Semester II (Theology)

Darion Ramirez

Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was in power over most of the world for a very long time and really was the most dominant civilization known to man. Monarch rule was happening during this time and there were many rulers who were just really bad people. The taking over of villages and the expansion of Rome was great and terrifying at the same time, the feat they accomplished was amazing but the people they enslaved and killed was terrible. Cults arose and religion was frowned upon somewhat especially Christianity during Jesus' time. The Roman empire killed Christ and that is unforgivable but in our faith we have to forgive.

Jesus Founding of the Church

In the days following Jesus' death his followers began to worry for their lives and for their savior. Christ couldn't leave his new found church abandoned when he died and he had to decide what he had to do for his church. After Christ ascended into heaven he put everything into the apostles hands and then something happened, the holy spirit appeared to them. That's when they knew the church would be saved and it would be there to stay. The apostles spread the word of God and all the teachings and lessons Christ had given and told them and the church began to develop more and more as people heard the word.
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Early Christians

The beginning for the Christians was tough but they gained hope and guidance through the word from God and through mass. They offered others hope in a society that seemed somewhat depressed or lacking something. But some people abandoned the faith during times of struggle and there was always help for those who were weak and needed a little help. Then there was need to practice and develop the beliefs and practices of the church because Jesus did not his finish what explaining what he wanted the church to be. Eventually commandments were made and sacraments were performed and over time the church was coming together to what we know it to be today.
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Persecution of "The Way"

In the early years the Romans were scared and didn't trust Christianity so they were persecuted and those who refused to abandon their faith were killed. Nero the ruler of Rome at the time was hated the Christians. So the Christians had to figure out a way to keep find another name for their religion. And it required a life of integrity, but the religion was born in suffering so they found a way to get through it. Christians were a minority and were treated with a lack of respect and they were at risk of being killed but they would do anything to keep and spread the faith.
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The Church Fathers and Heresies

The persecutions of the fourth and fifth centuries was followed by a series of heresies that damaged the church down to the its beginnings. The Athesian creed is an example of what was at stake at the time that the heresies were around and it significantly expresses the holy trinity's importance and the relationship between the three. St. Thomas Aquinas was an early heresie but later on in life he turned his life around and began to follow God and repented for his sins.

Light in the Dark Ages

  • The collapse of the Roman empire in the fifth century started a period of decline in the west as the old world had died. Through all of this the church continued to flourish and began to spread throughout Europe.
  • The Huns were an army of men that killed and took over villages and they didn't care who got in their way because they would kill them. Bu there was a time when Pope St. Leo the great met Attila the Hun and changed his mine about attacking so they went west.
  • Soon Monasticism rose and the way of life began to develop this is characterized by prayer and self- denial and living away form the world. Men mostly did this and they became known as monks they devoted themselves to serve others and to serve God. One of the first was St. Paul of Thebes.
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The Great Schism

  • The brokenness of the communion of the East and West in 1054 the idea had been around with Constantinople in the fourth century alienation began in the ninth century and Charlemagne rise to power.
  • This divided the church and it has been like this for a long time until recently when the pope met with the eastern orthodox leader and came to terms with him the relationship is now back where it should be.
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The Plague, Hundred Years' War, and Joan of Arc

The Plague struck Europe and was one of the darkest times in its history and the church was involved in trying to help those who were affected. The symptoms were terrible and many people thought that it was caused by the water so they stayed away from it and others believed that it was the Jews trying to taint the water so people blamed them. Many of the people stay antisocial and abondoned the faith during the time.many priest died due to always being around the bodies and eventually there was nothing people could do everyone was in danger. Eventually the disease disappeared and the two thirds of the population of Europe was dead.

The Hundred Years' War was not a war that went for a hundred years straight but it was a series of battles that took place between the he English and French. The English didn't really have problems due to the similarity of religion and the peace kept by he church but it didn't last for long and conflict arose. The fighting of he French and English stared when the English invaded France and the the really fighting started . That is when Joan of arc and her freedom kf France comes into play.

Joan of Arc was a person who was very in touch with her faith and very close with God and her destiny was shown to her by God. She saw an image that would change her forever and the spirit told her that it was her that would lead the French army and she would free her country. No one believed her until that she proved o everyone by showing them and then they have her the position as the leader. Believe it or not she won and she was a hero but it came with a price to pay she was burned alive but kept the faith throughout her entire life.

