Religious Studies 12 (RS12
the beloved Temple of Jerusalem
What is church?
-church is a building.
What is Church?
-an assembly of God
Meaning of church
-Refers to the people whom God
calls and gathers together.
-They form the assembly of those
who, through faith and baptism,
have become children of God,
members of Christ, and temples of
the holy spirit.
What does persecution mean
biblically?
- the act of persecuting. the state of
being persecuted. a program or
campaign to exterminate, drive
away, or subjugate people based on
their membership in a religious,
ethnic, social, or racial group: the
persecutions of Christians by the
Romans.
Emperor Nero(A.D. 37-68)
 Nero (A.D. 37-68) became
emperor of the Roman
Empire after the death of
his adopted father, the
Emperor Claudius, in A.D.
54. (at the age of 17).
 The sixth emperor of
Rome,
 He ruled until he
committed suicide in June,
A.D. 68.
 This monarch reigned for
the space of five years,
with tolerable credit to
himself, but then gave way
to the greatest
extravagance of temper,
and to the most atrocious
barbarities.
Great fire of rome
-In the summer of 64 A. D., Rome
suffered a terrible fire that burned
for six days and seven nights,
consuming almost three quarters
of the city.
Vespanian (67-79)
Another emperor whose legacy
included not only the persecution
of Christians but the demolition of
Sts. Hippolytus and Pope St.
in AD 70. His decade-long rule saw
Rome plant boots (or at least
footprints) in both Bavaria and
Britain. Vespasian was unique in
that he’d been a senator and a
soldier, so perhaps it’s no surprise
he was Machiavellian before there
was a term for it.
Domitian (81-96).
Almost every major writer of the
time from Pliny to Suetonius
claims that Domitian, who wound
up ruling longer than almost any
other Roman ruler in that period,
was a tyrant.
Trajan (98-117)
According to the ancient writer
Pliny, Trajan was at best a
monarch, at least an autocrat, and
at worst a tyrant.
Hadrian (117-138)
Like Trajan, he was of Spanish
descent (and perhaps Trajan’s
cousin) and famous for his wall in
northern Britain. Hadrian kept
Trajan’s policy on Christians in
place
Marcus Aurelius (161-180)
Made famous in his time for being
the Stoic philosopher-warrior and
in our time by Richard Harris’
portrayal of him in the 2000 movie
Gladiator, unquestionably
Christian persecution increased
during his reign, though some
historians are quick to point out
that this can’t be directly traced
back to the emperor himself. “
Maximinus the Thracian (235-
238)
With Maximinus Thrace, we are on
surer grounds of Christian killings
on the part of the centralized
Roman state, particularly in the
person of the emperor. An
authority no other than Eusebius
states in his watershed history of
the early Church that in the
persecution of 235 Maximinus sent
Pontian into exile, where they were
reconciled and died on the Isle of
Sardinia.
Decius (249-251)
One of two of the later Roman
emperors (the other was
Diocletian) who put their boots on
the throat of Christian believers. In
250 Decius decided that all
Christians had to pay homage to
the Roman gods or be killed and he
was as good as his evil words. This
carnage became known as “The
Decian Persecution” as it came
directly from the Emperor himself.
Valerian (253-260)
Valerian was a man whose reign
(and reign of terror) got out of
hand. Like Decius before him, he
continued the killing of Christians.
Diocletian(284-305)
 Born a commoner,
 Went into the military &
eventually became
commander of the
emperor’s bodyguard.
 The gifted organizer who
led the Great Persecution
to extinguish Christianity
The Diocletianic or Great
Persecution was the last and
most severe persecution of
Christians in the Roman Empire.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF
FAITH
Profession of Faith
-Believing the Truths of our
Catholic Faith
Celebration of the Christian
Mysteries
-Celebrating our faith through the
sacraments
Life in Christ
-Living our faith through the moral
life
Christian Prayer
-Experiencing our faith
relationship with God
APOSTLES CREED
-also known as the Symbol of
Faith, is the summary of the
fundamental truths of Christianity.
It is composed of 12 articles,
corresponding to the number of
the Apostles. The word Creed
comes from the Latin verb credere,
which means ‘to believe.’
Creed
-reminds us of all the beliefs every
week when we profess the Nicene
or Apostles Creed. God is creator,
salvation is in Jesus Christ, and we
are strengthened by the Holy
Spirit.
Sacraments
 Through the Sacraments
we experience God’s  NEIGHBOR.
grace.  Part 1: The Profession of Faith
 The Sacraments of
Initiation (Baptism,
Confirmation, the
Eucharist)
 Sacraments of Healing
(Penance and the
Anointing of the Sick)
 Sacraments at the Service
of Communion (Marriage
and Holy Orders)
SEVEN SACRAMENTS
