Thursday, August 29, 2019
Preparation For Early Christianity Essay
                The name of Christ (from the Septuagint word â€Å"Anointed One†or â€Å"Messiah†) can not be treated like just a symbol, it’s the name of our soul. Christianity, in its turn, has become not only the one of numerous crucial periods in the history of humanity but the most blessed period in our history. But as any historical and ideological period Christianity and the main stages of its development has always been an object of great quantity of works and discussions. And it could not be in other way as speaking about Christianity we mean the historical phenomena of global importance, we mean the Faith whose followers are millions of people in the contemporary world. Justo Gonzales is one of few who managed to present a very clear and detailed picture of the preparation for Early Christianity. In the â€Å"The Story of Christianity†by Gonzales the preparation for Early Christianity is not only highlighted in strict connection with the history of those times but is given without any personal judgments of the author. The first chapter of â€Å"The Story of Christianity†is called â€Å"The fullness of time†and that is a very suitable name. The birth of Christianity took place in the times when the ideological and geographical situation was really â€Å"full†. Gonzalez does not judge any doctrines or events- he just gives a detailed analytical synthesis of Early Christianity development starting from the first years of existence of Christianity up to the end of Reformation area.                The birth of Christianity has become the most out standing period in the history of this religious current of millions.  The ancient science of Rome gave to the first roots of Christianity which got powerful development after coming of Christ.  The genius minds of Roman Empire had already proclaimed partially  what Christ brought with him then, just in their pagan interpretation it was not well finished and explained. Socrates and Plato already had spoken in their works about the life after death and Socrates proved in his believe in life after death by accepting death voluntarily. â€Å"Plato’s teacher, Socrates, had been condemned to death as an incredulous corruptor of youth. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Gonzalez 1984, 16) – that was his punishment for declaring philosophy which was claimed as destructive. The further development was unavoidable. The borders of Roman Empire have not become an insuperable obstacle for Christianity. And that is quite reasonable:     â€Å"†¦ Since trade flourished, travel was constant; thus Christianity often reached a new region, not through the work of missionaries or preachers, but rather through traveling traders, slaves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Gonzalez 1984, 14). With the development of empires new and news areas got under influence of Christianity. Nevertheless, we must point out the one of the main sources which helped Christianity to overcome the field of the Roman Empire – Judaism has become a cradle of Christianity, it has become a launching platform for its early period: â€Å"The Early Church Diaspora Judaism For centuries before the birth of Jesus, the number of Jews living away from Palestine had been increasing†(Gonzalez 1984, 12). In his book Gonzalez pays special attention to Judaism. There were many different establishments among Judaism (the Zealots, the Essenes, etc.), some of these currents of Judaism being the synthesis of ancient pagan faith and Hellenistic culture. But precisely these initial roots were awaiting for the Holy Word of Christ to grow up and overcome the boards of long-suffering Palestine.                                       Bibliography Gonzalez, Justo. The Story of Christianity: Volume One: The Early Church to the Reformation. New York: HarperOne, 1984.
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