RELI 220 Notes.pdf

RELI 220 Notes 9.10.24 Chapter 1 Jesus What does Jesus’ identity teach us what we have to do? - a way Chrisitians will think and ask Jesus likely dies around 30 CE Non-Christian Sources for Jesus’s Life - Josephus, a Jewish historian - Pliny the Young...

RELI 220 Notes 9.10.24 Chapter 1 Jesus What does Jesus’ identity teach us what we have to do? - a way Chrisitians will think and ask Jesus likely dies around 30 CE Non-Christian Sources for Jesus’s Life - Josephus, a Jewish historian - Pliny the Younger, a Roman governor - Tacitus, a Roman senator and historian - Suetonius, a Roman historian Josephus - Describes a man named James as the brother of Christ in writing - Jewish his whole life - Most scholars do no believe that Josephus wrote the text about Jesus, but may have written small parts of it (Antiquities XVIII.63-64) - Parts he may have written have less praise; seems unbiased - First non-christian source for Jesus’s life Tacitus - (Annals XV.44) - The third reference Suetonius - References Jesus to writing, but not completely known - (Claudius,ch. 25) Graffiti found on plaster wall in Rome What do non-Christian sources reveal about Jesus? - Jesus lived in Judaea - Jesus had a brother named James - Jesus claimed to be, or his followers said he was, the Christ (the Jewish Messiah) - Jesus was executed in the reign of Emperor Tiberius when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judaea - Jesus continued to have followers in the late first and early second century called “Christians,” who lived in such diverse places as Judaea, Rome, and northern Turkey Christian Sources for Jesus’s Life - Chrisitans initially spread information about Jesus orally - Why? - Possibly because they expected Jesus to return soon  - Possibly because they thought oral messages were sufficient for their purpose - Possibly some other reason - Chrisitans eventually wrote down their teachings - Information about Jesus is preserved in the Gospels - The Gospels were probably written between 70 and 90 CE - Each of the four Gospels were written for distinct audiences and purposes, with a distinct goal/narrative The Gospel of John was written last The Gospels - The Gospels are written to try to answer who Jesus was/is and what his significance is for Israel and humanity. - Because these questions pertain to investigation of the meaning and significance of Jesus, scholars classify these questions and their answers Christology Christology- the study of Christ Characteristics of the Gospels - Mark - Associated w/ Peter (unknown if true) - Written possibly for persecuted Christians in Rome - Fast-paced - “Straightaway” (euthus) - Emphasis on Jesus’s healings - Jesus is powerful, but hides his power from others - Ignorant disciples - Emphasis on Jesus’s humanity, despite divinity (low Christology) - Was an oral story first rather than written document; may be earlier than dating - Matthew - Oriented towards Jews and Jewish Chrisitans - Parallels with Hebrew Bible - Jesus fulfills the Hebrew Bible - Jesus as a Jewish teacher - Moral and ethical teachings than Mark - Jesus as the promised Jewish Messiah - Luke - One of two volumes (Luke-Acts) - Written for Gentile Christians - Focus on marginalized - Emphasis on Jesus as embarking on a universal ministry - Jesus’s teachings - More elevated style - One of the synoptic styles - Matthew and Luke borrow from the Gospel of Mark  - John - Fourth Gospel, different stories and teaching; more direct and forceful - Explicit connection between Jesus and the God of Israel - Emphasized more than Mark that Jesus brings life - Jesus brings life/eternal life to his followers - Jesus’s exalted, divine status (high Christology; means his divine status is highlighted) Jesus’s Life, as told by the Gospels - Born probably between 6 and 4 BCE - Only Matthew and Luke contain narratives of Jesus’s birth - Next to nothing known about Jesus’s childhood - Jesus’s public ministry probably occurred between 27 and 33 CE - Lasted 1-3 years - Traveled around the Jerusalem region in groups - Teachings were based on Jewish teachings and utilized catchy turns of phrase, vivid imagery, and memorable stories (parables) to grab attention and make his point - Gospels claim he also made prophetic predictions and performed miracles; including his own death; driving out demons - It appears Jesus became popular, and the ruling elite became jealous of his power - Jesus eventually was arrested by the ruling elite - Tried before the Jewish Sanhedrin - Tried before the Roman procurator of the region, Pontius Pilate - Condemned to death by crucifixion (probably for political reasons; claimed he was a king; treason) - The Gospels claim Jesus died and was buried on a Friday, and then claim that he was resurrected ond Sunday. (then ascended into heaven) 9.12.24 Chapter 2 Jewish Context The Importance of Context - We know what ideas are influencing things through context - Knowing context helps us understand that Jesus’s teachings derive from Jewish teachings - Understanding context is important because the context of something gives meaning to it. - Jesus [said]: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). - Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). - “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18) How Does the NT Show Jewish Context? - [Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” - Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. The History of Second Temple Judaism - 587 BCE: Babylon conquers Israel, destroys Jerusalem temple, forces Jews into exile- were not able to perform Jewish rituals - 539 BCE: Persia conquers Babylon; Persia allows Jews to return to their ancestral lands - Jews were still not in control - 516 BCE: Second Temple in Jerusalem completed (hence the name Second Temple Judaism) - 334-333 BCE: Alexander the Great conquers Palestine (and a lot of other places) - Hellenization of the Mediterranean - Greek literature and philosophy became common  - 323 BCE: Alexander dies; his generals divide the territory he conquered amongst themselves - Palestine was a border region; it was first ruled by the ancestors of Alexander’s general Ptolemy (ruler of Egypt), then ruled by the ancestors of his general Antiochus (ruler of Syria) (he thought he could rule the Jews better if they were more Greek. - 160s BCE: Jews under Judas Maccabeus retake Jerusalem and the surrounding area - 63 BCE: Pompey conquered Palestine - The Romans leave the Hasmoneans in charge at first, then install Herod the Great as ruler, and eventually govern Jerusalem via a Roman procurator - 66 CE: The First Jewish Revolt against the Romans - 70 CE: Rome defeats the revolt and destroys the Jerusalem temple (ending the “Second Temple” period) - 115-117 CE: Second Jewish Revolt - 132-135 CE: Third Jewish Revolt, after which Jews are banned from Jerusalem and the city is re-named Aelia Capitolina Characteristics of Second Temple Judaism - The importance of the Jerusalem Temple (burnt offerings, festivals) - Synagogues: places of worship outside the Jerusalem Temple (remained important gathering places) - Jewish diaspora: Jews living outside Jerusalem - Torah readings - Prominence of Jewish teachers - More learned laypeople - Worship became more individualized (less communal focused) - Varying degrees of Hellenization - Increased number of sects - Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans, Jewish diaspora, Gentile proselytes/“God-fearers” Central Beliefs of Judaism - Belief in one God, the creator and controller of the universe - The covenant between God and his chosen people, Israel - The Mosaic Law that they must follow as their side of the covenant - The Jerusalem Temple was the holiest place on earth Important Features of Second Temple Judaism (not shared by all Jews) - Apocalyptic literature - Characteristics: allegorical with vivid imagery; concerns topics like a heavenly kingdom, the end times, God’s return, ascents of humans into heaven, and visions of divine beings, including a growing fascination with angelic beings - Afterlife/resurrection of the body - Angelic beings - Dualism (good vs. evil, light vs. dark, etc.) - Belief in a messiah (militaristic messiah) - due to down times and oppression - Hellenization - making stuff more Greek, Jews scorned or embraced to explain Jewish ideas; continues within Christianity 9.17.24 Chapter 3 Greco-Roman Context Greco-Roman History 5th - 4th centuries BCE: flourishing of Greek society 336-323 BCE: Alexander the Great’s conquests ○ The Hellenization of the Mediterranean world (and beyond) ○ After Alexander’s death, his territory is divided and subsequently ruled by his generals 3rd - 1st centuries BCE: Roman expansion in the Mediterranean 27 BCE: establishment of the Roman Empire 27 BCE-180 CE: Pax Romana (“Roman peace”), a period of relative stability and prosperity (where Christianity begins) Infrastructure of the Roman Empire The Roman Empire was developed ○ Straight and passable roads ○ Aqueducts to transport water ○ Travel via rivers and the Mediterranean ○ Nice Roman homes featured toilets and central Palestine was less developed ○ Rougher/fewer roads and other infrastructure ○ Small, one room apartments made of brick or stone Towns, Work, and Schools Towns were often walled, with public squares just inside the city gates ○ Squares were an area to conduct business, trade, meet others, and engage in discussions. Small businesses were interspersed throughout the city Schools were common and literacy rates indicate many had some schooling Class System Classes in the Roman Empire ○ Wealthy, ruling elite ○ No middle class ○ Commoners and slaves Religion in First Century Rome Syncretism: the mixing of beliefs and practices from a variety of religions and other systems of thought ○ The exceptions: Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism (all monotheistic) Choices (most non-exclusive): ○ State-supported temples and rituals  ○ Voluntary groups (such as mystery cults and individual rituals) ○ Astrologers ○ Magicians ○ Healers ○ Fortune-tellers ○ Philosophers State-supported temples and rituals Little distinction between the political, the social, and the religious ○ Prayers and sacrifices occurred at public functions (meetings, entertainments, sporting events, trade guilds) Purpose: society’s welfare was thought to depend on honoring the gods ○ No one