Throughout history people have tried to find a way of being sure that God exists. The ideas have not changed for a thousand years. However, they get expressed in new ways each century.
Jesus talked about a unique relationship with God. On one occasion in Jerusalem he declared, ‘I and the Father are one.’ The Jews were incensed by this apparent blasphemy, and would have killed him on the spot had he not been a quick thinker and a quick runner.
Thousands of Christians died in arenas as a spectator sport, alongside other hated minorities. The church was divided over how to respond. Some leaders saw the State as evil and encouraged martyrs to be seen as honoured people who should never be forgotten.
Unity became a priority for the church. An issue that had to be faced was whether Christians who had forsaken their faith during the decades of persecution should be accepted back.
The Christian church was now large, highly structured and powerful, and that made it harder to be true to its founder. The intellectual explanations of God’s nature seemed far removed from the simple devotion which Jesus’ original followers had.
In Rome in 800 the Pope crowned a new leader with the title Holy Roman Emperor. This was Charlemagne, and he had a vision for a glorious Christian culture in which government and religion were one. The combination of a Pope with colossal control and an Emperor expanding his territory by conquering people created a mighty force – Christendom.
God calls Christians to oppose racism or prejudice of any kind. Over the centuries Christians have led campaigns to establish rights for minorities and groups who are oppressed because of their race or ethnicity.
Christians have a very positive view of sex. The Bible begins with the ancient story of Adam and Eve. In it a man and woman enjoy their naked bodies and God takes delight in them having sex.
It is love that makes death so awful. It is the fact that you truly love someone that means you grieve when they have left life behind and left you behind.
Throughout history people have tried to find a way of being sure that God exists. The ideas have not changed for a thousand years. However, they get expressed in new ways each century.
Jesus talked about a unique relationship with God. On one occasion in Jerusalem he declared, ‘I and the Father are one.’ The Jews were incensed by this apparent blasphemy, and would have killed him on the spot had he not been a quick thinker and a quick runner.
God calls Christians to oppose racism or prejudice of any kind. Over the centuries Christians have led campaigns to establish rights for minorities and groups who are oppressed because of their race or ethnicity.
Christians have a very positive view of sex. The Bible begins with the ancient story of Adam and Eve. In it a man and woman enjoy their naked bodies and God takes delight in them having sex.
It is love that makes death so awful. It is the fact that you truly love someone that means you grieve when they have left life behind and left you behind.
Thousands of Christians died in arenas as a spectator sport, alongside other hated minorities. The church was divided over how to respond. Some leaders saw the State as evil and encouraged martyrs to be seen as honoured people who should never be forgotten.
Unity became a priority for the church. An issue that had to be faced was whether Christians who had forsaken their faith during the decades of persecution should be accepted back.
The Christian church was now large, highly structured and powerful, and that made it harder to be true to its founder. The intellectual explanations of God’s nature seemed far removed from the simple devotion which Jesus’ original followers had.
In Rome in 800 the Pope crowned a new leader with the title Holy Roman Emperor. This was Charlemagne, and he had a vision for a glorious Christian culture in which government and religion were one. The combination of a Pope with colossal control and an Emperor expanding his territory by conquering people created a mighty force – Christendom.
