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Church History AD 100-500 Supplement Plan

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Church History AD 100-500 Supplement Plan Supplement Plan Materials ӹ Church History AD 100-500 ӹ Teacher Resource: Timeline Strips AD 100-500 DAY ONE Warm-Up A. Spend some time orienting the students by going over the items on their timelines thus far. B. Keeping in mind the mission of the Church, have students brainstorm what challenges Christianity was facing at this point in history. Keep a list on the board. Look at the list together and discuss as a large group the following questions: ӹ What unique challenges does a “new” religion face after more than one or two generations have passed? ӹ Can a religion thrive if people don’t agree on its teachings? If people don’t know who is in charge? If people are not allowed to practice their religion? ӹ Why do you think the Apostles and the Christians they brought into the Church were so concerned with correcting false teachings? Activity Ask students to turn to Church History AD 100- Church History AD 100-500 Directions: in ReadConstantinople the essay, then (present use the day information Istanbul, you learnfrom to 481complete to 511, andthe chartis considered that the founder Turkey).follows. That same year, construction began of France. Clovis united all the Frankish 500 in their workbooks. Have them work in pairs, on St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Constantine, tribes throughout what are now France, the the fi rst Roman emperor to become a Netherlands, and Belgium. He converted to he persecutionChristian, of Christians ruled until did 337. not He end was baptized Catholicism, and was baptized on Christmas Twith the onEmperor his deathbed, Nero. It acontinued practice that was not Day, 496, in Reims, France.Write Like a Constantine,summary statement under futureuncommon emperors, including during his Emperor time. List key informationClovis brought about thistrue Christianityexplaining the signifi cance of to large read the essay, and use the information they learn Decius, who required everyoneIndividual/event to worship individual/event this individual/event numbers of people under his rule. the gods of theLater state church or be councilstortued orcontinued killed. to Emperor Diocletian,clarify Church who ruled Romanteaching. from Emperor 284 The to Council of Write a summary statement 305, orderedConstantinople the destructionDiocletian (381) of all made Christian clear that the ListThe key fall information of Rome about this explaining the signifi cance of Holy Spirit was equal with the Father and to complete the chart that follows the essay. churches. He had bishops and priests Individual/event individual/eventDespite the fl ourishing of Christianitythis in individual/event the Son. The councils of Hippo and Carthage imprisoned, and executed anyone who many parts of Europe, the city of Rome was (397) determined which booksVisigoth would become refused to participate in public worship of increasingly under attack from the Visigoths. part of the New Testament. The Council pagan gods. While many Christians held fast The Visigoths were a western tribe of Goths, of Ephesus (431) declared that the Virgin to their faith, many denied Christ out of fear. a Germanic people. The Visigoths were Mary is truly the Theotokos or God-bearer: pagans; some converted to Christianity but the mother of God, as well as condemned they adhered to the heresies that the Council From oppressiona heresy that to freedomsaid Jesus was two persons in Roman Emperor of Nicaea sought to correct. The Visigoths Things beganone to changebody. Twenty for ConstantineChristians years later, the council Emperorattacked, Constantine looted, legalized and burned Christianity Rome in 410. when Constantineof Chalcedon came to (451) power affi in rmed 306. the hypostatic The destruction ofthroughout the city wasRome. one of the union: the truth that Jesus is fully human and Constantine is perhaps most famous for many things that led to the fall of Rome in fully divine. As always, the councils did not ending the persecution of Christians. HeClovis Nicaea. This gathering476. The Visigoths in Nicaea later (present-day settled throughout invent these teachings, but rather affi rmed legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan Turkey) had theFrance, goal Spain,of correcting and Portugal. the false in 313. This declarationthem in the allowed face of peoplefalse teachings. to teaching, known as Arianism, that Jesus was a worship the deity of their choice, permitted The Eastern Roman Empire in Constantinople Outside of Rome, Christianity also begancreated being. The council clearly expressed Christians to organize churches, and returned was spared this attack, though it would very to fl ourish in Gaul—the area of present-daythe truth that the Father and the Son are of church property that had been taken by the soon face dangerous enemies. DAY TWO France. Clovis, EdictKing ofof theMilan Franks, ruledone Gaul substance (consubstantial). The