| A | B |
|---|
| Constantine | became emperor in 312 C.E., continued to implement changes to slow the decline of Rome. Moved the capital to Byzantium (Constantinople / Istanbul); Roman Emperor who accepted Christianity and proclaimed religious freedom in Rome and gave governmental support to Christianity by allowing them to not have to pay taxes |
| Theodosius | became emperor in 337 C.E., due to continued fighting and decline of the Empire he divided the empire (East and West); made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire in 392 C.E. and outlawed other religions |
| Saints | Christian holy people |
| Regent | a person who stand-in for a ruler when pre-occupied, sick, or too young to conduct government business |
| Jerusalem | the capital of the Kingdom of Israel |
| Judaea | in the year 6 C.E., this Roman province was so named from Judah |
| Messiah | deliverer of Jewish freedom, given by God |
| Jesus | a traveling preacher from 30 to 33 C.E. |
| Disciples | the 12 close followers of Jesus |
| Parables | stories that express spiritual ideas, such as the story of the Prodigal Son |
| Resurrection | rising from the dead |
| Apostles | the early leaders of the Christian religion who helped to set-up churches and spread the messages of Jesus |
| Peter and Paul | perhaps the two most important apostles of Jesus |
| Salvation | to be saved from sin and allowed to enter heaven |
| Persecute | to mistreat |
| Martyrs | people willing to die for a cause or to give up their beliefs |
| Hierarchy | the various levels of an organization |
| Clergy | leaders or officials of the Christian church |
| Laity | regular church members |
| Doctrine | official church teachings |
| Gospels | meaning “good news,” accounts written by early followers of Jesus’ teachings, Mark, Mathew, Luke, John, and later Paul; these became part of the Christian New Testament of the Christian Bible |
| Pope | the head of the Christian church in Rome |