 Holy Orders
 Baptism
 Confirmation
 Matrimony
 Anointing of the Sick
 Reconciliation
 Eucharist
Prayer
whether vocal, meditative or
contemplative; prayer comes in
many forms – adoration, petition,
intercession, thanksgiving, and
praise. Prayer links us to the
liturgy and gives a vital
relationship with our Lord.
Morality
The way to God’s kingdom is by
living the moral life we are called
to.
The Ten Commandments
I. I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD:
YOU SHALL NOT HAVE
STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.
II. YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE
NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD
IN VAIN.
III. REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY
THE LORD'S DAY.
IV. HONOR YOUR FATHER
AND YOUR MOTHER.
V. YOU SHALL NOT KILL
VI. YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY.
VII. YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.
VIII. YOU SHALL NOT BEAR
FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR
IX. YOU SHALL NOT COVET
YOUR NEIGHBOR'S WIFE.
X. YOU SHALL NOT COVET
YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GOODS.
Moral Values
Honesty
Acceptance
Diligence
Perseverance
Determination
Books of The Bible
-73
 books
1. The word Bible is from the
Latin biblia and ultimately
from Koine Greek tà Bißλia
(ta biblia), meaning "the
books".
2. The (Catholic) Bible is
composed of 73 books. The
Old Testament has 46 and
the New Testament has 27
books.
3. The Bible was written in
three languages. Most of
the Old Testament was
written in Hebrew, with a
few bits in Aramaic. The
New Testament was
written in Greek, the
commonly-spoken
language of the time.
4. There are at least 185
songs in the Bible. About
150 of these are in the
book of Psalms, and
throughout both the Old
and New Testaments,
people will sing about God
or the events around them.
5. The Bible was written by
more than 40 authors,
including prophets, kings,
evangelists, apostles, etc.
CATECHISM OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Part 2: The Celebration of the
Christian Mystery
Part 3: Life in Christ
Part 4: Christian Prayer
CHRISTIANITY DURING THE
REIGN OF CONSTANTINE
THE GREAT
 Also known as Constantine
I
 Was a Roman Emperor
who ruled between 306
and 337 AD
 Was the first Roman
emperor to convert to
Christianity
 He joined the Christian
faith on his deathbed,
being baptised by Eusebius
of Nicomedia
 He wrote about how God
does not allow people "to
wander in the shadows"
but reveals to them
salvation: "I have
experienced this in others
and in myself, for I walked
not in the way of
righteousness. … But the
Almighty God, who sits in
the court of heaven,
 granted what I did not
deserve."
 He called the First Council
of Nicaea in 325 that
produced the statement of
Christian belief known as
the Nicene Creed.  corresponds to the Middle Ages, or
Edict of Milan (313 A. D.)
 "that it was proper that the
Christians and all others
should have liberty to
follow that mode of
religion which to each of
them appeared best”
 granted all person’s
freedom to worship
Council of Nicaea (325 A. D.)
also known as NICENE
CREED
the first ecumenical
council of the Christian
church, meeting in ancient
Nicaea (now Turkey). It
was called by the emperor
Constantine I, an
unbaptized catechumen,
who presided over the
opening session and took
part in the discussions.  is always mentioned
THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE
CHURCH
Innocent III (1160-1216)
 During the late
Middle Ages, the
Catholic Church
flourished —
especially under
Pope Innocent III.
 Elected pope on
January 8, 1198,
Innocent III
reformed the
Roman Curia,
reestablished and
expanded the
pope’s authority
over the Papal
States, worked
tirelessly to launch
Crusades to
recover the Holy
Land
 Pope Innocent III
was one of the
most powerful and
influential of the
medieval popes.
The Fall of the Roman
Empire  to be confused with John
-Roughly speaking, the Dark Ages
from 500 to 1500 AD.
doctrinal declension
-It was dark because the light of
the Gospel of Christ was all but
snuffed out in this period, and
because the darkness of sin had
pervaded all ranks of the church -
from the pope all the way down to
the common folk.
APOSTLE means chosen by
God
DISCIPLE means a learner or
a follower of God
PETER
 Peter, also known as
Simon, Simon Peter, and
Cephas, was one of Jesus’
three main disciples (along
with James and John).
Like many of the apostles,
Peter was a fisherman by
trade, but he grew into one
of the most prominent
leaders of the early church
after the resurrection.
According to Catholic
tradition, he was also the
first pope.
JAMES
 James son of Zebedee
(also known as James the
Greater) was another one
of Jesus’ three main
disciples, along with his
brother John and Peter.
Like many of the disciples,
