Christianity in the Pax Romana

• Jesus was a preacher in Judea- he set himself apart from the other Messiah 
• he taught that one must strive to be perfect because God is perfect 
• he taught that we will always fall short when we try to be as perfect as God
• sought out the imperfections in humanity
• Jesus chose the middle class (and lower) people to talk/preach to because the government was making decisions that made them feel worthless
• The government saw him as a threat (like he wanted to be a ruler) and crucified him 
• his followers believe that he rose from the dead and went to heaven
• All of his followers who continued to spread his message are known as the apostles 
• All people who spread his word are apostles- not just the very well known 12 
• Paul of Tarsus fell off of his horse on the road to Damascus and was blind for three days 
• during those three days Jesus spoke to him 
• Paul talked about "predestination"- God chose who will be saved and who will not be saved 
• While Paul traveled to spread Jesus' word, he set up many churches
• the people in the churches still had many questions for Paul after he left them
• they wrote him letters and he wrote back; these letters are read in current day mass 
• Corinth
• Thessalonia 
• Rome
• Ephasus
• Paul is the reason why this religion is so popular today and practiced widely