Christianity and Roman Empire: A Revelation Perspective

519 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The growth of Christianity during the Roman Empire

The first few hundred years of Christianity are represented by the theo-political model depicted in the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation shows a violent battle between God and the Devil. This battle in heaven reflects the battle on earth between Christians and the Roman Empire. Rome is being represented as the devil and Christians are being represented as God. Early Christians felt the world being hostile because of their religion, even when cooperating with authorities, the roman authorities were still hostile. The Roman authorities often accused Christians of treason and disloyalty to the Roman empire when they refused to worship the Roman gods. Christians were often persecuted against and blamed for empire being so weak. The Book of Revelation shows the eventual defeat of the devil by the son of God. Revelations keeps Christians hopeful that they will always be on the winning side even in the face of death. …show more content…

When Jesus arrives, he shows that the current violent politics were wrong and shows the Christians a new king. Jesus would be this new king. Although Jesus is the new king, he is not the earthly king. Instead Christ is the messiah or the king of the Jews and he claimed to fulfill Israel’s hopes. He dies on the cross to reject violent politics. Pecknold states, “It was in this event, seen in the light of the resurrection, which would cause the early Christians to think about a new way of being human, and thus a new way of being political.” Jesus introduces a new pattern of life and shows a vision of the end of politics. This new western political image brought by Jesus gave a new language that is considered the “highest form of community imaginable.” The church now gives this “highest form of community” instead of Roman

Show More
Related

  • Symbolic Passages in the Book of Revelation

    1127 Words  | 3 Pages

    Much of Revelation is the source of debate. Many passages are symbolic in nature, and the exact meaning of the symbols can be difficult to determine. Some passages can be interpreted in various ways. The identity of the Four Horsemen, the 144,000, and Babylon the Great in particular are points of contention. Nevertheless, proper hermeneutics and careful study can illuminate these difficult passages.

    Read More

  • The Novel Deliverance as a Prophecy of Man

    1395 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Novel Deliverance as a Prophecy of Man A true survivor can only depend on himself. The novel Deliverance is a story about four characters, each with different views on surviving. Every man in the world can relate to one of the three secondary characters in the novel Deliverance. Men can relate to Lewis Medlock for his primitive views, Drew for his rationality, or Bobby for his lack of ability to survive.

    Read More

  • Constantine And Christianity

    1779 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, or Constantine, is commonly referred to as the fist Christian emperor of the Roman Empire and as the defender of Christianity. Such grand titles are not necessarily due for the reasons that people commonly think of them today.

    Read More

  • Desert Fathers, Early Monasticism

    931 Words  | 2 Pages

    Early in second and third century Christian history, violence against Christians by the Roman Empire, struggles against pagan ideology, practices that were corrupting the Church, and certain lax spiritual discipline had crept into many areas of the Christian faith. As some leaders attempted to control the faith by growing their personal power and influence on the political front, others sought escape from the spiritual darkness they perceived among the world to retain their own spiritual purity.

    Read More

  • Essay: Christianity In Rome

    585 Words  | 2 Pages

    Bryan Byerly Mrs. Wagner Western World 10 Seminar- 4 4 December, 2013 Christianity in Rome Essay Christianity became more prevalent in Roman society as time went on because it appealed to Rome and what Roman ideals were. In the beginning Romans were skeptical of changing religion, but as the years went by, the Romans adopted and changed. Christianity appealed to the Roman ideals, as it gave certain perks that their current polytheistic religion did not offer to them. The emperors of Rome had many different views on Christianity; some emperors encouraged change, and others were more traditional and wanted to stick to their current, polytheistic religion. Roman views on Christianity have changed drastically from the early years of the Roman

    Read More

  • Book Review and Reflection of Simply Jesus by N.T. Wright

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first part of the book begins by Wright telling the readers a little about himself and his thoughts on how people, including the church, overlook Jesus and belittles his reign. Early on, Wright discusses that the purpose of the book is to retell Jesus’ message, but in a way that it filters out the worldly explanation we have come to know. In fact, if we are to know just who Jesus was, we need to know the culture, attitudes, and assumptions of the first century Palestine. It becomes apparent in this section of the book that Wright uses liberal and conservative approaches to define Christians in this modern day. Conservative Christians believe God intervenes, while liberal Christians believe that God allows innate human development. In this part of the book Wright discusses the ‘perfect storm’ – which is found out to be three-sided. A storm in the west is created by the growing power of the Roman Empire, who politically reigned over the people in the Israel. Another storm brewed in the east, says Wright, the Israelites who have been in search of the return of God to their people. Lastly, a hurricane approached as well, which will be discussed in the next chapter. Throughout the first part of the book, it seems, Wright establishes that God did set up his kingdom in Israel and the world throu...

