Age of Catholic Christianity II 70-312 AD Persecution

The Spread of Christianity 1. God 2. Burning Conviction 3. Need in the hearts of people 4. Love for one another 5. Persecution

Martyrdom

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church -Tertullian Martyr - Witness

Reasons for Christian Persecution 1. Jewish Fears

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Loss of membership in Synagogue Loss of privileged status with Rome Zealots disliked lack of nationalism

Reasons for Christian Persecution 2. Roman Politics

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Christians believed in an incoming kingdom with Christ, not the emperor, as its head

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Union of state and religion excluded Christians from political customs

Reasons for Christian Persecution 3. Social Reasons

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Refusal to engage in sporting/theatrical events

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Condemnation of the gladiatorial games Christianity gave status to slaves and women

Reasons for Christian Persecution 4. Economic Reasons

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Loss of profit for idol makers/pagan temples

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Christians were scapegoats

Reasons for Christian Persecution 5. Religious Reasons

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Christianity is Monotheist and exclusive

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Holding of secret “Love Feasts” Christians were strange atheists Refusal to worship the Emperor

The Early Persecutions 64-100 AD Nero 64-68 AD

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Nero liked to play dress-up, the lyre, sing, act, and get crazy

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Nero fiddled while Rome burned

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Burning of Rome

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Christian torches

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Peter and Paul executed

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The Early Persecutions 64-100 AD Destruction of the Temple Many signs, portents, and prophecies occurred. A group of hyper-zealous Jews rebelled The Roman army put down the rebellion Despite disruptions, Titus lead the assault on Jerusalem, was victorious and the temple was burned to the ground.

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The loss of Jerusalem separated Christian from Jew and forced Christianity to de-emphasize Jerusalem and look elsewhere for leadership

And there was much rejoicing

The Early Persecutions 64-100 AD

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Domitian 81-96 Executed/exiled Christians as atheists including his family members

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Exalted himself as “Lord and God”

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Exiled John

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Emphasized Emperor worship

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Extremely paranoid and was murdered according to astrological prophecy

Imperial Policy in the early 2

nd

Century

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Shown and evidenced by Pliny the Younger

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Don’t seek out Christians

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Limited mob violence

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Allowed a respite and growth in Christian numbers

Persecution Worsens

Marcus Aurelius 161-180 AD

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Stoic Philosopher

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Christians became scapegoats for all natural disasters or disease

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Riots supported

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Many Christians executed either by beheading or in the games

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Justin Martyr was executed

Official Persecution

Decius Trajan 249-251 AD

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Desired to return to that “old time religion”

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Published an edict requiring a return to paganism

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First empire-wide persecution

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Desired conversion not persecution

Official Persecution

Diocletian 284-305

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260-303 Christians had a respite

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Diocletian, a previously neutral emperor, writes 3 edicts calling for persecution

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303 Complete and systematic persecution of Christianity, the worst yet experienced Persecution targeted the church infrastructure: buildings, bishops, and books

Official Persecution

Galerius

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Prime force behind Diocletian persecutions Ruled half of the Empire along with his nephew Maximin Daza, both under Diocletian

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Issued an edict requiring all men women and children to sacrifice to the gods, and all food in the markets to be sprinkled with sacrificial wine.

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Edict forced Christians to convert, die, or compromise

Positive Effects of Persecution

1. “Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church” – Tertullian 2. Purification of the church 3. Spreading of the gospel 4. Canonization of scripture 5. Provided Apologia for the faith

Negative Effects of Persecution

1. People got dead 2. The problem of the lapsed 3. Creation of the Cult of the Martyrs 4. Lack of ability to leave a literary legacy