Part one of term paper
One of the most significant groups that had an impact on early Christianity was . The Essenes were a Jewish sect that was organized on a strict communal basis. They practiced a strict ascetic lifestyle and considered themselves "the sons of Zaddi and the elect of Israel" (Frend 17-18). Helicon argues that the Essenes may also be the Hellenis ...

Part two of term paper
... A.D. Their library in Qumran contained an extraordinary rich collection of apocalyptic literature, such as fragments of the Testaments of the patriarchs, Daniel, the cycles of Enoch, and pseudo-Mosaic works (Frend 18). Moreover, this tradition contributed toward shaping the apocalyptic tradition of the early Church, and in particular, inspired the theology of martyrdom and separation from pagan society, which dominated so much of the Church's thought in the first three centuries A.D. Qumran, the h ...