Religion
Jesus
Jesus Christ was born during the region of Augustus - the first Roman Emperor (63 BC - 14 AD), around the year 4BC
He was Jewish and was bought up in Galilee
When he was 30 years old he was baptised in the river Jordan by John a preacher
Jesus became well known as a religious teacher, although his ideas were seen as revolutionary
Jesus focused his attention to the sick, the poor, women, and outcasts such as tax collectors and prostitutes
He was disliked by many as he preached on the sabbath and while he did not encourage rebellion against the Roman Empire he did demand a total revolution in daily life
Jesus attracted many followers; he picked 12 men to be his apostles and help build a new community
Around the year 30AD, he was put to death by the Roman governor
After Jesus’ death, his followers formed a sect, which has grown in strength ever since
They believed that Jesus rose from the dead, and he was in fact God
Within a century of his death, Jesus was mentioned as a real person by the Roman historian Suetonius and Tacitus, also by the Jewish leader Josephus and Roman writer Pliny
The evidence is also in the Gospels - his followers wrote various accounts of his life
The Gospels are attributed to Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, written between 60 AD and 100AD
Earlier accounts of Jesus were the letters of Paul.
The Acts of the Apostles recounts the early church from Jesus’ death

Saint Paul
Originally called Saul
Was born at Tarsus (modern day Turkey)
He was raised as a strictly orthodox Pharisee (a strict Jew) and was very educated
At first he persecuted Christians
On the road to Damascus, he was struck blind and experienced a vision that led to his conversation and the conviction that was to bring Christianity to the Gentiles
He was baptised and went to Arabia for 3 years of prayer and reflection
Returning to Jerusalem, the apostles were wary of him until St. Barnabas perceived his sincerity
He led a dangerous and adventures life on behalf of Christ
He traveled extensively and wrote letters to many of the early Christian communities, offering advice on how they should think and act as the followers of Christ
He preached to the Jews and three major missionary journeys to the non-jews (gentiles)
He worked in Jerusalem, Antioch, Cyprus, Asia Minor, Greece, Ephesus, Macedonia and Achaia
Was kept in prison for 2 years awaiting trial
In July CE, a fire raged through Rome
This began the era of Roman persecution of Christians
Paul died during Nero’s Persecutions

Constantine
He abolished persecutions of Christians
In 321CE, Sunday was made a public holiday
The nicene was established in 325CE
Edict of Milan (Christianity becomes an official religion)
The church gains a hierarchy under the Pope
He supported the building of churches and other Christian structures/ and the real introduction of saints into the church

Martin Luther
Was born in 1483, into a copper mining family in the state of Saxony, in Germany
His father hoped that Martin would go on to become a lawyer
Was caught in a thunderstorm and made vow to God that if his life was spared, he would become a monk
He enters an Augustinian Monastery
In 1507 Martin was ordained a priest
Martin was soon sent to the new University of Wittenberg, where he became a lecturer in theology and Scripture
It was while studying the letters of St Paul, that Luther made a discovery that was to change his life and alter the whole course of history
He became convinced that faith was the one thing that mattered for the Christian
His belief in ‘Justification by Faith Alone ‘was put to the test in 1517 by the preaching of an indulgence in a neighbouring territory
Indulgences being sold to raise money for the re-building of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome
Luther publicly burned the Pope’s letter, and in 1521 he was excommunicates and outlawed
Germany became divided into pro and anti Luther groups and it was in 1529 that the anti-catholic authority them in