Christianity and the Life of Christ 10 16 2013 I Christianity Greco Roman Background Near Eastern Background Hebraic Background II Message of Jesus Budhism III Paul Preaches non materialism path to a greater place Similar to Best known of the apostles not of original 12 Only 10 15 of Roman population converted to Christianity Wrote 14 of the 27 books of the N T Spread of Christianity Apostles are the A team and decipal is anyone who wants to follow Jesus apostle Paul because he was so honory and devoted is given the title of Peter is who established the Christian church in Rome Christianity is a weird religion to the Romans because he is able to be killed by humans IV The Split of the Roman Empire Diocletian Constantine o Edict of Milan 313 o Splits the Roman empire into eastern and western halves o Toleration of Christianity all religions o Moved capital to Constantinople V The Nicene Creed Super controversy at the time o Was Jesus human Is Jesus god The Nicene Creed established this is what we are going to believe in in the West VI Christian Monasticism Asceticism Benedictine rule Women in the church The Latin Church Fathers St Jerome known for translating the bible into Latin St Ambrose established the hymns Gregory the Great established the hymns and songs for church Augustine of Hippo wrote world changing essays VII VIII St Augustine of Hippo Confessions City of God Against the Pagans Augustine wrote these o Augustine was converted to Christianity around age 30 His early years were full of sin womanizing partying Now he says you should only be in love with your god and not physical love IX Symbolism in the Early Christian Church Sarcophagus of Archbishop Theodorus o t Latin o Greek o t with circle in cross Celtic o t with Jesus crucifix o The fish symbol is connected to Christ icfis Made from 2 arches that people drew in the sand to show they are Christian but in a secret way so they would not be killed o Symbol in the middle o Peacocks are symbol for Christ eating the flesh of Christ to gain spiritual immortality Orans praying figure o Fresco o Hands up to praying The Good Shepherd o The story of Jonah and orants painted ceiling of a cubiculum in the Catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcilinus o Where the Christian dead were baried o Room is called a cubiculum where the worship prayer for the o Design is made of a Greek cross has circles but still forms the deseeded occurred shape of a Greek cross o Man is Jesus early image of Jesus is shown Apollo like sense of youth and beauty straight out of Greco Roman o Has sheep often associated with Jesus because he was the shepherd of Christian souls Christ as Good Shepherd o Ram on shoulders Crucifixion Christ Triumph o Rare to see these scenes o Hovering on a cross The Good Shepherd statue o Greco Influence X Early Christian Architecture The Roman Basilica o Steps at the side of the Basilica Trajan s Forum Old St Peters o Enter through a court yard o The main large aisle is called the nave o The bump at the top is called the apse o Trancept is the T shape St Paul s o Called 2 story columns and windows o Modeled after Roman Basilica Christ Teaching the Apostles in the Heavenly Jerusalem o Matthew Angel o Mark Lion o Luke Ox o John Eagle XI Byzantine Art and Architecture Rome fall in Western Europe then in the East the Roman empire is strong as ever and a prosperous empire Eastern is Greek Turk Russian Constanian is the emperor and his wife Theodora rules equally to her husband Hagia Sophia o Constantinople s first building as emperor o Towers added when converted to a mosque o The dome and the ring of windows that holds the dome rests on this ring of light Not a rectangular building Light and the gods are the connected o Basilica feel o Women section male section Not allowed to worship together Early Christian o Pendentives and squinches o Pendentives allows for the dome to rest on a rectangular base which is used here San Vitale o In Ravenna Italy became the capital for awhile o Circular o Used squinches when theres a circle on an oxagon Buddhism I Siddhartha Gautama 10 16 2013 India Lived a life of luxury lived in a palace as a prince Said that people suffer from keeping onto material things Should not hold onto material things because its not forever When he realizes this he becomes enlightened Buddha the enlightened one Won t suffer anymore if let go of material things Kept from pain and suffering Earliest sermons wheel of law dharma Nirvana kind of like the Buddhist heaven idea If you reach enlightment then when you die you go to Nirvana You become one with everything and everyone Salvation extinction of the self Encourages rejection of material wealth II 4 Noble Truths 4 understandings Suffering existence is the realm of suffering The source of suffering is desire Ceasing desire ends suffering The way to stop suffering is to follow the eight fold path III Eight Fold Path Right Understanding Right Aims o Must understand the 4 noble truth acceptance o Loving helping others Don t cheat Don t make people feel bad about themselves and make yourself try to look better Right Speech o Be truthful Right Action Proper Work o Don t hurt any living creature o Do positive work Right Thinking o Focus on being positive Proper Awareness o Let your mind control urges Meditation o Clear your mind and be peaceful IV Middle Way helps one find balance in life V 2 branches among many of Buddhism Hinayana o Personal pursuit of nirvana o Teachings of Buddha o Buddha is only a teacher o Never let body take over your mind like addiction smoking drinking desiring sex when its not healthy for you In life you must reject the extrmes of either wanting everything or giving up everything and seek the balance of the Middle Way Mahayana o Buddha is a divine being o Siddhartha is one of several Buddha s o Bodhisattva Buddha is not a god he is a human being VI Bodhisattva In Buddhism a person who has achieved enlightenment but has who has chosen to remain in this world to help those who are suffering instead of going on to nirvana This is the highest ideal In art they are shown with clothes and jewelry because it represents from this earth Buddha on the other hand is shown very monk like VII Architecture Great Stupa Sanchi India o You circuambulate the stupa symbolizes walking the path of the universe o While walking this path you walk the second story o Basically a giant mendalla representation of the universe Yakshi o Sexual areas highlighted o In sacred space