Board Notes for Christianity

Background (Judaism)

Life of Jesus

• public life began around 30
• killed 3 years later
• ascension into heaven after 40 days

Teachings

• viewed God as Father
• universal love
• nonviolence
• family
• 2 Great Commandments
• • love God
  • love your neighbor

Early Christianity was simple

• God at work
• Jesus was Messiah
• final days

2 groups: Jewish and non-Jewish

Paul

• conversion and missionary work
• Jewish Law
• influential views on sin and salvation

Christian Canon

• Old Testament
• New Testament
• • Gospels
  • • Matthew
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John
  • Acts of the Apostles
  • Epistles
  • Revelation
• varities of interpretation

Essential Worldview

• God the Father
• Jesus Christ
• Holy Spirit
• Holy Trinity
• Angelic Forces
• The Bible
• Human Life
• Life after Death

Early Spread

• missionary religion
• bishops
• 4 major centers: Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem
• council of bishops
• Constantine

Influences at the end of the Roman Empire

• Augustine
• Benedict and Monastic Ideal

Eastern Orthodox

• Early Development
• Monasticism
• Beliefs
• • nature of Jesus Christ
  • • Nicene Creed
    • Council of Chalcedon
  • icons
  • filioque
• similar to Western

Middle Ages

• dominance of Rome
• Mysticism and Gnosticism
• Crusades
• religious orders
• Inquisition

Protestant Reformation

• church wealth and availability of Bible
• Martin Luther
• Protestant Principle
• Forms
• • Lutheranism
  • Calvinism
  • Anglican Church
  • Sectarianism:
  • • Anabaptists
    • Baptists
    • Quakers
    • Shakers
    • Pentecostal
    • Methodist

Development following Reformation

• Catholic Reformation
• • reforms
  • ex cathedra
• International Spread
• Nontraditional
• • Mormon Church
  • Christian Science and Unity Church
  • Jehovah's Witnesses
  • African Independent Churches
  • Unification Church

Practice

• Sacraments
• • Baptism
  • Eucharist
  • Confirmation
  • Reconciliation (Penance)
  • Marriage
  • Ordination
  • Annointing of the Sick
• other rituals
• Calendar
• • Easter
  • Christmas
  • Advent
  • Lent
  • Holy Week
  • Ascension and Pentecost
  • saints' days
• Devotion to Mary

Arts

• Architecture
• • Romanesque
  • domed squares
  • Gothic
• Art
• • Orthodox
  • Western
• Music and Mass

The Twenty-first Century

• Science and Secularism
• Influences and Development
• • ecumenical movement
  • Second Vatican council
  • evangelical movement
  • renewed interest in mysticism