Test 2 Flashcards
Who had absolute rule and what did they control?
Emperors had absolute rule. They controlled the government, the military, and the people.
In what year did the Roman Empire has decree that there shall be no new Christians?
202 ad
What were forbidden or suffer the pain of death. The government sees the Christian “sect” as bad news because they refuse to offer the required sacrifice to the pagan empire or fight in the Roman military?
Conversions
Who believes that Christianity must be stopped before others join them and upset the system?
The Romans
Under emperor Nero, which two important church fathers were martyred?
UNDER NERO, PETER AND PAUL WERE MARTYRED
IXOYE
Soon, Christians began to attach meaning to the word “fish” itself. The Greek letters for ichthus (meaning “fish”, pronounced “ICK-THOOS”) became an acronym
I=Jesus; X=Christ; O=God’s; Y=Son; E=Savior.
Today, when someone displays the fish symbol, it means….
Today, the believer who displays the fish symbol has accepted the same New Testament teaching that these early Christians accepted: Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior
Early Christians, fearing for their lives, often met here in secret to gather, pray, encourage one another and share a meal.
House Churches
A person who is willing to sacrifice everything, ever thier life, in order to honor God.
Martyr
In order to deal with the instability of the growing Roman Empire, he divided the empire into two larger regions; east and west.
one of the worst emperors when it came to human rights, persecuting and killing many people, especially Christians, because of their religion.
Diocletian
During the battle, this person saw a bright light and the words, “You Will Conquer”, written in the sky. Even though he was not a Christian, he believed it was Jesus speaking to him.
He had the symbol, the Chi Rho, engraved on the shields of all his soldiers.
Constantine.
chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ)
chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ) are the first two letters of Greek ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ(Khristos)Christ, used as a Christian symbol.
313 AD- Constantine issued this Edict, making Christianity a legal religion in Rome.
During this time Christianity spread greatly.
Constantine was baptized a Christian on his deathbed.
Edict of Milan
a false teaching that rejects a truth that has been revealed by God and taught by the Church.
Heresy
To stop the spread of heresies, what was done?
local bishops gathered for meetings called synods.
What discussed ways to clarify the truth to confused Christians.
Synods
This heresy was started by a priest named Arius.
This denied that Jesus was both God and man.
It believed that Jesus was not God, but a created being who existed before the world was created.
Arianism/Arian Heresy
In 325 Emperor Constantine called a meeting to clarify a heresy and invited every bishop in the world to attend. This became the first Ecumenical (worldwide) council.
Council of Nicea.
This became the first Ecumenical (worldwide) council.
Council of Nicea.
What did the council of Nicea do?
Council of Nicaea
to establish the core beliefs of Christianity, leading to the Nicene Creed.
When was the first ecumenical council done?
325 AD
Courageous leaders within the early Church who wrote letters, homilies and books to help other Christians better understand Jesus Christ and their faith.
Church fathers.
An important Church Father who wrote letters to Christian communities encouraging them to stay close to their bishops, love one another and to rejoice in dying for Christ.
Ignatius
nicknamed “golden mouthed” because of his inspiring sermons.
John Chrysostom
After a long search for truth, this Church Father became a bishop, teacher, writer and theologian
Augustine-
The statement of doctrine produced was the one that all of Christianity would follow and obey, called the
“Nicene Creed.”
statement of shared beliefs within a religious community.——
Creed
Rome began to decline so Constantine did what?
moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Constantinople.
In 380 AD this emperor declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.
—He could not rule the empire, divided in two again
-Western Roman Empire with capital in Rome
-Eastern Roman Empire with capital in Constantinople
Theodosius
form of a religious life in which men and women practice disciplines of silence, chastity, prayer, fasting, confession, good works, obedience, and vigils.
Monasticism
–Father of Monasticism
Saint Anthony of Egypt
Why did Rome fall?
Taxes were too great, many rich people stopped paying
Plague (disease) spread throughout Rome, killing 1 in 10
Famine: There was not enough food to feed people
—Military only in it for money
—No money to pay military = weak military
—Constant threat of invaders on empire’s borders
—Weak military, unable to stop border invasions
people lived without any central authority and or protection from invaders
Compelled by their need for food and land and fleeing the vicious Huns, who gradually overran the Roman Empire?
—
Germanic tribes.
Germanic Tribes began burning, looting, and pillaging.
—For Christians, the invasions marked the end of what?
the world as they had known it.
—
But amid the murk and gloom, a small flame shone bravely and steadily what was it?
—
In monasteries that had survived the invasions, monks were tending the light of Christian civilization, culture, and learning.—
In the year 476 as what happened?
Western Roman Empire falls.
—Western Empire was divided into many kingdoms that adopted many of the customs of Rome.
Germanic Tribes continue to invade Rome Between 500 -1000
—German tribes wanted warmer area, and Roman riches.
—After the invasions, people began to starve because no one knew how to cultivate the land.
—Law and order is gone
—Communication was shut down
—Pagan worship started up again
—No school, arts, music and science
Dark ages
What happened during the dark ages that was good for the church?
Church worked to protect innocent people.
—Preached a Gospel of peace and love.
—Church Bishops assumed authority to protect the people from tax collectors.
—Bishops also ran the cities when civil authorities broke down.
This Pope led the Church through the difficult times of the early Middle Ages.
—He organized Rome and negotiated peace.
—Most important, he sent monks to every land to evangelize the invaders and to preach the Good News to all people.
Pope Saint Gregory the Great
—Invasion took away away everyday stability. Everyone lived in fear. What did Saint Benedict do?
—
Saint Benedict provided a way of life that provided stability based on the values of prayer and hard work.
—
These Monks established monasteries all over Europe that lived and taught the Rule of the person in which they were named.
Benediction Monks established monasteries all over Europe that lived and taught the Rule of St. Benedict.
What were centers of learning and prayer?
Benedictine Monasteries were centers of learning and prayer.
establishes a way of life rooted in the Gospel and grounded in the scriptural principles of charity humility stability faithfulness
Rule of Saint Benedict–
In 800 AD this powerful emperor protected the pope and the Church, established schools, and made laws that supported the Church.
—
Emperor Charlemagne
For all the good Charlemagne did, the difference between the Church and the empire became what?
unclear, causing Church leaders to forget their real roles as servants of God.
Under Charlemagne the what and what were united?
Church and state.
—Church leaders became more and more involved in government, then what?
they sometimes forgot about their role as servants of God.
What problems raised in the church after Charlemagn
Some members of the clergy became rich and powerful.
—Clergy began to forget to live by Gospel values and began to rule like kings acting proud and greedy.
—God called forth leaders within the church to get the Church back on track.
This pope was a reformer who got the Church refocused on its mission.
He said that the pope, not the king, should appoint bishops.
—he started the reform, but it took 300 years before kings realized they did not control the Church and that God has true authority.
Pope Gregory the VII
——
Who Ruled for over 500 Years!
The Roman Empire
