RELI 110 FA 2024 Final Exam Review PDF

77 Review the key concepts, terms, and theories listed below for the midterm exam. Not all the material listed below will appear on this exam though any of the topics on this review sheet are fair game.​ Definitions: ​ Anathema - excom...

77 Review the key concepts, terms, and theories listed below for the midterm exam. Not all the material listed below will appear on this exam though any of the topics on this review sheet are fair game.​ Definitions: ​ Anathema - excommunication or denouncement of doctrine by the pope or Church official (Close. For clarification, a strong, vehement, deep dislike and condemnation – even a formal curse against an idea) ​ Apology/apologist - A work or someone who writes works explaining against rumors about the Christian Church, particularly in early Christian history; defends something (often controversial) against criticism – literally ‘defense’(Yes. An apology, in our context, is literally a defense of Christianity. An apologist is one who writes an apology.) ​ Sanhedrin - (n.) Jewish administrative body or council that was made up of members of high priests (Yes. The Jewish council that could try civil cases. They were composed of priests but also Pharisees, and Sadducees. They were the ones who ordered Jesus arrested in Gethsemane, tried him, and found him worthy of death.) ​ Polytheism - (n) the practice of worshiping more than one god (Yep!) ​ Monotheism - (n) the practice of worshiping only one god (Yep!) ​ Eschatology - (n) the study of the end of things (Yep! Literally last things) ​ Eucharist - (n) a practice from the Last Supper of “consuming” Christ’s body and blood (Yep! Communion in Protestant branches who see this as symbolic. Catholics view this through the process of transubstantiation.) ​ Trinitas: states that God is one being made up of 3 distinct person: the Father, the Son, The holy spirit. (Yep! Earliest writer to use this Latin word was Tertullian) ​ Parable - (n) an allegorical story or fable to explain or illustrate other concepts (Yes. Let’s clarify in our context. Short stories with deeper meanings that Jesus used to reveal information about God’s kingdom.) ​ Palm Sunday - (n) the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem; named after the people waving palm branches to welcome him (Yep!) ​ Cleansing of the Temple - (n) day after Palm Sunday, sometimes called “Holy Monday,” where Jesus drives the moneychangers and merchants out of the temple courtyard (Yep! Also quite possibly the catalyst behind the Sanhedrin seeking Jesus’s arrest.) ​ Indulgences - what the early church gave to people in exchange for money. It was a slip of paper that lowered or eliminated time in purgatory. (Yep! Also Martin Luther didn’t like that the Catholic Church was making money off of these.) ​ Purgatory- Place you go before heaven, In a time of reflection. (Yep! Catholic belief. Not in Protestantism.) ​ Transubstantiation - (n) the change or belief in the change that occurs when someone takes communion, changing the bread to Jesus’ literal body and the wine to his literal blood(Yes. Catholics hold to this while Protestants do not.) ​ Genocide - (n) the murder of an entire people or subgroup (Yep!) ​ Syncretism - (n) the adoption of other deities into one’s own religion (Yep! This can also be concepts as well. Be familiar with Vodou/Catholic saints, Native American Church/Peyotism) ​ Colonization - (n) the practice of colonizing; establishing control over a foreign region for the purposes of exploiting, cultivating, trading, or settling (Yep!) ​ Doctrine of Discovery This was a religious concept that was established by a series of papal bulls issued by popes in the 15th century. These papal bulls were issued by Pope Alexander VI in 1493 that laid the foundations for European Expansion. It was at first addressed to the Spanish monarchs to help secure territories in the New world. This is thought to be linked to Christianity and the conversion of indigenous peoples. Certain verses that influence the content is Matthew 28: 19-20 and Romans 13:1. (Yep!) ​ Manifest Destiny - idea that white Americans were divinely ordained to settle the entire continent of North America (Yep! President Polk established it.) ​ Peyote - a small spineless cactus containing psychoactive substances; particularly known for use by indigenous peoples for religious, ceremonial, or healing uses. Also used in modern day Native American Church (NAC). Scientific: Lophophora williamsii (Yep! NOT permitted to be used recreationally. Used by natives to commune with the divine- God/Jesus) ​ Middle Passage: this was the stage of the slave trade were slaves were transported from West Africa to the Americas. It was the middle part of a 3 part voyage which began and ended in Europe. European colonizers imposed their beliefs on to the colonized people. (Yep!) ​ Great Awakening: The Great Awakening happened in response to the cultural shifts. They respond in Enlightenment ideas in reverse. It happened due to rapid socio-cultural changes. Traditional American set up of people living in towns and