An Introduction to Christianity: Beliefs, History, and Influence, Study notes of World Religions

Download An Introduction to Christianity: Beliefs, History, and Influence and more Study notes World Religions in PDF only on Docsity! _ CHRISTIANITY An Introduction World Significance Size History Complexity Diverse Manifestations Lifestyle Differences World Influence – Perception of Time Similarities to Judaism Monotheistic, exoteric, observant, and mystical Distinctions from Judaism Monotheism becomes more complex Major Themes/Messages  The Kingdom of God (Messianism)  The reality of the Kingdom would causes a reversal of the people’s thinking  Jesus sees himself in some capacity bringing the Kingdom  Relationship to God  Some believed Jesus saw himself as the son of God or even God – only mentioned by Jesus in Gospel of John  Ethical Obligations  Worst sin = self-righteousness  Kindness and compassion highest virtues (love is key) Jesus & the Spirit Realm The Jews accepted that the spirit was superior to the natural world.  The spirit-filled prophets could heal and work miracles Scholars state that Jesus was a healer and exorcist  Jesus was extraordinary because he aspired to heal humanity. Reactions to Roman Occupation The Sadducees: Relatively well-off Accepted the status quo Other three groups wanted change and worked for it. The Essenes: Believed society was too corrupt – separated Lived communally Held piously disciplined lives Qumran, Dead Sea Scrolls The Christ of Faith Based on the Disciples’ descriptions in the Gospels What they saw him do What they heard him say Gigantesque See the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 or Luke 6 The Teachings of Jesus  Jesus invited people to believe – used down to earth images.  His teachings challenged the paradigm of his society (subversive)  Jesus focused on two facts  God’s absolute all inclusive love of humanity  People need to accept that love and give it  God’s love in unconditional and not limited to the pious (who follow the law) The Christ of Faith Who the disciples felt Jesus was: Jesus lived his teachings Jesus was so egoless that his disciples felt he seemed like God in the form of a man. “We have seen his glory, full of grace and truth” The Synoptic Gospels The Synoptic Gospels Synoptic Greek for “viewing together” Mark Luke Matthew The Synoptic Gospels have a shared perspective The Gospel of John is a work of a different nature The Question of “Q” “Q” = Quell (German) = source Luke and Matthew may have worked from different manuscripts of “Q”. Mark Earliest of the Gospels – before *70 CE First and shortest - the ministry of Jesus Semi-chronological order Interaction of 3 stories about Jesus No mention of trinity No mention of the virgin birth Theme – lack of understanding Luke 2nd Oldest Gospel – *70 CE Affirms Christianity as having Jewish roots – for a Gentile audience More details than Mark on baptism & ministry & trial Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem Blessings of poverty, dangers of wealth, and the need for generosity and repentance Other Gospels  John and the Synoptic Gospels were canonized around *367 C.E.  Books that were not included in the New Testament  The Gospel of Thomas  The Gospel of Judas  The Gospel of Peter  The Gospel of Mary  The Gospel of The Nazareans The Mystical Body of Christ Jesus provided the Holy Spirit  Gave life to the Church Christians = “Messiah Folk” “I am the vine, you are the branches” Holy Spirit 3rd Person of Trinity Paul’s image of the Church Like the human body “We who are many are one body in Christ” (Romans 12:5) The Mystical Body of Christ  For the early Christians the Church was the Mystical Body of Christ  Christ was completing his mission through a new body, the body of the Church  What did the Mystical Body of Christ consist of?  Christ was the head  The Holy Spirit was the soul  The individual Christians were its cells  Church viewed in 2 ways: perfect and fallible The Incarnation  Means that Christ is God in human form  Became official dogma in *325 CE at the 1st Ecumenical Council of Nicea  Christ is both truly God and truly human.  Became official dogma of the Church in *451 CE a the 4th Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon  A result of the doctrine of Incarnation was that Christ was the link between God and humanity.  That Christ was Divine made his life fully normative - an ideal to live up to. Atonement Root meaning = “to recover wholeness” Gap between God and Man mostly closed 2 Understandings: To compensate for Adam’s sin To release humanity from the bondage of sin The Trinity  God is One and Three  Distinct but identical  Foundation in experiences of the Disciples:  Believed in YHWH, the Creator  Saw Jesus a YHWH’s extension in the world  Came to believe in the Holy Spirit – experience of Pentecost Creeds and Heresies  The Creed of Nicea  Written at the Council of Nicea in *325 CE but corrected into its current form in 381 CE  Declared Arius and his followers heretics  Declared that Christ the Son was co-substantial (sharing the same substance) with God  Arianism remained continued to influence Christianity until the Medieval period Creeds and Heresies  The Creed of Chalcedon (*451 CE)  Responded to continuing questions concerning the nature of Christ - how could Christ be both God and human?  