two years earlier, james, the brother of jesus, had been stoned to death in jerusalem. now peter was gone, and paul, too. the heart and the head of the faith. if jesus hadn t saved these three, what then for christianity? once these people died, there were already leaders in place who can take over the mantel of leadership and then lead christianity on into the future. christians weren t the only ones facing violent martyrdom. back in judea, in the birthplace of christianity, judaism was about to undergo the most horrific trial in its tortured history. rebellion, then war with rome. the terrible outcome would crack open the growing rift between the jews and the christians for the next 2,000 years.
beheaded. two years earlier, james, the brother of jesus, had been stoned to death in jerusalem. now peter was gone, and paul, too. the heart and the head of the faith. if jesus hadn t saved these three, what then for christianity? once these people died, there were already leaders in place who could take over the mantle of leadership and then lead christianity on into the future. christians weren t the only ones facing violent martyrdom. back in judea, in the birthplace of christianity, judaism was about to undergo the most horrific trial in its tortured history. rebellion, then war with rome. the terrible outcome would crack
and christianity offering something that appeared to be utterly and beautifully coherent. about everything, from the smallest detail of your daily live and community around you through to eternity. this is very compelling. some would say it was ultimately power politics, both divine and earthly, with an emperor recognizing the power of the people and their faith. it seems to me that what really made the difference in turning what was the whole greco-roman world into christian was essentially the roman government decision. that is to say, christianity was spreading, and it was getting bigger and bigger. but without that decision on constantine s part, what we know of as christianity as a world religion, probably wouldn t have taken place. in the end the story must always return to the beginning, to a single man from the galilee.
and christianity offering something that appeared to be utterly and beautifully coherent. about everything, from the smallest detail of your daily live and community around you through to eternity. this is very compelling. some would say it was ultimately power politics, both divine and earthly, with an emperor recognizing the power of the people and their faith. it seems to me that what really made the difference in turning what was the whole greco-roman world into christian was essentially the roman government decision. that is to say, christianity was spreading, and it was getting bigger and bigger. but without that decision on constantine s part, what we know of as christianity as a world religion, probably wouldn t have taken place. in the end the story must always return to the beginning,
throughout the empire, was beheaded. two years earlier, james, the brother of jesus, had been stoned to death in jerusalem. now peter was gone, and paul, too. the heart and the head of the faith. if jesus hadn t saved these three, what then for christianity? once these people died, there were already leaders in place who can take over the mantel of leadership and then lead christianity on into the future. christians weren t the only ones facing violent martyrdom. back in judea, in the birthplace of christianity, judaism was about to undergo the most horrific trial in its tortured history. rebellion, then war with rome. the terrible outcome would crack