villages starts to shift. It happened due to people searching for a more engaging type of church service. This caused church attendance to drop, because they were bored with typical sermon presentations. Pastors were not very engaging and so the seeked for more excitable preachers calling for conversion and a more profound religious experience. (video in powerpoint about Jonathan Edwards.) (Yep!) ​ Kingdom of God: refers to a sovereign rule of Jesus over the people with God’s will reigning supreme. It occurs both now and in the future. The Parables tell us about the secrets of the Kingdom of God and helps us understand it. (Yep!) ​ Lord’s Prayer: The lords prayers is a model of prayer and basically how Jesus said to pray. It contradicts the ideas that prayer had to be perfect or performed just right. Jesus says God always available to listen, and that you don't need sacrifice. (Yep!) ​ Beatitudes: The Beatitudes refer to the blessings from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. Sermon on the mount is found in chps 5-7 and the beatitudes are in Matthew 5: 3-12. They are similar to parables, they show mercy towards others. And it says that the ones not fortunate are those who are wealthy and the exalted. (Yep!) ​ Edict of Milan: Declares Christians not be persecuted; Constantine in 313 CE (Yes,and most importantly legalizes Christianity in the Roman Empire and makes it the preferred or favored religion.) ​ Edict of Thessalonica; Declares Christianity official religion of the Roman Empire; Emperor Theodosius I in 380 CE (Yep!) ​ Filioque clause: states that the Holy Spirit originates from both the Father and the Son, added to Nicene Creed in 589 AD. Helped spur on the Great Schism 500 years later. (Yep! The exact clause is “and from the Son”) ​ Third Council of Toledo: codified filioque clause (Yep!Without Eastern representation or approval in 589) ​ Homoousios: same substance (Yep!) ​ Homoiousios: similar substance (Yep! Similar, but different substance) ​ Nicene Creed: formal statement of Christian faith that codifies Tertullian Christianity (Yep! Technically Trinitarian Christianity.) ​ Orthodoxy: The practice of adhering to accepted creeds or beliefs especially in religion. (Yep! Literally correct belief) ​ Icons: venerated subjects representing righteousness or other quality (Yep! Art pieces. Used in the Eastern Orthodox church. Helps the viewer contemplate the mysteries and beauty of the divine.) ​ Theology of the laity: Notion that (with baptism and confirmation), everyone can in a way be a priest. Live a life as one would expect of the priest, good marriage or chastity, charity, educating next generation of Catholics, etc. Heavily emphasizes since Vatican II, ordination separates this population form the laity from priests, deacons, or bishops. (Yep!) ​ Catholic vs. catholic (capitalized) the church, often the Roman Catholic Church. (lowercase) universal or inclusive (Yep!) ​ Christology the study of Christ. (Yep!) ​ Adoptionism - (n) the belief Jesus was the adopted Son of God, which probably happened when the dove landed on him when Jesuswas baptized by John the Baptist (Yep!) ​ Docetism - (n) the belief Jesus did not have a real body on Earth, only ever a divine body (Yep!) ​ Separationism - (n) belief Jesus became divine at baptism but it leaves at the crucifixion so only the human Jesus suffers (Yep!) ​ Bishop/Archbishop - The Bishop is the head of a diocese and archbishop is head of all the bishops in a certain area.(Yep!) ​ Diocese - Group of churches under one bishop(Yep!) ​ Arianism: idea put forward by Arius stating Christ is lesser than God the father, main idea is homoiousious (Yep!) ​ Quelle - (n) 1. Q is part of the common material found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke but not in the Gospel of Mark 2. the German word for Source (Yep!) ​ Synoptic Gospels - Matthew mark and luke. Very similar (Yep!) ​ Signs Source: Jesus’s miracles (Yep! As known in John) ​ Discourse Source: Jesus’s speeches (Yep! Long winded ones in John) ​ Bauer hypothesis: the idea published in 1934 by Walter Bauer that early Christrianity had multiple expressions without one “orthodox view”(Yep!) ​ Great Spirit ​ Lwa: spirits in Vodou (Yep!) ​ Torah - (n) refers to the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible which include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. (Yep!) ​ Tanakh - (n) refers to the Hebrew Bible / The Old Testament (Yep!) ​ Sacrament of Holy Orders ​ Dioceses: ​ Deacon: Can be married, they assist the priest during the mass, they can do readings, and sometimes they can do the gospel, they also can a service if the communion is prepped ahead of time. They have to be ordained or appointed. They are a member of the diaconate, a Christian  church office that involves service and ministry. There are 2 types, the transitional and permanent. The permanent are ordained for life and don't become priests, the transitional are usually seminarians that are on their final stretches before they are ordained as a priest. (Yep! Cannot perform the 7 sacraments but can help with them) ​ Priest: