01-09-2008, 03:58 AM
We may now summarise the possible sequence of key events leading to Christian dominance of Western Civilisation.
Early Christianity - a Qumranian institution - was an extremist Jewish movement that arose in reaction to the secularizing influences of the Graeco-Roman world. Its leader in the first century was James the Righteous, an ultra-orthodox Jew. What we now call Christianity grew out of Pauline Christianity, a heresy opposed to the teachings of James. It was the result of a power struggle between Paul and James that culminated in the death of James and the destruction of the early Church of Jerusalem in the First Jewish War of AD 66-74. It is likely that Paul - a wealthy and influential Roman citizen - was himself instrumental in the overthrow of the early Church led by James, with Roman support.
So what gave impetus to Christianity - the Pauline version - was not any crucifixion of Jesus but the destruction of the early Christians of Palestine in the First Jewish War. This was strengthened by the recognition extended to it by Constantine in AD 325. Here is a plausible sequence of events.
1. Origins (Second-first century BC): The settlement of Qumran is built on the coast of the Dead Sea. Most of the practices of Christianity came into existence at this time - a century before the birth of Jesus. Qumranians and the early Christians were one and the same. They formed an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect that was in existence at least a century before the birth of Jesus. The sect was part of the Zealot movement founded in the time of Mattathias Maccabaeus if not earlier. It would therefore be reasonable to hold Mattathias Maccabaeus to be one of the founders of - or at least a precursor to early Christianity.
2. Early Christianity (First century AD): The leader of the sect was James the Just known as the 'Righteous'. He may have had a brother named Jesus, but there is no reliable record of him outside the Bible. James on the other hand is mentioned in several important early sources.
3. Enter Paul (c. AD 54-64): Paul the Roman wanted to subvert and break the early Church with his heretical doctrine. This was resisted by James and his followers. This led to a power struggle between Paul and James. Paul was probably acting as an agent of Rome.
4. Death of James (c. AD 64): James was killed by a band of rebels led possibly by Paul. This was the culmination of the power struggle between Paul and James. The death of James hardened the attitude of the Zealots (early Christians) to the point of no return, leading to the First Jewish War of AD 66-74.
5. First Jewish War (AD 66-74): James was replaced by a political favourite unacceptable to the followers of James and the early Christians. This led to the First Jewish War of AD 66-74 in which Qumran and most of the early Christians were destroyed. Paul and his followers were left without serious opposition allowing them to consolidate their hold by spreading their movement to include the Gentiles (pagans) also. Remnants of early Christianity were destroyed in the Second Jewish War that broke out sixty years later.
6. Divinity of Jesus (AD 325): Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, succeeded in getting Constantine's support for Christianity at the Council of Nicea in AD 325. Eusebius persuaded the assembled bishops to recognize Constantine also as a Messiah of the chosen people (Christians) in exchange for royal recognition of Christianity. Jesus was declared divine based on the vote of the bishops. Constantine, the Divine Pagan Emperor, assumed leadership of the Christians along with his title of Pontifex Maximus as the head of the solar religion of Rome. (See Chapter VIII for a brief description.)
Early Christianity - a Qumranian institution - was an extremist Jewish movement that arose in reaction to the secularizing influences of the Graeco-Roman world. Its leader in the first century was James the Righteous, an ultra-orthodox Jew. What we now call Christianity grew out of Pauline Christianity, a heresy opposed to the teachings of James. It was the result of a power struggle between Paul and James that culminated in the death of James and the destruction of the early Church of Jerusalem in the First Jewish War of AD 66-74. It is likely that Paul - a wealthy and influential Roman citizen - was himself instrumental in the overthrow of the early Church led by James, with Roman support.
So what gave impetus to Christianity - the Pauline version - was not any crucifixion of Jesus but the destruction of the early Christians of Palestine in the First Jewish War. This was strengthened by the recognition extended to it by Constantine in AD 325. Here is a plausible sequence of events.
1. Origins (Second-first century BC): The settlement of Qumran is built on the coast of the Dead Sea. Most of the practices of Christianity came into existence at this time - a century before the birth of Jesus. Qumranians and the early Christians were one and the same. They formed an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect that was in existence at least a century before the birth of Jesus. The sect was part of the Zealot movement founded in the time of Mattathias Maccabaeus if not earlier. It would therefore be reasonable to hold Mattathias Maccabaeus to be one of the founders of - or at least a precursor to early Christianity.
2. Early Christianity (First century AD): The leader of the sect was James the Just known as the 'Righteous'. He may have had a brother named Jesus, but there is no reliable record of him outside the Bible. James on the other hand is mentioned in several important early sources.
3. Enter Paul (c. AD 54-64): Paul the Roman wanted to subvert and break the early Church with his heretical doctrine. This was resisted by James and his followers. This led to a power struggle between Paul and James. Paul was probably acting as an agent of Rome.
4. Death of James (c. AD 64): James was killed by a band of rebels led possibly by Paul. This was the culmination of the power struggle between Paul and James. The death of James hardened the attitude of the Zealots (early Christians) to the point of no return, leading to the First Jewish War of AD 66-74.
5. First Jewish War (AD 66-74): James was replaced by a political favourite unacceptable to the followers of James and the early Christians. This led to the First Jewish War of AD 66-74 in which Qumran and most of the early Christians were destroyed. Paul and his followers were left without serious opposition allowing them to consolidate their hold by spreading their movement to include the Gentiles (pagans) also. Remnants of early Christianity were destroyed in the Second Jewish War that broke out sixty years later.
6. Divinity of Jesus (AD 325): Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, succeeded in getting Constantine's support for Christianity at the Council of Nicea in AD 325. Eusebius persuaded the assembled bishops to recognize Constantine also as a Messiah of the chosen people (Christians) in exchange for royal recognition of Christianity. Jesus was declared divine based on the vote of the bishops. Constantine, the Divine Pagan Emperor, assumed leadership of the Christians along with his title of Pontifex Maximus as the head of the solar religion of Rome. (See Chapter VIII for a brief description.)