Birth Of Christianity

THE BIRTH OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND, THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, AND ESCHATOLOGICAL EXPECTATIONS

Introduction

The New Testament presents the followers of Christ with an understanding of the origins and expectations of their religious faith within the context of greater Greco-Roman society in the face of growing political opposition and oppression. Understanding the religious environment in which Christianity first appeared and later dominated in the Roman Empire is necessary for one to understand the earliest development of Christianity.

At the start of the first century AD, the Greco Roman-World was polytheistic, which means the people of that time and place worshiped or believed in multiple deities. The reason these

The Jews had a long-standing belief in the coming of a Messiah. However, Christianity drew not only from Jewish culture but greatly from Greco-Roman culture. Judaism Christianity developed in a small province and seemed to appeal to poorer classes of people. Christianity did not fit into the normal patterns of history but gained a wider impact over time. This paper will explore the historical and geographical milieu of the Christian message. It will also address the message of Paul, John, and the Christian writers. Finally, Christian eschatological hope at the end of the first century will be

While the Jews enjoyed a peaceful existence in Judea for many years, some Greek leaders sought to destroy Judaism altogether from the Holy Land. Prior to this the Greeks did not view Jews as a threat and treated Jewish people with respect. In turn, the Jews adopted much of the Hellenistic ways of life. But time and time again, Christians were subjected to constant persecution and brutal punishments due to their beliefs. Because many wh did not believe in Jesus thought that Christian beliefs were blasphemous, Christians were often forced out or banished from where they lived and worshipped.To understand the birth of Christianity and the life and death of Jesus Christ, one needs to understand the context of the Roman Empire. Jesus and his early followers were