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Persecution Martyrdomin the Early Church
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Persecutionin the First-Century Church
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I. Persecution in the New Testament

• Jesus warned his disciples of coming persecution
  

John 1518-20 Matt. 249-14
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I. Persecution in the New Testament

• testimony marturion
• witness martus or martyr

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II. Persecution by the Jews

• Stephen (Acts 754-60)

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II. Persecution by the Jews

• James (Acts 121-2)

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III. Persecution by the Romans

• Christianity was an illegal religion
• Christians were uncompromising
• Christians were predominantly lower to middle
  class
• Christians were to blame for natural disasters
  because they left old gods
• Enmity of the human heart against the Gospel

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III. Persecution by the Romans

• False charges
• Atheism
• Treason
• Licentiousness
• Cannibalism
• Witchcraft Sorcery

• Incest
• Immorality
• Haters of humanity
• Intellectual contradictions

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Emperors Martyrs

• Nero (r.51-68)
• 64, fire destroyed much of Rome
• Rumor spread that Nero ordered the fire to make
  room for his new city, Neropolis
• He used Christians as a scapegoat executed 100s
• Cf. Tacitus, Annales 15.44

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Simon Peteraccording to tradition, was crucified
upside down
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Apostle Paulaccording to tradition was beheaded
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Domitian (81-96)

• Instigated the persecution that was the
  background to the book of Revelation

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Seven Churches of Revelation
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Persecutionin the Second-Century Church
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Trajan (98-117)
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Pliny the Younger, Governor of Bithynia
(111-113) wrote to Emperor Trajan What about
the Christians? Trajan to Pliny Dont ask
dont tell.
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According to tradition, killed by lions in the
Roman Colisseum
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Bishop of Smyrna, burned at the stake
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Marcus Aurelius (161-180)
Played by Richard Harris in Gladiator (2000)
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• Justin Martyr
• (d. 166)
• Denounced by Cynic philosopher Crescens, who was
  Aurelius advisor
• Was beheaded

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Martyrs of Lyons (d. 177)
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Amphitheater in Lyons
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LaterWidespread Persecution
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Septimius Severus (193-211)
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Septimius Severus Problems for the Empire

• Threat of barbarian invasion
• Economic crises
• Civil wars and threat of rebellions
• Increasing abandonment of traditional
  customs/religions
• Edict forbade further conversions to
  Christianity persecutions aimed mainly at
  converts and teachers

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The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas (203)
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The Passion of Perpetua

• Perpetua Young noblewoman mother kept diary
  of visions experiences in prison
• Felicitas Pregnant slave who delivered her baby
  in prison so that she could die with her comrades
• Saturninus, Revocatus Secundulus 3 other
  catechumens
• Saturus their teacher who surrendered himself
  to the authorities

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Your Professor at the Amphitheater in Carthage
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Decius (249-251)
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Decian Persecution Results

• Some became apostate
• Some obtained certificates fraudulently
• Some were temporary apostates who recanted
• Some endured imprisonment and torture, but did
  not die, becoming known as confessors

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Tortured died
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Aftermath of Decian Persecution Question of the
Lapsed

• After the persecution ended, Christians who
  renounced Christ wished readmittance into the
  church
• Should they be restored to the church?
• What about different degrees of lapsation (e.g.
  some renounced Christ, others pretended by
  obtaining false certificates)?
• Who should have authority to decide (bishops or
  confessors)?

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Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (249-258)

• Pagan rhetorician converted at age 40 soon
  appointed bishop
• Persecution broke out within months
• Fled and hid in order to continue guiding his
  flock from safety
• Accused of cowardice when he returned
• Confessors claimed authority to forgive the
  lapsed, not Cyprian who fled

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Cyprian Synods 251-2 On the Lapsed

• Readmitting the lapsed--Cyprian insisted,
  Outside the Church there is no salvation. He
  won the point discipline would be enforced on a
  rigid basis.
• The authority of the church--The bishop with a
  synod represents the consensus of the church,
  which has dominion over mere splinter-group
  opinion, such as the confessors.

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Novatian Anti-pope

• Priest in Rome (d. 258)
• Opposed Cornelius, Bishop of Rome (251-3), who
  believed that the church should welcome the
  lapsed back into the church
• Novatian led strict party and became rival to the
  Catholic bishop of Rome
• Novatianists would not allow any who lapsed to
  return to the church
• Cyprian sided with Cornelius against Novatian

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Two Priorities of the Church

• Purity of the Church
• Forgiving Love
• Result Penitential System

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Valerian (253-260)
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Valerians Persecution (258-9)

• Cyprian and Novatian both martyred, 258
• Christians began meeting in catacombs and
  cemeteries

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Diocletian (284-305)
The Great Persecution (303-311)
Galerius (305-311)
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The Great Persecution (303-311)

• Persecution was instigated by Galerius
• Persecution increased in intensity

• Started by evicting Christians from army
• Edict of 303, removed Christians from civil
  positions
• Ordered the destruction of churches and burning
  of Scriptures
• Those who surrendered Scriptures for destruction
  were called traditors
• Eventually required all Christians to sacrifice
  to the gods, and all church leaders were arrested

• Most severe and widespread persecution under the
  Roman Empire

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Edict of Toleration (311)

• In 305, Galerius forced Diocletian to abdicate
• In 311, Galerius became ill Christians convinced
  him it was Gods punishment for persecuting them
• Edict of Toleration 1) pardoned Christians,
  allowed them to pursue their faith and to
  assemble together
• 2) required them to pray to their God for the
  emperor and the public good.

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Constantine(306-324)
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Constantine Conquest of Western Empire (312)

• War against Maxentius
• Eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge
• Saw a vision

• Chi Rho
• In hoc signes vinces In this sign, you will
  conquer

• He painted the Chi-Rho on his soldiers shields
• Maxentius drowned in river

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Edict of Milan (313)

• Constantine met with Licinius at Milan and
  established an alliance which required the
  cessation of Christian persecution
• Maximinus Daia (eastern emperor) continued
  persecution until he was defeated by Licinius
• In 324, Constantine defeated Licinius and became
  sole emperor then persecution of Christians
  ceased throughout the empire.

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Results of Persecution

• A testimony that spawned growth
• Apologetic writings, establishment of early
  Christian theology
• Purity of the church
• Superstitions relics of martyrs became revered
  as fetishes sites of martyrdom attracted
  pilgrimages
• Division over question of the lapsed