4.4 The rise of Christianity

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 1

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The culture of the empire

Explain that there was 'religious tolerance' in the Roman empire.

Does it belong to the Greeks, Romans or both?

Greeks

Romans

Both

Columns

Arches

Poseidon

Dome

Polytheism

Democracy

4.4 The rise of Christianity

Open your notebook.

Succes criteria

You can explain:

• How Jews ended up everywhere in the Roman empire
• How Christianity formed
• How Christianity was spread and followed
• How Christianity became the Roman state religion

Jews in the empire

• In 63 B.C. the Romans conquered the territory of the Jews
  
• They made it into a Roman province and called it Judea
  
• The Jews had their own monotheistic religion
• After a revolt, the Jews are chased out of Judea by the Romans and spread around the world; Diaspora

Map of the jewish diaspora

Explain the term 'monotheism'.

Drag the pin to Judea

Jesus

• Jesus was a jewish preacher who announced his ideas about the jewish religion
• The Romans saw Jesus as criminal because he undermined Roman authority
• Because of this he was arrested and crusified
• His followers came to see him as the 'Messiah' who died for their sins

In the ancient Jewish books it is written that one day a 'messiah' will come and free the people from their oppressors.

Many people thought that Jesus was that messiah, his followers are called Christians .

Christ = Greek for messiah

Jesus on the cross, which later became a symbol of christianity.

4.4 The rise of Christianity

Open your notebook.

Succes criteria

You can explain:

• How Jews ended up everywhere in the Roman empire
• How Christianity formed
• How Christianity was spread and followed
• How Christianity became the Roman state religion

What kind of faiths are Judaism and Christianity?

1. Polystheistic
2. Monotheistic

Write down what you have learned about the life of Jesus.

What kind of faiths are Judaism and Christianity?

1. Polystheistic
2. Monotheistic

A forbidden religion

• Followers of Jesus go out into the world to spread Christianity
• More and more people in the Roman Empire convert to Christianity
• Many Romans disliked Christians partly because they did not want to worship the state gods
• If things were going bad in the empire, the Christians were blamed.
• Christians were increasingly persecuted and killed

Christians being persecuted by the Romans.

Around the year 100, the Roman historian Tacitus wrote:

In 64 there was a big fire: half of Rome burned down. 

Soon it was told that Emperor Nero had ordered the fire to be started because he needed space for a new palace.

That is why Nero blamed the Christians. He had them severely punished.

For example, they were given beast skins to be torn apart by wild dogs, or crucified, or killed by fire: at the end of the day they were lit to serve as streetlights. 

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Why were christians persecuted by the Romans?

A popular religion

• Most religions in the Roman empire believed in an afterlife that was a continuation of real life
• Christians belevied that everyone who lived well and believed in Jesus could go to heaven
• Very attractive for slaves and women
• Women from wealthy/powerful families became christian and introduced it into their households

A new state religion

• Persecution stopped when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity
  
• He gave Christians freedom of religion in 313 AD
  
• In 392 AD, Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire

What kind of faiths are Judaism and Christianity?

1. Polystheistic
2. Monotheistic

Explain what attracted people to Christianity.

Why did many Romans hate the Christians in the beginning?

Explain why religious tolerance in the empire ended in 392 AD.

To work (new section)

• What? First read section 4.5, then make assignment 1 to 3
• Help? Teacher
• Finished?  Work on other subject