James was a fisherman
before Jesus called him.
 James is the only disciple
whose martyrdom is
recorded in the Bible (Acts
12:2). Herod had him
killed by sword, and he
was likely beheaded. 
JOHN
 John son of Zebedee (not
the Baptist) was the third
disciple considered to be
part of Jesus’ “inner circle”
with his brother James
and Peter. Like James,
Peter, and several other
disciples, John was a
fisherman.
 John was given the
nickname “son of thunder”
 John died of old age.
tradition holds that he
preached in Ephesus, was
exiled to the island of
Patmos (where he wrote
Revelation), returned to
Ephesus, and died of old
age after 98 AD.
ANDREW
 Andrew was Simon Peter’s
brother. Like his brother,
he was a fisherman.
 Andrew
second, and he’s referred
to as Peter’s brother
 Tradition claims Andrew
was crucified in the Greek
city of Patras around 60
AD, and that like Peter, he
didn’t consider himself
worthy of dying the same
way as Jesus. Instead, he
was bound to an X shaped
cross, which became a
symbol known as Saint
Andrew’s Cross.
PHILIP
 Philip the Apostle is only
mentioned eight times in
the New Testament, four
of which are the lists of
apostles.
BARTHOLOMEW
 Bartholomew is one of the
most obscure apostles. His
name only appears in the
 four lists of Jesus’ 12 main
disciples,).
MATTHEW
 Matthew, also known as
Levi, was a tax collector—
one of the most reviled
professions in first-century
Judaism.
 Matthew wrote the Gospel.
THOMAS
 Thomas, perhaps better-
known as “Doubting
Thomas,” famously
doubted the resurrection
of Jesus and told the other
disciples, “Unless I see the
nail marks in his hands
and put my finger where
the nails were, and put my
hand into his side, I will
not believe” (John 20:25).
JAMES SON OF ALPHAEUS
 James son of Alphaeus
is only mentioned in the
four lists of apostles.
JUDE
 Jude the apostle is also
known as Jude of James,
Judas of James, Thaddeus,
Judas Thaddeus, and
Lebbaeus. Some identify
him with Jesus’ brother
Jude, the traditional
author of the Epistle of
Jude, but the Bible doesn’t
tell us these Judes are the
same people.
SIMON THE ZEALOT
 Simon the Zealot is only
mentioned by name in lists
of the apostles (Matthew
10:2–4, Mark 3:16–
19, Luke 6:14–16, Acts 1:1-
13)
 Simon the Zealot may have
belonged to a Jewish sect
known as the Zealots, who
were bent on revolution
and looking for a Messiah
to violently overthrow
Rome. Or he may have
simply been zealous for the
Mosaic Law.
JUDAS ISCARIOT JUDAS
ISCARIOT
 Judas Iscariot is one of the
most widely known
disciples. He infamously
betrayed Jesus for 30
pieces of silver, which lead
to Jesus’ death on the
cross. Today, “Judas” is
virtually synonymous with
“traitor.”
MATTHIAS
 Matthias wasn’t one of the
original members of the
Twelve. He’s also the only
one who wasn’t personally
called by Jesus. Instead, he
was appointed by the
apostles to replace Judas
Iscariot.
Who is St. Peter?
 Most well-known Apostle.
 “a fisher of men, “he was a
fisherman by trade and was
with Jesus from the beginning
of his teachings.
 According to Matthew, Peter
was the first to believe in the
divinity of Jesus.
St. Peter’s Work After Jesus’s
Death
 St. Peter was selected by Jesus
to carry on his teachings after
his crucifixion. At the Last
Supper Jesus said, “You are
Peter and, on this rock, I will
build my community. I will
give you the keys of the
kingdom of Heaven.” 
 Peter then told Jesus, “Even if
I fall from you, I will never fall
away.” When Jesus was
resurrected, he appeared to
Peter, and said, “Feed my
sheep, feed my lambs.” Peter
was shocked that Jesus still
trusted him even though he
had betrayed him.
 Peter reportedly became a
great teacher after Jesus’s
death and worked tirelessly to
spread his word in the early
days of the church. 
 Peter worked in Palestine and
is said to have worked in
Rome. Catholics regard St.
Peter as the first bishop of
Rome and the first pope. 
 The First Epistle of Peter is
believed to have been written
by Peter. 
 The Second Epistle is often
attributed to him although it
isn’t clear who wrote it. Many
of the events in the Gospel of
Mark are believed to have been
derived from Peter’s accounts.
Peter as a Christian Leader
 The opening chapters of the
Acts of the Apostles show Peter
working miracles, preaching
boldly in the streets and in the
temple and standing up
fearlessly to those who had
condemned Jesus just days
before. 
 Paul first met with Peter at
Jerusalem three years after his
conversion.
How Do the Fruits of the Holy
Spirit Differ from the Gifts of
the Holy Spirit?
 gifts of the Holy Spirit are like
virtues.
 fruits of the Holy Spirit are the
actions that those virtues
produce..
Where Are the Fruits of the
Holy Spirit Found in the
Bible?
 Saint Paul, in the Letter to the
Galatians (5:22), lists the fruits
of the Holy Spirit. \
 The Twelve Fruits of the Holy
Spirit

