Ancient and Medieval Christianity Flashcards
Palestine was the trade routes between which lands?
Egypt with Mesopotamia and Asia Minor with Arabia
Christianity first appeared in which land?
Palestine
The Seleucids, in 63 BCE, deposed of the last Maccabean… namely?
Aristobulus II
When was Herod the Great appointed king of Judea?
40 BCE
What were the two fundamental tenets of all Jews?
ethical monotheism and eschatological hope
What is the LXX?
The septuagint… Greek translation of Hebrew Bible
Who was a contemporary of Jesus who sought to show that the best of pagan philosophy agreed with the Hebrew scriptures?
Philo of Alexandria
What helped the spread of early Christianity most?
freedom and efficiency of Rome
What is ‘the indiscriminate mizing of elements from various religions’?
Syncretism
What to philosophical systems did Christians find helpful to speak with the Hellenistic culture?
Platonism and Stoicism
What is ‘apatheia’?
Life without passions
What is the first conflict in the early church?
Before there were even Gentiles “Hebrews” and “Hellenists” had a crisis.
Who was the earliest persecution aimed at?
Hellenistic Christians
What two days did early Christians fast on each week?
Wednesday and Friday
What are God-fearers?
Gentiles who had come to believe in Israel’s God and ethical teachings but had not joined the ranks of Israel.
Where were the first followers of Jesus called ‘Christians’?
Antioch
What is the ‘catechumenate’?
A person preparing for baptism under the rule of Christian rules and teaching.
Who affirms that their were two persons by the name of John in the early church?
Papias of Hierapolis
Who were the “founders” of the church in Alaxandria?… Constantinople?… Spain?… India?
Mark… Phillip… James… Thomas
What are three ways the church spread and by whom was it spread?
Persecution, business, and missionary calling. While we have stories of those who were revered as founders and saints, the majority of the gospel was spread by thousands of unnamed travelers.
Who expelled the Jews rom Rome around 51 CE?
Emperor Claudius
Suetonius, a Roman historian, says the Jews were expelled because…
The claim of Christians that the Messiah had come was causing so many riots.
AFTER it was clear their was a clear distinction between Christians and Jews, and that their message was spreading around the empire, what were Christians ordered to do?
Show their loyalty by worshipping the emperor.
Why did Paul STILL believe he was being persecuted?
“for the hope of Israel”
When did Nero take the throne?
54 CE
Explain the ‘great fire’ under Nero… When..How… What
June 18, 64 CE. A rumor arose that Nero himself ordered the city destroyed only to be rebuilt, but Tecitus seems inclined to believe in started in an oil warehouse. Two areas that had not burned contained many Jews and Christians. Therefore, the emperor decided to blame the Christians.
What social activities did many Christians abstain from?
