THE ORIGIN AND ADVENT OF CHRISTIANITY IN TIV LAND: INFLUENCE AND GROWTH IN THE SOCIETY

3.1. Introduction

To understand the ‘‘ADVENT OF CHRISTIANITY IN TIVLAND’’, one must first know the origin of Christianity itself, in West Africa, Nigeria before talking on Christianity in Tivland.

Christianity is the religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beliefs that He is the Son of God. (Oxford Dictionary, 8th Edition, Hornby). In this chapter, we intend to look at the origin of Christianity itself, in West African, Nigeria and the Tivland. (www.Biblical Archaeology).

3.2. ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY BY ROBERT A.G.

Christianity originated from Roman Empire at the Eastern end of the Mediterranean, Christianity was all about the Jewish Religion, the long lasting beliefs in the coming Messiah and rigidities that had developed in the Jewish priesthood. Christianity came from a remote province and appealed particularly to the poorer classes.

Christianity originated with Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Prophet and teacher who came as the Son of God and was regard as such by His disciples. Jesus preached in Israel during the time of Augustus the message of purification of the Jewish Religion, the establishment of God’s kingdom on Earth, the final Judgment day at hand, reward of the righteous with sinners condemn to everlasting Hell. He won many followers, mostly the poor. The upper classes and the leaders of the Jewish Religion came against because of the gospel and killed Him by Crucifixion like a common criminal.

30 A.D, Jesus followers proof Him as the Son of God and believed that he resurrected on the third day after His death, this beliefs assisted them in spreading farther message of Christ among Jewish communities in the Middle East, both within the Roman Empire and beyond .Later on, the disciples of Jesus began fan out, particularly round the East Mediterranean to spread the new Christian message. At the beginning, Christian converts were Jewish by birth and followed the basic Jewish laws; however, roused hostility among other Jews when one early Stephen was stoned to death, many disciples left Israel to Western Asia.

Christianity won a growing number of converts over 250years .On 4^th Century A.D, about 10percent of the residents of the Roman Empire were Christian in the Middle East Ethiopia Christianity spread with larger themes in Roman History. The Roman Empire soon left the true way of worship and entered their selfish aims where the place of papacy and indulgence became the order of the day, and also persecution of true Christians.

In 35 A.D, Paul was converted; His conversion to Christianity proved vital, He was a Jewish but had been born in a Greek city and was familiar with Greco-Roman culture. He help explained basic Christian-beliefs in term other adherents of his Culture could grasp, and he preached in Greece and Italy as well as the Middle East. Paul essentially created Christian Theology, the Message of Jesus gradually, Christian Theological leaders made further contact with Greco-Roman intellectual life, and they developed the body of Christian writings beyond the Bible Messages written by the disciples of Jesus.

In 4^th century A.D. Christian literature became the only special Cultural expressions in the Roman Empire as Theologians sought not only to explain situation in the new religion but also to relate it to Greek Philosophy and Roman Ethics and also to the world at Large.

3.2.1 ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY BY JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Christianity Originated in Roman occupied Jerusalem, a predominantly but not entirely Jewish Society with traditional Philosophers mentioned in Acts of the Apostle. As Christianity spread throughout the Hellenic World and, with a number of Church leaders having being educated in Greek Philosophy there was a fusion of the two modes of thought. One early Christian writer of the 2^nd and 3rdbCentury, Clement of Alexandria, demonstrated the assimilation of Greek thought in writing.

The influence on Christian dogma in late Antiquity, the doctrines of the Christian Church Fathers in the 4^th and 5^th Century, the Nicene and Caledonian creeds, the question of Trinity and Christology, Roman imperial Cult and Hellenistic Philosophy in forms of Neo-Platonism and Gnosticism, disputes went on to dominate Christian Theology well into the early Middle ages, down to the third council of Constantinople of 680A.D. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) who ultimately systematized Christian Philosophy, wrote in the late 4^th and early 5^th century