Birth of Christianity Lesson

Ancient fresco showing five haloed religious figures, likely early Christian saints and Christ, each holding books, with worn and aged surface details.
Painting of Christ and the Apostles at the Church of Saint Mary the Ancient. © History Skills

Learning objectives

In this lesson, students will learn how Christianity began as a small movement within Judaism in first-century Judea and gradually expanded across the Roman Empire. They will examine the key people, events, and decisions that helped shape early Christian communities and distinguish them from Judaism. Students will have the opportunity to achieve this through choosing their own method of learning, from reading and research options, as well as the chance to engage in extension activities. This lesson includes a self-marking quiz for students to demonstrate their learning.

How would you like to learn?

Option 1: Reading


Step 1: Download a copy of the reading questions worksheet:

Download
Birth of Christianity Reading Questions.
Microsoft Word Document 21.7 KB

Step 2: Answer the set questions by reading the webpage below:


Option 2: Internet research


Download a copy of the research worksheet and use the internet to complete all the tables.

Download
Birth of Christianity Background Researc
Microsoft Word Document 23.7 KB

Test your learning



Extension activities



Resources for subscribers