Persecution of the early church - Revision history

Scartho77: typo

2024-06-04T16:11:55Z

typo

Scartho77: Moved quote by Justin Martyr from the Justin Martyr page.

2024-06-04T16:10:55Z

Moved quote by Justin Martyr from the Justin Martyr page.

Kathleen.wright5: Category:Church history

2009-09-14T23:10:38Z

Category:Church history

Free from HRWiki: rv/v

2009-09-14T15:21:24Z

rv/v

Bob Larson: cleaning up article

2009-05-21T23:00:58Z

cleaning up article

Pope Urban VI: reverting vandalism

2009-05-21T22:34:51Z

reverting vandalism

Bob Larson: with love from ebaums

2009-05-21T22:34:49Z

with love from ebaums

Graham grove: Spelling correction

2008-09-07T08:55:59Z

Spelling correction

Theologian at 08:45, 7 September 2008

2008-09-07T08:45:24Z

Graham grove at 12:03, 2 February 2008

2008-02-02T12:03:25Z

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 In the late third and early fourth centuries, torture of Christians and destruction of churches became increasingly pursued under [[Galerius]] and [[Diocletian]]. Finally however, in the fourth century, Galerius recognized that he was fighting a losing battle trying to stop Christianity and legalized Christianity in [[311 AD]].
-During these first three centuries there were times of relative peace for Christians however. Hadrian, for example, ensured that those who accused Christians without cause were punished. Gallenius was particularly tolerant, legalizing Christianity in [[261 AD]] and restoring churches. But these pockets of peace were not long lasting and were dependant on the Emperor.
+During these first three centuries there were times of relative peace for Christians however. Hadrian, for example, ensured that those who accused Christians without cause were punished. Gallenius was particularly tolerant, legalizing Christianity in [[261 AD]] and restoring churches. But these pockets of peace were not long lasting and were dependent on the Emperor.
 ===The response of the church to persecution===

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	==Quotes==		==Quotes==
		+	[[Justin Martyr]], ''The first apology of Justin,'' chapter LXVIII. c 156 AD. In ANF1, that is, [https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01 Roberts A, Donaldson J and Coxe AC (1885) ''Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol 1'', at Christian Classics Ethereal Library.] [Justin quotes from a letter of the Emperor Hadrian to Minucius Fundanus. Hadrian was emperor from 117 to 138. ANF1 footnote: "Generally credited as genuine."]
		+	: "If, therefore, any one makes the accusation, and furnishes proof that the said men [Christians] do anything contrary to the laws, you shall adjudge punishments in proportion to the offences. And this, by Hercules, you shall give special heed to, that if any man shall, through mere calumny, bring an accusation against any of these persons [Christians], you shall award to him more severe punishments in proportion to his wickedness."

	==Links==		==Links==

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		+	[[Category:Church history]]

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	+	{{Infobox_Contents \|
	+	topic_name = Persecution of the Early Church \|
	+	subtopics = [[Church history]]
	+	* [[Apologists]]
	+	* Significant Roman Emperors - [[Nero]], [[Domitian]], [[Trajan]], [[Decius]], [[Gallenius]] \|
	+	opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} \|
	+	}}

