Abrahamic Religions In The Middle Ages

Imagine a movement starting with just 12 ordinary people that has grown to influence billions across the globe, shaping art, culture, and history for over two millennia. That's the story of Christianity. Christianity originated in the 1st century AD, with its roots in Judea, part of the Roman Empire. It began as a Jewish sect founded on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who followers believed was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. After Jesus' crucifixion and reported resurrection, his followers spread his teachings.

Since the similarities are so great within these three religions, it is said that Christianity and Judaism were directly influenced by Zoroastrianism. Christianity and Zoroastrianism believe in dualism, heaven and hell, devil and a god, and where there is a constant battle between good and evil in the universe. As in Christianity, there were divine people born from a virgin. In Zoroastrianism, there was a virgin who bathed in a lake that contains the seed of the prophet and in Christianity, Jesus Christ was born through the Virgin Mary from God. Judaism was created by Abraham in 2000 BCE and his two descendants, Isaac and Jacob.

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The earliest recorded text teaching Christianity has its roots buried deep within Judaism. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, created a new ideology of worship. The Messiah is the savior for all people and of all sins. Paul carried the message of the Messiah to the Gentiles. His missionary journeys and establishment of churches enabled the spreading of the message throughout the Roman Empire. Christianity grew in acceptance; those that believed in the Messiah separated and began to worship on their own. This marked the beginning of the split of Judaism and Christianity.

Christianity was born and flourished in an empire where the common language was Latin and Greek. Two important people like Paul and Constantine further influenced and were a major part of the development of Christianity. The history of the Jews leading up to the time of Jesus had a major impact on the development of Christianity. “When Christianity was clearly identified as a distant religion, the new religion was considered by its members to be the fulfillment of Judaism rather than a new religion.” “Since Jesus was a Jew and preached to the Jews, Christianity was closely linked to Judaism.” The development of Christianity was due to several historical, political, and social circumstances.

Judaism origins arises from the times of Abraham when god made a covenant with him and promised to make his lineage a sacred people and give them the holy land. After Abraham, the ‘children’ of Israel were born. Christianity was developed out of Judaism in the 1st Century. They believed Jesus was the fulfillment of the Jewish text ‘Torah’ which is the text that both Christians and Jews alike use. The difference is that Christians also have the New Testament that is full of Jesus teachings, miracles, and revelations of how the world will end. Christianity is based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, those who follow him are known as, Christians.

Judaism and Christianity is a monotheistic religion. "Judaism is a diverse tradition associated with the Jewish people", and Jesus is a Jew. Many people insist Judaism is the foundation of Christianity because Christianity originated from Judaism (when God showed himself to Abraham and Moses), but not an expansion of Judaism. This two religions, both refer to Jesus Christ, even though his role in each religion differs. The Jews refer to God as Yahweh (“I am who I am”) while the Christians refer to him as God. They have the same origin, believe that Abraham was the father of faith and Moses received the Ten Commandments. Both religions relate in faith and the scripture they share, but as much as they associate, they also have differences.

Before the birth of Jesus Christ and Christianity, there was Judaism, the religion where Christianity originated from. In the years of 65 B.C. through 63 B.C., The Roman and the Jews had several complications with each other, especially with Pompey the Great interfering with Jerusalem and its people. Pompey the Great invaded Jerusalem due to their opposition of worshipping the Roman gods and the Jews’ belief in only one God. In addition, he did it to elevate his status as a more powerful figure in Roman society, since Julius Caesar, another Roman political figure was also competing for power and attention from the people. His conquering over the Jews and the ongoing brawls set the stage on how Christianity and the Roman Empire intertwined with each other and the tense relations that were formed,

"Christianity started out in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise" as stated by theological scholar Sam Pascoe. Throughout Christianity’s journey they have come across ties with the religions Judaism and Islam. There are few similarities between the three major religions. One similarity is that Abraham is viewed the same between all three religions. The only other similarity is that all 3 religions believe in a God, just in different ways. There are much more similar theological aspects of the religions when Christianity is compared to

The “Medieval era” was a time of renaissance and reformation. Through the abstruse cultural expansion of new world trade and the dissolution of the church, a new period of profound intellect and erudition was ushered into Europe. Following the start of the “Middle ages” civilization was engulfed into a delicacy of new arts , self reliance, culinary practices, and architecture, just a few of the various examples of ways the middle ages where enriching and engaging.

The Middle Ages provides historians with various examples of concepts like kingship, church, warfare, politics, and health. Historians are able to explore events during the middle ages to determine how society operated and what mindset medieval people had. The middle ages is split into three sections early (500-1000), high or central (1000-1300), and late (1300-1500). This paper is going to delve into some similarities and differences between the high and late middle ages specifically looking at religion, politics, and warfare.

Christianity began within the Jewish faith. In 63 B.C.E., the Roman Empire made it's way to Palestine. The Romans stated they would stay out of the Jewish affairs, as long as they paid their taxes and aspired peace. However, many individuals, the Zealots, desired to overthrow the Romans. The common people believed a new king would save them from the Roman tyranny. In 6 CE, Judas, the Galilean led a revolt, but the Romans ended quickly, along with 2,000 Zealots' lives. Then in 66 CE an open revolt developed in Jerusalem, which the Jews won, but in 70 CE the Romans returned defeating the Jews, and began to make their lives intolerable. It is in this political, social, and spiritual climate that Christianity is born. This history is the special plan of God that is the apex in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Christianity is one of the most dominant religions in the world today and has a long and complex history. Although Christianity has its roots in Judaism, it was greatly influenced by the culture of the Greeks and Romans it developed in. The Greco-Roman world was polytheistic and full of deities that were petty and faulted. As a young religion Christianity shares aspects with the religions around it, namely in the central stories. Eventually Christianity spread through the Roman Empire and to the rest of the world.

Personally, when thinking of the middle Ages, I tend to have the misconception that it is a period of darkness with no progress. However, R.W. Southern’s book, ‘The Making of the Middle Ages’, offers an in depth study of the development of history in the world today. Observing that this book was published during the 1950s, Mr. Southern’s interpretation of the ‘Middle Ages’ was very distinctive in comparison to other historians of his time. He explores the significance of the Middle Ages as a separate sector in the study of history by which the audience will notice that previous categories of studied history is set aside, as we are no longer focusing on the usual ‘Classical Greece’ and ‘Rome’

Over the course of various historical eras, people have examined and analyzed certain periods that have given significant influence to our modern world. In Europe, the fifth century to the fifteenth century is known as the Middle Ages and to this day is questioned whether to refer it as a dark time or not. Many may say these ages were dark due to barbarian invasions that eventually led to the fall of the Roman Empire. On the other hand what those individuals lacked to take notice of was the significant contribution the Middle Ages brought into Western civilization. Education, philosophy, literature and humanism are prominent factors that have become a part of the sum of progress during this time. Scholars like John of Salisbury are known for their influence and contributions towards the development of human knowledge throughout the Middle Ages.