god honored, but many (were honored) ○ Cult of the emperor; emperors that were highly praised would become gods after death; participating in the cult (following deceased emperor) makes a good citizen ○ Romans viewed older things as better or more legitimate Personal Beliefs and Practices Many people had their own personal beliefs and practice in different ways Home shrines Mystery cults Magic Astrology Oracles Belief in daimones (intermediary beings, both good and evil, who influenced events) Philosophy Platonic philosophy (had the greatest effect on Christianity ○ Middle Platonism (roughly 1st century BCE-250 CE) ○ Neoplatonism (250 CE - ) ○ Platonism was dualistic (immaterial = good vs. matter = bad) ○ Belied in a highest principle ○ Growing belief in intermediaries between the highest principles and humans ○ The forms Stoicism ○ Ethereal substance (logos) that brings all things into being and pervades all things = (logos) ○ Live according to reason and reject the passions ○ A system of rebirth Chapter 4 Notes 9.19.24 Earliest Christianity: The Jesus Movement in the First Century Earliest Christianity - Sources: most important are Paul’s letters and Acts of the Apostles - Diversity: Christianity was marked from its inception by different opinions on who Jesus was, what belief in him meant, and what belief in him meant, and which aspects of a convert’s pre-conversion life could continue and which should change - Biggest challenge: how to treat Gentile (non-Jewish) converts The Spread of Followers of Jesus - Earliest followers of Jesus can be referred to as “Jewish Christians because they combine continued attachment to Judaism with belief in Jesus as Messiah - Jewish CHristians began spreading their message to the greco roman world attracting converts who were Gentiles (non-Jews) - Peter’s vision in Acts 10 was interpreted as God’s approval of the conversion of Gentiles - Jewish Christians disagreed on how to convert Gentiles - Should they be converted? - If so, did they need to follow all of the Mosaic laws? The “Parting of the Ways” - Refers to the separation of Judaism and Christianity - At some point, Christianity came to be considered something different from Judaism. It is unclear when this occurred. - In the fourth century and even later, some Christians were still attending Jewish synagogues. Leaders complained about this - Christian groups that retained their Jewish identity continued for centuries. The Apostle Paul - A Pharisee trained under Rabbi Gamaliel - Persecuted Christians - Vision and conversion experiences: Acts 9:1-19 - Paul will spread Jesus’s message to Gentiles (non-Jews) - Made several long trips around the Mediterranean, founding Christian communities - Wrote letters to communities (traditionally 13 of which are found in the new testament) Paul and His Letters  - Only 7 of the 23 of the letters traditionally associated with Paul are believed by scholars to be authentically Paulin - Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, and Philemon - Letters written to those areas (Corinth, Rome) - Letters = written to a specific audience, at a specific time, in a place, in a specific situation, from only one perspective - Paul never laid out his thought in a systematic way Paul and HIs Greco-Roman Context - Paul utilize standard Greco-Roman letter-writing practice and rhetoric - Letters in ancient ROme followed the following format - Opening, which identifies the sender and the addressee, along with a greeting - Statement of thanksgiving or other prayer - Body - Final wishes, exhortations, greetings - Closing - Paul’s letters are much longer than traditional letters in antiquity, but use a similar font - Paul develops upon the ancient letter most in the body, where he interprets the Hebrew Bible and uses Greco-Roman rhetorical composition aimed at teaching right belief and practice, spriti Themes and Characteristics of Paul's Writings - Interpretation of the Hebrew Bible in light of Jesus - For example, Galatians 3:15-18 - Use of tradition-hymns, creeds, etc. - For example, Romans 1:3-4 - Clear view of who Jesus is - both humble servant and exalted Lord - and God’s plan of salvation - For example, Philipians 2:6-11 - Jesus came for all people, both Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) - For example, Galatians 3:28-29 - Dualism (flesh vs. spirit, death vs. life, darkness vs, light, sin vs. grace, law vs. faith) found in his writing ; the worldview that there's evil and good found in specific places - [Jesus came to Paul in a dream/vision for him to be the emissary for Gentiles] - God’s spirit- [claims this spirit gives gifts and present in followers community; God's presence] - Community [Does Not address certain individuals but cares for communities who follow Jesus] when he thinks of individuals, it's a part of individuals a part of a whole; no distinction in Paul's vision] 9.24.24 Chapter 5 Notes Christian Diversity in the Second and Third Centuries Gnostic Chrisitianity Collections of their texts found at Nag Hammadi in 1945 Varied in belief but are generally called Gnostic Christians because of their belief in secret religious knowledge (gnosis is the Greek term for “knowledge”) Little