cannibalism, and incest

St. Stephen

Considered to be the first martyr for boldly proclaiming Jesus as Messiah

Emperor Nero

Roman emperor who during the first Jewish revolt was cruel. He was responsible for the persecutions of many Christians in Rome. He blamed the great fire of Rome on the Christians and began public executions of them afterwards

Emperor Constantine the Great

First stirring of the legalization of the Catholic Church

Chi-Ro

Symbol from God before the Battle of Milvian Bridge

Battle of the Milvian Bridge, what it is, outcome

Constantinople victory was there, led to his embrace of Christianity

Edict of Milan (313 CE) - what it is, its impact on the Church

Made Nicene Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire

5 Patriarchates - identify what a patriarchate is as well

Rome, Jerusalem, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch