Theories, People, Places, And Events Surrounding The New Testament

The New Testament, a compilation of ancient texts dating from the birth of Jesus Christ to an unknown Second Coming of Christ, is a very important document to the archaeological history of the world, as well as the history of man on Earth. However, one would wonder how and why it was written, what influenced it, who were the people involved in it, what events surround it, and so on. Essentially, what truly influence the New Testament to stand at its current status quo? The attempt is made here to expostulate on that and attempt to provide an answer or answers to those pressing questions.

First, there were theories put in place to help establish why Christianity was such a flourishing religion at this time. There are three theories that help put a finger on why Christianity rose as it did. One such theory is the community-identity theory. This theory supposes that the Jewish community, which had been stripped of its main identity through centuries of persecution, had to recover a certain identity. This way, the Jewish community found its identity in the teachings and preachings of a man named Jesus Christ. Thus the community found an identity, followed by the spread of the ideas and teachings, leading to the birth of a new religion. Another theory is the sect-church theory. This is a very likely theory, as well as a very organized and neatly set theory. This theory expostulates that a small number of Jews broke off from the traditional ways and means of the Jewish faith and formed a group that focused on the teachings and preachings of Jesus Christ. This group slowly gained members over time, leading to the appointment of priests and prelates, eventually leading this group to perform duties much like the other churches of the time. This led that small sect of Judaism to form a new church called Christianity. A third and socially impacting theory arose; its main thesis was that religion was an integrator of society. In this theory, it was explained that society hungered for a "happy medium" between the need for social order and the longing to secure personal desires. Religion guaranteed that the dividends of social order was the receiving and fulfillment of personal desires, and that the two would work in harmony.