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Wed 9 Nov, 2005 04:54 pm
Hi all,
I'm teaching a class this week on early Christianity to the Reformation. The Reformation itself and beyond will be covered next week.
I've developed a draft timeline and I would appreciate any feedback on where my dates are wrong. I know there is debate on whether Jesus died in 30 or 33 C.E. or if Paul was 'struck' in 33 or 36, etc. I don't want to get that nitty-gritty. Also, please let me know if there are other significant events of historical significance that should be highlighted to a group of 8th graders. This is not a faith-based class, it's historical in nature so I need to focus on the facts as they are known.
Thanks!
History - 1500 years in 15 minutes (ok, maybe 20)
Show Bible - mention versions (KJV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, etc)
Old Testament - Hebrew history
o covers thousands of years
o Torah - first five books
o Talmud - books not in the same order as the Old Testament
New Testament - 27 books of Jesus' teachings, life, early Christianity
o ~ 100 years
o Gospels - "Good News"
o Acts of the Apostles - early formation of Christianity
o Letters from Paul and attributed to Paul - spreading the word
o Revelations - the future revealed
Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books - present in some versions only
Timeline 1 C.E. - 1500 C.E.
o 1 - John the Baptist is born
o 4 - Jesus of Nazareth is born
o 27 - Jesus is baptized and begins his ministry
* "The Kingdom of God is upon us!" - Jews were downtrodden by series of rulers. Gave them hope.
* Teaches acceptance, tolerance, compassion.
o 30 - Jesus is convicted as "King of the Jews", crucified, resurrected
o 33 - Paul/Saul has a vision, becomes a Jewish Christian, spreads the word at home and abroad, runs into problems with Jewish dietary laws
o 37 - Emperor Caligula declares himself a living God, Christians refuse to pray to another God
o 50 - Paul writes a series of letters - oldest written documents in the New Testament, "Q" and Gospel of Thomas written (sayings Gospels)
o 70 - Mark writes first narrative Gospel, other non-canonical Gospels written, Romans destroy the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem, Nero burns a portion of Rome to build a castle - blames the Christians who are killed in large numbers
o 80 - Gospel of Matthew written as well as other non-canonical Gospels, Christianity begins to spread
o 90 - Gospels of Luke, John written, Christianity spreads in Roman Empire
o 100 - Gospel of Mark rewritten - becomes canonical version
o 100 thru 150 - local traditions/canons - depend on a single Gospel, debate on Christianity continues
o 150 thru 325 - written copies of "New Testament" Gospels, stories circulate - still no formal ?'books', some collections, debate continues between liberal and conservative Christians
o 300 thru 325 - Arian Controversy - Arius argues with bishops over Jesus' divinity, claims Jesus as ?'lesser God'
o 313 - Christianity becomes a legal religion, Constantine moves the Holy Seat to Constantinople (now Istanbul), builds shrine at the ?'Holy Sepulcher' in Jerusalem
o 325 - Council of Nicea - Nicene Creed establishes Holy Trinity, liberal movement goes underground. Christianity (Catholicism) spreads throughout known world
o 341 thru 370 - Germanic tribes converted to Arian Christianity, disappears in the 6th century
o 544 - Belief in universal salvation condemned as heresy
o 570 - Mohammed is born
o 600 - Mohammed travels to Syria and Palestine, studies Judaism and Christianity, denies the Holy Trinity
o 612 - Mohammed is visited by the angel Gabriel, becomes a prophet of God (Allah), begins to preach Islam
* Koran - based on the Old Testament
* Claims Jesus as prophet, not messiah
* Literal word of God as revealed to Mohammed
* 114 chapters
o 625 thru 800 - Islam spreads throughout the Arab world, Christianity continues stronghold throughout Europe, parts of the Holy Land
o 800 thru 1000 - Muslims control most of the Holy Land, Christians from everywhere make ?'pilgrimages' to Jerusalem to visit Holy Sepulcher, Jews treated poorly everywhere
o 1010 - Haken, Muslim ruler in Egypt, orders Holy Sepulcher destroyed, Christians outraged
o 1095 thru 1270 - Holy Crusades - Wars waged from Rome to recapture control of the Holy Lands, rebuild Sepulcher, and to spread Christianity
o 1184 thru 1500 - Medieval Inquisitions - attempt to suppress ?'heresy' and convert heathens, began in southern France, spread into Germany and Scandinavia
o 1300 - Holy City of Jerusalem claimed by three groups
* Western Wall of the Second Temple - holiest site in Judaism
* Jesus lived, preached, died and was resurrected - birthplace of Christianity
* Mohammed miraculously transported from Mecca to Temple Mount - holy city of Islam
o 1454 - printing press invented, large numbers of Bibles printed, Catholic focus remained on doctrine, not Bible
o 1481 thru 1492 - Spanish Inquisitions - attempt to reconvert lapsing Christians and Jews, some torture and deaths, ended with the expulsion of all Jews from Spain by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
o 1500s - Protestant rebellion against Catholic doctrine, focus should be on Bible, not word of the Pope
Phew!
