Ana Hatlarıyla Hıristiyanlık

Ana Hatlarıyla

Hıristiyanlık

Hıristiyanlık, Nasrani ve Nasara Terimleri

• Hıristiyanlık: Hıristiyan adı, ilk defa Milâdî kırklı yıllarda, Antakya’daki putperestler tarafından, buradaki İsa taraftarları için kullanılmıştır. Bu isim zamanla yaygınlaşmış ve bir süre sonra Kilise tarafından da benimsenmiştir. Böylece “Mesih’in takipçileri, taraftarları” anlamına gelen Hıristiyan kelimesi bu topluluğun adı haline gelmiştir.

Hıristiyanların bağlı oldukları dine de, diğer dinlerden ayırmak için, Hıristiyanlık adı verilmiştir.

• Nasranî ve Nasârâ: Nasranî ve bunun çoğulu olan Nasârâ kelimeleri, Kur’an’ın Hıristiyanlar için kullandığı isimdir. Nasrânî kelimesinin kökeniyle ilgili farklı iki görüş bulunmaktadır. Bunlardan birinci ve daha çok tercih edilen görüş, Hz.İsa’nın memleketi Nasıra’ya nispetle Hıristiyanlara Nasrânî isminin verildiğidir. Bu tanım, Kudüs’teki ilk dönem Hıristiyan cemaatinin Yahudiler tarafından İsa’nın memleketine nispetle Nasıralılar şeklinde adlandırılmasıyla da uygunluk göstermektedir. Kelimenin kökenini izaha yönelik ikinci görüş ise bunun Arapça nasârâ fiilinden türediğidir. Bu görüşe göre nasrânî ve onun çoğulu olan nasârâ, Allah yolunda İsa’ya yardımcı olanlar veya birbirleriyle yardımlaşanlar anlamına gelmektedir.

Hıristiyanlığın Tanımı

• Hıristiyanlık; Yahudi dini geleneği ile Yunan-Roma (Greko-Romen) dünyasının kültlerini birleştiren kurtarıcı bir dindir. Hıristiyanlıkta, Hz. İsa merkezi bir öneme sahiptir. Kurtarıcı Tanrı olarak kabul edilen Hz. İsa’nın doğumu, ölümü ve dirilmesi bu dinin öğretilerinin temelini oluşturur. Hz İsa’nın kurtarıcı tanrılığına iman etmek, vaftiz olmak ve evharistiya ayinine katılmak esastır. Hıristiyanlığı yaymaya çalışmak dini bir görevdir.

• Bütün bunları göz önünde bulundurarak Hıristiyanlığı kısaca şöyle tanımlamak mümkündür.

Hıristiyanlık; kurtarıcı tanrı olarak kabul edilen Hz. İsa’yı merkez alan, yayılmacı karakterli,

evrensel bir kurtuluş dinidir.

Hıristiyanlığın Tarihçesi

• Hıristiyanlık miladî tarihin başlarında Filistin’deki Yahudiler arasında ortaya çıkmıştır. Hz.İsa’nın tebliğ ettiği bu din, başlangıçta yeni bir din olmaktan çok Yahudiliği ıslah hareketi olarak algılanmıştır. Bu dönemde İsa’ya inananların tümü Yahudilerden oluşmakta ve Yahudi dininin gereklerine uymaktaydı.

İsa’dan sonra Yahudi olmayanlar da bu yeni harekete kabul edilmeye başlanmış, ancak bu yeni gelenlerin Yahudi dinine uymaları istenmiştir. Bir süre sonra Pavlus’un etkisiyle Yahudi kökenden gelmeyenlerin Yahudi ibadetlerine uyma zorunluluğu kaldırılmıştır. Bunu, daha sonra atılan başka adımlar izlemiş, Yahudilikten gelen pek çok anlayış ve uygulama terkedilmiştir. Yapılan bu değişiklikler, yeni öğretinin, Greko-Romen halklar arasında hızla yayılmasını sağlamış ve Hıristiyanlık yeni bir din haline gelmiştir.

