I. Acts 2 The Birth of the Church to Imperial Christianity (c. 31 AD 313 AD) A. From Jewish sect to separate religion called Christianity:

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1 Part I-III Page 1 Sessions 1-3: Patterns of Church History from its inception to the High Medieval Period, Part I-III. Reading assignment: Gonzalez, Vol. 1:31-36, 49-52, 92-98, Session 1. Session 2 - A Global History, 55-57(top only), 67-68(top only), 71-81, , I. Acts 2 The Birth of the Church to Imperial Christianity (c. 31 AD 313 AD) A. From Jewish sect to separate religion called Christianity: 1. Jewish sects at time of Christ Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, Essenes each rejected Jesus because of their expectations of Messiah. 2. What type of Messiah (anointed one) did each group want? Messiah equals Christ linguistically, but not theologically. Differences: Messiah deliverer, judge, king, one anointed by God to perform a task. Christ divine savior, son of God, redeemer. 3. Nazarenes Christ-followers seen as another Jewish sect until c. 90 AD. Final total separation Bar Kochba revolt 135 AD. B. Factors leading to complete separation of Jews and Christians: 1. Destruction of Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD 2. Jewish view of Messiah vs. Christian view 3. Jewish attitude toward Roman gov t vs. Christian view 4. Christian refusal to participate in Bar Kochba revolt (135 AD) C. Persecution 31 AD to 311/313 AD (from death of James of Zebedee to edicts of Galerius and Constantine (Edict of Milan). 1. First by a Roman emperor Nero in 64 AD 2. Most persecutions were local/regional, often precipitated by superstition or jealousy. Romans believed in worshiping gods of the land, failure to do so brought plagues etc. 3. Only two empire-wide persecutions under Emperors Decius (256 AD) and Diocletian ( AD). 4. Christian response: a theology of suffering martyrdom viewed as opportunity to be purified/perfected and as spiritual warfare against Satan (martyrdom represented in iconography as baptism of fire or baptism in blood). 5. Christian response martyrs became revered for their holiness, later became saints. 6. Christian response: martyrdom seen as opportunity for church to grow (Tertullian: the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church ). 7. Great Persecution AD last persecution of Christians before Constantine makes Christianity the imperially sponsored religion in 313 (Edict of Milan toleration of all religions in Rome).

2 Part I-III Page 2 D. Early apologists defenders of the Christian faith. Responded to accusations made against Christian practices. Attempts to make Christianity intelligible to Roman mindset. 1. Roman accusations against Christians incest, drink blood of babies, cannibalism, worshiped an ass, lower class origins (women and slaves as leaders) 2. Why Romans distrusted Christians saw Christianity as a mystery religion, considered Christians to be atheists because they refused to worship Roman gods, saw Romans as unpatriotic and traitors because they refused to offer pinch of incense for the emperor. 3. Intellectual objections Roman Neoplatonic influence viewed both resurrection and crucifixion as foolish as will of God since matter was seen as evil. E. Christian worship and leadership 1. New Testament church met in homes, oldest church building converted from home dates c. 240s AD at Dura-Europos. 2. Early leadership of church had men and women. Two-tiered bishops/elders & deacons. Bishops (episcopos) and elders (presbyteros) often interchangeable, bishop was pastor in NT church. By 3 rd century bishops were regional spiritual leaders. The bishop of Rome will later become the pope in 5 th c. 3. Worship service scripture reading, hymn singing, and Eucharist as part of a larger agape meal. Met first day of week to celebrate Lord s resurrection. 4. Baptism NT done immediately; by late 2 nd c. 3 year wait for catechumens. By 3 rd c. baptisms done once a year on Easter, full immersion, separated by genders, naked. II. Imperial Christianity Constantine the Great, the 1 st Christian Emperor 4 th c. A. Shift in identity of church from persecuted minority to triumphant partners with the state. Constantine builds churches, pays salaries of bishops, gives to churches, calls and sponsors ecumenical church councils, pays for the formation of the biblical canon. Establishes pattern of caesaropapism in the east which will continue until the 15 th c. (unity between emperor and the church to degree that emperors appoint patriarchs, call councils and influence aspects of Orthodox Church doctrine). B. Heresy conflicts heresy issues increase and involve greater governmental participation to degree that by Middle Ages, heresy is considered a crime against the state and is punished by secular rulers.

