Rise and Spread of Christianity PDF

1. Rise and Spread of Christianity In this book you are going to read about India in the medieval period, that is, the period between the ancient and modern periods. Many of our regional languages, religious beliefs, social traditions and administrative systems...

1. Rise and Spread of Christianity In this book you are going to read about India in the medieval period, that is, the period between the ancient and modern periods. Many of our regional languages, religious beliefs, social traditions and administrative systems can be traced to the medieval period. During this time, India interacted mainly with Europe, which was under the influence of Christianity, and with West and Central Asia, which were under the influence of Islam. Hence, it would be worthwhile to learn a little about these religions before we begin our study of medieval India. At various points of time, societies in different parts of the world have suffered misery due to prolonged injustice and disorder. At such times great individuals have come forward to restore order, resulting in the birth of new forms of religion. Among such great individuals are Confucius, Zoroaster, Gautama Buddha, Vardhamana Mahavira, Jesus Christ, Prophet Muhammad and Guru Nanak. They chose various paths but their goals were the same, namely, to overcome widespread Christianity arose in Judaea, which was a part of the Roman Empire. social misery and inequalities. It is interesting that their teachings were based on similar tenets such as the establishment of peace and harmony based on the principles of cooperation and nonviolence the promotion of love, equality and tolerance the establishment of a moral code of conduct based on truthfulness, honesty and restraint in everyday life. An important part of their teachings was “Do not lie, do not steal and do not covet.” the responsibility of the powerful and the rich to give alms, and to take care of the poor and the less fortunate in society compassion for all, including one’s enemies We will now learn about the rise of Christianity. 4 Essential ICSE History and Civics for Class 7 Christianity arose in the land of Judaea (modern Israel), which was then a part of the Roman Empire. At that time, Judaea was in a state of disturbance. The Jews, whose religion was Judaism, inhabited Judaea. They closely guarded their religious laws and rituals. They were very unhappy under Roman rule. The Jews particularly disliked the Roman custom of treating rulers as gods, and regarded it as an insult to the Jewish religion. They awaited the appearance of a messiah, or saviour, who would deliver them from Roman domination. Also, under Roman rule, the gap between the rich and the poor widened. The poor were overburdened with taxes and oppressed by wicked Roman officials. The common people sought deliverance from these miseries. It was under such circumstances that Christianity arose. Rise of Christianity Jesus of the city of Nazareth was the founder of Christianity. He was born a Jew. He was given the title ‘Christ’, which in Greek means ‘the anointed’, or one who has attained divinity. The Bible is the holy book of the Christians (the word ‘bible’ means book). The Bible includes the Old Testament, which records the origin of the Jews, and the New Testament, which records the deeds and teachings of Jesus. The story of Jesus’ life has been told in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), which form the first part of the New Testament. Early life of Jesus  Jesus was born to Mary (Miriam) and Joseph at Bethlehem near Jerusalem in Judaea. His birth is celebrated as Christmas on 25 December every year. Our system of writing dates of events is centred round the birth of Christ. The dates before Jesus’ birth are marked BC, which stands for Before Christ. The year of his birth has been universally accepted as AD 1, where AD stands for Anno Domini (in the year of the Lord). Jesus spent a major part of his life at Nazareth in the region of Galilee, in modern northern Israel. He was a learned, honest, frank and fearless person. Jesus was disturbed by the economic and social inequalities of his time and the decline in moral values. Jesus’ teachings At the age of about 30, Jesus set out to preach the message of love, humility and charity among the common people. He was kind to the weak and is said to have healed the sick. Jesus spread his message in the common people’s language through simple parables, or short stories. He gave examples from everyday life to explain God’s ways. He attracted many followers. Many Jews began to Jesus preaching regard him as the long-awaited Messiah, who would deliver them from miseries.  