Church History Month Week 1 Proclaim or Defend?: Proclaim or Defend?: Growth and Persecution in the Early Church March 1 /March 4, 2010 March 1 /March.

Church History Church History MonthMonth

Week 1Week 1

Proclaim or Defend?:Proclaim or Defend?:Growth and Persecution Growth and Persecution in the Early Churchin the Early Church

March 1 /March 4, 2010March 1 /March 4, 2010

Their Story Our Story History

The Roman Empire during the The Roman Empire during the 22ndnd Century Century

Let no one come to us who has been Let no one come to us who has been instructed, or who is wise or prudent instructed, or who is wise or prudent (for such qualifications are deemed evil (for such qualifications are deemed evil by us); but if there be any ignorant, or by us); but if there be any ignorant, or unintelligent, or uninstructed, or foolish unintelligent, or uninstructed, or foolish persons, let them come with confidence. persons, let them come with confidence. By which words, acknowledging that By which words, acknowledging that such individuals are worthy of their such individuals are worthy of their God, they manifestly show that they God, they manifestly show that they desire and are able to gain over only the desire and are able to gain over only the silly, and the mean, and the stupid, with silly, and the mean, and the stupid, with women and children.”…( from Origen, women and children.”…( from Origen, Contra CelsusContra Celsus, 3.44), 3.44)

God is good, and beautiful, and blessed, and that God is good, and beautiful, and blessed, and that

in the best and most beautiful degree. But if he in the best and most beautiful degree. But if he come down among men, he must undergo a come down among men, he must undergo a change, and a change from good to evil, from change, and a change from good to evil, from virtue to vice, from happiness to misery, and virtue to vice, from happiness to misery, and from best to worst. Who, then, would make from best to worst. Who, then, would make choice of such a change? It is the nature of a choice of such a change? It is the nature of a mortal, indeed, to undergo change and mortal, indeed, to undergo change and remoulding, but of an immortal to remain the remoulding, but of an immortal to remain the same and unaltered. God, then, could not admit same and unaltered. God, then, could not admit of such a change."...( from Origen, of such a change."...( from Origen, Contra Contra CelsusCelsus, 4.14), 4.14)

Justin Martyr (100-165)Justin Martyr (100-165)

Marcion (85-160)Marcion (85-160)

As I have already observed, the Church, As I have already observed, the Church, having received this preaching and this having received this preaching and this faith, although scattered throughout the faith, although scattered throughout the whole world, yet, as if occupying but one whole world, yet, as if occupying but one house, carefully preserves it. She also house, carefully preserves it. She also believes these points [of doctrine] just as believes these points [of doctrine] just as if she had but one soul, and one and the if she had but one soul, and one and the same heart, and she proclaims them, and same heart, and she proclaims them, and teaches them, and hands them down, teaches them, and hands them down, with perfect harmony, as if she possessed with perfect harmony, as if she possessed only one mouth.only one mouth.(Irenaeus, (Irenaeus, Against HeresiesAgainst Heresies, 1.10.1-2), 1.10.1-2)

It is within the power of all, therefore, in It is within the power of all, therefore, in

every Church, who may wish to see the every Church, who may wish to see the truth, to contemplate clearly the truth, to contemplate clearly the tradition of the apostles manifested tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world; and we are throughout the whole world; and we are in a position to reckon up those who in a position to reckon up those who were by the apostles instituted bishops were by the apostles instituted bishops in the Churches, and [to demonstrate] in the Churches, and [to demonstrate] the succession of these men to our own the succession of these men to our own times; those who neither taught nor times; those who neither taught nor knew of anything like what these knew of anything like what these [heretics] rave about (Irenaeus, [heretics] rave about (Irenaeus, Against Against HeresiesHeresies, 3.3.1)., 3.3.1).

Irenaeus of LyonsIrenaeus of Lyons

Tertullian (c. 160-220)Tertullian (c. 160-220)

““no one would be willing to die no one would be willing to die unless he unless he possessed the possessed the truth” (truth” (ScorpiaceScorpiace, 8), 8)

Emperor Domitian(c96 A.D.)

Christianity is “nothing more than a depraved and extravagant superstition.”

~Pliny the Younger

Roman Amphitheatre at Amman, built in the 2nd century

Polycarp, (c69-155

A.D.)

Felicity and Perpetua

(Early 3rd century)

““They declared that the sum of their guilt or error had They declared that the sum of their guilt or error had amounted to only this, that on an appointed day they amounted to only this, that on an appointed day they had been accustomed to meet before daybreak and to had been accustomed to meet before daybreak and to recite a hymn to Christ, as to a God, and to bind recite a hymn to Christ, as to a God, and to bind themselves to an oath … to abstain from theft, themselves to an oath … to abstain from theft, robbery, adultery and breach of faith, and not to deny robbery, adultery and breach of faith, and not to deny a deposit when it was claimed. After the conclusion of a deposit when it was claimed. After the conclusion of this ceremony it was their custom to depart and meet this ceremony it was their custom to depart and meet again to take food; but it was ordinary and harmless again to take food; but it was ordinary and harmless food, and they had ceased this practice after my edict food, and they had ceased this practice after my edict in which … I had forbidden secret societies.”in which … I had forbidden secret societies.”

~ Pliny, ~ Pliny, LettersLetters, 10.96 , 10.96

Early Christian Early Christian SarcophogiSarcophogi

““These gifts are not taken and spent on feasts and These gifts are not taken and spent on feasts and drinking bouts and eating houses, but to support and drinking bouts and eating houses, but to support and bury poor people; to supply the wants of boys and girls bury poor people; to supply the wants of boys and girls who have no means or parents; and of the old persons who have no means or parents; and of the old persons confined now to the house; such too as have suffered confined now to the house; such too as have suffered shipwrecks; and if there happen to be any in the mines shipwrecks; and if there happen to be any in the mines or banished to the islands or shut up in prisons, for or banished to the islands or shut up in prisons, for nothing but their faithfulness to the cause of God’s nothing but their faithfulness to the cause of God’s church, they are cared for by Christians. It is mainly church, they are cared for by Christians. It is mainly the deed of a love so noble that it led many to put a the deed of a love so noble that it led many to put a brand on us. ‘See,’ they say, ‘how they love one brand on us. ‘See,’ they say, ‘how they love one another.’”another.’”

~ Tertullian, ~ Tertullian, ApologyApology

““For Christians are not distinguished from the For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind in country or customs-- they rest of mankind in country or customs-- they do not live somewhere in cities on their own do not live somewhere in cities on their own or use some distinctive language or practice a or use some distinctive language or practice a peculiar way of life. Though they … follow peculiar way of life. Though they … follow local customs in dress and food and the rest local customs in dress and food and the rest of their living, their own way of life which of their living, their own way of life which they display is wonderful and admittedly they display is wonderful and admittedly strange… They take part in everything like strange… They take part in everything like citizens and endure everything like aliens…citizens and endure everything like aliens…like everyone else they marry, they have like everyone else they marry, they have children, but not a common bed…they remain children, but not a common bed…they remain on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.”on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.”

~letter from an unknown Christian to ~letter from an unknown Christian to Diogentus Diogentus

(ca. 150-180 A.D.)(ca. 150-180 A.D.)

““the blood of the martyrs is seed of the blood of the martyrs is seed of the church”the church”

~Tertullian~Tertullian

Emperor Constantine at the Emperor Constantine at the Battle of Mivian Bridge, Battle of Mivian Bridge,

312312