Declared the Jesus Christ is coessential with God and with man  One and the same Christ, in two natures, without division and without separation Creeds and Heresies  Christological Doctrine 5th cen. to today  Three principal options:  The incarnate Christ could be:  Two separate persons, one divine one human  Nestoriana - Middle East across Asia  One person, with a divine nature  Monophysites - Ethiopia, Egypt, Syria and Armenia  One person, with both divine nature and a human nature  The Greek and Latin speaking churches Historical Outline  CATHOLICISM in 381 CE became official religion of the Roman Empire  EASTERN ORTHODOXY split with Rome in 1054 CE  PROTESTANTISM 16th century with Martin Luther a" THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS ATLAS OF FAITHS BELIEVERS as percentage of global population (2002) 125 Agnestics Bo Other believers cede 2.4 Atheists eh BORD Ty 2800 BELIEVERS BY RELIGION oo) in millions 2400 Sour: =2200 Wor ree : etn Majority of population Tents =2000 comprised of: =1a00 J Roman Catholies Gh Protestant J Buddhists 160 rotestants Bh Japanese Shintoists = 100 1B Christians from ‘and Buddhists various churches Hindus BW Orthodox Chistians Bi Sikhs @ Churches of Eastem Christianity i Indigenous religions Fi (J Mormons 1% dominant religion/ nonreligious Souree: Eneye bpardi ? 1D Muslims (Sunnis) 1B Muslims (Shiites) Britannica (2003) CO enpopulated 1990 2000 2005 2050 The Catholic Church of Rome  Only representation of Christianity for 1,000 years  catholicos means “universal”  Christendom = “Domain” of Christianity  Teaching Authority (preserves faith)  Jesus’ teachings opened the door of salvation  Why wasn’t the Bible enough?  The Church is needed for correct interpretation  The office of the Pope  Papal infallibility – faith & morals 4 The Catholic Church of Rome U Features of a church Mary in Roman Catholicism  Theotokos (‘bearer of God’)  Immaculate Conception  Mother of the Church  Use of the rosary  Hail Mary prayer  Visions of Mary  France, Ontario, Croatia, and Conyers Georgia The Eastern Orthodox Church  4 Major differences between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church:  Extent of teaching authority  Means by which doctrines are reached  Emphasis on the church as the body of Christ  Resulting in a difference in administration/church hierarchy  Emphasis on mysticism  Art, Architecture, and Music: Iconography  Is iconography idolatry? Protestantism 3rd major branch of Christianity Enduring themes that set Protestants apart: Justification by faith The Protestant Principle Protestant vs. Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox worship Status of Clergy Sacramental rituals in Protestantism: Mass Unique methodology in Holiness Churches (charismatic Christians) Epistemology Textual Sources Earlier Scriptures (Hebrew Bible incorporated as Old Testament) Synoptic Gospels + John Writings and Letters of Paul Non-canonical Gospels (Thomas) Jesus as the Logos The teachings of Jesus, parables, acts Disciples (what they saw, heard, and felt) Church as “Teaching Authority” (Catholic) Pope (infallible) & Church representatives (priests) Creeds of the church (nature of Christ) Epistemology (continued) Personal faith (Protestantism) Justification by faith Reason Experience Intuition Saints and Holy men and women (Orthodox) Cultivated intuition Illumination of the heart by God Icons as “windows onto Heaven.” Psychology  Faculties of Consciousness:  Minds Understanding scripture (Luke 24:45)  Hearts Can be pure and aware of God (Matt. 5:8)  Souls Love of God in varying degrees (Matt. 22:37); can be restful, sorrowful, and destroyed in Hell or not  Flesh (i.e. physical senses) Tends to be weak and succumb to temptation  States of Consciousness:  Fear Especially of death  Guilt For sinning, for not living up to Christian ideals  Egotism Being focused on self- love  Love Faith in Christ’s unconditional love relieves them of the first three burdensome states Teleology  Justify one’s faith in God (personally)  Become one with God: theosis (Orthodox)  Accept Christ as Savior  Achieve salvation through Jesus  Serve one’s sisters and brothers  Be like Jesus  Participate in the Body of Jesus, the Church  Know the Truth of God intimately (Gnostics) Methodology  Study the Bible  Attend Church  Spread the “Good News”  Accept Church doctrine (Catholic & Orthodox)  Participate in the 7 Sacraments (Catholic)  Justify yourself through faith  Follow Christ’s and his disciples example  Serve the poor and marginalized  Love everyone unconditionally  Love for your neighbor what you love for yourself