Rise and Spread of Christianity 5 Jesus preached of God’s mercy and love. He assured all people, including the poor, the suffering, the sinners and the outcasts, of final salvation, or deliverance from sin. In his ‘Sermon on the Mount’ Jesus laid down a moral code of conduct for his followers. He advised them to be humble, and to be kind, forgiving, merciful and loving towards others. He strongly discouraged greed and hypocrisy. Jesus advised his followers to hate sin and not the sinner and to repay evil with good. He discouraged meaningless rituals and the worship of multiple gods. He referred to God as ‘Father’ and to himself as ‘Son of God’. Jesus foretold that the Kingdom of God would be established on this earth. And, there would be a Day of Judgement, when God would reward the righteous and punish the sinners. Crucifixion  Jesus’ popularity among the common people alarmed the upper classes and some of the Jews, who saw in him a dangerous rebel. They complained to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, that Jesus had defied the Roman emperor by claiming to be the ‘King of the Jews’. According to Roman law, this was a crime deserving punishment by death. Jesus was arrested. He was sentenced to death by crucifixion, that is, by being nailed to a cross by the wrists and ankles. Jesus was made to wear a crown of thorns and carry the heavy cross to Mount Calvary, or Golgotha. He was then nailed to the cross. At the top of the cross, his crime of claiming to be the king of the Jews was inscribed in the local languages so that everybody could read. After about three hours of intense agony, Jesus died. In keeping with Jewish tradition, his body was brought down before sunset and later buried. Jesus was crucified on a Friday. This event is remembered as Good Friday. According to Christian tradition, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his death. His resurrection, or coming back to life, is celebrated as Easter every year. Jesus is said to have ascended to heaven after this. The cross became a holy sign of Christianity. Christianity in the Roman Empire After the death of Jesus, his teachings were spread by his follower Paul. Jesus’ teachings became the basis of a new religion. Paul popularised the idea of Jesus as ‘Christ’, who had been specially sent by God to atone for the sins of humanity. This gave the new religion its name, Christianity. It appealed to the people, especially the poor and the downtrodden in the Roman society, because it involved the worship of only one god and promised salvation to all. In due course, the Christian Church developed as an institution. It functioned through places of worship for Christians called churches. It undertook services like health care, burial and the distribution of alms to the weak and the poor. This was unlike any other religious institution of those times. As Official Religion of Rome The Roman emperors tolerated Christianity as yet another of the many religions that existed in their empire. However, there were times when Christians were given cruel and unjust treatment, especially as Christianity did not permit emperor worship. This happened, for example, during the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Diocletian. Christianity gained political  6 Essential ICSE History and Civics for Class 7 support when the Roman emperor Constantine I converted to Christianity around AD 313. Constantine attributed his political successes to his new religion. He also foresaw that Christianity would spiritually unite the Roman Empire. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity became the official religion of Rome. Constantine I, who ascended the throne in AD 306, was a very competent ruler. He made Byzantium his second capital, enlarged the city and named it Constantinople. After Constantine’s death, political turmoil and invasions by barbarian tribes from northern and Saint Peter’s Basilica. Most of the papal ceremonies are held here. eastern Europe weakened the Roman Empire. Decline of the Roman Empire In AD 395 the Roman Empire was divided into two, the Western Roman Empire with its capital at Rome and the Eastern Roman Empire with its capital at Constantinople. In the long run this weakened the Roman Empire as the two sides got involved in political disputes. Besides, the dearth of efficient rulers and decline in trade further weakened the Western Roman Empire. By the middle of the fourth century AD, the far-flung Western Roman Empire came to share common boundaries with the Germanic tribes of Scandinavian (chiefly Swedish) origin. Chief among these tribes were the Goths, Vandals and Franks. The barbarian tribes attacked large parts of the Western Roman Empire, which crumbled under these attacks. This ended the political unity of the Western Roman Empire and led to the rise of regional kingdoms. The Western Roman Empire finally collapsed when the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustus, was defeated by the Goths in AD 476.  Barbarians The word ‘barbaros’ was used by the Greeks to refer to non-Greeks, who were considered uncivilised. This led to the common usage of ‘barbarian’ for anyone who was regarded culturally inferior. In ancient India, the Sanskrit word ‘barbar’ was used for anyone who spoke a different language.   