Wk. 1 - Introduction & 2nd Century Flashcards
Why is studying church history important?
God, Bible, & History are linked
Christian History is our History
We make history when we study history
Studying history can help us respond to similar situations today
Describe Palestine
Where Christianity first appeared.
Land of strife and suffering
Trade Crossroads for Egypt, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor & Arabia
When did Alexander the Great defeat Persia?
4th Century BCE. He died shortly after
What is Hellenism?
Alexander sought to spread Greek culture by mixing it with conquered cultures.
How did Hellenism threaten Jewish & Christian Faith?
Challenged faith in a single god
Who are the Maccabees
Led a rebellion in the 2nd century BCE & Gained some measure of religious and political independence
Who did the successors of the Maccabees give way to?
The Seleucids, successors of Alexander in Syria
When did Rome (Pompey) conquer Jerusalem?
63 BCE
How did Rome treat conquered religions & cultures?
Generally tolerant. Mixed religions like Alexander
Who is Herod the Great?
Appointed King of Judea by Romans in 40 BCE
Why did the Jews rebel against Herod the Great?
He put a Roman Eagle on the Temple. He suppressed this uprising with force.
When did Rome intervene and how?
70 CE, Destruction of the Temple
Who are the Pharisees?
Jewish sect that were faithful to the law & tried to make it relevant to new circumstances
Who were the Sadducees?
More conservative Jewish sect. Generally aristocratic & interest primarily on the Temple
What were the two fundamentals of all Jews?
Ethical Monotheism - One God that cared about Proper Worship & proper Relations with other humans
Eschatological Hope - God would one day intervene for Israel
Why did Jewish Diaspora result in biblical translations?
Jews outside of Israel forgot the Hebrew language
What is the Septuagint
Original translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek
Why is it called the Septuagint?
Myth is that 70 Jewish scholars charged with translating the Hebrew Bible independently all came up with the same translation.
Who is Philo of Alexandria
Contemporary of Jesus who tried to show that Pagan philosophy agreed with Hebrew scriptures
Who believed that the God of Scriptures was the same supreme being espoused by philosophers?
Philo of Alexandria
How did Philo of Alexandria help early Christians?
They could use his teachings to give their faith credibility to the pagan cultures
How did Roman culture create tension with Jewish/Christian faith?
Mixed religions and Emperor worship
What is Syncretism
mixing of elements from various religions
How were the Jews and Christians viewed by Romans?
Unbending fanatics
What two philosophies did Christians use to combat views of fanaticism?
Platonism & Stocism
What is Platonism?
Philosophy of Plato and his teacher Socrates that criticized the ancient gods, believed in a single supreme being and immortality of the soul
What is Stocism
Philosophy that held to high moral standards which sought to understand nature, obey it and adjust to it
What are the four virtues of stoicism?
Moral Insight, Courage, Self-control, & Justice
What were the two Jewish/Christian sects discussed in the Book of Acts?
Hellenists & Hebrews
Who were the Hellenists
Those who showed openness to Hellenistic culture
Who were the Hebrews?
Those who kept the customs and language of their ancestors
What claims were the earliest Christians making regarding Judaism?
That fulfillment had come in the Messiah
Where was authority vested in the early Church?
Primarily in the 12 Apostles, also in James brother of Jesus
What church was James, brother of Christ, the leader of?
Church of Jerusalem
Who ordered the death of James brother of John and Peter?
Herod Agrippa, Grandson to Herod the Great
What year was James the Brother of Jesus killed?
62CE
Who contributed most to earliest Christian expansion Hellenists or Hebrews? & Why?
Hellenists, they were the first to be persecuted and thus scattered
Who primarily spread Christianity?
Regular folk. Merchants, Slaves, and other travelers