Term
| What events of Jesus’s life and teaching made him into a successful religious leader? |
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Definition
| Jesus was said to be born in Bethlehem, where King David was born. The messiah was expected to be a descendant of the House of David. By being born in Bethlehem, Jesus fulfilled this requirement. He had a deep grasp of scripture from an early age. He gained fame through the miracles he performed-healing the ill, feeding thousands with a few loaves of bread, walking on water. Appealing message of love and kindness. Accepted all people. Willing to die for his followers. |
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Term
| What factors contributed to Christianity becoming a separate religion from Judaism? |
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Definition
| Many of the Jews did not believe Jesus was the messiah. Rabbis were under pressure to preserve their tradition following the destruction of Jerusalem. To consolidate their position in the new environment, they excluded Christians from synagogue life. The Jews were one of the few groups exempt from Roman festivities to the gods. The Roman officials noted the Christians were a distinct group from the Jews and they no longer followed the ancient Hebrew tradition. Because of this they were expected to participate in Roman civil religion. Accepted gentiles |
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Term
| What turning points in the history of Christianity occurred in the 4th, 11th and 16th centuries? |
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Definition
Christianity took a sharp turn when the Roman Emperor Constantine had a vision in 312ce. His vision consisted of a cross upon the sun and the words By this sign you will conquer. He ordered his soldiers to paint the sign of the cross on their shields. Their phenomenal success led to the cross being a symbol of triumph. In 313, he issued the Edict of Milan which allowed Christians to practice their religion openly w/o threat of persecution. He continued to use his political power to give economic and political support to help the Christians. He gave land grants to the church and used public funds to copy bibles and build churches. This created an economic boom that allowed the Church to grow into a powerful institution. He fostered an international Christian identity by standardizing certain elements of ritual and doctrine. He convened the first Council of Nicea to establish the doctrine of Jesus’s divinity. The Nicene Creed was formed. It provided the Church and empire with a standard test of faith to identify heretics with.
In the 11th century the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches split and the crusades began.
16th century-Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was a priest. He grew impatient with the elaborate church ritual and the corrupt economic policies including indulgences. He objected to any kind of mediation between man and God. He posted a list of ideas on the door of All Saints Church. This set off a revolution against the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin was another Protestant. He wrote an exposition of Protestant ideas that became the foundation of Presbyterian faith. Calvin rejected the authority of the pope and believed in justification by faith alone. During the time of Protestant Reformations, the Catholics had a reformation as well. At the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church affirmed its doctrines. A list of books was issued that Catholics were not allowed to read. There were many other strict rules enforced. A mystical movement developed during the course of this Reformation. |
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Term
| What turning points in the history of Christianity occurred in the 4th century? |
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Definition
| Christianity took a sharp turn when the Roman Emperor Constantine had a vision in 312ce. His vision consisted of a cross upon the sun and the words By this sign you will conquer. He ordered his soldiers to paint the sign of the cross on their shields. Their phenomenal success led to the cross being a symbol of triumph. In 313, he issued the Edict of Milan which allowed Christians to practice their religion openly w/o threat of persecution. He continued to use his political power to give economic and political support to help the Christians. He gave land grants to the church and used public funds to copy bibles and build churches. This created an economic boom that allowed the Church to grow into a powerful institution. He fostered an international Christian identity by standardizing certain elements of ritual and doctrine. He convened the first Council of Nicea to establish the doctrine of Jesus’s divinity. The Nicene Creed was formed. It provided the Church and empire with a standard test of faith to identify heretics with. |
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Term
| What turning points in the history of Christianity occurred in the 11th century? |
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Definition
| Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches split and the crusades began. |
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Term
| What turning points in the history of Christianity occurred in the 16th century? |
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Definition
| Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was a priest. He grew impatient with the elaborate church ritual and the corrupt economic policies including indulgences. He objected to any kind of mediation between man and God. He posted a list of ideas on the door of All Saints Church. This set off a revolution against the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin was another Protestant. He wrote an exposition of Protestant ideas that became the foundation of Presbyterian faith. Calvin rejected the authority of the pope and believed in justification by faith alone. During the time of Protestant Reformations, the Catholics had a reformation as well. At the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church affirmed its doctrines. A list of books was issued that Catholics were not allowed to read. There were many other strict rules enforced. A mystical movement developed during the course of this Reformation. |
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Term
| What new ideas prompted the separation of Protestant Christians from the Roman Catholic Church? What new ideas does the Women’s Bible bring up? |
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Definition
People were questioning the sacraments and the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther didn’t agree with the selling of indulgences and the elaborate church rituals. He believed there was no kind of mediation between man and God and baptism and communion were the only true sacraments. He believed that the bread and wine embodied Christ’s presence in a sacramental union. Through close study of the Bible Luther developed 4 main ideas: faith, scripture, Christ, and grace alone. That faith will bring a person to salvation. The Bible is the true doctrine. A personal relationship with Christ can bring a change in one’s soul. And only God’s grace can save a person.
