Christianity in the Roman Empire

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Christianity In Ancient Rome

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By Joyce Yen

What do Christians believe?

Jesus was the main figure in Christianity, he is not only fully god, but also fully men as well. He became one so he could identify with their weaknesses and struggles. Jesus was the son of god (the bible teaches that Jesus himself is god,) the events in his life are more like legends. Most Christians thought that Jesus was a Jewish teacher from Galilee. Christian followers also believed that Jesus will return one day, for the second coming and create his kingdom that will last forever.

Jesus saved a life without sin, turned water into wine, he walked on water and claimed the stormy seas, healed sick people, forgave people who did wrong before, and gave food to feed people. He also rose adults and children back to life.

Roman leaders saw Jesus as a threat to their power, so they found a reason to execute him. They nailed him to a cross and killed him, 3 days after Jesus death, his tomb appeared to be empty. For the next 40 days, his followers say that they saw visions of Jesus rising from the dead, or resurrected. This story is a central part of Christianity.

How do Christians practice their beliefs?

They pray in the Church and Sing songs to communicate with God. Christians gather together every Sunday to listen to Bible stories and pray together.

How did Christianity spread in the Roman Empire?

A leader named Paul the Apostle, spread Christian ideas to non-Jews (or gentiles,) many of the poor people in the area liked the ideas of a loving god and a rebirth. The Romans persecuted these Christians for rejecting the Roman religion since it threatened their power in the empire. But Paul traveled to a lot of places, and his followers also started spreading Christianity. Around 400 years later, it became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

How did Christianity change the Roman Empire?

Christianity changed the Roman Empire by a lot, it was also one of the main reasons why the huge and once powerful empire fell. Since the increasing number of Christians within the Roman Empire was constantly on a addition, people who looked towards emperors declined and the emperor's powers decreased. This was because, Christians believed in only one god which was Jesus, making them not worship the emperor who in culture was supposed to be worshipped by his people.

Why would an emperor use a belief to help them govern?

An emperor might use Christianity because it can lead his citizens to believe that he’s the messenger from God, that’ll make the citizens believe in what he says. Citizens can also have more self-discipline, because if they don’t, God will punish them according to the Bible.