Episode 1: From the Origins to the Middle Ages
Christianity is one of the world’s major religions and Diarmaid MacCulloch’s eponymous television series explores its story from its origins to the present day. Episode One begins by looking at the early years of Christianity and its foundation in the New Testament and its connection to Judaism. It then moves on to discuss the growth and spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, the emergence of the papacy, monasticism and popular piety.
According to MacCulloch, the Christian faith was founded on “the authority of Jesus” – a man who is said to have been a carpenter from Nazareth, Galilee in what is now Israel. He was born to Mary and Joseph and was baptized by John the Baptist. He began preaching the “Good News” of salvation that drew loyal followers who began to spread his teachings, forming the foundations of Christianity.
Macculloch believes that Jesus was misunderstood by his contemporaries, and what he said and did were legendary. After his death and resurrection, legend became history, which was written down in the New Testament, forming the foundation of Christianity. At the same time, Christianity was born within the context of Judaism, and both faiths still share many beliefs and practices.
Christianity had a slow and steady start as it spread across the Roman Empire. Initially, it was seen as a dangerous cult that ran counter to the established imperial cults. But eventually, the Roman authorities began to tolerate it, and by the 4th century, the Emperor Constantine was proclaiming himself a Christian and the religion became the accepted religion throughout the Empire.
With this acceptance, Christianity began to take shape. The papacy arose in Rome as the leader of the Church, forming the core of the Roman Catholic faith. Meanwhile, Eastern Christianity saw the rise of Emperor Constantine in Constantinople as the unifying force in the east, forming the basis of the Greek Orthodox faith.
During this time, monasticism also emerged as an important part of Christian life. Monks and nuns lived in communities where they isolated themselves from the secular world and lived in service to God, while seeking deeper spirituality through prayer and contemplation. At the same time, popular piety both in the east and in the west was on the rise among ordinary people who wanted to express their faith in more lively and expressive ways.
Episode 2: Medieval Crusades
The Middle Ages saw the rise of Christianity in Europe. Christianity was the official state religion of most European countries and this inevitably led to a certain amount of conflict between the regions. In response to this, the Church called for a series of military campaigns, commonly known as the Crusades, to regain control of the Holy Land from the Islamic empires.
The First Crusade, launched in 1096, had the support of the pope and the majority of European kings. It comprised mostly of peasants, who were promised absolution from their sins in return for taking part in the undertaking. The Crusade was a success and the Christians gained control of Jerusalem and several other coastal towns.
The Second Crusade of 1145-1149 was launched in response to the failure of the first. This time, the leader was the German emperor, Conrad III and the main target was Damascus. The Crusade failed, with strains appearing between the German forces and the French forces. The Muslims were able to maintain control of Jerusalem and other cities, but the Crusades had left a lasting impression on the region.
The Third Crusade, between 1187 and 1192, saw the arrival of Richard the Lionheart of England, who brought with him a large army. This time the aim was to recapture Jerusalem, although the Crusaders ultimately failed. Despite this, the Third Crusade marked a height in their power, as the Crusaders had conquered parts of the Middle East and established several short-lived kingdoms.
The Fourth through Seventh Crusades between 1198 and 1254 lacked the success of the previous ventures, due to a lack of resources, bad luck and ill-conceived strategies. The Islamic powers were able to hold their ground, although there were occasional successes such as when the Christians captured Constantinople in 1204.
Although the Crusades ultimately failed to win the Holy Land for Christendom, they left a lasting legacy. It has been argued that the Crusades helped to solidify a sense of European identity, and this has been a topic of debate among historians for many years. They also helped to spread knowledge about the Middle East and its people, something which was not known previously in Europe.
Episode 3: Reformation and Counter-Reformation
The Reformation was a period of time during the 16th century when the Catholic Church underwent a period of upheaval. This period was characterised by the rise of Protestantism, a new form of Christianity that divisive from the Roman Catholic Church.
The reasons for the Reformation were many and varied. There was a growing dissatisfaction with the Church and the way it was running the affairs. The Church’s practice of selling indulgences to absolve sins, which was a way to earn money, was seen as corruption and many were disillusioned with the Church’s power and practices.
Martin Luther was a key figure in the Reformation, and his 95 Theses, a series of propositions he wrote and posted on the door of the Wittenberg Church, is often seen as a catalyst for the period of upheaval. In his Theses, Luther called for the Church to be reformed, and his ideas gained a following among the people. As a result, an increasing number of people began to reject the authority of the Church and accepted Protestantism instead.
