Greek and Roman polytheism compared to the foundational beliefs and spread of Christianity in the ancient world.

1. 6-2.6: Compare the polytheistic
belief systems of the Greeks and
the Romans with the origins,
foundational beliefs, and spread
of Christianity

2.  Like most cultures throughout the ancient world,
the Greeks and Romans were polytheistic:
 They believed the gods & goddess ruled and
lived in the heavens, the earth, and the
underworld.

3.  Although they were very powerful, they looked & acted
just like humans
 They had human emotions (like love, hate, jealousy,
compassion, and vengeance), played games, had
families, and fought wars

4.  The Romans adopted the Greek belief in deities,
but gave them Roman names
 Both cultures sought to appease the gods, built
temples, offered sacrifices, and prayed for
assistance in their lives

5.  Both believed in the Afterlife, but more attention
was given to living in this world than preparing for
the next, like the Egyptians did.
10:05- Rome: Worship in Rome (HBO)

6. • As the Roman Empire
grew, the people they
conquered were
allowed to keep their
own religious beliefs,
as long as those
beliefs did not
threaten Roman rule.
• One religion seen as a
threat was
Christianity.

7.  Christianity is an extension of Judaism
 Unlike other religions of the ancient Mediterranean &
eastern worlds, Judaism and Christianity were
monotheistic: believing in a single divine being that
both both religions referred to as Yahweh (God)

8.  During the time of the Roman Empire, followers of
Judaism believed that God would send a Messiah or
Savior to restore the nation of Israel
 The Romans had conquered this area during their
expansion
 Christianity grew from this belief that Jesus Christ
was this Messiah
Video Question:
What are the three man
similarities and three main
differences in Judaism and
Christianity?
3 Differences, Judaism & Christianity 5:58

9.  A carpenter by trade, he left
his home in Nazareth to
become an itinerant
minister
 Twelve disciples come with
him on his journeys
 He was recognized as a
healer & a prophet by some
and hailed the Son of God,
the Messiah, by others

10.  His message of love & devotion to God & all
mankind is central to all of his teachings, which
formed the foundation of Christianity

11.  Jesus Christ is the incarnation of God (God in the
bodily form)
 Jesus died on the cross
 He was resurrected from the dead in order that
mankind could be forgiven of their sins
 He remains among mankind as the Holy Spirit

12.  God loves man & wants a relationship with him, so
Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice to provide a
way of forgiveness
 Jesus was resurrected to provide a way for mankind
to enter a relationship with God
 Salvation is a gift through grace & mankind can do
nothing to earn it
Jesus
Resurrection
Appearances
14:14

13.  A life of good works (good actions like with karma
in Hinduism) is a reflection of a relationship with
God, not a way of earning merit
 The Bible contains the sacred writings of
Christianity
 The Bible is considered the word of God and a
guide to how Christians should live
The Bible in 5 minutes video

14.  Christianity was first spread beyond Jerusalem and
Judea as Christians moved to other areas due to
persecution for their beliefs
 The religion flourished throughout the Middle East
and Mediterranean world due to the preaching/
teaching of followers of Jesus:
 Peter, John the Apostle, and Paul

15. 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered
once for sins, the righteous
for the unrighteous, to
bring you to God. He was
put to death in the body
but made alive in the Spirit

16. John 3:16
For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and
only Son that whoever
believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal
life.

17.  Not one of the original 12 disciples
of Jesus
 Paul was also known as Saul before
he converted to Christianity
 He founded many churches in Asia
Minor & Europe during the first
century
 He used his status as a Jew and
Roman citizen to spread the
message of Christianity to both
groups

18.  Despite early persecution by Roman authorities,
Christianity was eventually adopted as the official
religion of the roman Empire & became
entrenched in western civilization.