THE+ORIGINS+OF+CHRISTIANITY


 * EXPLAIN THESE TERMS RELATING TO THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY

1. THE GOSPELS - Matthew, Mark. Luke. John (kbe). The Gospels were written between 65 and 100 AD. (jti) The Gospels tell the stories of Jesus Christ's birth, life, ministries, crucifixion, and resurrection. (rsc)

2. THE NEW TESTAMENT-is the name given to the second major Christian bible****.****(jti)** **It is sometimes called the Greek New Testament which is the literal translation of the original Greek.** (dmc)

St. Paul traveled the Mediterranean to found new churches, and he wrote about half of the New Testament. (ljo)
 * 3. ST. PAUL - the true founder of Christianity; He became the most active missionary for Jesus' ideas. He created many churches and made a new religion based on Jesus that was open to everyone. (kbe)

4. KOINE GREEK (THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT) - also known as Common Greek, it was originally spread by Alexander the Great and his armies, it was the written language of much of the Eastern Mediterranean in the first centuries AD. As such, the New Testament of the Bible was originally written in Koine. (jbo)

5. PERSECUTIONS UNDER NERO was said to be the first persecutor of the Christians. It is also said that he killed Paul and Petter, two of the apostels of Christ.(jho)

6. PERSECUTIONS UNDER DECIUS- The emperor Decius issued an edict in 250 AD that everyone in the empire had to make a sacrifice for their emperor and would recieve a certificate once they did it. This oath of allegiance went against Christian faith, and as many followers and bishops refused to comply, they were persecuted. Even the Pope Fabian was killed. Decius was then on seen as a 'fierce tyrant' that the Church never forgot thereafter. (hpo)

7. CONSTANTINE - Was an Emporer in the Roman Empire, shortly after diocletian's rule, who changed the way christianity was looked at by helping them rebuild and restore their lost or stolen property and financially support them. He declared himself a christian around the age of forty. (kmu) Constantine converted to Christianity when he was baptized on his deathbed. (ljo) In 321, he made the official day of rest as Sunday. (WCO)

8. JULIAN THE APOSTATE- Roman Emperor of the Constantinian Dynasty.(jti) He was the last non-Christian Roman Emperor.(jti)

9. THEODOSIUS THE GREAT- Roman Emperor from 378 to 395.****(jti)** **He reunited the eastern and western portions of the Roman Empire. (jti)**