The Catholic Church responded to Luther and the Reformation by introducing the Counter-Reformation, a period of reforms designed to regain the followers lost to Protestantism. This Counter-Reformation was led by the Catholic Church, who sought to reassert its power and authority through reforming doctrine, introducing new religious orders and monasticism and a more rigorous Inquisition.
The Council of Trent in 1545, a meeting of bishops, discussed the doctrinal issues that the Protestant Church had raised, and sought to address them. This resulted in some of the Church’s teachings being reaffirmed and set in stone, which reaffirmed the power of the Catholic Church in Europe.
The Reformation and Counter-Reformation had a major impact on Europe and the world. It provoked great debate and argument, which has continued to this day. It fuelled a sense of national identity in Europe, as each country began to define itself by its religious beliefs. The debate and argument opened the doors to new ideas and helped to lead the way to the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution.
Episode 4: Orthodoxy and the East-West Schism
The East-West Schism was a split between Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity, resulting in the two sides having different religious beliefs and practices. This schism happened in 1054, when the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, both based in Rome and Constantinople respectively, officially declared themselves to be separate entities.
Although the schism had been developing for over the century, the official split was due to a disagreement over the authority and primacy of the pope in Rome. The Eastern Orthodox Church, which was a large and powerful entity in its own right, refused to accept the pope’s authority, believing in its own independence and equality among the churches.
At the same time, the Roman Church wanted to extend its authority to other parts of the world, not just Europe, and considered the Eastern Orthodox to be a rival church rather than an equal one. This was one of the main reasons why the two sides split, and the East-West Schism has been seen as a major event in church history.
The effects of this schism were both political and religious. Politically, the distinction between east and west sharpened and resulted in the two sides having different kinds of rulers, different cultures and different relationships with the outside world. Religiously, the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church had different beliefs and practices, ranging from issues such as celibacy to the veneration of saints to the authority of the pope.
The issues that cause the schism have been a source of debate and controversy between the two sides ever since. However, the schism also served to emphasise the diversity of Christianity and how separate branches of the faith can still remain connected in spite of their differences.
Episode 5: From the Age of Reason to the Modern World
The Age of Reason in the 17th century saw Europe transform from a religious to a rational and scientific society. While Christianity had been the dominant faith of Europe for centuries, the Age of Reason saw a shift towards a more secular and scientific approach to life and the world.
The advances in science and philosophy during this period dominated the intellectual landscape of Europe. Key figures such as Galileo, Newton, Locke and Descartes had a profound effect on the way people viewed the world and their place in it. They sought to discover new truths about the physical world, and reject traditional ideas in favour of a more enlightened one.
The Age of Reason coincided with a period of great upheaval in Europe, as the old order was beginning to collapse and a new one was emerging. In the Church, there was a move towards an increased emphasis on rationalism, as seen in the publications of theologians such as Thomas Aquinas and John Calvin.
At the same time, the Enlightenment philosophers began to challenge the authority of the Church and look to human reason as the main source of knowledge. This intellectual ferment was also seen in the rise of Protestantism, as more and more people rejected the Catholic Church in favour of what they saw as a more enlightened faith.
By the 19th century, Christianity had become more divided than ever before. In the Protestant tradition, there were a range of sectarian beliefs and practices, while in the Catholic Church, there was a trend towards more traditional values and beliefs. In the east, the Eastern Orthodox Church was steadily becoming more isolated from the rest of the Christian world, although it still retained its position as a major religious power.
The 20th century saw further fragmentation and divisions among Christians, as new forms of Christianity emerged and traditional forms vanished. In Europe, the Church was losing its power and influence, as the idea of a “modern” Europe emerged and with it, a rejection of many of its traditional values.
Episode 6: Latin America, Africa and Beyond
The role of Christianity in the wider world has been the subject of much debate in recent years. In Latin America, Christianity has been an important part of the culture for centuries, and has helped to shape the region’s political and social landscape. In Africa, Christianity has had an impact on the continent, with many African countries professing a belief in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
In Latin America, the majority of the population are Roman Catholics or members of one of the Protestant churches that have sprung up in the region. Catholicism has been the established religion in most of Latin America since the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, and it has had a huge influence on the culture and society.
However, in recent years there has been a rise of Protestantism in the region, which has had a significant impact on the culture. In particular, Pentecostalism has been growing in popularity, with its focus on passionate religious expression and personal experience leading to changes in the way people view faith and Christianity.
In Africa, Christianity is also the predominant religion, with the majority of the population professing a belief in Jesus. Christianity