Ancak bu süreçte Hıristiyanlığın özünde olmayan pek çok anlayış ve uygulama da bu dine girmiştir. Bu çerçevede Hıristiyanlık, Greko-Romen dünyasının pek çok görüş ve düşüncesini bünyesine katarak İsa merkezli, teslisçi bir din haline gelmiştir.

Roma Döneminde Filistin

Roma Döneminde

Filistin

The Beginning of Christianity

• Those who brought new ideas and important changes to the Roman Empire were the

Christians

• Christianity started in Palestine among the Jews and later spread throughout the empire and the world

• Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus, who lived in Palestine during the reign of Augustus

• Upon his death, his teachings were spread by

his followers

The Life of Jesus Slide 1 of 3

• Jesus was born a Jew in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth were he

worked as a carpenter

• He studied scriptures, sacred writings, and learned prayers in the Hebrew language

• Jesus preached the word of God to the people of Palestine

• He taught the people that God created all

people and loved them the way a father loved a child and if they put

their trust in god he

would forgive them of

their sins

The Life of Jesus Slide 2 of 3

• In 30 A.D., Jesus and 12 of his disciples went to Jerusalem to celebrate

Passover, the holiday that marks the exodus of the Jews from Egypt

• At this time the Jews were angry with the

Romans and was waiting on a messiah, someone who would save them

• When Jesus arrived, the

Jews treated him as the

messiah and the Romans

accused him of treason

under Roman law and he

was crucified, executed

on a cross

The Life of Jesus Slide 3 of 3

• According to Christian

tradition, Jesus rose from the dead

• His resurrection, rising from the dead, convinced his disciples that Jesus

was the son of God

• The disciple taught that anyone who believed in Jesus and lived by his teachings would know eternal life after death

• From then on, his

disciples called him

Christ

Spreading the Word of God

• The disciples were the first people to become Christians and spread Jesus’ gospel, teachings to the Jews

• During this time, a Jew named Paul decided to teach Christianity to gentiles, non-Jews, and other Jews

• Christian communities began to form where Paul preached

• Paul was considered the first missionary, person

to spread religious beliefs to those who do not

believe

Hıristiyanlığın

Betlehem’de Başlangıcı Hıristiyanlığın

Betlehem’de Başlangıcı

İsa’nın Misyonu

İsa’nın Misyonu

Agony in the Garden

Agony in the

Garden Crucifixion Crucifixion Baptism

Baptism

Hz. İsa

Hz. İsa, miladî takvimin başlangıcında Filistin bölgesindeki Betlehem kentinde dünyaya gelmiştir. İncillerdeki bilgilere göre annesi Meryem, Kutsal Ruh vasıtasıyla İsa’ya hamile kalmış ve onu dünyaya getirmiştir. Bu sırada Meryem, marangoz Yusuf’la henüz nişanlıdır.

Yusuf, Kutsal Ruh’un kendisini İsa’nın mucizevî doğumu hakkında bilgilendirmesi sonucunda, bebek İsa’yı ve annesi Meryem’i himaye etmiştir.

İncillerde İsa’nın çocukluk dönemiyle ilgili bilgiler yok denecek kadar

azdır. Sadece Luka İncilinde onun, on iki yaşındayken Yahudi din

adamlarıyla tartıştığı zikredilmektedir. İsa’nın bundan sonraki tüm

gençlik yılları ise bilinmemekte ve bu hususta, İncillerde en ufak bir

bilgiye rastlanmamaktadır. Bu bilinmeyen dönemin ardından İsa’nın

tebliğ dönemi başlamaktadır. Bu dönemin başında o, yaklaşık otuz

yaşlarında iken, akrabası Vaftizci Yahya (Yahya Peygamber)

tarafından vaftiz edilmiştir. Bir süre sonra da insanların tövbe ederek

Tanrı krallığına girmesi için tebliğe başlamıştır.