They constitute the second level of the sacrament of holy orders. They are ordained by a bishop and are entrusted with a specific task. The Principal test of each priest is administering the sacraments. When a priest is given the task to lead one of the many smaller parts of a diocese called a parish he is called a pastor. When a priest is sent to support a pastor he is called vicar or assistant pastor. (Yep!) ​ Venial sins: less severe sins, e.g. 7 deadly sins (Yep!) ​ Mortal sins: gravest of sins (Yep!) ​ Theology of the Laity: Notion that (with baptism and confirmation) everyone can, in a way, be a priest (Yep!) ​ Liberation theology: A new way of doing theology, not a new theology itself. It speaks for the experiences of the poor, oppressed, and marginalized. This includes those living in poor neighborhoods, driven off their land, refugees, etc. this allows for us to hear the story of the marginalized over letting the story be told by those who hold power. (Yep!) Key Concepts Greco-Roman Religion: ➔​ What are the key features of Greco-Roman polytheism? ◆​ Greek: excellence, wit, brave, physical, INDIVIDUAL (Yep!) ◆​ Rome: abstract, reciprocity, sacrifice, CIVIC (Yep!) ➔​ How does Greco-Roman polytheism differ from Jewish monotheism? ◆​ Judaism more concerned with understanding laws and having a cultural connection to that well-defined heritage than performing their gods.(Yep!) ➔​ Why does correct performance matter in Greco-Roman polytheism? ◆​ Greco-Roman polytheistic emphasis on correct performance of ritual over understanding theology/meaning, behind what is done. Contrasts jewish concern for theological interpretation and meaing behind their texts especially their laws. Rome was very concerned with sacrifices to their deities, and the priests were elected to those positions of power for life. Priests had to ensure any ritual/sacrifice was done perfectly (not a word miss pronounced, no an action out of place) or else the deity will get angry and the people or Rome will lose favor with said deity. (Yep!) ➔​ What role did sacrifices play in Roman religion? Sacrifices extend beyond the physical act of sacrifice itself. The also believed that Gods consumed the spiritual essence of the offerings, which established a bond between mortals and the divine realm. (Yep!) ➔​ How did Greek and Roman religion differ especially on the areas of sacrifice and civic focus? The romans placed a stronger emphasis on civic duty and using religion to maintain social order, whereas the Greeks focused more on individuals piety and the personal connection with God. (Yep!)​ The Jews ➔​ What was the relationship between the Jews and the Romans in 1st century Palestine? ◆​ The Romans told the Jews that they could keep worshiping and didn't make them give sacrifices to the Roman deities, they allowed them to pay taxes to the temple. (Yep!) ➔​ How did the Romans show Jews leniency under their rule? ◆​ They were allowed to not participate in sacrifices, and they could keep worshiping. (Yep! See above answer too) ➔​ What was Rome’s influence in Palestine at the time of Jesus’ birth? ◆​ Romans were its overseers and placed governors in control of the different provinces. This made Jews not happy with this interference. (Yep!) ➔​ What was the Abrahamic covenant? Recall its relationship to circumcision, the Promised Land, conditionality, and generations. ◆​ The Abrahamic Covenant is a descendants/generational covenant. Abraham is the father of Christianity and Islam. God likes him and seeks out a covenant with him which is called the Abrahamic covenant. Genesis 17 includes the specific details of this covenant. This includes the basic details of the covenant and circumcision as a sign affirming this covenant. In the covenant it says that God will be God for all of Abraham's descendants. It promised them the promise land called the Land of Canaan. It, talks about circumcision which applied to even foreign born slaves bought into the household. Not too many conditions though, unconditional. (Yep!) ➔​ What was the Mosaic Covenant and its relationship to the Torah? Was it conditional? ◆​ The Mosaic Covenant occurred on Mt. Sinai between God, Moses, and the israelites. This was after the Exodus. God gave Moses the 10 commandments. The first 10 of the 613 mitvot. The 613 mitzvot were given in the Torah. The Torah is the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible. These include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number, and Deuteronomy. Christians adopt these Jewish texts. (Yep!) ◆​ These are laws that guide a Jews behavior and affect ALL aspects of a Jews life. For example, religious duties, dietary laws, how to live with others, and there is one God, how to obey, and keep God pleased. (Yep!) ➔​ Who was Herod the Great? Herod Antipas? ◆​ Herod the Great was a wicked ambitious king who took over Judea. He was known for colossal building projects in Judea. He was the king that reigned during the time of Jesus’s birth. (Yep!) ◆​ Herod Antipas was the second son of King Herod. (Yep! Ruler of Galilee during the time that Jesus would be tried) ➔​ What does Herod Antipas have to do with Jesus’s trial in the Gospel of Luke? ◆​ In Luke Jesus was sent before Antipas after Pilate learns Jesus is from Nazareth though we are not sure of the historicity of this event. (Yep!) ➔​ What role did Pontius Pilate play in Jesus’s crucifixion? ◆​ Pontis Pilate sentenced him to death. (Yep!) ➔​ What was the Torah, and how did it shape Jewish life? ◆​ The torah was the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible. These include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number, and Deuteronomy. These laws guided Jewis behavior and affects  ALL aspects of Jews life. (Yep!)