3 Part I-III Page 3 C. Church worship takes on greater formality, reminiscent of imperial patterns. Churches built by emperor called basilicas (same name as Roman government buildings). Bishops involved in imperial politics as well as oversight of large ecclesiastical regions. D. Fall of Rome in early 5 th c. multiple barbarian tribes attack Roman Empire resulting in its eventual collapse. Papacy and monasteries are only two surviving institutions entering into medieval period. III. Middle Ages AD A. Christendom European societies in which all were baptized at birth. To be a member of society was to be a member of the church. Church and state worked together to control all aspects of life. B. Early medieval period regulated by multiple local tribal societies. Primary characteristics: superstitious, illiterate, bartering. Major shift from the centralized bureaucratic structure of Roman society of Late Antiquity to the fragmented societies of European countries. C. 800 AD Charlesmagne the first Holy Roman Emperor anointed by Pope Leo III. Begins the rivalry and partnership of medieval kings and popes. D. After 1000 AD, shift in structural aspects of European governments 1. Weakened power of kings and strengthened power of lords, giving rise to feudalism, oppressed peasantry. 2. Shift of inheritance traditions from cognatic to agnatic (inheritance shifts from daughter to first-born son, resulting in weaker power of women in medieval society). 3. Technological advances, increased mobility led to social fragmentation. E. Scholasticism 1050 to late 1200s applying reason to questions of faith 1. Scholarship began in monastery schools, later cathedral schools, eventually giving rise to universities. 2. Early scholastics like Anselm in late 11 th c. based on realism (Platonism). 3. Later scholastics like Thomas Aquinas based on Aristotelianism (translated by Muslim scholar Averroes).

4 Part I-III Page 4 F. Crusades First Crusade called by Pope Urban II in Justifications: a. Defeat Moslems who threatened Constantinople b. Reconquer Holy Land for Christianity c. Reunite Eastern and Western Christianity d. Divert energy of Europeans away from internecine wars to destroy outsiders 2. Effects of the Crusades a. Cultural interactions between classes, across religious boundaries between Muslims and Christians, sharing of intellectual and social ideas (chivalry, philosophy, customs), technologies. b. Increased travel and commerce c. Fourth Crusade sacked Constantinople (1204), leading to temporary control of Eastern Orthodox church by the Western Roman Catholic church and eventual weakness causing it to fall to the Turks in d. Gave rise to permanent distrust between Muslims and Christians which continues to present day. e. Increased international power of pope G. Medieval Christian Beliefs and Practices 1. Church calendar full calendar of holy days based on saints, Easter, Christmas, Lent, Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras, Advent. 2. Individual cooperated in salvation by performance of good works. 3. Seven sacraments baptism, confirmation, penance, communion, marriage, ordination, extreme unction. 4. Baptism washed away original sin, no unbaptized would go to heaven. 5. Purgatory after death where believer underwent further training in order to love God perfectly, not punishment, but character formation. 6. Transubstantiation Roman Catholic view of Eucharist in which the bread and wine were transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ as a result of prayer of authorized representative (the priest). Doctrine developed by Aquinas based on Aristotelian thought. H. Papacy 1. Roman Catholic popes based their authority on Mt. 16:18-19 and claimed Peter was first pope. However, popes did not have begin to have distinctive power until Pope Leo I in 440s AD and Pope Gregory the Great (590s).

5 Part I-III Page 5 2. Conflicts between kings and popes for power, particularly the right to appoint bishops (investiture controversy). 3. Crusades, development of certain doctrines such as transubstantiation, use of relics, sale of indulgences, alliances with medieval kings, control of riches and land as result of bequests made by dying Christians all increased power of popes. 4. Popes used rulers militaries to fight wars including the crusades and punish heretics. Popes were able to coerce rulers by threatening excommunication, freeing a ruler s men from their vows of loyalty to a recalcitrant ruler, or anointing a rival to replace the ruler. 5. Conflicts for the papal seat: a. Corrupt election process and fight over papal seat resulted in Babylonian Captivity ( ) when the papal seat was moved from Rome to Avignon, France. (Gonzalez s dates , these are preferred dates) b. Great Schism after pope was convinced to return to Rome, rival factions elected different popes such that from , there were two popes. In 1417, Council of Constance elected a compromise pope, Martin V. I. Black Plague 1347 to 1600s. Flagellants travelers who repented on behalf of society to induce God to lift his wrath. Black Plague influenced medieval theology of suffering, including views of purgatory. Suffering seen as process of purification and spiritual training. Black Plague also seen as result of papal problems like the Babylonian Captivity.