Onun tebliğ çalışmaları o günkü otoritelerin tepkisini çekmiştir. Özellikle Yahudi din adamları, onun mevcut dinî anlayış ve uygulamalara yönelttiği eleştirilerden büyük rahatsızlık duymuş ve İsa’yı ortadan kaldırmanın yollarını aramaya başlamışlardır. İsa’nın havarilerinden Yahuda İşkariyot, İsa’ya ihanet ederek, onlara yardım etmiştir. O, Yahudi din adamlarını İsa’nın bulunduğu yere götürmüş ve İsa’nın yakalanmasına aracı olmuştur. Yahudiler İsa’yı Sanhedrin denilen yüksek mahkemede yargıladıktan sonra, onu cezalandırması için Romalı Vali Pilatus’a müracaat etmişlerdir. Vali, İsa’nın cezalandırılmasını gerek görmemişse de, Yahudiler ısrarla onun haça gerilmesini istemişlerdir. Bunun üzerine İsa, Cuma günü Kudüs’te haça gerilerek öldürülmüş ve akşama doğru da gömülmüştür.

Tanrının iradesiyle Pazar sabahı dirilmiş, kırk gün boyunca havarilerinin arasında yaşamış ve onlara öğütler vermiştir. Daha sonra, Baba olarak isimlendirdiği Tanrının yanına yükselmiş ve onun sağına oturmuştur. Ardından, Hıristiyan cemaatini koruması için Kutsal Ruh’u göndermiştir.

Allah gibi bir Tanrı olan İsa, kıyamet gününde insanları yargılayacak,

iyileri cennete kötüleri ise cehenneme gönderecektir.

St. Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles

St. Paul: Apostle to the

Gentiles

The

Jewish

Diaspora

The Jewish Revolt

(66-70 C. E.)

The Jewish Revolt

(66-70 C. E.)

GROWTH

• Christianity strongest initially in Asia Minor and Greece

– Also took hold in Rome and western provinces

• Hellenistic religions helped pave the way for success of Christianity

– Shared similarities with such cults as Isis made Christianity acceptable

• But many also found Christianity superior to Hellenistic cults

– Central was Jesus, a historical rather than a mythological figure

– His teachings presented in the Gospels

• Attracted many

• Books were elevated in tone and content but written in the language of the

people and in a style that many educated people sneered at

Cult of Isis held ritual purification

rites and offered promise of an

aftelife

Masada: Never Again!

Masada: Never Again!

Roman

Encampment Roman

Encampment

The Essene Community at Qumran

The Essene Community at

Qumran

The Essene Ruins at Qumran

The Essene Ruins at

Qumran

The Essene Community at Qumran The Essene Community

at Qumran

Isaiah Scroll

Isaiah Scroll

Dead Sea Scrolls Museum

Israel Dead Sea Scrolls

Museum

Israel

The Jewish Diaspora The Jewish

Diaspora

The Hıristiyanlığın Yayılması

The Hıristiyanlığın

Yayılması

GROWTH

• Christianity strongest initially in Asia Minor and Greece

– Also took hold in Rome and western provinces

• Hellenistic religions helped pave the way for success of Christianity

– Shared similarities with such cults as Isis made Christianity acceptable

• But many also found Christianity superior to Hellenistic cults

– Central was Jesus, a historical rather than a mythological figure

– His teachings presented in the Gospels

• Attracted many

• Books were elevated in tone and content but written in the language of the

people and in a style that many educated people sneered at

Cult of Isis held ritual purification

rites and offered promise of an

aftelife

BIG GAP

• Although Christian literature began to be composed in classical rhetoric style after 100 AD, it was still

difficult for highly educated people to become Christian

– Pagan intellectuals still offended by crude style

– Huge spiritual gulf between Christian and pagan because much of Roman world offended Christians

• Saw obscenity, loose sexual morals, skepticism,

materialism and hedonism everywhere

– Some retreated into social isolation

St. Jerome confessed that his first exposure to Jewish literature

and Christian works repelled him when he compared them to the

polished style of Cicero

WIDENING GAP

• Many early Christians, including St.