    Read More

  • The Book of Revelation

    2597 Words  | 6 Pages

    Within it sit many concepts, such as heaven and hell, divine judgment, the second coming, the defeat of evil and the new creation, among other things. As such, it encapsulates any discussion about the ‘end times’. This is certainly an apt title for much of the Book of Revelation then, with so much discussion of divine judgment on the first earth, the second coming of Christ and the coming of the New Creation. Within the pages of this text, however, a more complex eschatology is portrayed. While in the grander literary scheme of the text, we see the ultimate destruction of death and hades and their throwing into the lake of fire, the text also portrays a more nuanced view of eschatology.

    Read More

  • The Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire

    1119 Words  | 3 Pages

    Factors Which Led to the Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire Christianity was not born in a vacumn. There were many social, geographical, historical and religious issues prevailing at the time of Christ and all of which were favorable to the spread of Christianity. Geograpicly, Christianity came into being in the Meditation world, the largest of the various centers of civilization at that time. Israel stands almost central to the five continents, dividing the east and west.

    Read More

  • Revelation

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    No part of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant purpose of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 AD. What is, what has been, and what is to come is the central focus of the content in Revelation.

    Read More

  • Roman Persecution of Christians

    1233 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the third to the fourth century, the Roman Empire witnessed a widespread attempt to stop the spread of Christianity. Initially, leaders of the church were predominately targeted, but later anyone admitting to Christianity became a target. The persecutions hit a climax during Diocletian’s reign. These persecutions actually helped the spread of Christianity by glorifying Christians and beginning a tradition of martyrdom that shaped the Church, and the strength that Christians displayed shows that the persecutions could not have possible stopped the spread of Christianity.

    Read More

  • Revelation: Jewish Apocalyptic Literature

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Revelation identifies itself as “both an “apocalypse”…and as prophecy”, making it distinctly different from the rest of the New Testament. “Jewish apocalyptic literature flourished in the centuries following the completion of the OT canon”, and it is scattered throughout the Old Testaments in books such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah. Apocalyptic literature is full of “visions that dramatize the prophet’s admission to God’s heavenly council”, and convey their meaning primarily through symbolism. John brings a “balanced message of comfort, warning, and rebuke” in Revelation, testifying to the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Apart from the OT literature, Revelation shows a distinct optimism toward the end of days, for “Christ’s death has already won the decisive victory over evil”, with the Kingdom of God already among believers. This book was written in “approximately A.D. 95 on the island of Patmos”, which is still standing to this day. It was written under the emperor Domitian, with Roman authorities exiling John “to the island of Patmos (off the coast of Asia)”. The events in Revelation are also “ordered

    Read More

  • Examples Of Early Christian Persecution

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    Christianity is the world’s most prominent religion, with more than six billion people practicing worldwide. Although Christianity has come to dominate the world of religion, it began as a small and mysterious cult in Ancient Rome. Small, and poorly understood, Christianity soon became an enemy of Rome, marked with persecution, martyrdom, and murder. By the end of the third century CE, tens of thousands of Christians had been arrested and killed for their beliefs.

    Read More

  • Clarifying the Divine Revelation

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through divine revelation, God chose to use forth and communication and the eternal decisions of his will regarding the salvation of men. In his goodness and wisdom, God chose to reveal himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of his will by which through Christ, the word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature. Through the Word of God, God creates all things and keeps all of them in existence. The plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity. The deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words. The words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them.

    Read More

  • Christianity Essay

    1473 Words  | 3 Pages

    Christianity has the largest population worldwide and has been able to continue to develop over the centuries. “Christianity is the name given to a religion based on the first century CE life and ministry of Jesus”. His followers claimed Jesus to be “The Jewish Messiah”, a person sent to the people of Israel to bring salvation and hope. However, during the first century, Christianity spread throughout the regions controlled by the Roman Empire and as Jesus’ followers began to separate from Judaism they established this living religion. Thus, the core foundation of Christianity is based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, which can be found today in the Bible.

    Read More

  • Displeasure Of The Roman Emperors

    53 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Christians received the displeasure of the Roman emperors because they did not participate in the worship of the emperor and they were kind of secretive in there worship. Therefore, the Roman emperors believed that the Christians were trying to spread the beliefs that might detiorate the the structure of the Roman government.

    Read More

More about Christianity and Roman Empire: A Revelation Perspective

Open Document