The Rennaissance

This was a time of flourish in not only the church but for people themselves and a time that many believe to be the start of modern art and modern expression of religion and education. It was a great start during the fourteenth century afte the plague had happened it was rightfully so that this should be a brighter time and it was. Many people expressed themselves through art and literature and many bright mines arose. Many peopl expressed their faith and this is one of the best times for the church.
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The Protestant reformation

In the sixteenth century many reformers began to question the teachings of the Church and many of their views on the church could be traced back to early heresies. Political chaos and rising nationalism and unsupervised personal preaching were just some of the reasons that he Protestant reformation arose. This is one of the greatest struggles of the church and people questioned he unity of the church but John Paul II assured them that it was United.
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The English reformation

The last movement of the Protestant reformation happened in England. But they spread of Protestantism did not come from theological or dogmatic issues but because of the kings marriage and papal authority. The reason this happens is because the king was really involved with the church and he had a lot of wives and each wife he had he killed when he got tired of them. So he wanted to get divorced from one of his wives but it was against thep church so if he couldn't do that he would run the church so that is how Protestants came to be in England.
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Exploration and Missionary Movemnts

While Europe was divided there was a ton of places that people didn't know about Christianity. The goal was too expand throughout everywhere and the quote "God desires the salvation of everyone " really described this time. The Spanish expanded by finding the new world a new place to fond goods and a place where a people that didn't know God lived. The native Americas were there and the Spanish missions began to be established although the techniques they used weren't always the best. In the end the missionaries stayed and many native Americans were converted.
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The Age of Enlightenment

This time was a time of question by philosophers and scientist who began to question the faith and the the teachings of the church. There were many different ways too look at the teachings of Christ and one was Jansenism this was an idea of looking right at st. Augustine's definition of grace in a different way. Science came into play and people began to think of evolution as the birth of man but that didn't come until Charles Darwin but scientist began to question how Christ did so many things he did. But there will always be doubters of the faith.
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The Rise of Soviet Communism

After World War I the rise of communism really came into play oppression and religious persecution were just some of the things that came with that. Propaganda was given to the people to show that Russia as a great place to be very prosperous .. At this time Mary appeared to three children and told them that prayer for Russia was needed and salvation would eventually take place. But churches were destroyed and communism took more and more power as the Second World War came to be .
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The rise of Nazism

After WWI the Germans were in a time of decline and depression due to the major debt they were in and they needed someone to help them. Suddenly a man name led Adolf hitler became very popular with the people telling them he would make Germany great again and that they're problems were caused by the Jews. Soon Germany expanded and they invaded Poland , Poland being filled with Christians and Jews and the Jews began to be put in ghettos and later in the war concentration camps. The church began protecting them by showing fake baptism certificates to save their lives and to help them get out of the country.
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Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius took over during an era of crisis and economic collapse he did not see an end to the war but he died to see am end of it. The rise of nazism and other things that shut out the faith threathenes the peace around the world and as Germany came to power it began even more so. Pope Pius was a bishop and later becomes pope after the death of pope benidict.
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Vatican II

The second council took place in four seasons and most of the worlds bishops attended this was a major event for the church. Pope John gave a speech and a new order of human relations occurred and it allows the church to make a proper contribution. Constitutions were written and this provided a theological base and image for the rest.
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Pope St. John Paul II

John Paul the second was polish man who had a very difficult life growing up and during is adult years. He lived through WWII and the invasion of his country. When he wa older he decided to become a priest to help his country and to express his faith. He believed every person and a purpose and every person had good in them . He wa threatened many times for his lide but he never coward down he always knew everything would work out and that God had a plan. Later on I life he became bishop and hen Pope after ther death of pope John he became the first polish born pope. And through all he went through he showed that with God you could get through anything.
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The church in later years

Throughout town God has helped and shown many people the way. He helped immigrants get to this country and help them escape hardships and persecution. The slaves went through hard times and they sing hums that motivated them and helped them get through the day and their lives. With every dark place light can be there and there was always light where it needed to be . We see in the church today that throughout time God has been there and our faith has been there for us through it all hope is something we depend on and God will help us get through all.
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