Paul, advocated obedience to imperial and local authorities

– But they were also aliens in a intellectual, cultural, and social sense

• Began to gradually set up a state within a state after reign of Nero and generally came to reject the entire social and cultural

foundation of the empire

– As a result, they came to be seen by the Roman

government as a threat to the

existing order of things

BASKI ve ZULÜM

• Great persecutions of Christians began in 3

century AD

– Started by emperor Decius around 250 and continued until death of Galerius in 311

• Christian intolerance of pagan beliefs bred powerful retaliatory hatred of Christians

– Accused Christians of

cannibalism, atheism, and of being haters of mankind

– Charged with being sneaky and with dishonoring the emperor

– Also blamed with all the evils

that afflicted the state

Entelektüel Tartışma

• Pagan intellectuals began to attack Christianity

– Celsus and Porphyry attacked Christianity with reason and ridicule

• Pointed out inconsistencies,

contradictions, and impossibilities

• Christian intellectuals responded in kind – Origen of Alexandria provided rational-

philosophical basis for Christianity

• Entire intellectual discourse had little impact of growth of Christianity

– Because it was completely immune to rational argument

– Most people adopted Christianity because they accepted its relatively simple message on an emotional, not an intellectual, level

Porphyry

Origen

Diocletian Persecution

• Persecutes Christians for the sake of state unity.

• The persecution continued in the East until 311.

• Four Stages:

– All military personnel must sacrifice to the gods (300) – All churches to be destroyed and Scriptures burned (303) – All clergy arrested (303)

– All citizens to offer sacrifices (304)

Diocletian Persecution

• Persecutes Christians for the sake of state unity.

• The persecution continued in the East until 311.

• Four Stages:

– All military personnel must sacrifice to the gods (300) – All churches to be destroyed and Scriptures burned (303) – All clergy arrested (303)

– All citizens to offer sacrifices (304)

Diocletian Persecution

• Persecutes Christians for the sake of state unity.

• The persecution continued in the East until 311.

• Four Stages:

– All military personnel must sacrifice to the gods (300)

– All churches to be destroyed and Scriptures burned (303)

– All clergy arrested (303)

– All citizens to offer sacrifices (304)

(285-305)

ZULMÜN SONA ERMESİ

• In the end, the persecutions did not succeed in eradicating Christianity

– Simply too many Christians and some were in a position to

protect others

– Persecutions also created martyrs who inspired others – Came to an end with death of

Galerius and then Constantine officially protected them

• Constantine credited with being the first Christian

emperor

Friend of Christianity

• After victory, he was convinced Christ was a real power and decided to show the “peace of Christ.”

• He declared Christianity a legal religion with the Edict of Milan (313) and by 323 had united the Empire under one Emperor.

• Favored Christianity

– Built Churches

– Makes Sunday a day of worship – Initiates Christmas as festival – Ordered new copies of the Bible

– Gave bishops a rank equal to Senators – Excluded churches and clergy from

taxation

Yeni Başkent: İstanbul

• During the Tetrarchy of 305, the four capitals were Trier, Milan, Thessaloniki, and Nicomedia.

• In 330, Constantine established his new capital in the NW corner of Asia Minor and called it Constantinople (at Byzantium). Indeed, he left Rome in 324 never to return.

• It was built on seven hills (like Rome) with a forum, hippodrome, Senate and its people

received subsidized grain and paid no taxes. Unlike Rome, it was a Christian capital with few traces of paganism.

• He also began the construction of a church in the city which would become known as the Hagia Sophia. 2/3 of the world’s wealth was said to be in Constantinople (originally name “New

Rome”).

Rome and Christianity

• Edict of Milan (312): Christianity is tolerated.

• Constantine presided over the first Christian Ecumenical Council at Nicea (325).

• Successive emperors were sometimes Arian (such as Constantine’s son Constantius), sometimes Trinitarians. They often used violence to coerce unity.

• The Emperors are now all Christian, except one (Julian the Apostate, 361-63).