Rise and Spread of Christianity 7 Byzantine Empire While the Western Roman Empire was overrun by the Germanic tribes, the Byzantine (or Eastern Roman) Empire successfully resisted the onslaught of the Germanic tribes. It became a flourishing commercial centre and saw the rise of important cities such as Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Constantinople, which had become a very important centre of Christianity after Rome. By the end of the fifth century, the waves of barbarian invasions had broken up the Western Roman Empire into a number of small, mutually warring kingdoms. There was a total breakdown of law and order. At this time, the Christian Church emerged as the only organised institution that protected and preserved moral values and promoted learning. Organisation of the Church The priests and officials of the Christian Church were together known as the clergy. As Christianity Pope gained converts in large numbers, the organisation of the Christian Church became increasingly complex. Bishops Churches were usually situated in urban centres. A church was headed by a bishop, below whom there were priests followed by the lower clergy. In due Priests course, the bishop of Rome emerged as the most powerful official of the Christian Church. He came Lower clergy to be called the pope (father). The pope became very powerful and exercised great religious and political The hierarchy of officials of the Christian Church authority. He could even force his will upon the kings of Europe. Impact of Christian Monasteries Some Christians withdrew from worldly life and devoted all their time to spreading the message of Christianity. They led lives regulated by rigid rules and the vows of poverty, chastity (purity of character) and obedience. They were called monks, and the institutions in which they lived were called monasteries. Life in a monastery included prayer, manual work and religious study. The monks set an example by doing manual work, and this promoted the idea of the dignity of labour. The monks were trained to look after the weak, the sick and the poor. They also received education and preserved ancient knowledge by copying ancient manuscripts. For a long time after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the monks were the only learned people in western Europe. The Christian monasteries became centres of A monk copying a manuscript learning and for spreading education. Subjects such as logic, 8 Essential ICSE History and Civics for Class 7 grammar, arithmetic and religion were taught in the Latin language. This language served as a bond among the educated people of western Europe. Christianity thus played an important role in culturally uniting western Europe. Renowned monks such as St Jerome, St Augustine, St Benedict and St Francis organised their own orders of monks. They won converts from all over Europe. St Jerome was the first to translate the Bible from Hebrew into Latin. His version, called the Vulgate (common version), was the standard Latin Bible used throughout the medieval period. In the course of time, the Church began to play a central role in the lives of the people. It laid down codes of social and moral behaviour, which the people had to observe. These codes became increasingly rigid, and the Church discouraged any form of questioning. Corruption also became widespread in monasteries as they acquired property. By the middle of the sixteenth century, many monks were living lives of luxury and becoming involved in all kinds of corrupt practices. The wandering monks, who worked among the people, however, continued to lead simple and pure lives. ll Christianity arose in Judaea. It was founded by Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible is the holy book of the Christians. It includes the Old Testament, which records the origin of the Jews, and the New Testament, which records the deeds and teachings of Jesus. ll Son of Mary and Joseph, Jesus was born at Bethlehem in Judaea. His birth is celebrated as Christmas. ll Jesus preached of God’s mercy and love, and assured all people of salvation. He preached humility, kindness, forgiveness and mercy in human relations. He discouraged greed and hypocrisy, and the worship of multiple gods. ll Jesus’ large following made the upper classes and some of the Jews jealous. They accused him of being a rebel and had him crucified. This event is remembered as Good Friday. Jesus’ resurrection on the third day after his death is celebrated as Easter. ll Jesus’ teachings spread through his follower Paul and became the basis of a new religion called Christianity. ll Some Roman emperors like Marcus Aurelius and Diocletian were unjust towards Christians. But, the emperor Constantine I converted to Christianity around AD 313. