Apostles
This apostle was one of Jesus' closest disciples and is traditionally considered a leader of the early Jerusalem church.
Who is Peter?
This was the capital and political center of the Roman Empire.
What is Rome?
This Jewish group was known for its emphasis on the Law and often appears in the Gospel accounts in debates with Jesus.
Who are the Pharisees?
This event in Acts 2 is associated with the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church's public mission.
What is Pentecost?
Early Christian writers who defended Christianity against criticisms and misunderstandings were called this.
What are apologists?
Before becoming one of Christianity's most important missionaries, this man persecuted Christians.
Who is Paul?
This term refers to the extended period of relative peace and stability established throughout much of the Roman Empire.
What is the Pax Romana?
A Gentile who was attracted to Jewish belief and worship but had not fully converted to Judaism could be described by this term. These people are particularly important when studying Christianity's eventual expansion beyond Judaism.
What is a God-fearer?
This group of North African Church Fathers created a basis for how we engage with intellectual questions and concerns posed against Christianity.
What are Apologists?
If one Christian teacher claimed that Jesus was not truly human, while another taught that Jesus was both truly divine and truly human, the early Church would need to determine which teaching fit its understanding of Christianity. What larger issue does this illustrate?
What is orthodoxy and heresy?
Paul was able to travel and communicate throughout much of the Roman Empire. Name two features of the Roman world that helped make his missionary work possible.
What is Roman roads, the Pax Romana, major cities/trade routes, or a common language (Greek).
This event in AD 64 is traditionally associated with one of the earliest major Roman persecutions of Christians.
What is the Neronian persecution of Christians?
This act of worship toward the emperor was excusable for the Jews due to their monotheistic belief and lack of proselytizing to others in society.
What is burning incense unto the emperor?
This Christian concept refers to God's reign or rule, which was central to Jesus' teaching.
What is the Kingdom of God?
This movement taught that special spiritual knowledge was important for salvation and presented a major challenge to early Christian teaching.
What is Gnosticism?
This apostle was appointed to being a deacon and was responsible for the longest sermon recorded in the book of Acts.
Who is Stephen?
Jesus and the earliest Christians did not emerge from a religious vacuum. Name two ways the Jewish context shaped the beginnings of Christianity.
What is Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish culture?
This portion of the temple created separation between God's presence and the people but after Jesus' death this portion was opened to unite God with His people forever.
What is the Veil?
Christians were sometimes persecuted by Roman authorities, but persecution was not constant or equally severe throughout the empire. Give one reason why Christians could come into conflict with Roman society or authorities.
What is refusal to worship Roman gods or the emperor?
This teaching associated with Gnosticism claimed that Jesus only appeared to have a physical human body rather than truly becoming human.
What is Docetism?
These Bible verses are known as the Romans Road and creates a way in which we today can continue to spread the Gospel like the apostles did.
What is Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9.
This city, one of the places Paul visited, was an important center of Christianity and was located in the Roman province of Achaia.
What is Corinth?
This is what separates Judaism and Christianity
What is the belief in Jesus Christ as the direct fulfillment of the Jewish faith.
This development created both an opportunity and a problem for the early Church: Christianity was spreading beyond its Jewish roots to large numbers of Gentiles. Explain the tension this created and how resolving it helped shape Christianity's future.
What is Jewish Law and Gentile inclusion?
A teacher claims to have secret spiritual knowledge that only a select few can understand and says that the physical world is fundamentally inferior to the spiritual world. Explain why this teaching could conflict with the message of Christianity, and identify the movement associated with it.
What is Gnosticism? It could conflict with Christianity's teaching about God's creation, Jesus' genuine incarnation, and the importance of Jesus' physical life, death, and resurrection.