Christianity Essay Example

the Church in Jerusalem, the apostles gathered to address controversies they encountered in their apostolate. While initially considered a small and insignificant minority, Christianity began to gain more followers, ultimately leading to persecution by the Jews. This oppression reached a peak during the reign of King Herod Agrippa, resulting in the martyrdom of believers including Paul and Peter on July 4th, 64 AD.

Despite facing persecution, Christianity persisted and grew in strength and number. Its followers believed that for every Christian who was killed, a hundred more were born. They proved their dedication to their faith by being willing to die for it and remained resolute in their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord. Eventually, Roman Emperor Constantine the Great granted them the right to practice their religion in 313 AD. Twelve years later, he convened the inaugural general church council to formulate a standardized doctrine across the empire. During this council, a statement was adopted asserting that “Jesus Christ was of identical substance with God”.

(Smith, M.) King (p. 14) explains that the initial triumph of Christianity in Rome was attributed to the grant of religious rights by the Church, accompanied by the prohibition of private sacrifices such as the cults of the lares, pennates, and genius which were still being observed at that time. Despite the Church's success, secret worship persisted even if not entirely eradicated.

On page 753 of a historical account of Christianity in Rome, it is mentioned that Emperor Tiberius was the first to accept Christianity. It is said that he reported to Pilate and the Senate about Jesus' Resurrection, but was rejected due to the ruling that no one could be

considered a god by the Romans without a vote and decree from the Senate. Eusebius interpreted this event, as noted in Williamson's work.

The message of the gospel was given a good start by Heavenly providence, as it influenced the Emperor to support it. However, the Emperor who followed, Gauss, was marked as insane for claiming to be a deity. As a result, the Jews faced more persecution. The Church faced opposition from subsequent Emperors who took the throne.

During the reign of Emperor Constantine in 312, the Church experienced a shift in public perception. Legend has it that while contemplating before a battle, Constantine saw a vision of a glowing cross in the evening sky, with the phrase “By this sign thou shaft conquer.” This vision gave him strength, and he emerged victorious the following day. Within months, he granted freedom of worship to Christians and returned the Church's assets.

(Farrow. p 30) Emperor Constantine put an end to the persecution and haunting of Christians because of their beliefs with the Edict of Milan, concluding three centuries of suffering. Nonetheless, internal disagreements within the Church arose concerning creed interpretations that resulted in a nonconformist faction called Arians. To settle these issues, the Emperor convened 314 Church priests to attend the Council of Nicaea.

King (11) regarded the divisions within the Church as more distressing and agonizing than any war. The Council unanimously adopted the Nicene Creed and other doctrines after four months, which have been enshrined in the Canon Law of the Church. The Nicene Creed is a contemporary version of the Apostle's Creed recited during Eucharist. Theologians led the age of Schism and Heresy, presenting different

interpretations of faith. Some bishops supported these theories within the Church.

From the earliest patristic writings, the terms "heresy" and "schism" were used to describe breaches of faith and failures in charity, respectively. The first schism was initiated by a group that refused to accept the authority of the Bishop of Rome and conveniently interpreted dogma to suit their own beliefs. Despite this, Rome stood firm on the traditional dogma of faith and declared that while pontiffs may accommodate matters of discipline, they would not tolerate any attempt to change the trust of their heritage of traditional faith. (Hardon, J. p. 212; Farrow. p.)

46)Symmachus, a Sardinian priest, and a faction of corrupt clergy declared Arch presbyter Laurentiuis as pope in 496. The anti-pope movement persisted until Symmachus' death, when the pope's authority was reinstated. This victory inspired the pope to pursue church reformation by sending out mission trips, establishing schools, engaging in philanthropic activities, and efficiently settling disputes.

506 marked a time of peace after new emperors who supported the church took over. The term Catholic comes from a Greek word meaning "universal" and has been used since the 2nd century to differentiate Catholics from other groups. The term expanded to Catholic Church due to its global reach, doctrinal completeness, and moral and spiritual excellence. ("Catholic" p.)

41) According to the Roman Catholic faith, Jesus Christ established and the Pope leads the Catholic Church from Vatican City. The success of the Church can be attributed to the dedication of the Apostles, saints, and church hierarchy. Mary Douglas claimed in "Man and Society" that Christianity's triumph was partially due to lower class individuals who prioritized heavenly

rewards over earthly pleasures. Additionally, Douglas suggested that an individual's view of God is influenced by their social standing and preferences.

According to the Douglas theory, people created their own religion when they became dissatisfied with their existing one. Douglas elaborated that a society's religious beliefs may evolve as it adjusts its preexisting doctrines to suit its present goals and desires. As a result, various interpretations of the Bible formulated through the influences of concerned individuals. (Douglas, M.)

According to the History of Church by Eusebius of Caesarea (AD 274-340), despite the unfavorable conditions of destruction and disorder in Rome in the fourth century, theologians and writers continued to chronicle the history of the church. This included a list of Popes, who were normally dissenters. Eusebius was a friend of Constantine and recounted the succession of bishops of Rome who were responsible for upholding the Catholic Tradition of faith (pp.112-113).

According to Eusebius, the Church was founded and built by the apostles who entrusted the Episcopal office to Limus. Linus was succeeded by Anencletus, followed by Clement who had conversed with the blessed apostles. Evarista succeeded Clement, then Alexander, Xynus, Telesphorus, Hyginnia, Pius, and Anicerna. Soter succeeded Anicerna and now, at the twelve stages from the apostles, Eleutherus holds the position. This authentic tradition has been passed down by the Church and preaching of the truth in the same order and succession. Williamson transcribed this work of Eusebius. It is worth noting that J. made an interesting point in relation to this study.

According to Greshman Machem's research on Jesus and St. Paul's theology, he believes that the inception of Christianity is closely tied to the death and

resurrection of Jesus. He concludes that the reason for the rise and expansion of Christianity cannot be understood without acknowledging these pivotal events. Machem also argues that if Paul's account of Jesus is not accurate, then the existence of the church cannot be rationally explained. (Machen, G. p.)

According to Warshaw (p. 164), the Catholic Church's success was confirmed when the Roman Empire declared it as the official religion in 392 and established it as a leading religious center, which became the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The church underwent severe tests, including persecutions, martyrdoms, revolts, and criticisms before earning recognition and thriving as a religion. Had there been no reforms, the church would have likely weakened.

Christianity's durability stems from the steadfast faith of its followers in God, which allowed it to thrive amidst other religions that originated around the same era. While numerous religious movements emerged in the 5th century and beyond, Protestantism was the most prominent one and others fizzled out over time with few adherents. Due to its extensive membership, the Church continued to persevere from the early Middle Ages to the present day, serving as a cohesive force in Western Europe. (King).

According to J. p. 15, Christianity's success was attributed to various factors, including the Emperor's grant of religious rights to Catholics and the influence of the empire, kings, monarchy, and papal hierarchy. However, the most significant accomplishment was the reformation initiated by Pope Paul VII. This led to a more structured and spiritually sound church in the subsequent years of its existence.

With a global presence, this religious organization is acknowledged as the largest and maintains steadfast faith in

God.