Calvin was another Protestant. He wrote an exposition of Protestant ideas that became the foundation of Presbyterian faith. Calvin rejected the authority of the pope and believed in justification by faith alone. His theology revolves around 4 main points. Everything happens through the inevitable, just will of God, all humans have original sin, human lives are predestined, and god’s church is comprised of visible and invisible aspects.
Elizabeth Stanton started the Women’s Bible. It provides a translation and commentary of all the stories of women in the Bible. They used the passages to critique the treatment of women in their society. Generally Jesus is seen as an advocate of women’s rights, but other men in the bible are reproached. From this the question arises whether or not the bible advanced or retarded the emancipation of women. |
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Term
| What were Luther's ideas? |
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Definition
| Luther didn’t agree with the selling of indulgences and the elaborate church rituals. He believed there was no kind of mediation between man and God and baptism and communion were the only true sacraments. He believed that the bread and wine embodied Christ’s presence in a sacramental union. Through close study of the Bible Luther developed 4 main ideas: faith, scripture, Christ, and grace alone. That faith will bring a person to salvation. The Bible is the true doctrine. A personal relationship with Christ can bring a change in one’s soul. And only God’s grace can save a person. |
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Term
| What were Calvin's ideas? |
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Definition
| Calvin rejected the authority of the pope and believed in justification by faith alone. His theology revolves around 4 main points. Everything happens through the inevitable, just will of God, all humans have original sin, human lives are predestined, and god’s church is comprised of visible and invisible aspects. |
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Term
| What ideas did the Women's Bible bring up? |
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Definition
| The question arises whether or not the bible advanced or retarded the emancipation of women. |
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Term
| What options for religious practice opened up for Christians from the time of Jesus through the Middle Ages? Were the roles of men and women the same? |
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Definition
| Jesus had many disciples or followers while he was alive. None of the disciples mentioned in the bible were women. Jesus appointed 12 disciples to be his apostles who went with him and preached his message. One of his apostles, Simon Peter, served as the first Bishop of Rome (in effect the first pope). Three categories of ministry evolved: deacon, presbyter and bishop. Bishops were elder presbyters headed established churches. Popes were drawn from the bishops. Presbyters performed rite of bread and wine. Deacons served the bishops and interfaced with the community. The only ministerial office suitable for women was the deacons. Only widowed women could be deacons. Their main duty was to baptize other women, but that function was eventually taken away. From 1000-1300, men and women had access to monastic educations. Women however were not able to hold a position within the church. |
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Term
| What ideas never made it into the official Christian canon? |
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Definition
| Jesus was a divine creature, neither truly man nor truly God. Jesus cannot be the same as God. The Son of God is subordinate by nature. Gospels of Mary Magdalene, a disciple Philip and Jesus’s brother Judas Thomas. Judas’s gospel featured gnostic ideas, that each person dwelled in the kingdom of heaven, but their light became trapped in human form. It also said that Jesus would save the people by releasing them from the prison of their bodies. Mary’s gospel contained ideas of women’s equality and even superiority. It is said the Jesus favored Mary and gave her knowledge he did not reveal to the disciples. |
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Term
| What are the main ideas behind icon painting? Why is this form of art so important to the Christian Orthodox Churches? |
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Definition
| The liturgical tradition of the Orthodox Church dates icons back to Jesus himself. Paintings are generally considered anonymous creations by the Orthodox Church. Every icon is founded by a vision and cannot be completed without prayer. The icon painted on the board is a religious symbol that points to the spiritual world. It is seen as a window not an idol. There are 4 types of icons depending on the experience from which they originate (bible, painters direct experiences, record of anothers experiences, and the painters experience from vision or dream) |
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