RELS MIDTERM

The Great Schism (1054 AD)

The division between the Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern Orthodox churches, marked by debates over the Holy Spirit.

Pharisees

Religious legalists who believed in strict adherence to the Torah and oral law.

Monotheism

Belief in one God, central to Jewish faith.

Sadducees

Worldly priests who accepted only the Torah and were aligned with Roman authority.

Conventional Wisdom

The idea that good behavior according to the gods leads to success, while wrongdoing leads to misfortune.

Canon formation

The process of determining what would be included in the Bible, influenced by apostolic authority and tradition.

Historical Criticism

Methodology examining the historical context and sources of biblical texts.

Biblical Inspiration

The belief that all scripture is 'God-breathed' and useful for teaching and correction.

Apostolic Authority

The principle that writings attributed to apostles or their close associates hold significant weight in canon formation.

Patristic Views on inspiration

church fathers belief that scripture and inspiration is in many things, songs, sermons, other writings that are outside the bible.

Historical Context of Early Christianity

Understanding the origins of Christianity within its Jewish and Greco-Roman environments.

Textual Criticism

The study of the text of the Bible and its transmission through history.

Source Criticism

• understanding that biblical authors had other materials used to write the gospels and letters

Form Criticism

Determines the oral traditions behind written documents in the Bible.

Redaction Criticism

Focuses on how authors shaped their works intentionally for theological ends. composed by a theologian with a very well defined purpose 

Greco-Roman Religiosity

The belief systems prevalent in the Roman Empire, including various mystery religions and emperor worship.

Diatessaron

A harmony of the four Gospels compiled by Taitian in the 3rd century.

Mystery Religions

Religious systems involving secret knowledge and initiation rites, such as those dedicated to the Cult of Isis.

Historical Context of Early Christianity: Jewish

Exploration of early Christianity's roots within Jewish traditions and beliefs.

Pharisaic Law

Focus on living according to legal and oral traditions, emphasized by the Pharisees.

Christianity and Hellenistic Philosophy

The blending of Christian teachings with ideas from Greek philosophy, particularly Plato.

Post-Temple Judaism

The shift in Judaism from sacrificial practices to a focus on legal observance after the Temple's destruction.

Inspiration in the Early Church was a…

Broadened understanding of what constituted divine inspiration in early Christianity.

• Catholic meant

• universal

  
  

• Two primary places where christianity was upheld 

1. Rome (western church)

2. Eastern Church

What was the argument that started the great schism in 1054AD?

Did the holy spirit come from the son and the father or just the father?

4 cults focusing on the weak and suffering promised purification and salvation

The cult of :

1.Kybele

2.Isis

3.Adonis

4.Mithraism

Historical context: Three questions to approach the biblical text 

1. What did it mean (historical)

2. What has it means (meant throughout time/course of history)

3. What does it mean to me?

Transmission vs translation

Transmission: copying down text EXACTLY THE SAME.

Translation: translating into a different language

Technical definition of canon (2 diff senses)

sense #1 - revealed truth

sense #2 list of index

criteria to be considered into the canon

1. apostolic authority (apostle wrote of closely associated with them)

2. antiquity (must be within apostolic age - around 70 AD)

3. orthodoxy

4. catholicity

5. traditional use

6. inspiration

Pharisees: key beliefs

monotheistic

study of law is true worship - SUPER STRICT

more liberal than saducees

believed in life after death, angels and demons

pharisees: activités

served as religious authorities for most jews

way to god = obedience to law

opposed Jesus for denying law (sabbath)

self- sufficient and haughtys

saducees: origin

key beliefs

origin : not known

beliefs: stressed written law (so sabbath like Pharisees would not be the same bc its not in the Bible w their specific rules)

didn’t believe in oral law

no angels, demon, resurrection, life after death

saducees: activities

political control in Sanhedrin

hellenism (despised by Jewish ppl )

Larger biblical canon

opposed Jesus because wealth and position is threaten by him (came with big army to arrest one person)

Zealots:

def: religious zeals.

In jewish revolt against Rome for increased tax

Extremely against Rome - terrorists

Herodians

supported Herod the Great

wealthy

accepted hellenization