TREDONE FINALS REVIEWER I.

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH Christian Antiquity The historical Jesus and His founding of the Church The early Church and the Apostolic Era o After the Pentecost, Peter and the apostles proclaim the Good News as far as wide as possible within the short time remaining Parousia is nearing apocalypse When they realized that this wasnt the case, they put structure to the Church o Initially understood themselves as an extension of Judaism, thus the exclusivity to Jews and the observance of Jewish practices. Came to an end with the Conversion of St. Paul (Acts 9:1-19) and the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-12) o Admired because of its so-called communal theology. o As the Church expands, authority is established upon the Apostles Not limited to the Twelve, but Peter serves as the head Authority in the form of charism and service o In the latter part of the 1st century AD, three new types of leaders developed Episkopos (bishops) Presbyters (priests) Deacons Triumphal progress of the Church from Jerusalem to Rome o Jewish-Christian period: Jerusalem as center Christianity traces its roots from Jewish tradition Believe in Christ led to two brief periods of persecution Stoning of Stephen (32-33 AD) Arrest of Peter and death of the apostle James the Elder by King Herod Agrippa (3744 AD) o Period of transition from Jewish to Gentile Christianity with Antioch as center Antioch 1st Gentile Christian community and a Christian missionary center Followers of Christ were called Christians o The period of St. Pauls missionary journeys to the Gentiles St. Paul apostle of the Gentiles The Roman Persecution o Refusal to participate in the official pagan worship Reason: Christians exclusive monotheism o Christians denial of recognition of worship to the emperor

The Roman Empire was generally tolerant of alien religions, such as the case of the Jews, but Judaism had a small number of followers and was confined to a small national group. Christianity, however, were supranational. The universal appeal brought fear to the Roman Empire. o Mobs hate of Christians Withdrawn life of Christians created suspicion of criminal activities such as secret meetings and cannibalistic gatherings The Constantinian turning point o Constantine Son of Constantius Chlorus and Helena (Christian) Dreamt of the sky with a cross, with words saying conquer in this sign. He won the battle in which he was initially unsure of victory. Conversion led to the Edict of Milan, granting tolerance of religion Founded Constantinople as the new capital of the Christian Empire o Although this provided for the spread of the Church (geographically,) it destroyed the valid Christian ideal of the primitive Church It became a Church absorbed by earthly power The next centuries saw the growth of the papal power in both the affairs of the Church and the world

The Church of the Middle Ages Characteristics o Church as the ultimate highest moral authority Everything and everyone is united to an all-powerful Church Used Inquisition and Persecution of heretics as tools to preserve and protect Christian unity o Internal life of the community was determined by the symbiosis between Church and state Dualism of power (papacy and empire) o Public life was organized into public estates, regarded as the God-willed order on earth Feudalism (Feudal Church) o Church had the monopoly on education Only for clerics, minimally shared to the laity The Dark Ages (Saeculum Obscurum) o Coined by Caesar Baronious o From the end of the Carolingian empire to the beginning of the Gregorian Reform o Papacy quickly succumbed to partisan interests of aristocrats in Rome and lost its importance o Various scandals Pope Joan female pope who gave birth while on precession and died on the spot Desecration of the corpse of Pope Formosus Pope Stephen VI had his

corpse put on trial. The body was exhumed, sentenced, mutilated and thrown. Reformation and Counter Reformation o Martin Luther Posted his Ninety-Five Theses at the door of Wittenberg Church Stated himself as a reformer, and not someone starting a new religion o Other reformists include Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and King Henry VIII.

