The Core of the Christian Faith

Introduction

• Centered on Jesus' life and teachings
• Emerged 2,000 years ago in Judea
• Message of love and compassion
• Christianity grew from Jewish traditions and Roman influences
• Jesus' life documented mainly in the four canonical gospels

Jesus' Early Life

• Born to Mary, a Jewish virgin, in Bethlehem
• Supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit
• Grew up in Nazareth, likely a carpenter until age 30

Ministry and Teachings

• Preached for three years with 12 apostles
• Focused on love, forgiveness, salvation, and the Kingdom of God
• Claimed to be the path to eternal life
• Known as a miracle worker, healer, and divine prophet

Crucifixion and Resurrection

• Arrested after expelling merchants from the Temple
• Betrayed, arrested, and tried by the Sanhedrin
• Condemned to crucifixion by the Roman governor
• Death and resurrection seen as fulfillment of Jewish prophecies
• Resurrection and ascension into Heaven

Paul's Contribution

• Paul spread Christianity beyond Jewish communities
• Established churches worldwide
• Inclusion of non-Jews crucial for early church success

The Christian Bible

• Divided into Old and New Testaments
• Old Testament shared with Judaism
• New Testament focuses on Jesus' life and death

Early Persecutions

• Christians refused to submit to Roman emperor worship
• Suffered severe persecutions under Nero, Domitian, and Diocletian

Constantine and Religious Toleration

• Converted to Christianity after victory in battle
• Granted religious toleration for Christians in the Roman Empire
• Christianity became the official religion by the end of the 4th century

Christological Debates

• Efforts to define the faith and address debates about Jesus' nature
• Council of Chalcedon: Jesus is fully God and fully man
• Tertullian introduced the term "Trinity"

The Trinity

• Explains the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
• Addresses the question of monotheism

The Great Schism

• Split between Catholicism and Orthodoxy
• Disagreements over the origin of the Holy Spirit and Papal Primacy
• Cultural and historical differences between the Latin West and Greek East

The Crusades

• Middle Ages religious wars supported by the Catholic Church
• Aimed to liberate Jerusalem from Islamic rule
• Other Crusades against pagan tribes in Europe

The Protestant Reformation

• Martin Luther’s criticism of the Catholic Church in 1517
• Argued for the Bible as the sole spiritual authority
• Triggered the split into Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches
• Led to persecutions and wars but also intellectual and cultural flourishing

Modern Christianity

• Spread through European expansion and colonization
• Diverse forms shaped by local cultures
• Widely practiced religion with many sects
• Message of love and compassion endures