Christianity developed as Judean sect…Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, and Essenes.

Earliest Christians were Jewish, and modern historians debate how long Christians were Jewish. Paul is apostle to the gentiles. By the end of the first century, there are more gentile Christians than Jewish Christians. Two stages in Christian development. Early church was very small; conversion was very slow for first hundred years. Roman indifference and persecution, motive for not becoming a Christian. Christianity promises salvation and is broadly based. Small mystery cults started springing up. Christianity was most open and least secretive. Promise was regardless of class, gender and ethnicity. Women converted before men. Moral message that appealed to stoics and women. Stoics because they insisted on a very moral life. Women saw security in Christian marriage. Sense of community: works of mercy, charity. Sense of urgency: Parousia (thus no hurry to write down Jesus narratives). Erratic and sporadic persecution. Pliny the younger wrote to an emperor about having early Christians and the emperor said not to do anything unless the cause trouble. Pax Romana. Roman Peace. Ideas could spread rapidly, so disciples like Paul could get on a ship and go around Rome preaching the gospel. Emperor becomes Christian in fourth century, so do upper classes, and so does mass conversion. Authority within the early church. Paul’s letters show conflict over the early Christian church. Can’t eliminate conflict, but minimizes by providing a mechanism for resolving differences. They create authority, which saved Christianity. The difference between those who are taught and those who are being taught. Founded by apostles, then there is a bishop instructed by apostles in faith. He mediates disputes. Priests, deacons. Different Christian communities. Most early Christians were urban. People in country side were called pagans. Most senior bishops are patriarch. Five traditional, Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, Constantinople; in order of establishment. Established scripture. Teaching was oral in Christian community. Paul, Peter, James write letter of instruction. Gospels written as narrative of Christ’s life. Best way to fix a dispute is a meeting, called a council or senate. Around 60, council deciding whether gentile men had to be circumcised. First major is at Nicaea in 325. Constantine wanted to use Christianity to conquer the empire, so at Nicaea he tells them to work it out. Nicene Creed. Imperial patronage. In 313, Constantine and eastern colleague Lucinius, end the persecution started by Diocletian. Edict of Milan ends that persecution, but favors Christians. Build large churches (basilica, church of holy apostles, etc.), restores confiscated land, weekend. Gov offices were to close every 7^th day, the Christian Sabbath. Since Sunday was a day of rest he had the weekend. When Constantine dies in 339, he is baptized. Massive upper class conversions. Romans are living in country sides because of agriculture. Theodosian Code in 395 makes Christianity state religion. It doesn’t mean everyone is a Christian, but the people in control of society are.

Missed a couple of days

2/27/08 – Heirs of the Romans, Germans, Byzantines and Muslims

Five pillars of Islam – One God and Muhammad is prophet, Daily prayers, almsgiving to the needy, fasting, hajj to Mecca. History of Islam – development of Islamic world and Islamic civilization. The Islamic world develops quickly, conquer vast regions quickly (50 yrs), because the people they were taking were weak. They struck at an opportune time as Byzantine and Persians were exhausting each other. 632 – Muhammad dies. Successor called Caliph but there is dispute over who the successor is. Should office of Caliph have a prophetic calling? Any man or relative of Muhammad? This is the argument. First Dynasty – Umayyad. Second – Abbasids. Sunni Muslims accept the leaders that don’t have prophets. Followers of Ali call themselves Shiites. Caliphs go to conquer empire from Afghanistan to Western Europe including Spain 711. Abbasids have ties to Sh’ia and in first hundred years portion of people convert and become Muslim. The rich and powerful convert first with expectations to retain wealth. Umayyad want a pro-Arab policy. 750, bloody revolution in capital of Damascus (accessible to Arab conquering territories). Kill every male member of the Umayyad family. Capital of Damascus moved near Tigris river to Baghdad. Becomes capital of entire Islamic years for over 500 years. One Umayyad escapes, so he goes to Spain and by about 755, he is the ruler of Spain. Cordoba is the second capital of Muslim world. Egyptian Muslims claim independence. Three Caliphs. In 1055 – Seljuk Turks conquer Baghdad, and dominate Caliphate. Abbasids are puppets to the Seljuk. Mongols eventually end the Abbasid Caliph and Turkish empire has title of Caliph. Islam puts together an important civilization. For the first 500 years, Arabs are open to the cultures that they encounter. What is the relationship between science and religion. Man of science, Man of Faith. Does science contradict religion? Until 13^th century, Muslims are open to cultures they conquer. They take the science and philosophy of Persian and Roman worlds. This keeps and increases the cultures. Ibn Rushd and theory of the Double Truth. The importance of Arabic also holds the civilization together. Arabic becomes common language, so non Arabic speakers have to learn to speak it since it is language of conquerors. Muhammad said God spoke to him in Arabic. Muslims are resistant to thought that Quran be translated out of Arabic. Mecca – brings people together and disseminates the ideas and technologies (irrigation, cotton, sugar, melons, dates, rice, paper, citrus, etc.). Muslim civilization reaches peak around 9^th 10^th and 11^th centuries. Ibn Rushd exiled because authorities become suspicious of science and secular knowledge.

Kingdom of the Franks – From Clovis to Charlemagne

Clovis – 481 – 511. Leader among Frankish people who hailed from area around mouth of the Rhine river. In late 5^th century, Final roman authority in Gaul is challenged. Clovis begins an invasion on this authority. He essentially consolidates control over Franks. Clovis says “Woe is me, I have no relatives” he killed them all. At the same time he is killing political rivals, he is extending Frankish authority over Gaul. Baptism in 496. Did it for power. No respectable Christian roman family could have daughter marry a pagan. In order to be successful he had to win over the roman upper class, so he married one. 507 - The Battle of Vouille, he defeats major Germanic opposition in Gaul – the Visigoths get kicked out and moved to Spain. Clovis had support of bishops because Visigoth king was a heretic. Clovis unites Gaul and it becomes the Merovingian kingdom. He and his descendants rule Gaul for the next 200 years. Treat kingdom not as a state but united. Divided kingdom among four principle sons. Frankish kingdom isn’t attacked in weakness. Franks regroup under a new group called the Carolingians.