Roots
It all begins with
Jesus
- Most of what we know of Jesus comes from the "Gospels" of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
- "Gospel" means "good news"
- Jesus was a Jewish itinerant preacher in Judea who set himself apart from other "Messiahs"
- Jesus taught that one must strive for perfection since God was perfect, and Jesus sought out the imperfect society
- Jesus' followers believed he was the "Messiah" who had come to end the world and bring the truly faithful into the Kingdom of God
- Jesus was believed to be both man and the son of God; both human and divine
- Jesus was deemed a threat to Roman rule and was crucified, though his followers believed he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven
- The followers of Jesus who attempted to spread the word of his teachings were known as apostles
Start Spreading the News
- Paul of Tarsus was a Jew who became a follower of Jesus after a miraculous vision on the road to Damascus
- Paul talked of "predestination" which meant that God chose who was to be saved and who was to be damned
- Paul was well-travelled, he helped found churches in many places, and he kept in though with these new Christians by letters (Corinth, Thessalonia, Rome, and Ephesus)
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