Sorry, my indenting doesn't seem to be working. Each symbol is an deeper indent.
Just off the top of my head, how about the Jewish revolt 66-70 ce destruction of the 2nd temple and the Jerusalem church.
64ce Nero persectutes Christians for burning Rome.
1054ce official split between Roman and Byzantine Christianity.
Maybe a small mention of the Renaissance, which pretty much paves the way for the Reformation?
Just my 2cents. Now I'm off to teach early Papacy!
Good Luck
Sub
edit- oops! just saw mention of Nero and the temple... nevermind on those! And maybe a mention of Augustine of Hippo?
Lay investiture, simony, indulgences, Cluny? Sorry, now I'm going afield...
Hey subbie-
I just love your user name.
Loved the other shite too.
Are you a lady.(Some hopes eh?)
You're avvies not bad as well.
Which pub do you frequent?
subculture_of_one wrote:
1054ce official split between Roman and Byzantine Christianity.
Maybe a small mention of the Renaissance, which pretty much paves the way for the Reformation?
...
I'll definately add these two, thanks!
Muhuhaha! Thanks for the compliment spendius (that was pretty well worded for a really evolved microbe!
)
Fella, not lady (sorry)
and I was hoping that my humble input would be well received. I have a tendancy to get off-topic in my classes.
The only pubs I've frequented as of late are in the Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo areas.
Another note: I like to mention the 'Cadaveric Council' of 897ce- Pope Stephen VI, digs up one of his predecessors- Formosus, dresses him in his Papal robes, puts him on trial then throws his body in the Tiber!
Sub
Since they are 8th graders, you should probably point out that there is no zero year. Thus, a person born in 10 B.C.E. would be only 19 in 10 C.E.
I was pretty much going to say what subculture has already said, particularly as regards 70 c.e. and the Jewish revolt against Rome. As this is the begining of the Jewish diaspora into Europe it can't be ignored.
Quote:1500s - Protestant rebellion against Catholic doctrine, focus should be on Bible, not word of the Pope.
This misses about three centuries of significant history, and one of the biggest religious brouhahas in European history. You need to look up the Avignon Popes, the Great Schism, the Anti-Pope, the abuse of Simony (which spurred on Marin Luther and his ilk--a simple statement that the Reformation was a rebellion against Catholic doctrine is incredibly naive). Also check out Jan Hus, who was burned as a heretic more than a century before the rise of Martin Luther. Martin Luther himself is one of history great, bizarre crackpots, obsessed with scatalogical references--constantly commenting that this or that great idea came to him while in the privy, and claiming to have defeated Satan in farting battles.
Barbara Tuchmann's
The March of Folly has what could be characterized as the best brief discussion of the self-destruction of the Papcy in years leading up to the Protestant Reformation. An interesting read, although dicey in many of its historical contentions, is William Manchester's
A World Lit Only by Fire. Although i consider it to be in many respects a slapdash job, he concentrates on Martin Luther versus the Emperor Charles V, who was also the Spanish King Carlos, and therefore the most powerful man in his world. The antecedants of the Protestant reformation are in incredible series of monumental blunders of policy by the Popes, and the alleged "Anti-Popes" (at the height of the folly, there were three competing Popes). They sold indulgences (forgiveness for sins) in a practice known as simony, and when it reached the point that notorious and unscrupulous tax farmers were sent out to sell the indulgences, the Germans rebelled, and rallied around Luther--in fact, Luther was conducted to the Imperial Diet at which he confronted the Emperor Charles by German knights not only dedicated to protecting him from the Emperor and his agents, and those of the Pope, but also pledged to kill Luther if he recanted before the Emperor.
Check out those two books--you're missing the greatest soap opera in modern European religious history. Look up the Borgias, as well, and Francis I of France. Check out some of the early "heretical" sects such as the Albigensians and the Waldensians. Lots of intrigue, foolishness, fanaticism and depravity--a tale that can't be beat.
Set up for the vatican, Constantine oks construction of basilica, 315.
http://sg.travel.yahoo.com/guide/europe/holy_see/history.html
Oh, yes, the Albigensians. They can't be ignored, either. Thanks for reminding me, Set.
Thanks! I need to sort through all this, but from the first read of Set's post I think that's what I need to cover next week. This week only brings me to the Reformation but does not cover it, which is why its a simple statement at the end. If I'm right about what you provided, Set, you've saved me a ton of work for the next lesson.
