Intro to Early Christianity

Religious Studies 2930 with Scott at University of Missouri- Columbia

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By: Kristen Williams
Created: 2010-10-13
Size: 31 flashcards
Views: 41

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Alexander the Great

356-323 C.E.
A Macedonian Greek General, conquered Egypt and the near East, including Judea.
set massive expansion of Greek culture.
When he died, his massive empire was divided amongst hi leading generals.

Hellenes\\Hellenization

Greeks \\ the process of adopting Greek culture.

Arius

Born in Libya (260-280 CE)
He advocated subordination
condemned by local synod and excommunicated

Arius: significance to Early Christianity

protected the divine monarchy & divine impassibility
God cannot become entangled in space and time, exists outside
impassibility: God cannot suffer or die
The son is created by the will of God, not an eternal process

Bar Kokhba Revolt

132-135 CE
Against the Roman Empire
revolt under Hadrian, ended Jewish prospects
Romans enslaved many Jews afterwards, and banned them from Jerusalem

Constantine 306-337

after father's death, he took over his art of the emperor and quickly overruled the whole emperor

was not converted until on his deathbed in 327 CE
God came to him in a dream and told him to battle, and he ended up winning, so from there on out he believed in Christianity.

Council of Nicaea

1st ecumenical council; the "GREAT" council.
summoned by Constantine, to address the Arian controversy.
June 19th, 325: famous creed
very unexpected, called for unity among believers

Essenes

Sect of Jews not mentioned in New Testament
abstain from animal food, wine, and marriage
emphasized ritual purity, thought temple was impure.
Dead Sea sect associates with Essenes

Gnosticism

always claimed to have secret religious knowledge
thought everyone was divine spirits and travelled down from Heaven
attended services, shared in Eucharist meal, and listened to the readings of scripture and the sermons of the bishops.

Gospel of Judas

written between 130-180 CE
Judas 35: "I know who you are and where you have come from"
Gnostics thought they should turn to Judas for guidance
repositions Judas from traitor, to a best friend
acts that the passover was not a sense of deception

Gospel of Thomas

probably written in 2nd century Gnostic Christians
114 secret sayings of Jesus
Humans are fallen spirits from the divine world
salvation comes through secret knowledge
expresses Anti-Jewish sentiments
recounts Jesus with no narrative, just quotation

homoousios

"of the same substance"
designed to preclude Arian theology, meant to refute Arianism
pressure to include it
controversy: not biblical, used by Gnostics by Heretics, sounded Sabellian
meant to safeguard the divinity of Son

Ignatius

bishop of Antioch
provides the earliest evidence of three-level ministry.
part of a group that did not support Judaizers or Gnostics
wrote early beginnings of the Apostles Creed

Josephus

mentions that James is the brother of Jesus
joined the sect of the Pharisees
strong believer of the law, pharisees.
mediate and differentiate from Sadducees.

Marcan Priority

the Book of Mark was written first, Matt and Luke drew from Mark
Augustine thought Matthew was 1st, and Mark and Luke drew from Matthew
triple tradition: scholars think Mark was written first
often used with the "Q" theory

Middle Platonism

taught that the soul is immaterial
for Platonists, the origin of everything is the being call "the ONE" which was beyond any human understanding
had no direct contact with the universe
By a process called "emanation" literally meaning "an out flowing"

Logos-Middle Platonist term

means "word" for "THE ONE"
always exists in God's mind
revealed word of God in prophets of the Old Testament
immanent in the world, which gives rationals order for the universe and animates human reason.

Nag Hammadi

reveal the views of some, but certainly not all, relatively unknown 2nd, 3rd, and 4th century Christian individuals
found in Egypt

Origen

185-254 CE) dominated the theological landscape of EC & beyond
highly controversial, esp. his willingness to employ philosophical concepts and categories to illuminate theology.
born into a Christian family.
Origen died from torture in 250 CE

Origen (Cont.d)

wanted to go with his father when he was arrested, but once his father was executed Origen provided for his family
well-versed in scripture
famous for theology and scripture
they ordained Origen but it was seen as a breach in protocol.
"On 1st principles"

pax romana (The Roman Peace)

31 BC-235 CE
the empire unified the Mediterranean shores into a large zone of peace, stability, and trade
established by Augustus Caesar

Pauline Letters

some of the earliest Christian writings
1st- salutation\\greeting
2nd-thanksgiving
opening of the body (body usually 2 parts)
closing of body ethical instructions
written to specific people to address concrete problems and issues

Pharisees

formed around 150 BC, loose association of Pietists
strict observation of the law, which they adapted new circumstances
beliefs: immortality, resurrection of the body, existence of angels

Pliny the Younger (about 61 about 112)

Roman, asked advice on how to deal with the Christians
Christians: killing in eating babies because of communion, incest
wrote the second NON CHRISTIAN SOURCE
he knew very little about Christians

Matthew=Mark + Q + Matthew

presents Jesus as the New Moses
includes stories of the Wise Men
80% of Mark is in Matthew

Mark

presents Jesus as a miracle worker
low christology, accents humanity
Mark 5:30 : "At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

Luke = Mark + Q + Luke

includes stories of the Good Samaritan
presents Jesus as compassionate and sympathetic to outsiders
65% of Mark is in Luke

John

presents Jesus as the eternal word of God.
high christology

Stoicism

many upper class Romans beliefs
taught that the universe was permeated with reason, called Logos in Greek
Stoics believed everyone was themselves (rich, poor, well, ill, free) for a reason.
Apatheia (tranquility) - wanted their followers to think this

Synoptic Problem

parallels between gospels
80% of Mark is in Matthew
65% of Mark is in Luke
common parts = triple tradition
230 verses common to Matthew and Luke, but not Mark (double tradition)

About this deck

By: Kristen Williams
Created: 2010-10-13
Size: 31 flashcards
Views: 41

About StudyBlue

“Simply amazing. The flash cards are smooth, there are many different types of studying tools, and there is a great search engine. I praise you on the awesomeness.”
Dennis