​ Jewish Groups and their Messianic Expectations: ➔​ Who were the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, and Essenes? ◆​ The pharisees: (Yep!) ​ Beneath the sadducess - merchants, artisans ​ Observance of Torah but applied to new situations ​ Messianic expectation: religious leader who observed the law ◆​ Sadducees: (Yep!) ​ Small, upper ruling class ​ Strict Torah adherence ​ Adaptance to Romans control - politically motivated ​ Messianic expectation: unclear but not Jewish peasant. ◆​ Zeolots: (Yep!) ​ Very small minority of jews ​ Strict adherence to Torah ​ Jesus did not interact with this gorup of Jews ◆​ Essenses: (Yep!) ​ Group living in the desert ​ Heavily apocalyptic worldview ​ Messianic expectation: warrior who would become king ○​ Someone who would defeat Romans and lead into New testament. ➔​ Which two groups did Jesus deal with the most? (Yep!) ◆​ Pharisees and Sadducees ➔​ What were the messianic expectations of these groups? (Yep!) ◆​ Pharisees: Religious leader who observed the law ◆​ Sadducees: unclear but not Jewish peasant ◆​ Zealots: He would build the true temple of God, he would deal with the gentile problem, and that he would establish the kingdom of God. ◆​ Essence: Warrior who would become king. ➔​ Which group was responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls? (Yep!) ◆​ Essence. ➔​ How were the Zealots connected to Josephus? (Yep!) ◆​ Most of our information about this group came from him. He was an eyewitness to the Great Jewish Revolt. Jesus: ➔​ What was his religious and ethnic background? (Yep!) ◆​ Jewish: he was born and raised and a practitioner of Judaism. He would’ve known the covenants adhered to the Law, and been circumcised. He didn’t agree with all aspects of the Law, but he wasn't anti-Judaism. His early followers were Jewish too. ➔​ What was his social status in the Roman Empire? (Yep!) ◆​ Lower strata of society, not an upper class member of the Roman social hierarchy. ➔​ Why was the Cleansing of the Temple significant? (Yep!)  ◆​ What caused the Sanhedrin to ask for Jesus’s death after Jesus called the hypocrites for selling goods in the temple of God. This likely led to the arrest and his trial. ➔​ How do Christians view the death and resurrection of Jesus? (Yep!) ◆​ It gave all people hope for life after death if they follow Jesus and his teachings. Thologicially, the resurrection was viewed as overcoming and defeat of death. ➔​ Why did Jesus teach with parables? (hint: think about literacy at this time, his primary audience, and the parable themes) (Yep!) ◆​ He taught them as a way for individuals to relate to others. He used stories to teach a moral or spiritual lesson. ➔​ What was the role of the Kingdom of God in Jesus’s mission? (Yep!) ◆​ He taught that the Kingdom of God is the present and future. ➔​ What role did the Jewish Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, and Rome play in Jesus’s crucifixion?(Yep! Sanhedrin also had Jesus arrested in Gethsemane.) ◆​ Rome’s death penalty was the crucifixion, Pilate sentenced him to death, Sanhedrin brought Jesus in front of Pilate after the “cleansing of the temple”. ➔​ Why was crucifixion a Roman punishment, and what message was it meant to convey to the Jews? (Yep!) ◆​ The punishment was embarrassing. It wasn’t meant to be a quick death, they wanted people to suffer. It was used to prolong suffering and state criminals. It was also made to make an example of people who are crucified. That’s why he has a platform on the cross, making crime apparent, shows if you do this this is how you will end up. Also showing the Jews that. ◆​ Wasn’t meant to be a quick death ◆​ Wanted people to suffer ◆​ Was used to prolong suffering and state criminals. Made to make example of people who are crucified. That’s why he has a platform on the cross, making crime apparent, shows if you do this this is how you end up. Also showing Jews that ◆​ ➔​ What language did Jesus speak? What was the difference between the use of Aramaic and Hebrew at this time ◆​ He spoke aramaic because the common language of people in Galilee, where Jesus grew up in Nazareth. This was the language of everyday life for Jesus and his disciples. However he would also know the languages of Greek, and Hebrew. Hebrew specifically because it is the language that was used by religious scholars, and holy scriptures. (Yep!) ➔​ How did the Lord’s Prayer act as a model for prayer? ◆​ It acts as a model of prayer however it is not a