I'm just back from a long meeting so I'll dig deeper tomorrow.
Thanks again.
Re: Timeline: 1 to 1500 C.E.
J_B wrote:Hi all,
I'm teaching a class this week on early Christianity to the Reformation. The Reformation itself and beyond will be covered next week.
I've developed a draft timeline and I would appreciate any feedback on where my dates are wrong. I know there is debate on whether Jesus died in 30 or 33 C.E. or if Paul was 'struck' in 33 or 36, etc. I don't want to get that nitty-gritty. Also, please let me know if there are other significant events of historical significance that should be highlighted to a group of 8th graders. This is not a faith-based class, it's historical in nature so I need to focus on the facts as they are known.
Thanks!
History - 1500 years in 15 minutes (ok, maybe 20)
Show Bible - mention versions (KJV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, etc)
Old Testament - Hebrew history
o covers thousands of years
o Torah - first five books
o Talmud - books not in the same order as the Old Testament
New Testament - 27 books of Jesus' teachings, life, early Christianity
o ~ 100 years
o Gospels - "Good News"
o Acts of the Apostles - early formation of Christianity
o Letters from Paul and attributed to Paul - spreading the word
o Revelations - the future revealed
Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books - present in some versions only
Timeline 1 C.E. - 1500 C.E.
o 1 - John the Baptist is born
o 4 - Jesus of Nazareth is born
o 27 - Jesus is baptized and begins his ministry
* "The Kingdom of God is upon us!" - Jews were downtrodden by series of rulers. Gave them hope.
* Teaches acceptance, tolerance, compassion.
o 30 - Jesus is convicted as "King of the Jews", crucified, resurrected
o 33 - Paul/Saul has a vision, becomes a Jewish Christian, spreads the word at home and abroad, runs into problems with Jewish dietary laws
o 37 - Emperor Caligula declares himself a living God, Christians refuse to pray to another God
o 50 - Paul writes a series of letters - oldest written documents in the New Testament, "Q" and Gospel of Thomas written (sayings Gospels)
o 70 - Mark writes first narrative Gospel, other non-canonical Gospels written, Romans destroy the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem, Nero burns a portion of Rome to build a castle - blames the Christians who are killed in large numbers
o 80 - Gospel of Matthew written as well as other non-canonical Gospels, Christianity begins to spread
o 90 - Gospels of Luke, John written, Christianity spreads in Roman Empire
o 100 - Gospel of Mark rewritten - becomes canonical version
o 100 thru 150 - local traditions/canons - depend on a single Gospel, debate on Christianity continues
o 150 thru 325 - written copies of "New Testament" Gospels, stories circulate - still no formal ?'books', some collections, debate continues between liberal and conservative Christians
o 300 thru 325 - Arian Controversy - Arius argues with bishops over Jesus' divinity, claims Jesus as ?'lesser God'
o 313 - Christianity becomes a legal religion, Constantine moves the Holy Seat to Constantinople (now Istanbul), builds shrine at the ?'Holy Sepulcher' in Jerusalem
o 325 - Council of Nicea - Nicene Creed establishes Holy Trinity, liberal movement goes underground. Christianity (Catholicism) spreads throughout known world
o 341 thru 370 - Germanic tribes converted to Arian Christianity, disappears in the 6th century
o 544 - Belief in universal salvation condemned as heresy
o 570 - Mohammed is born
o 600 - Mohammed travels to Syria and Palestine, studies Judaism and Christianity, denies the Holy Trinity
o 612 - Mohammed is visited by the angel Gabriel, becomes a prophet of God (Allah), begins to preach Islam
* Koran - based on the Old Testament
* Claims Jesus as prophet, not messiah
* Literal word of God as revealed to Mohammed
* 114 chapters
o 625 thru 800 - Islam spreads throughout the Arab world, Christianity continues stronghold throughout Europe, parts of the Holy Land
o 800 thru 1000 - Muslims control most of the Holy Land, Christians from everywhere make ?'pilgrimages' to Jerusalem to visit Holy Sepulcher, Jews treated poorly everywhere
o 1010 - Haken, Muslim ruler in Egypt, orders Holy Sepulcher destroyed, Christians outraged
o 1095 thru 1270 - Holy Crusades - Wars waged from Rome to recapture control of the Holy Lands, rebuild Sepulcher, and to spread Christianity
o 1184 thru 1500 - Medieval Inquisitions - attempt to suppress ?'heresy' and convert heathens, began in southern France, spread into Germany and Scandinavia
o 1300 - Holy City of Jerusalem claimed by three groups
* Western Wall of the Second Temple - holiest site in Judaism
* Jesus lived, preached, died and was resurrected - birthplace of Christianity
* Mohammed miraculously transported from Mecca to Temple Mount - holy city of Islam
o 1454 - printing press invented, large numbers of Bibles printed, Catholic focus remained on doctrine, not Bible
o 1481 thru 1492 - Spanish Inquisitions - attempt to reconvert lapsing Christians and Jews, some torture and deaths, ended with the expulsion of all Jews from Spain by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.
o 1500s - Protestant rebellion against Catholic doctrine, focus should be on Bible, not word of the Pope
Phew!
