Unit 2 - Lesson 1-4 Flashcards
(42 cards)
Reasons why the early church grew
- Unifying language (Greek)
- Diaspora (believers scattered)
- Pax Romana
- People grew tired of pagan Roman religion
- Destruction of Jerusalem
- Christian enthusiasm
- Promise of life after death
- Free
- Compassionate
- Persecution led to martyrdom
What are 4 results of the destruction of Jerusalem?
- It ended the apostolic age (Time of apostles).
- It split the Jewish and Christian Churches.
- The focus of the church changed from converting Jew to converting Gentiles.
- Rome became the center of Christianity.
What 4 things caused the Romans to persecute the early church?
- They proselytized (converted) pagans.
- They rejected all the Roman pagan gods.
- They rejected emperor worship. (*Main reason)
- They are monotheistic (worship of one God)
What factors led to the change from the sabbath to Sunday as the day of worship?
- Break from Judaism
a. Jews not liked
b. Wanted to set themselves apart from Jews. - Sunday began to be kept as a supplement to the sabbath .
a. Gradually took its place. - 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.
Name some pagan holidays that crept into the early church.
- All Hallows eve (Halloween)- day the dead spirits returned to earth.
- All saints day - pagan hero worship.
- Christmas - Egyptian pagan celebration to “thank the gods”.
- Easter - (season of new birth) pagan holiday celebrating spring.
Egg= renewal of life!
What is the “priesthood of all believers”; what did the Catholic Church require instead?
- Every believer has the right to go directly to God and ask for forgiveness
- They required common people to confess their sins to designated priests, who would ask for forgiveness for them
3 types of ascetics
- Monks
- Nuns
- Hermits
6 levels of church hierarchy
- Pope
- Patriarchs
- Archbishops
- Bishops
- Priests
- Laity
Questions to be answered about the “nature of Christ.” Why were they important?
- Was Christ fully God or was He just another created being?
- If He wasn’t divine then he couldn’t have saved us from our sins
Pentecost
Jewish festival during which the Church was founded in AD 31
Rome
Became the new center of Christianity after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Church
“Called out”; a community united by a common purpose
Christ
The “head” of the Christian “body”
Bishop
Church leaders during the persecuted period
Constantinople
Became the new center of Christianity in AD 330
Elder
“Overseer”
Antioch
Christians were first called Christians in this town
Deacon
“Servant”
Apostles
The leaders of the infant church
Clergy
“Called ones”
Christians
Followers of Christ
Laity
“Common ones”
Jews
Made up the majority of converts to Christianity during the infant stage
Ichthus
Earliest Christian symbol; a fish