prayer that has to be recited perfectly. It is more that it has an example of one to use. This shows that God is open and loves and can be spoken to no matter what. (Yep!) ➔​ How did the Beatitudes invert the social hierarchy of the Roman Empire? ◆​ The Beatitudes invert the very social order of the Roman Empire. The Higher - ups are now displaced, and the “blessed” can also inherit their blessings on earth, not just in heaven. It is stated that the “blessed” today are homeless, those mourning personal loss, and those who are depressed. (Yep!) The Gospels: ➔​ What is “Q”? How does it relate to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke? ◆​ Quelle = German “source”. This is a nonexistent document, it is used by Matthew and Luke, and the material is not found in Mark’s Gospel. ➔​ What are the “M” and “L” sources? ◆​ “M” is Matthew’s unique source(s), 3 wise men and parable of sheep and goats only in Matthew. “L” Luke’s unique source(s), parables of the prodigal son and good samaritan only in Luke. (Yep!) ➔​ What is our earliest gospel? (hint: Mark) our Earliest gospel is Mark (70 C.E) then Mathew and Luke was composed in 80-85 or 90 C.E, and then John was in 90-95 C.E. (Yep!) ➔​ How is John different from the Synoptic Gospels? Review the Signs and Discourse sources and John’s focus on the divinity of Jesus (Yep!) ◆​ John seems independently written from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is NOT part of the synoptic. There are different materials that are unique to John. The “Signs Source” which are Jesus’s miracles, “Discourse Sources” which are Jesus’s speeches. OVerlapping materials are told differently. (Yep!- and portrays Jesus as divine not a man) ➔​ Where do the Gospel authors each stand on blaming the Jews for Jesus’s death? (Yep!) ◆​ Mark: Pilate (Romans…. Not the Jews) ​ 70CE The second temple is destroyed. Thoughts are that Mark is written around there. ◆​ Matt./Lk: leans to the Jews ​ Now more conflict between the two groups ​ Matthew and Luke written in 90 ish CE ◆​ Jh: The Jews as a whole group did it. ​ Written in 95ish CE. Early Christian Apologists and Christology: ➔​ What were some accusations early Christians faced from the Romans? (Yep!) ◆​ Major ones: Cannibalism, Atheism, sexual immorality, infanticide ➔​ How was the Eucharist possibly connected to accusations of infanticide and cannibalism? How was incest possibly linked to the Christians? (Yep!) ◆​ Cannibalism was because of the eucharist ◆​ Atheism was because of the pagan Gods and refusing to sacrifice to them. ◆​ Incest was because they referred to each other as one family in Christ. ➔​ How might Christian apologists refute accusations against them? (Yep! Apologies/apologists) ◆​ Use scripture or theology to argue and persuade ➔​ Were Christian apologetic writings always read by their intended recipient? ◆​ Definitely not. How often do people read an author they disagree with? (Yep! Good one.) ➔​ What were the adoptionists, separationists, docetists, and Arian views? (Yep!) ◆​ Adoptionist: view only adopted by God to be the SOn who would bring salvation. Holds that Jesus was born a flesh and human blood. No virginal birth, Jesus didn’t somehow preexist prior to his incarnation. Jesus was a better man than most, which is what led God to choose him as the Son.  ◆​ Docetists: Greek Term ‘dokein’ means “to seem” or “to appear” Jesus only “seemed” and “appeared” fully human. His suffering was an illusion. Human aspect of Jesus was not real. Jesus was fully divine and only a “phantom” human. It came from possibly the Gospel of John. Also picked up some Gnostic Christian groups. Gnostic labeled applied to various Christian groups that thought they held secret knowledge (gnosis) ​ Generally advocated the true god did not create this world, but that this world ahs the creation of some lesser, imperfect entity. ◆​ Separationists: Jesus was completely human, born to Mary and Joseph as all other humans are born. No miraculous birth, not born divine, but he was very wise, righteous, and upright person. Baptism is when things change for Jesus. However the dove represents the moment the divine entered Jesus. Christ entered Jesus in this dove’s form and stayed in Jesus through ministry. At crucifixion the dove bailed back to heaven, so it was only Jesus who suffered. Very likely popular with Gnostic Christians. (Yep!) ◆​ Arianism: began with a man named Arius, he was from Libya and went to Alexandria. He becomes a Christian priest in C.E 312. And was placed in charge of a church in Alexandria, Egypt. So he was technically the Bishop. This is when controversy arises. It had is orgins in a simple request. He had asked his priests to give thoughts on the text in the Hebrew Bible. Text was never stated but maybe Proverbs 8. This text deals with Wisdom and Wisdom’s call. Christians would interpret this personified Wisdom as Christ. (Yep!) ​ The beliefs are that Christ hasn’t always existed but that Chrsit was created by God at some point before God made the world. God always existed (everything else made including Christ). Being created by God the Father at a