The Church of the Modern Age 20th century developments Most notable: Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) Death of Pius Vatican II was XII and "Fortress election of convoked, an Image" of the John XXIII, unusual Church for council from who believes 400 years after in the world's its preceding Reformation councils. goodness and progress o Goal: Aggiornamento Updating modernizing, and getting in touch with the signs of the times o John XXIII died in June 1963 and was succeeded by Paul VI o Spirit of the council was still continued. Timeline

II. JESUS Knowing Jesus is best achieved by uncovering his intentions Look for evidences of his choices and decisions Chosen to be baptized by John the Baptist Chose to be identified with the Poor and Oppressed Became a minister of healing and forgiveness Socio-political context: Palestine under the Roman Empire Zealots, Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes Death of Herod provided the rise of his sons to divide and rule Palestine

Weakness of Archelaus deposed and replaced by a procurator o Start the rule of Romans upon the Jews, and the Jews were against this Socio-political groups o Common ideas of the first three groups: Freedom of Israel from Romans Political Messiah Predicts a victory of Israel vs. Romans (age to come) o Zealots Rebels Rebellion to taxation and census Religiously motivated and inspired Israel must be ruled only by God (Theocracy) Taxes to Rome = being unfaithful to God o Pharisees Separate Ones See themselves as the faithful remnant of Israel closed community Main concern: Reform of Israel Pay taxes but under protest Legalistic morality Believes in theocratic Israel, but not through war o Essenes Separatists Practically and actually separated from society Live a celibate and ascetic life Sons of light others are sons of darkness They alone are the faithful remnant of Israel Warlike, but believe on the proper time o Sadduccees Conservatives Very traditional Collaborated with Romans to maintain status quo Mainly chief priests and elders (wealthy aristocrats) Ruling upper class John the Baptist typical prophet who wants conversion o Prophesies doom and destruction vs. age to come Prophecies not predictions, but warnings or promises o Gods angry and plans to destroy Israel Theres still hope appeal to social morality (conversion) o

Actions and Deeds of Jesus Jesus intends to be identified with the Poor and Oppressed o Beggars, widows, orphans, unskilled laborers, slaves, those with unclean jobs, the sick and lepers o Principal suffering: shame and disgrace Consequence of failing to observe laws and commit sin Impossible to understand Jesus without entering the world of the poor in 1st century Palestine

What makes one poor financial deprivation. No welfare institutions cause them to beg for food o Principal suffering shame and disgrace. Absence of prestige/honor (lost of human dignity) o Way out practically none. Almost impossible to get out of the situation. o Poor = sick depression sets in towards psychological disorders. Psychosomatic consequences may lead to paralysis or leprosy. o Poor = sinner Jewish believe that body as abode of the spirit. Sores/rashes may mean possession of evil spirits, hence a sinner. o How intense is the suffering? Sin was mechanically imputed Always at the mercy of everyone Denied civil rights Suffering was intense, yet the Poor were the overwhelming majority Jesus came from the middle class, but chose to be an outcast o Due to compassion Greek: Splagchnon. A movement or impulse that wells up from ones very entrails o John relied upon baptism of conversion, Jesus set out to liberate people from all sufferings o

Forgiveness = remission/cancellation of ones debts to God Greek aphiemi to remit, release, liberate Jesus overlooking the past and refusal to hold anything against them Story of the Paralytic Man Your sins are forgiven Paralysis psychosomatic disorder brought about by guilt for being a sinner before God. Once Jesus assured him that his sins are forgiven, then he was completely healed Jesus showed that forgiveness, healing and freedom (liberation) could and should start from oneself

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His ministry of healing Jesus was accused of healing in the name of the devil o Your faith has healed you o A kind of faith that is referred to as a very strong conviction a conviction that it will happen because it is good and that its goodness will triumph over evil. It is due to ones faith that the sick can be cured the sick is convinced that he can be healed Power of faith = power of goodness and truth = power of God His ministry of forgiveness By accepting the poor, Jesus had taken away their shame, humiliation and guilt o Compassion gave them a sense of dignity and Gods approval Jesus and his act of forgiveness o How: being friends with them o Through: Table-fellowship. Reclining, festive o For whom: everyone o Diners freebies: acceptance through sense of equality and belongingness. Cleansing through forgiveness o Conclusion: Jesus meal = implicit forgiveness of their sins Concept of sin in the Jewish context o Sin = debts owed to God Result of transgression of law either by self or ancestors