S E C T I O N D : C h ri s ti a ni t y
P a ul s p o k e m a n y l a n g u a g e s. H e w a s a d e e p t hi n k e r a n d a g r e at c o m m u ni c at o r. H e w a s c o n vi n c e d t h at t h e n e w s a b o ut J e s u s s h o ul d b e s p r e a d t o e v e r y o n e w h o w o ul d li st e n. N ot all a g r e e d. I n 6 7 C E P a ul w a s a r r e st e d a n d b e h e a d e d, p r o b a bl y o n t h e o r d e r s of t h e R o m a n E m p e r o r N e r o. T h o u g h h e w a s n ot o n e of t h e 1 2 a p o stl e s, P a ul i s oft e n c all e d t h e A p o stl e t o t h e G e n til e s ( n o n - J e w s). T hi s i s b e c a u s e h e b eli e v e d J e s u s’ m e s s a g e w a s f o r e v e r y o n e.
C o n v ert s S o o n aft e r J e s u s’ ti m e, t h e e a rl y di s ci pl e s f a c e d a n i m p o rt a nt d e ci si o n: H o w s h o ul d t h e y t r e at c o n v e rt s w h o h a d b e c o m e C h ri sti a n s b ut h a d n ot b e e n J e w s b ef o r e h a n d ?
T h ei r di s c u s si o n s c e nt r e d o n t h r e e q u e sti o n s: 1. 2. 3.
S h o ul d t h e s e c o n v e rt s b e c o m e J e w s ti r st b ef o r e t h e y b e c a m e C h ri sti a n s ? S h o ul d t h e y f oll o w J e wi s h di et a r y l a w s a n d e at o nl y k o s h e r f o o d ? S h o ul d m al e c o n v e rt s b e ci r c u m ci s e d b ef o r e b ei n g b a pti s e d ?
K E Y C O N C E P T I N V E S TI G AT E
A c o n v ert is s o m e o n e w h o c h o os es t o j oi n a r eli gi o n.
D E B
T HI N K A B O U T ...
J e s u s h a d l eft n o i n st r u cti o n s a b o ut t h e s e i s s u e s. S o, at t h e C o u n cil of J e r u s al e m i n 4 9 C E, C h ri sti a n l e a d e r s t ri e d t o a g r e e o n a n s w e r s t o t h e s e q u e sti o n s. Aft e r l o n g d e b at e, a d e ci si o n e m e r g e d. T h e c o u n cil a g r e e d t h at c o n v e rt s t o C h ri sti a nit y di d n ot h a v e t o b e c o m e J e w s b ef o r e b e c o mi n g C h ri sti a n s. All t h at w a s n e e d e d t o b e c o m e a C h ri sti a n w a s r e p e nt a n c e of y o u r si n s a n d b a pti s m. T h e C o u n cil of J e r u s al e m eff e cti v el y c ut t h e C h ri sti a n c o m m u nit y’ s li n k wit h J u d ai s m. C h ri sti a nit y b e c a m e a cl e a rl y s e p a r at e w o rl d r eli gi o n.
E a rl y C h ri sti a nit y w el c o m e d p e o pl e of all diff e r e nt r a c e s a n d s o ci al cl a s s e s i nt o it s n e w c o m m u nit y of f ait h. B y t h e e n d of t h e ti r st c e nt u r y C E, C h ri sti a n mi s si o n a ri e s h a d s p r e a d t h e m e s s a g e of J e s u s C h ri st a s f a r a s B rit ai n, C hi n a, Et hi o pi a, I n di a a n d S p ai n. C h ri sti a nit y a r ri v e d i n I r el a n d a littl e l at e r, a p p r o xi m at el y t h e y e a r 4 3 0. I n ti m e, t h e fi r st g e n e r ati o n of C h ri sti a n s b e g a n t o di e o ut. At t h e s a m e ti m e C h ri sti a nit y w a s e x p a n di n g r a pi dl y t o i n cl u d e v a st n u m b e r s of n e w m e m b e r s. T o c o p e wit h t h e s e c h a n g e s, C h ri sti a nit y g r a d u all y d e v el o p e d i nt o a n o r g a ni s e d r eli gi o n .
K E Y C O N C E P T
A n or g a ni s e d r eli gi o n is o n e t h at h as its o w n l e a d er s, t e ac hi n gs a n d w ays of w or s hi p pi n g.
Fr o m p er s ec ut e d mi n orit y t o r eli gi o n of t h e E m pir e, 6 4 C – 3 8 0 C E T h e R o m a n E m pi r e b e g a n t o s e e C h ri sti a nit y a s a t h r e at t o t h e e m p e r o r’ s a ut h o rit y. E m p e r o r s h el d t h e m s el v e s u p a s g o d s a n d r e s e nt e d t h e C h ri sti a n d ri v e f o r c o n v e rt s a n d t h ei r b eli ef i n t h e a ut h o rit y of J e s u s C h ri st. F oll o wi n g a ti r e i n R o m e i n 6 4 C E, t h e E m p e r o r N e r o bl a m e d t h e C h ri sti a n s. M a n y C h ri sti a n s w e r e f al s el y a c c u s e d a n d w e r e p ut t o d e at h. B et w e e n 6 4 a n d 6 8 C E t h e s e d e at h s w e r e p u bli c s p e ct a cl e s i n a r e n a s. C r o w d s l o o k e d o n a n d c h e e r e d a s t h o u s a n d s of C h ri sti a n s w e r e t o r n t o s h r e d s b y a ni m al s o r c r u ci tt e d a n d s et ali g ht.
C
D E B AT
T HI N K A B O U T ...
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