later point made Christ a lower level deity beneath the father. Matters due to concerns over how Christians worship Christ. Worship Christ as equal to God, or Lesser than God. Christ would the be another of God the Father’s creation. Of lesser importance compared to God the Father. But was above humans. (Yep!) ➔​ What was Tertullian’s view of the Trinity (trinitas)? What two councils will he go establish this as the orthodox view? ◆​ 3 godheads in one God who can each act independently of one another but are all God. Council of Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople. (Yep!) Arianism Controversy: ➔​ Who was Arius, and what was his role in the controversy? ◆​ Christian priest from Libya in charge of a church in Alexandria, Egypt (Yep!) ➔​ Who was Bishop Alexander and what was his role in the controversy? Why did Arius’ views upset him? ◆​ Bishop supervised Arius in his studies and asked his students to give thoughts on a particular text (commonly thought to be Proverbs 8). Arius claims Christ was created before everything else by God “the father” instead of, as Bishop Alexander asserts, Christ had to have always existed. (Yep!) ➔​ What Christology did Arianism put forth (hint- homoiousios)  ◆​ Arius claims Christ was created before everything else by God “the father” – thus Christ is a lower-level deity to God. Therefore also Christ is a similar substance but not identical to God. (Yep!) ➔​ How did the Arians view Jesus in relation to creation and God the Father? ◆​ Arianism teaches that Christ is ontologically inferior and subordinate to the Father. (Yep!) ➔​ What did Nicaea declare about Arianism? ◆​ Condemned Arius and declared homoousios (“same substance” – equal to God). Directed an anathema towards Arianism.(Yep!) ➔​ What did Nicaea decide about Christ’s nature? What will Constantinople add to this decision? ◆​ Homoousios and established the Trinity with God as 3-in-1.(Yep!) ➔​ What is the orthodox view on Christ’s nature today? (Christ is fully divine and fully human.) Constantine: ➔​ What was the Edict of Milan issued in 313 CE? ➔​ How does this the Edict of Milan contrast with the Edict of Thessalonica by Emperor Theodosius I in 380/381? ➔​ Why is Constantine significant in Christianity? ◆​ Ends persecution of Christians with the Edict of Milan in 313 and makes Christianity the favored religion. (Yep!) ➔​ What role did Constantine play in the Council of Nicaea and the Arian controversy? ◆​ Helps unite the Christian orthodoxy by calling for the council (Yep!) ➔​ Why was Christian agreement important to Constantine who had reunified the Roman Empire? ◆​ Saw Christianity as a key player in unifying the Roman Empire. (Yep!) ➔​ How will Constantine’s movement of capital from Rome to Constantinople play a role in the Great Schism? What ramifications did it have the for the Western Church? ◆​ ➔​ How did the Pope eventually arise out of the ranks of bishops in the West? Council of Nicaea in 325 ➔​ What was the reason for this council? ◆​ The Council of Nicaea was convened to address the Arian controversy over whether Christ was coeternal with God or a created being. (Yep!) ➔​ Who called it? ◆​ Emperor Constantine called the council. (Yep!) ➔​ Who were the key players in this council? (Arius, Constantine, and Bishop Alexander) (Yep!) ◆​ Arius: Argued that Christ was not coeternal with God but rather a created being. ◆​ Constantine: Convened the council to unify Christian doctrine. ◆​ Bishop Alexander: Opposed Arius, defending Christ’s coeternity with God. ➔​ What conclusions did Nicaea draw concerning Christ (hint- focus on coeternal, homoousios, and the Trinity) (Yep!) ◆​ Nicaea concluded that Christ is coeternal with God and of the same essence (homoousios), affirming his full divinity and role within the Trinity. ➔​ Did Nicaea establish Christ as fully divine AND fully human, or did they establish that he was only divine? (Yep!)  ◆​ Nicaea primarily established that Christ was fully divine, without explicitly addressing his full humanity. ➔​ What did Nicaea say about the Holy Spirit? What was this council’s focus? (Yep!) ◆​ The council’s statements on the Holy Spirit were minimal, as the main focus was defining the nature of Christ’s divinity. ➔​ How did this council contribute to Christian orthodoxy even to today? (Yep!) ◆​ The Council of Nicaea established key doctrines about Christ’s divinity and the concept of the Trinity, which remain central to Christian orthodoxy.​ Council of Constantinople ➔​ How did Constantinople build on Nicaea’s conclusions? (Yep!) ◆​ Several heresies – incl. Arianism and Apollinarianism – condemned. ➔​ How did this council establish Christ as fully divine AND fully human? ➔​ What did this council determine about the Holy Spirit that Nicaea did not? ◆​ Nicea: Holy Spirit is 1 of 3 godheads. Constintanople: Holy Spirit is equal in stature to the other two. (Yep!) ➔​ What alterations did Constantinople make to the Nicene Creed? ◆​ Removed anathema addition from creed and establishes Father and Son and Holy Spirit are worthy of the same worship. Finalizes Trinitarian Doctrine.