• Theodosius I (Trinitarian) made Christianity the compulsory religion of state employees in 389,

outlawed paganism in 391, and declared Christianity the only legal religion in 395.

• Hıristiyanlık, IV. yüzyıla kadar Roma devletinin şiddetli baskılarına maruz kalmış, bu nedenle kutsal kitap, inanç ve ibadet gibi bir çok konudaki görüşlerini belirleyememiştir. Bu baskıların sona ermesiyle, Hıristiyan dünyasındaki farklı inançları ortadan kaldırmak amacıyla peş peşe konsüller düzenlenmiştir. Bu konsüllerde Baba Tanrı yanında, Oğul, İsa ve Kutsal Ruh’un da tanrılığına karar verilerek teslis inancı oluşturulmuştur. Ancak İsa’nın tanrılığı düşüncesi birçok tartışmaya neden olmuş ve bu tartışmalara çeşitli konsüllerde çözüm bulunmaya çalışılmıştır. Sonuçta İsa’daki beşerî ve ilâhî tabiatın mahiyeti gibi konular Nesturî ve tek tabiatçı Monofizit Kiliselerin ayrılmasına neden olmuştur. XI. yüzyılda ise Kutsal Ruh’un kimden çıktığı tartışmasıyla alevlenen siyasî kavgalar neticesinde Doğu-Batı ayrılığı meydana gelmiştir. Bu ayrılık sonunda Doğu’daki kiliseye Ortodoks, Batı’dakine ise Katolik adı verilmiştir. XVI. yüzyılda Katolik Kilisesi, dinî anlayış ve uygulamaları nedeniyle reform yanlılarıyla karşı karşıya kalmış, sonuçta Protestan Kiliseler doğmuştur. Katolik Kilisesi ise Reform yanlılarına karşı tedbir almak amacıyla karşı reform sürecini başlatmış ve bu amaçla konsüller toplamıştır. Bunlardan sonuncusu 1962’de gerçekleşen II. Vatikan Konsülüdür. Bu konsülde diğer din mensupları yanında müslümanlarla ilgili kararlar da alınmış ve iyi münasebetlerin kurulması benimsenmiştir.

BÖLÜNMELER

The Arian Controversy (321-325)

• Arius – affirmed there was a time when the Logos did not exist

• Alexander – the bishop of Alexandria who deposed Arius for his views.

• Athanasius – the supporter and major theological defender of Alexander.

• Eusebius of Nicomedia – the bishop who supported Arius and was a councilor

of Emperor Constantine.

Divided Christianity

Arians

• Leader: Arius

• Taught that there was a time when the Son did not exist.

• Sought to preserve the monarchy of the Father who alone is true God.

• Holy Spirit is a power, energy rather than a person.

Trinitarians

• Leader: Athanasius

• Taught that the Son was co-eternal with the Father.

• Sought to preserve the confession that Jesus is God.

• The Holy Spirit is co-

eternal with the Father and

Son as a person.

The Council of Nicea (325)

• Called and overseen by Constantine in order to preserve unity within the church (and thus his Empire).

• About 250 of the 1800 bishops in the Empire attended.

• All but two signed the resultant “creed” though some were hesitant.

• Constantine himself insisted on the language of homoousia (“same

substance”) rather than homoiousia (“like substance”).

The Ascendancy of Arianism

• After Constantine was persuaded to accept an ambiguous statement from Arius, Athanasius was exiled or went into hiding five times over the next forty years.

• Constantius became the sole ruler of the Empire in 353 and supported Arianism. Niceans were persecuted.

• Even some Western bishops bowed to the will of Constantinus who declared “my will is the canon for

you.” Pope Liberius and others were exiled, and Athanasius stood alone against the “Arian world” (having gone into hiding in the deserts of Egypt).

• In response, some bishops met in council at Constantinople in 360 and declared that the “Son is like the Father” (homoousia).

• During the reign of Julian the Apostate (361-363), without imperial pressure the church began to gravitate more toward the Nicean position once again.

