| A | B |
|---|
| Who were the Sanhedrin? | They were a Jewish court wo whom the Romans gave control of religious matters and local affairs. |
| What were the two major religious factions in Rome under the Sanhedrin? | Zealots: wanted to rid their homeland of Romans; a group who believed the Messiah would appear soon. |
| Who was John the Baptist? | He was a prophet who baptized Jesus. |
| What is monotheism? | It is belief in one god. |
| What are the Gospels and why are they important? | They are the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible; they are the main source of information about Jesus' life and teachings. |
| Who are the apostles? | They were some of Jesus' disciples. They are thought to be the authors of the Gospels. |
| Why did Pilate have Jesus killed? | Pilate feared that Jesus was too popular and would challenge the authority in Rome. |
| What does the Greek word "Christos" mean? | It means messiah or savior. |
| Who was Peter? | He was the first apostle who led the other followers in spreading the teachings and Jesus throughout Palestine and Syria. |
| What was the symbol of Christianity? | The cross on which Christ was crucified became the symbol. |
| What Roman improvement helped Paul spread his message of Christianity? | The Pax Romana, a wonderful Roman road system, made it eaiser for Paul to travel from city to city around the eastern Mediterranean to preach. |
| What are the Epistles? | They are letters written by Paul to groups of Christian believers. Some are included in the Bible. |
| Whom was Paul trying to include in Christianity? | He welcomed all converts--Jew or Gentile. |
| What happened in A.D. 70 in Jerusalem? | The Romans destroyed the Temple complex. The western portion of the wall was all that remained, and it's the holiest Jewish shrine. |
| Why is the Jewish fortress near Masada important in history? | The Jews tried to free themselves from the Romans, and those in this fortress held out until A.D. 73. |
| What is the Diaspora? | The disperal of the Jews into exile was known as this. The Jews were unable to break free of the Romans, and for 1800 years, their political state didn't exist. |
| Why were Christians persecuted? | The Romans feared them because Christians refused to worship Romans, so the Christians could not always be controlled. |
| What are martyrs? | They are people willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of a belief or cause. |
| Why did Christianity grow? | It embraced all people, gave hope to all, appealed to those repelled by extravaganced of imperial Rome, offered a personal relationship with a loving God, and promised eternal life. |
| What was the function of a bishop in the church? | He was a priest who supervised several local churches. |
| Who was considered as the first pope of the early Christian church? | Peter, who also was the first bishop in Rome. |
| How is the battle at Milvian Bridge important to the history of Christianity? | Constantine prayed for help; he said he saws a cross of light that had the cross in it. He had artisans put the cross on soldiers' shields. He won, and the next year he ended Christian persecution. |
| What is the edict of Milan? | In it, Constantine said Christianity was approved by the emperor. |
| How did emperor Theodosius further Christianity? | He made Christianity the official religion of the emperor. |
| What is heresy? | Heresy is religious beliefs or opinions that differ from the official teachings of a Christian church. |
| What is the Nicene Creed? | It outlines the basic beliefs of the Church. Constantine called church leaders to Nicaea in Anatolia to write it. |
| When was Constantine baptized? | He converted to Christianity in 312 A.D., but he wasn't baptized until he was dying in 337 A.D. |
| What did Augustine believe? | That humans need God's grace to be saved, but God gives that grace freely. |