(Yep!) Know the 3 main branches of Christianity: (Yep!) ➔​ Roman Catholicism ◆​ Heavily based around Benedictine Rule. Liturgy focuses on worship and dogma (perhaps influenced by how Romans used to worship) and penance is a major part of religion. Wanted Pope to hold authority over the entire church. ➔​ Eastern Orthodox Church ◆​ Rejects Apostle’s Creed. Developed around asceticism as defined by Rule of St. Basil. Did not support clerical celibacy. ➔​ Protestantism (and be aware of some of its denominations) ◆​ Generally fewer mystical elements compared to other two.​ Great Schism of 1054: ➔​ What were some reasons behind this split? ◆​ § Review Constantine’s move to Constantinople, the filioque clause, unleavened bread, excommunication of both Western Pope and Eastern Patriarch by one another, and language differences. ◆​ Everything boiled over in 1054 when Patriarch of Constantinople and Pope in Rome excommunicated each other. (Yep!) ➔​ What was the filioque clause, and what council inserted this clause into the Nicene Creed? ◆​ Says the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and Son; inserted in 589 by the Third Council of Toledo (Yep!) ➔​ How does the East feel about the filioque clause? What does this clause say about the Holy Spirit that was not previously included in the creed established by Constantinople?  ◆​ They weren’t involved in the decision to this addendum! So they weren’t happy abt it. (Yep! Not at all) ➔​ What political message did the insertion of the filioque clause send to the East about Papal authority? ➔​ What were the lasting effects of the Great Schism? ➔​ What were some of the similarities/differences towards monasticism/ascetics, tradition, and liturgy in the Eastern/Western churches before the schism? ◆​ § Focus on role of icons in the East, the Eastern views towards tradition, the political climate that each church grew up in, and clerical celibacy. Protestant Reformation: ➔​ What was Martin Luther’s role in the Protestant Reformation? ◆​ He posted the 95 theses on the church door. ➔​ How did Luther view indulgences? What was the issue he had with them? (hint: it was not the theology) ◆​ Higher-ups received a cut from the sale of indulgences. (Yep!) ➔​ Did Luther intend to break from the Catholic Church? No (Yep!) ➔​ Where did Luther disagree with the Catholic Church and seek reform (hint: see the slide in the lecture on what Luther advocates) ◆​ Salvation by grace alone and centrality of Scripture; repent through one’s faith. (Yep! Only 2 sacraments of baptism and eucharist instead of 7, Bible should be readable in people’s own languages)​ Colonialism: ➔​ What role did Christianity play in colonialization especially with the Doctrine of Discovery? ◆​ Pope releases “Papal Bull” to tell colonizing leaders to elevate the Catholic faith and extend and spread it everywhere to subdue barbarous nations. (Yep!) ➔​ What role did missionaries play in this process? ◆​ Missionaries a) assumed a superior role due to eurocentric values or b) tried to protect natives from oppressive rule (Yep!) ➔​ What were some of the results of colonialization (review syncretism, Wounded Knee, and purpose of Native American schools)? ◆​ Eradication of traditional customs, whitewashing history, genocide, religious syncretism (Yep!)​ Catholicism Today: ➔​ Which groups of the Catholic hierarchy make up the clergy? ◆​ Deacons, priests, bishops/archbishops (Yep!) ➔​ Review the sacraments of Anointing the Sick, the Eucharist, and Confession. Can a deacon full fill these or any of the 7 sacraments? Can a priest perform the 7 sacraments? How might a deacon contribute to the sacraments? ➔​ What is the bishop’s role in the Catholic Church? How is the bishop viewed in terms of the 12 Disciples?  ◆​ The big boss of a large region, considered to form a direct backward line to the 12 disciples (Yep!) ➔​ Do Catholics all hold the exact same belief and opinions today? ◆​ Not at all. One single congregation can have drastically different viewpoints. (Yep!) ➔​ The Pope is chosen from which group in the Catholic Church? ◆​ The College of Cardinals (Yep! Cardinals for short) ➔​ How is the Pope viewed by Catholics ◆​ Leader of Roman Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome (Yep!) ➔​ Why is Vatican II important? What was its goal, and what changes did it make? ◆​ Called to update Church. Gave laity more pronounced role, liturgy can be in local language, reestablished contact with eastern orthodox church, condemned antisemitism. (Yep!) ➔​ What categories of sin do Catholics have today? ◆​ Mortal sin vs venial sins (Yep!)​ Protestants Today ➔​ How do Protestants differ from Catholics on their views towards the following: ◆​ § Eucharist ​ Only observe eucharist and baptism. (Yep!) ◆​ § Pope vs. scriptural authority ​ Do not accept the pope. (Yep!) ◆​ § Church hierarchy ​ Protestants have an undefined Church Hierarchy. (Yep!) ➔​ Where do Protestants and Catholics agree? ◆​ Resurrection, Nicnene & Apostles Creed, Trinity. (Yep!)