	+	For about 250 years after the death of Jesus there was almost a constant threat of persecution against Christians. Christians suffered from persecutions for various reasons, including their refusal to worship the Roman emperor who was the leader of all the land surrounding the Mediterranean from Spain to Israel (which was where the majority of evangelism and church growth was occurring). Failure to worship the Emperor was considered treasonous and punishable by execution. There were persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan and the other Antonines, Maximinus Thrax, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian and Galerius. Many Christians were willing to die for their faith.
	+
	+	The first martyr known of was the [[apostle Stephen]] who was stoned by the Jewish religious leaders - the story is told in [[Acts 7]]. The response of early Christians ranged from seeking martyrdom to acceptance of martyrdom to hiding or fleeing persecution to apostatizing (renouncing their faith). A number of Christians began to circulate writings aimed at explaining Christianity and calling for Christians to be treated justly. These were people were known as [[apologists]].
	+
	+	===Significant Emperors, events and edicts===
	+
	+	The first Emperor to strongly target Christians specifically was [[Nero]] about 30 years after the [[death of Jesus]]. Nero used the Christians, who were generally not well liked at the time, as scapegoats for problems in his empire, and arrested large groups of Christians in Rome and had them executed. His persecution was so severe that it aroused pity in the general Roman population.
	+
	+	The next major bout of persecution in the Roman Empire occurred later in the first century under [[Domitian]] who insisted that all people took oaths to him. Where Christians failed to do this there was persecution. It was during his reign that the [[Book of Revelation]] was probably written.
	+
	+	Persecution continued in the Roman Empire on an occasional basis until the reign of [[Trajan]] from 98 AD to 117 AD. During his reign the issue of Christians not worshipping the Emperor came to the fore-front and Trajan issued an edict that instructed local officials not to actively search out Christians, but to require accused Christians to prove their worship of other idols or else be punished by death. This edict had long reaching effects becoming the usual approach to Christianity in the Roman Empire for the next two centuries.
	+
	+	The short reign of [[Decius]] from 249 AD to 251 AD was an especially significant reign for Christianity. Decius commanded that all citizens required officially signed documentations proving that they had offered sacrifices to other gods. Decius' intentions was to force Christians to become apostates (worship other gods). Many Christians did sacrifice to other gods to avoid punishment, creating a problem in the church in later decades which had to deal with the question of forgiveness and re-entry into the church of apostates.
	+
	+	In the late third and early fourth centuries, torture of Christians and destruction of churches became increasingly pursued under [[Galerius]] and [[Diocletian]]. Finally however, in the fourth century, Galerius recognized that he was fighting a losing battle trying to stop Christianity and legalized Christianity in [[311 AD]].
	+
	+	During these first three centuries there were times of relative peace for Christians however. Hadrian, for example, ensured that those who accused Christians without cause were punished. Gallenius was particularly tolerant, legalizing Christianity in [[261 AD]] and restoring churches. But these pockets of peace were not long lasting and were dependant on the Emperor.
	+
	+	===The response of the church to persecution===
	+
	+	Many Christians in the first three centuries would rather accept torture and death peacefully than deny their faith or resort to violent struggle. A famous ancient quote suggested that this peaceful acceptance of death actually increased the spread of Christianity - "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church". Later, many people killed for the faith became revered by Christians.
	+
	+	Some Christians produced academic works to explain Christianity and call for the cessation of persecution. These Christians were known as [[apologists]].
	+
	+	One issue that caused division in the church, however, was how to approach those Christians who had renounced their faith under threat of persecution, but now wanted readmission to the church. Some church leaders felt that these "apostates" could return to the church on the condition that they performed acts of penance. There was great debate about whether baptism needed to be performed again in these individuals.
	+
	+	==Quotes==
	+
	+	==Links==
	+
	+	{{returnto}} [[Persecution]]
	+
	+	{{stub}}

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-For about 250 years after the death of Jesus there was almost a constant threat of persecution against Christians. Christians suffered from persecutions for various reasons, including their refusal to worship the Roman emperor who was the leader of all the land surrounding the Mediterranean from Spain to Israel (which was were the majority of evangelism and church growth was occurring). Failure to worship the Emperor was considered treasonous and punishable by execution. There were persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan and the other Antonines, Maximinus Thrax, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian and Galerius. Many Christians were willing to die for their faith.
+For about 250 years after the death of Jesus there was almost a constant threat of persecution against Christians. Christians suffered from persecutions for various reasons, including their refusal to worship the Roman emperor who was the leader of all the land surrounding the Mediterranean from Spain to Israel (which was where the majority of evangelism and church growth was occurring). Failure to worship the Emperor was considered treasonous and punishable by execution. There were persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan and the other Antonines, Maximinus Thrax, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian and Galerius. Many Christians were willing to die for their faith.
 The first martyr known of was the [[apostle Stephen]] who was stoned by the Jewish religious leaders - the story is told in [[Acts 7]]. The response of early Christians ranged from seeking martyrdom to acceptance of martyrdom to hiding or fleeing persecution to apostatizing (renouncing their faith). A number of Christians began to circulate writings aimed at explaining Christianity and calling for Christians to be treated justly. These were people were known as [[apologists]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox_Contents |
 topic_name = Persecution of the Early Church |
-subtopics = [[Church history]] |
+subtopics = [[Church history]]
 opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
 }}
-For about 250 years after the death of Jesus there was almost a constant threat of persecution against Christians. Christians suffered from persecutions for various reasons, including their refusal to worship the Roman emperor, considered treasonous and punishable by execution. There were persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan and the other Antonines, Maximinus Thrax, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian and Galerius. Many Christians were willing to die for their faith.
+For about 250 years after the death of Jesus there was almost a constant threat of persecution against Christians. Christians suffered from persecutions for various reasons, including their refusal to worship the Roman emperor who was the leader of all the land surrounding the Mediterranean from Spain to Israel, which was were the majority of evangelism and church growth was occurring. Failure to worship the Emperor was considered treasonous and punishable by execution. There were persecutions under Nero, Domitian, Trajan and the other Antonines, Maximinus Thrax, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian and Galerius. Many Christians were willing to die for their faith.
-The first martyr known of was the [[apostle Stephen]] who was stoned by the Jewish religious leaders - the story is told in [[Acts 7]].
+The first martyr known of was the [[apostle Stephen]] who was stoned by the Jewish religious leaders - the story is told in [[Acts 7]]. The response of early Christians ranged from seeking martyrdom to acceptance of martyrdom to hiding or fleeing persecution to apostatizing (renouncing their faith). A number of Christians began to circulate writings aimed at explaining Christianity and calling for Christians to be treated justly. These were people were known as [[apologists]].
 ==Quotes==
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 {{returnto}} [[Persecution]]