Unit 2 - Lesson 1-4

Question 1

Reasons why the early church grew

Answer 1

1. Unifying language (Greek)
2. Diaspora (believers scattered)
3. Pax Romana
4. People grew tired of pagan Roman religion
5. Destruction of Jerusalem
6. Christian enthusiasm
7. Promise of life after death
8. Free
9. Compassionate
10. Persecution led to martyrdom

Question 2

What are 4 results of the destruction of Jerusalem?

Answer 2

1. It ended the apostolic age (Time of apostles).
2. It split the Jewish and Christian Churches.
3. The focus of the church changed from converting Jew to converting Gentiles.
4. Rome became the center of Christianity.

Question 3

What 4 things caused the Romans to persecute the early church?

Answer 3

1. They proselytized (converted) pagans.
2. They rejected all the Roman pagan gods.
3. They rejected emperor worship. (*Main reason)
4. They are monotheistic (worship of one God)

Question 4

What factors led to the change from the sabbath to Sunday as the day of worship?

Answer 4

1. Break from Judaism
   a. Jews not liked
   b. Wanted to set themselves apart from Jews.
2. Sunday began to be kept as a supplement to the sabbath .
   a. Gradually took its place.
3. Increase in gentile converts.
   a. Many were used to worshiping on the “venerable day of the sun”.
   b. By adapting the Sunday they thought it would draw more pagan converts.

Question 5

Name some pagan holidays that crept into the early church.

Answer 5

1. All Hallows eve (Halloween)- day the dead spirits returned to earth.
2. All saints day - pagan hero worship.
3. Christmas - Egyptian pagan celebration to “thank the gods”.
4. Easter - (season of new birth) pagan holiday celebrating spring.
   Egg= renewal of life!

Question 6

What is the “priesthood of all believers”; what did the Catholic Church require instead?

Answer 6

1. Every believer has the right to go directly to God and ask for forgiveness
2. They required common people to confess their sins to designated priests, who would ask for forgiveness for them

Question 7

3 types of ascetics

Answer 7

1. Monks
2. Nuns
3. Hermits

Question 8

6 levels of church hierarchy

Answer 8

1. Pope
2. Patriarchs
3. Archbishops
4. Bishops
5. Priests
6. Laity

Question 9

Questions to be answered about the “nature of Christ.” Why were they important?

Answer 9

1. Was Christ fully God or was He just another created being?
2. If He wasn’t divine then he couldn’t have saved us from our sins

Question 10

Pentecost

Answer 10

Jewish festival during which the Church was founded in AD 31

Question 11

Rome

Answer 11

Became the new center of Christianity after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Question 12

Church

Answer 12

“Called out”; a community united by a common purpose

Question 13

Christ

Answer 13

The “head” of the Christian “body”

Question 14

Bishop

Answer 14

Church leaders during the persecuted period

Question 15

Constantinople

Answer 15

Became the new center of Christianity in AD 330

Question 16

Elder

Answer 16

“Overseer”

Question 17

Antioch

Answer 17

Christians were first called Christians in this town

Question 18

Deacon

Answer 18

“Servant”

Question 19

Apostles

Answer 19

The leaders of the infant church

Question 20

Clergy

Answer 20

“Called ones”

Question 21

Christians

Answer 21

Followers of Christ

Question 22

Laity

Answer 22

“Common ones”

Question 23

Jews

Answer 23

Made up the majority of converts to Christianity during the infant stage

Question 24

Ichthus

Answer 24

Earliest Christian symbol; a fish

Question 25

Catholic

Answer 25

“worldwide” or “universal”

Question 26

Catacombs

Answer 26

Places of worship during times of persecution

Question 27

Greek

Answer 27

Unifying language of the Roman Empire

Question 28

Edict of Milan

Answer 28

(313) Law passed by Constantine legalizing Christianity

Question 29

Latin

Answer 29

Replaced Greek as official Church language; used by leaders to keep the commoners ignorant

Question 30

Heresy

Answer 30

A belief that goes against what the church believes

Question 31

Pax Romana

Answer 31

300 years of peace in the Roman Empire

Question 32

Apologists

Answer 32

Defended the blending of Christianity and paganism

Question 33

Diaspora

Answer 33

Scattering of Christian believers

Question 34

Polemicists

Answer 34

Spoke out against the blending of religions

Question 35

Third race

Answer 35

Christians; neither Jew nor pagan

Question 36

Relics

Answer 36

“Holy” objects worshipped because of supposed miraculous healing powers

Question 37

Proselytize

Answer 37

To tell others about Jesus

Question 38

Basilica

Answer 38

Buildings used for early church services in the compromising period

Question 39

Martyr

Answer 39

Someone who dies for their beliefs

Question 40

Pilgrimage

Answer 40

Religious journeys

Question 41

Gentiles

Answer 41

Non-Jews

Question 42

Monasticism

Answer 42

The ascetic movement