​ Evangelical Christianity ➔​ Which Christian branch did evangelical Christianity originate from? (Yep!) ◆​ Protestant – largely Baptist and Presbyterian ➔​ How was the Great Awakening a response to enlightenment ideas, cultural changes, and the need for more lively church service? (Yep!) ◆​ Enlightenment, immigration, church attendance. ➔​ Who were Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield? What role did they play during the Great Awakening and the rise of evangelicalism? What was unique about their preaching styles? ◆​ Ministers who held meetings in open fields. (Yep! Elaborate preaching styles, emotional language, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God was Jonathan’s famous sermon) ➔​ How does evangelicalism differ from mainstream Protestantism? ◆​ Introduced conversion experience of rebirth and a more emotional, personal religion. (Yep!) ➔​ How does evangelicalism differ from fundamentalist Christianity? ◆​ Doesn’t necessarily take the bible literally. Has a motivation of preserving white Protestant conservative values. (Yep!) ➔​ What are the 4 Key Features of evangelicalism (as listed by the NAE)? (Yep!) ◆​ Conversionism: emphasis on born again experience  ◆​ Biblicism: Bible is inerrant ◆​ Activism: share christian traditions ◆​ Crucicentrism: emphasis on Jesus’ death as making salvation possible​ Liberation Theologies (Yep!) ➔​ What are they? What is their purpose and goal(s)? ◆​ A new way of doing theology, to speak for the experiences of marginalized people. Allows readers to go to the text without concern for historical context ➔​ What are some different types of liberation theologies present in Christianity today? ◆​ Black theology ◆​ Feminist theology ◆​ Queer theology ◆​ Native American theology Native American Indigenous Religion and Theology: (Yep!) ➔​ Why are circles and the number 7 important in Native cultures? ◆​ Nature holds a circular shape and the universe acts as a cycle. Also can help represent dualities that complement one another. ◆​ Exact reason for seven is lost but we know it’s a motif. ➔​ What is the Great Spirit? ◆​ Supreme being that created the world, not anthropomorphized ➔​ What is the NAC or Peyotism? Why is this an example of syncretism? ◆​ Native American Church that is mix of Christianity with Native worldviews. Mixes Jesus’ significance with native ideas. Holds to strong ethical code. ➔​ Is peyote use allowed recreationally? ◆​ NO. It is a sacrament to impart divine grace. ➔​ What role does Jesus play in the NAC? ◆​ He is a tribal hero and spiritual hero but not necessarily the “Son of God.” ➔​ How do some Natives interpret Christian concepts of sin/hell in relation to their own culture? ◆​ Hell: Dislocation and exile from tribal unit. More in present tense. ◆​ Native ideas of sin centered around community and kinship, rather than specific individual sins. African Indigenous Religion and African/Black Theology: ➔​ What are the characteristics of African indigenous religions? How do they overlap with Native American indigenous views? ◆​ Emphasis on kinship, communication with spirits via ritual, focus on present not future. Very humanistic compared to native american views. (Yep!) ➔​ What is the difference between Black and African theologies? ◆​ Black theology in response to racial segregation and racism in South Africa and the US (Yep!) ➔​ What is the goal of African theology? ➔​ How does African theology engage with the church? ➔​ How does black theology tie to liberation theology  ◆​ In some places it was the only way to practice – even in part – indigenous religion. ◆​ James Cone: Theology is culturally dependent – not universal – and blackness itself is a negation. (Yep! Racism and marginalization) ➔​ How does the Exodus narrative speak to black theologians and black people? ◆​ Israelites freed from slavery as testament to God’s power to liberate people from oppression. (Yep!) ➔​ How do black theologians view Jesus’s life? ◆​ Jesus is a liberator as Jesus himself one of the “oppressed” (Yep!) Feminist and Queer Theology ➔​ How does feminism tie to liberation theology? ◆​ Operates on basis women are a historically marginalized group and have a lost history regarding participation in history of Christianity (Yep!) ➔​ What are feminist theologian’s goals for women’s experience and Christian theology? ◆​ Remove the genderedness of referring to God/Jesus as masculine/male (Yep!) ➔​ Why have feminist theologians struggled with some parts of Paul? ➔​ What was a probable cultural context for 1 Cor. 14:34-35? ◆​ § How has this 1 Cor. text been used against women? ◆​ § Did Paul offer the same advice to every Christian community? ​ No, each letter was very specific to that community. Not universal suggestions (Yep!) ➔​ What are some queer apologetic responses? ◆​ Debate over accuracy of meaning behind texts or that certain NT and OT authors just got it wrong. (Yep!) ➔​ What is the Jewish cultural meaning for the story of Sodom? How has this story traditionally been used against LGBTQ+ individuals? How do some queer theologians view this story especially in terms of Jewish hospitality? ◆​ Jewish cultural meaning has a big connotation to hospitality, rather than asserting dominance over strangers/guests. (Yep!)