1. Charity 5. Kindness 9. Faithfulness

2. Joy 6. Goodness 10. Modesty

3. Peace 7. Generosity 11. Self-Control

4. Patience 8. Gentleness 12. Chastity

1. Charity

 Charity is the love of God and  Peace is a tranquility in our 5. Kindness

of neighbor. soul that comes from relying
on God  Kindness is the willingness to
 Being an unselfish person.
give to others above and
 Being a quiet and relaxed
2. Joy beyond what we own them. 
person.
 Being a cheerful and pleasant 6. Goodness
4. Patience
sort of person.
 Goodness is the avoidance of
 Patience is the ability to bear
3. Peace evil and the embrace of what's
the imperfections of other
right, even at the expense of
people
one's earthly fame and fortune.

7. Generosity  To be mild in behavior is to be  The person’s love for Christ

forgiving rather than angry makes him recoil from the
 Longanimity is patience under thought of being an ally of the
 Being restful sort of person to
provocation. devil, from the thought of
have around.
 The person is uncomplaining occasioning sin to another.
under pain and 9. Faithfulness  Being modest means humbling
disappointment yourself, 
 means living our life in
accordance with God's will at 11. Self-Control
all times.
8. Gentleness
 Being a temperate person
10. Modesty

12. Chastity

 Chastity is the submission of -the Church became the most
physical desire to right reason powerful institution of the medieval
 The 7 Gifts of the Holy Period. The Church was mostly
Spirit exempt from taxation.
CCCC #817
1. WISDOM
(catechism of the Catholic Church)
2. UNDERSTANDING -The ruptures that wound the unity of
Christ's body. -here we must
3. COUNSEL
distinguish heresy, schism,
4. FORTITUDE Apostasy
-the act by which a baptized person,
5. KNOWLEDGE
after possessing the true Christian
6. PIETY faith totally rejects it.
7. FEAR OF THE LORD 1. Heresies and the first Eight
ecumenical defined councils
-St. Ireneus defined heresy as
The Catholic Church in the middle deviation
Catholic Ages
_Anathema and excommunication are
ways of cutting off heretics
2. Schism
-from Greek “skhisma” meaning "to
hear, to split" Early of Schisms
-The celebration of Easter
-The Sacrament of Penance
-Another dispute is the possibility of
referring sacramental absolution to
the perpetrators
Rebaptism of Heretics
-persons who had been baptized in
heretical or schismatic sect should be
again to receive the…
The council of nicea was convened in
325 C.E
-the first ecumenical council
-the Fourth Council of Constantinople
in 864 C.E was the eighth ecumenical
council

3. Monasticism
-a Greek monas, meaning “alone”
-a religious way of life characterized
by the practice off renouncing worldly
pursuits to fully devote one's Self tor
spiritual work.

4. Crusades
-a Series wars launched by the
Christian states of Europe against the
Saracens.
Saracen
-the Word used to describe moslem
during the time of the Crusades.
-in 1071, the Seljuk Turks conquered
Jerusalem and made it very difficult
for Christians.
-the Councils of Placenza and
Clermont (1098), Pope Urban
5. Ecumenical Councils after of the
Great schism church
-the great schism that divided the
eastern and western church
6. Protestant Reformation
-Martin Luther, an Augustinian
proponent, was the First proponent of
protestant reformation.
-Luther believed that we are saved by
faith alone.
Other Leaders of Protestantism
 Switzerland
 France
 Protestantism
 England
 Ireland
Switzerland - Ulrich Zwingli
France - John Calvin
England - Henry VIII
Ireland - Edward VI

1: Catholic Reform and Ecumenical

from Trent to Vatican II
-series to the of the of Councils in the
church up to the sixteenth century
Show constant need renewal. Of the
church for reform and renewal