Sorry, my indenting doesn't seem to be working. Each symbol is an deeper indent.
Well for starters, none of the Bible translations you mention (KJV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, etc) existed in the first 15 centuries.
Also your dates for the writing of the gospels are much too late. Start with Mark around 50 or a little earlier and Matthew and Luke before 70.
Letters of Paul were considered scripture well before the death of the apostles.
Also you might mention that the earliest translations of New Testament books into languages other than the original occurred fairly early.
I miss a bit nearly all of how Europe became Christian - Irish mssionaries, for instance, Charlemagne etc.
I might have overlooked it, but the Waldenses, Anabaptists, Hus should be mentioned, too, as 'early reformists'.
I've always enjoyed reading of the Defenestration of Prague.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Sparta/5414/DefPrague.htm
A fitting disposition for a clergyman of any faith. There are stories which aver the ditch to have been full of manure. Too good to be true, I guess.
Actually, there have been as many as three defenestrations. But I favor the one in 1618, which marked the beginning of the Thirty Years War.
Y'know... This is great! History is _such_ a mine field! There are SOOOOOO many things that
could be dealt with... though I guess I didn't realize that they were 8th graders.... I would cut over half of the stuff out then
.
I teach at a 'higher' ed level and I have to cut stuff out to keep the amount of glazed staring down to a minimun. History is important... But we (me) tend to get a little carried away when we try to convey it to others.
This is why my wife asks me for '5 cent' versions of history if we are watching a movie or tv show that assumes in-depth historical knowledge...
In any event... You may want to use C.A.Ts after you teach them this stuff and ask them what
they felt the important topics were.
Sub
Y'know... This is great! History is _such_ a mine field! There are SOOOOOO many things that
could be dealt with... though I guess I didn't realize that they were 8th graders.... I would cut over half of the stuff out then
.
I teach at a 'higher' ed level and I have to cut stuff out to keep the amount of glazed staring down to a minimun. History is important... But we (me) tend to get a little carried away when we try to convey it to others.
This is why my wife asks me for '5 cent' versions of history if we are watching a movie or tv show that assumes in-depth historical knowledge...
In any event... You may want to use C.A.Ts after you teach them this stuff and ask them what
they felt the important topics were.
Sub
Right, 13 and 14 year olds. They will probably pick the 'no year zero' as the high point
The way I'm going to present this is to have a picture of a large tree with Judaism as the trunk, the first branching occurs at year 1 with Judaism on one major branch (eventually branching into Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform) and early Christianity on the other which branches off into Eastern Orthodox at ~ 1000 C.E. and the main branch branching further into the various Protestant groups beginning with the Reformation and branching upward from there (Lutherans, Anglican/Episcopal, Calvanists and branches, Puritans and branches, etc). We also have a side limb for Islam even though it isn't truly a branching off of either Judaism or Christianity. There is also a large timeline along two walls where we'll plug in the events that I'll be highlighting from what I have here.
Also, I only have 15 - 20 minutes to cover this so the oral part will be the 'big' events. I'm definitely going to add the Jewish revolt leading up to the destruction of the second temple and although I have a number of sources for the dates of the early gospels, I'll explain that scholars differ as to the exact age and they might have been earlier. I also want to add more about Christianity spreading throughout Europe and a mention of the beginning of the construction of the basilica. I'll also add the Great Schism, the Popes of Avignon and the Anti-Pope(s).
I think I'll give them a handout for the timeline, but we all know what happens with handouts when there's no quiz :wink:
Good points about the early translations and versions of the bible coming later, real life.
Set, I'll definitely check out those books. Its too much info for the kids, but I'm fascinated by this stuff so I'll read them for myself.
I appreciate all the feedback and I'm taking notes for the Reformation and beyond for next week. Keep the ideas coming, it really is fascinating.
might be better to focus on fewer things in more depth- i mean, for 13 year olds. if you're going to spill all of those years and events on their heads, they will drown in them.
defenestration of prague indeed is cool. as is the hussite movement, that preceded Martin Luther by 100 years or more and burning of John Huss (or Jan Hus) at stake, despite pledges of immunity by Sigismund of Luxemberg.
We were 12 or 13, when heard for the first time of the Prague defenstration in history at school: you bet, it was "replayed" frequently :wink:
Is this thread showing up still? I can only get to it by clicking on my name from another post.
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