known about Gnostic Christians/Christianity Debate about its origins: Christian? Jewish? Various non-Christian myths and gods? Greco-Roman philosophy? Most important/influential teacher = Valentinus Foundational issue: Part of humanity does not belong to this world (dualism between spirit and matter, invisible and visible 3 Core Beliefs of Gnostic Christians God (First-Father, the Good, the Pleroma) is absolutely transcendent and, therefore, unknowable Radical dualism: good (spiritual) vs. bad (material/the body) ○ The soul is a third kind of substance that can join either the spiritual or the material ○ Dualism results in 3 kinds of people: Material people: cannot be saved Psychic/Soulish people: have souls which can go to an intermediate heaven if they live well Spiritual people: will join the pleroma if they come to the knowledge that they are spiritual Secret knowledge is the basis of salvation Marcionite Christianity Foundational issue: how do the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament relate to each other? Five Core Beliefs of Marcionite Christians: ○ 2 Gods, a Creator and a Redeemer Dualistic worldview (good vs. evil) ○ Hebrew Bible is the revelation of the Creator; the New Testament is the revelation of the Redeemer Jesus came to destroy the law, not fulfill it ○ Jesus was understood in a docetic manner (docetic comes from the Greek dokein, “to appear”) ○ Paul was the only true apostle ○ Emphasis on ascetic practices Montanist Christianity Known as the “New Prophecy” Similar beliefs to the dominant form of Christianity but with an emphasis on ascetic practices (fasting, abstinence, etc.) Belief in continued revelations that communicated Christian truth and could take precedence over previous teaching ○ Both men and women received these revelations and were leaders in the movement 9.26.25 Chapter 6 Notes The Emergence of a Proto-Orthodox Christian Consensus: Bishop, Creed, and Canon of Scripture Proto-Orthodox Christianity ○ A large group of Christians who reached a consensus on genreral beliefs, practices, aims, and structures Consensus = general agreement, not universal agreement ○ Proto-orthodox CHristians are the “seed bed” of almost all modern forms of Christianity ○ In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, proto-orthodox Chrisitans gradually came to consensus on how they would organize churches, defend their theological views, and put barriers between them and their Christians rivals. Church Organization ○ New Testament period: references to different “offices” but little indication that theu were official or clearly defined roles Bishops/overseers, presybters/elders, deacons/deaconesses/servants, apostles, teachers, prophets Early church structures probably relied on organizational structures of synagogues ○ By 110, we have evidence for a three-leveled church ministry Bishops Elders/presbyters ○ Deacons The Bishop ○ Bishops’ duties Leaders of churches and communities Oversaw who was able to take part in the sacraments (baptism, the the eucharist) Directed penitential practices Had teaching duties ○ Doctrine of apostolic succession: bishops stand in the same line as Jesus’s earliest, closest followers, teaching the same things as they did ○ Jesus -> Apostles -> bishops Women in Leadership Roles ○ New Testament is ambiguous ○ As time goes on, women seem to have fewer leadership roles within proto-orthodox Christianisty, though it’s unclear why ○ Women were able to have influence by serving as patrons to individuals and communities; by serving in roles such deaconess , widow, and virgin; and by becoming confessors and martyrs  Statements of belief ○ Rules of faith A set of basic beliefs that set boundaries around what could be considered Christian ○ Creeds Formulaic statements of belief Found as early as Paul’s letters Example: Philippians 2:6-11 Generally became Trinitarian in structure Arranged around three paragraphs focused on the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit The New Testament Canon ○ “Canon” = a list of authoritative books (“canon” comes from the Greek word for “measuring stick”) ○ Marcion probably wrote the first list of the New Testament books in the mid-2nd century ○ In 367 Athanasius of Alexandria writes the first list that corresponds to the New Testament today ○ Continued ambiguity until the sixth century ○ Greek version of hebrew bible was the holy writing of Christians at the time Process of Cannonization ○ Deciding on what books were authoritative was difficult and complex ○ 2 stages of canonization Christians early on regarded certain texts as authoritative. This implies they thought some books were also not authoritative Criteria for regarding books as authoritative ○ Was the author an apostle or closely connected to an apostle? ○ Was the writing written for a broad audience or was it private ○ Did the content correspond to the received traditions? ○ Was the contentcited approvingly by previous Christians? Recognition of authoritative lists on an individual basis, then a communal basis Difficult to distinguish between individual acceptance and communal acceptance because most individuals were bishops (leaders of the communities)