İZNİK KOSİLİNİN ZAFERİ



Valentian became emperor in 363 over the West and appointed his brother Valens (363-378) emperor over the East.



This was the time of the Cappodocian Fathers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and Gregory of Nyssa.



Though Valens supported the Arian party, the Cappodocians persuaded the church to reaffirm the Nicean Creed.



When Theodosius became Emperor in 379, he reaffirmed the Nicean creed and called

the Council of Constantinople of 381. This reaffirmed Nicea.

İSTANBUL KONSİLİ, 381

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who

proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the

prophets. And in one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the

world to come. Amen.

Nestorian Controversy (428-431)



Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople, refused to call Mary by the title of theotokos (“Mother of God”).



Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, argued that since Christ is one person united to God and humanity Mary is the “bearer of God”.



Rome sided with Cyril.



Nestorius persuaded Theodosius II to call an ecumenical council in Ephesus. The

Council divided into two parties: Cyril vs. Nestorius.

EFES KONSİLİ (431)

 1: If anyone will not confess that the Emmanuel is very God, and that therefore the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God, inasmuch as in the flesh she bore the Word of God made flesh (as it is

written, "The Word was made flesh"): let him be anathema.

 2: If anyone shall not confess that the Word of God the Father is united hypostatically to flesh, and that with that flesh of his own, he is one only Christ both God and man at the same time: let him be anathema.

 11: Whosoever shall not confess that the flesh of the Lord gives life and that it pertains to the Word of God the Father as his very own, but shall pretend that it belongs to another person who is united to him [i.e., the Word] only according to honor, and who has served as a dwelling for the divinity; and shall not rather confess, as we say, that that flesh gives life because it is that of the Word who gives life to all: let him be anathema.

Monophysite Controversy (433-451)



Cyril’s acceptance of the “Formula of Union” upset some in Alexandria who preferred the “one nature” (mia physis) formula.



Upon Cyril’s death, this party emerged in rebellion against the “Formula of Union” led by Bishop Dioscurus.



Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople, condemned Eutyches (a monophysite) and was supported by Pope Leo I of Rome who wrote a letter (Tome) against monophysitism.



Theodosius called a council in Ephesus (“robber synod”) in 449 which involved violent action by monks against Flavian (who was beaten, deposed and exiled).



Emperor Marcian called another council in 451 at the request of Leo I in Chalcedon

near Constantinople. The Council decided against monophysitism.

Council of Chalcedon (451)

Following the holy Fathers we teach with one voice that the Son and our Lord Jesus Christ is to be

confessed as one and the same, that he is perfect in Godhead and perfect in manhood, very God and very man, of a reasonable soul and body consisting, consubstantial with the Father as touching his Godhead, and consubstantial with us as touching his manhood; made in all things like unto us, sin only excepted;

begotten of his Father before the worlds according to his Godhead; but in these last days for us men and for our salvation born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God according to his manhood. This one and the same Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son must be confessed to be in two natures, unconfusedly, immutably, indivisibly, inseparably united, and that without the distinction of natures being taken away by such union, but rather the peculiar property of each nature being preserved and being united in one Person and

subsistence, not separated or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son and only-begotten, God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Prophets of old time have spoken concerning him, and as the Lord Jesus Christ hath taught us, and as the Creed of the Fathers hath delivered to us.

Council of Ephesus (431)

 1: If anyone will not confess that the Emmanuel is very God, and that therefore the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God, inasmuch as in the flesh she bore the Word of God made flesh (as it is

written, "The Word was made flesh"): let him be anathema.

 2: If anyone shall not confess that the Word of God the Father is united hypostatically to flesh, and that with that flesh of his own, he is one only Christ both God and man at the same time: let him be anathema.

 11: Whosoever shall not confess that the flesh of the Lord gives life and that it pertains to the Word of God the Father as his very own, but shall pretend that it belongs to another person who is united to him [i.e., the Word] only according to honor, and who has served as a dwelling for the divinity; and shall not rather confess, as we say, that that flesh gives life because it is that of the Word who gives life to all: let him be anathema.