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity became the official religion of Rome. ll After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Christian Church emerged as the only institution which preserved moral values and promoted learning. A church was headed by a bishop. The bishop of Rome came to be called the pope. He exercised great religious and political authority. ll The monks devoted their lives to spreading Christianity. They gave up worldly life and lived in monasteries. They preserved ancient knowledge and cared for the sick and the poor. The monasteries also promoted education. ll The Church came to play a central role in society. It laid down rigid codes of social and moral behaviour. However, as monasteries acquired property, many monks became corrupt.  Rise and Spread of Christianity 9 Note  A mind map is a graphical representation of an idea or concept. It has the main concept at its centre, with a number of branches, somewhat like a tree. The tree is made up of words, short sentences or images connected by lines. A mind map is a tool that helps to structure information. It helps in better understanding and recollection. 10 Essential ICSE History and Civics for Class 7 A. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences. 1. Where did Christianity arise? 2. Why did Christianity appeal to the poor and the downtrodden? 3. Name the two parts of the Bible. Throw light on their contents. 4. How is Jesus’ birth related to the system of writing dates? 5. What is meant by crucifixion? 6. How did Christianity gain political support? 7. Outline the organisational structure of the Christian Church. 8. What is a monastery? 9. How did corruption creep into the monasteries of western Europe? 10. What is the significance of Good Friday and Easter? B. Answer the following questions. 1. In the period preceding the rise of Christianity, why were the Jews and the poor of Judaea awaiting the appearance of a messiah? 2. Write about the following aspects of Christianity. (a) The personal qualities of its founder (b) The main teachings 3. With reference to the execution of Jesus, answer the following questions. (a) Who were Jesus’ enemies? Why and how did they effect his execution? (b) Describe the events from Jesus’ arrest to his ascension to heaven. 4. With reference to developments after Jesus’ death, answer the following questions. (a) What role did Paul play in the rise of Christianity? (b) Why did Christianity win a large following in Roman society? 5. With reference to Christian monasteries, answer the following questions. (a) Describe the life of a monk in an early Christian monastery. (b) How did the monasteries culturally unite western Europe? 6. With respect to the Roman Empire in AD 395, explain (a) how the empire was weakend; and (b) what the consequences were of this weakening. C. Fill in the blanks. 1. The Roman governor of Judaea at the time of Jesus’ execution was....... 2. Jesus’ resurrection is celebrated as....... 3. Christians were harassed during the reigns of the emperors...... and....... 4. The bishop of Rome is called the....... 5. St Jerome’s Latin version of the Bible is called the....... 6. Jesus laid down a moral code of conduct in his....... D. State whether the following statements are true or false. 1. The Gospels contain the history of the Jews. 2. Jesus advised his followers to hate sinners.  Rise and Spread of Christianity 11 3. Jesus was crucified on Mount Calvary. 4. Diocletian converted to Christianity. 5. Christian monasteries were centres of learning. 6. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew. Prepare a skit on the important events in the life of Jesus. Read the story of Moses in the Old Testament and narrate it briefly in class. Collect more information about life in a Christian monastery in the medieval period. Write it down and paste pictures that show the lives of monks. Watch the movie Ben-Hur with your classmates and hold a discussion on it. Write about (a) the scene you liked the most (b) the scene that made you sad or angry (c) a summary of the story Imagine that Jesus Christ is visiting your school. What would you like to tell him or discuss with him? On what current issues would you like to take his advice? A census (an official count of a population) was conducted in China in AD 2. Considered by scholars to be quite accurate, data from this census is the world’s oldest surviving census data. The Romans founded the city of Londinium (later known as London) in AD 50, seven years after they invaded Britain (AD 43). Buddhism possibly reached China around the first century AD through Buddhist monks who joined trade caravans along the Silk Road to China. The Italian city of Pompeii was destroyed, along with other cities, by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The remains of these cities, well preserved underneath the lava deposits, give us a glimpse of life in those times. The Last Days of Pompeii, a novel written in 1834, was adapted several times into popular movies.