Early Christianity Flashcards
What event occurred in 5 - 4 BC?
Birth of Jesus Christ
The birth of Jesus Christ is estimated to have occurred between 5 and 4 BC.
What event occurred in 30 AD?
Crucifixion & Resurrection of Jesus (case for 33 AD can be made)
The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are traditionally believed to have taken place around 30 AD, although some arguments can be made for the year 33 AD.
What event occurred in 313 AD?
Edict of Milan - religious freedom for Christians
The Edict of Milan in 313 AD granted religious freedom to Christians in the Roman Empire.
What event occurred in 325 AD?
Council of Nicaea (first) articulates position on the essence of Christ
The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD discussed and defined the nature of Christ’s essence.
What event occurred in 367 AD?
Athanasius outlines a statement on the NT canon
Athanasius, a prominent Christian bishop, outlined a statement on the New Testament canon in 367 AD.
What is Arianism?
Heretical teachings that declared Jesus was not divine, simply an exceptional human being
Arianism was a heretical belief that rejected the divinity of Jesus Christ, considering him to be an exceptional human being.
What are the different theories of unbelief against resurrection?
- Swoon or Semi-coma
- vision or hallucination
- wrong tomb
- fraud
What did Cornelius Tacitus write about Jesus?
Cornelius Tacitus mentioned Jesus in his work ‘Roman Annals’ (which was a non-Christian or pagan source), stating that Christians got their name from Christ, who was executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius
Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus referred to Jesus in his writings, noting that Christians derived their name from Christ who was executed by Pontius Pilate.
What does the “Christ-myth” school assert?
That Jesus never lived and that He was invented
Has any official record been preserved of any report which Pontius Pilate (or any other Roman governor of Judes) sent to Rome about anything?
No
Did the Jewish side question the existence of Jesus?
No, but it would have been easy for them
Reasons for Christian’s to be a target for Roman persecution
- viewed as disloyal subjects of the empire. Branded as treasonous.
- Christians were thought to be atheists.
- their lifestyle stood in sharp contrast with the Roman culture (particularly the upper class). Christians refused to go to the arena, theaters or public baths.
Chronological review of Christian persecution
Decius. First empire-wide persecution
Diocletian. “The great persecution”
Constantine Edict of Milan: full religious freedom throughout
& the Roman Empire
Licinius
Theodosius. Christianity made state religion of the Roman
Empire
How was the Spread of Christianity?
Appeal (across elements of society) - downtrodden classes, both genders
Christianity time periods/eras
apologists - sought to defend or explain Christianity
polemicists - attacked heretical ideas
What did apologists do?
Sought to defend or explain christianity
What did polemicists do?
Attacked heretical ideas
Defects found among the church fathers
Sacerdotalism
What is sacerdotalism?
The power of the priest as an essential mediator between God & man
Who attended the council of Nicaea?
Constantine & bishops
What does the council of Nicaea represent?
The end of the “pilgrim church” era
What were the 3 positions regarding the essence of Jesus that were put forward at Nicaea?
Arius Jesus a created being
Athanasius Jesus the same essence as the Father
Eusebius (of Caesarea) middle position. Jesus of similar essence
Who were key individuals in the Latin (west) post-niceness church?
Ambrose, Jerome & Augustine
What is Ambrose known for?
Bishop of Milan
Church discipline
What is Jerome known for?
Produced a Latin translation of the Bible commonly called the Vulgate, it became the authorized Roman Catholic Bible
Apocrypha: 14 books of the Septuagint that are not part of the Hebrew Bible - it is rejected by Protestants & jews
How many books are the Apocrypha?
14
What is Augustine known for?
Bishop of Hippo
Emphasized God’s sovereign calling of the elect
A Christian Philosophy of History
Champion of “Whole Tenor Principle”
What is monasticism?
A way of life that emphasizes certain aspects: life-in-community, celibacy, poverty, worship, etc.
What is asceticism and who adopted it?
It is practicing self-denial
It is adopted by some monastics
What is Benedict of Nursia known for?
Poverty, chastity & obedience.
Positive element of monasticism
Monasticism schools were the seats of learning (preservation)
Negative element of monasticism
False standards of holiness develop