Nicene Roman government. The Edict of Milan was a Creed that we recite at every Sunday Mass landmark proclamation that, for the fi rst time, was set forth at this council. allowed Christianity to spread without the Five years after the council of Nicea, threat of jail, torture, or execution. Constantine took yet another action Warm-Up More than a decade later, Constantine himself that would have far-reaching effects for had become a catechumen. As Christianity Christianity—he divided the Roman Empire had spread, false teachings had begun to into East and West. The West would be circulate. In 325, Constantine convened a centered in Rome; the East was centered Have pairs stand and present information for one council that would be calledCouncil the Council of Nicaea of event/individual on Church History AD 100-500. Continue until all the content has been covered. UNIT 2, LESSON 4 SUPPLEMENT PLAN Activity A. Before class, copy and cut out Teacher Resource: Timeline Strips AD 100-500 in this book. Go over the events on the strips. As you discuss each event, have students write in each date and event on their timelines and add each strip to the large class timeline. Note: To aid in class discussion, some explanatory notes are included below that are not on the strips. Students may also wish to decorate the large class timeline with artwork. B. For each event, students should write two or three sentences and/or draw a picture explaining the significance of the event to decorate their timelines. They should use Church History AD 100-500 as a reference. Timeline Event Order and Notes 64 Persecution of Christians begins under Roman emperor Nero. 250 Persecution under Roman emperor Decius. Decius required all to worship the gods of the state, or be tortured and killed. 251 Council of Carthage. This council allowed people who lapsed in their faith during the persecution to be brought back into the Church after a period of penance. 303 Persecution under Roman emperor Diocletian. Diocletian ordered the destruction of all Christian churches, imprisonment of bishops and priests, and the execution of all who refused to participate in the public worship of pagan gods. 313 Emperor Constantine issues the Edict of Milan. This edict granted religious toleration to Christians and unleashed the spread of Christianity. 325 Council of Nicaea. This council, called by Emperor Constantine, set forth the Nicene Creed and affirmed that Jesus and the Father are consubstantial — of the same substance. 330 Emperor Constantine divides the Roman Empire into East and West. The West was centered in Rome, and the East was centered in Constantinople (present-day Instanbul, Turkey). 330 Construction of the first St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. 381 Council of Constantinople This council, called by Roman Emperor Theodosius, is best known for clarifying the doctrine of the Trinity, and specifically that the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son. 397 The Councils of Hippo and Carthage determine which books will become part of the New Testament. 410 The Visigoths destroy the city of Rome. UNIT 2, LESSON 4 SUPPLEMENT PLAN 431 Council of Ephesus. This council condemned a heresy that said that Jesus was two persons in one body, and the council declared that the Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God (Theotokos). 451 Council of Chalcedon. This council affirmed that Christ is fully human and fully divine the( hypostatic union). 476 The Western Roman Empire collapses. 496 Clovis, the King of the Franks, coverts to Catholicism. Formative Assessment A. Discuss as a large group the following question: Why do you think it took more than 300 years to hold a meeting like the Council of Nicaea? Christianity was illegal before then. Personally practicing Christianity, much less meeting and discussing it openly, would get you killed. B. Discuss how it is important to remember that, while the Holy Spirit always guides the Church, the Church is made up of human beings who can make mistakes and are capable of sinning. Therefore, conflicts, controversies, corruption, and even wars are found throughout the history of the Church. By studying history, we can learn from it. What are the lesson(s) we can learn from this period in Church history? In addition to the ideas students generate, you may add: ӹ We can trust Jesus’ promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18). ӹ It is challenging, but essential, for members of a religion to believe the same things. ӹ Human dignity includes religious liberty. ӹ Religious liberty helps bring about peace. ӹ Religious persecution has been a constant in world history. Christians are often forced or pressured to act against their consciences. (For example, unjust wars, taxpayer funding to abortion providers, requiring employers to provide insurance coverage for immoral products and procedures, legal euthanasia, and so forth). Religious persecution exists today in various forms. Christian genocide is occurring today in the Middle East.
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