1) In what ways did Christianity represent a departure from the ideals and practices of ancient Greece and Rome?
Christianity is vastly different from the ideals and practices of ancient Greece and Rome. The ideals of ancient Rome and Greece focus more on achievements, honor, and other worldly achievements, whereas Christianity focuses on faith in one God, moral humility, and salvation in the afterlife. The ideals of ancient Greece and Rome support slavery, social hierarchy, and inequality, whereas Christianity supports equality of all people. The Greeks and Romans supported wisdom and self-mastery, whereas Christianity supports charity, giving to the poor, and love for your neighbors, as well as your enemies.
2) Discuss the relationship between Rome and the Visigoths.
The relationship between Rome and the Visigoths was always switching between uneasy cooperation, and war. At first the Visigoths fought the Romans, but then they made peace, and Rome allowed them to settle in Roman territory as allies in exchange for military service. Then the Romans started to mistreat the Visigoths, leading to a rebellion, where the Visigoths beat Rome in the battle of Adrianople.
Archives for February 2026
Bible Reading 2/20/26
His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven,” they replied.
6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. 7 They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
I thought it was interesting how Jesus not only fed the 4000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish, but even made 7 basketfuls of broken pieces.
Bible Reading 2/12/26
Mark 3:2-6
2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
I thought it was intriguing how the Pharisees were already looking to kill Jesus.
Bible reading 2/11/26
Mark 2:4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.
I thought it was interesting that they lowered him through the ceiling, as there was no room for them, and that they knew that Jesus would heal the paralyzed man.
Woods Week 14
The Rule of St. Benedict is a set of guidelines for living a life in a monastery, written by St. Benedict around 516. They were written to govern the daily life of a monk living in a community under the guidance of an abbot. The Rule emphasizes moderation, obedience, stability, humility, prayer, and work, avoiding extreme regulation. It would become the foundation for Western monasticism, strongly influencing medieval European religious, educational, and cultural life.
The routine of a monk would consist of prayer, work, and reading. Monks took vows of stability (staying in one community), obedience, and conversion of life (ongoing spiritual growth).