CHRISTIANITY IN ROME AT FIRST CHRISTIANITY WAS JUST

CHRISTIANITY IN ROME AT FIRST CHRISTIANITY WAS JUST ONE OF MANY RELIGIONS PRACTICED IN THE VAST ROMAN EMPIRE. BY 395 AD, HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE THE #1 RELIGION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

“GIVE ALL THAT YOU OWN AWAY AND FOLLOW ME” “IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN IT IS FOR A RICH MAN TO GET INTO HEAVEN. ” “HOW YOU TREAT THE POOREST AMONG YOU IS HOW YOU TREAT ME. ” “LET HIM WHO HAS COMMITTED NO SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE. ”

MOST ROMANS WERE POLYTHEISTIC, MEANING THAT THEY BELIEVED IN MORE THAN ONE GOD. AND MANY OF THE ROMAN GODS WERE REALY JUST GREEK GODS WITH DIFFERENT NAMES FOR EXAMPLE, THE GREEK GOD ZEUS BECAME JUPITER IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE

THE G REEK GOD DESS HERA BECA ME J UNO

AND OF COURSE POSEIDON BECAME NEPTUNE

JESUS WAS BORN IN THE CITY OF NAZARETH IN MODERN DAY ISRAEL. IN FACT, JESUS WAS JEWISH. - HE BELIEVED IN ONE GOD. - HE BELIEVED IN MOSES AS A PROPHET - AND HE DEFINITELY BELIVED IN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT JESUS FELT THAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE OF THE TIME HAD BECOME CORRUPT. HE ALSO PREACHED THAT PEOPLE SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE POOR, THE NEEDY AND THE SICK. JESUS STARTED TO DRAW MASSIVE CROWDS AMD SO THE JEWISH PRIESTS BECAME VERY CONCERNED. IN ADDITION, ROMAN OFFICIALS WERE THREATENED BECAUSE JESUS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ROMAN GODS. THEREFORE, HE WAS LABELLED AN ATHEIST BY THE ROMAN EMPIRE

IN 33 OR 34 CE THE ROMAN EMPEROR POUNTUS PILIATE HAD JESUS CRUCIFIED. REMEMBER: CRUCIFIXTION WAS THE DEATH PENALTY OF THE DAY. IN FACT, 3 OR 4 PEOPLE WERE CRUCIFIED ALONG WITH JESUS.

ALSO, WHEN THE SLAVE-GLADIATOR SPARTACUS ESCAPED AND STARTED A REBELLION, THE ROMANS CRUCIFIED 4000 OF HIS FRIENDS ON THE BRIDGES OF ROME.

SAINT PETER WAS THE APOSTLE THAT USED TO GO AROUND THE ROMAN EMPIRE ESTABLISHING NEW CHURCHES. CHRISTIANITY APPEALED TO THE POOR MORE THAN AYONE MOSTLY BECAUSE JESUS ACCEPTED THEM AND ALSO BECAUSE THEY NEEDED SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN.

IN ADDITION, CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES ALSO ATTRACTED CONVERTS BY THE WAY THEIR MEMBERS CARED FOR ONE ANOTHER. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THIRD CENTURY C. E. , THE CHURCH IN ROME SUPPORTED 154 PRIESTS , AND SOME 1, 500 WIDOWS, ORPHANS, AND DESTITUTE PEOPLE. BY 300 C. E. , PERHAPS 10 PERCENT OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE’S POPULATION (SOME 5 MILLION PEOPLE) IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS CHRISTIANS.

• ROME DID NOT LOOK KINDLY UPON THE CHRISTIANS. • THEY REFUSED TO MAKE SACRIFICES TO THE EMPEROR AND HONOR THE ROMAN GODS. • THEY WERE ALSO MEETING IN SECRET AND ACCORDING TO THE ROMANS ENGAGING IN “EVIL DEEDS”. • EMPEROR NERO PERSECUTED A GREAT DEAL OF THEM. • IN FACT, HE BLAMED CHRISTIANS FOR THE GREAT ROMAN FIRE OF 64 CE IN ROME. • EMPEROR NERO KILLED MANY CHRISTIANS AND ESSENTIALY OUTLAWED CHRISTIANITY

IN 330 CE. EMPEROR CONSTANTINE MAKES ROME A CHRISTIAN NATION

EUROPE WILL FOREVER BE CHRISTIAN. THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE WILL ALSO BE CHRISTIAN BUT THEY WILL BE ORTHOD CHRISTIAN INSTEAD OF REGULAR CHRISTIAN.