How How Persecutions Persecutions

Shaped Shaped DiscipleshipDiscipleship

(Unit 4/5)(Unit 4/5)

Context: Context: The Roman Empire, 100-313 ADThe Roman Empire, 100-313 ADGrowing pressure on the bordersGrowing pressure on the borders

Increasing tax burdenIncreasing tax burden

Pressure on the emperors to create a more Pressure on the emperors to create a more stable societystable society

Roman View of Religion

Primarily a social activity

Used to promote unity and loyalty to the state

Romans called it pietas (piety)

Cicero (106 – 43 BCE) said that if pietas were to disappear, so would the social order

Roman View of Christianity

Not pietas but superstitio

Superstitio was more than “superstition” it meant something foreign and different (negative)

New and innovative teachings and beliefs were not trusted…

Context: Christian ValuesContext: Christian Values

At the center: a relationship with Christ in communion At the center: a relationship with Christ in communion with the Churchwith the ChurchA life A life transformed by faithtransformed by faith ... ... ... with the promise of ultimate transformation of ... with the promise of ultimate transformation of resurrection and eternal liferesurrection and eternal life

Where the Tensions AriseWhere the Tensions Arise

Rome needs soldiersRome needs soldiers– Christians refuse to serve in the armyChristians refuse to serve in the army

Rome worships the gods of hearth and homeRome worships the gods of hearth and home– Christians refuse to worship their ancestral godsChristians refuse to worship their ancestral gods

As pacifists, Christians undermine the social As pacifists, Christians undermine the social orderorder– Their most sacred rites are not open to the public, Their most sacred rites are not open to the public,

making them an easy target for accusation and making them an easy target for accusation and ridicule.ridicule.

Enemies of the StateEnemies of the State

The law forbade anything like ChristianityThe law forbade anything like ChristianityPersecutions were local and sporadic at firstPersecutions were local and sporadic at firstFirst empire-wide persecution under Decius in 250First empire-wide persecution under Decius in 250Worst persecution: Worst persecution: Diocletian (303-311Diocletian (303-311))

Diocletian (303-311)

Complete conformity

Bring unity…really?

Ordered churches destroyed

Sacred books burned

Leaders executed

Bishop of Benevento in Campania, martyred under the persecution of Emperor

Diocletian.

Perseverance through suffering…why?

Light at the end…Light at the end…This is a “pearl of great price” which makes This is a “pearl of great price” which makes life before resurrection important, but not life before resurrection important, but not mostmost important important““In the world, but not of the world”In the world, but not of the world”

What does this mean?

Where does Ignatius/Perpetua fit in?

Ignatius of Antioch“Epistle to the Romans”

Why would someone be “ready to die” for their faith?Explain the concept of desire in each passage…what does God desire of us?Group 1: Chapter IVGroup 2: Chapter VII

Christian values vs Roman Empire:“Ignatius and Perpetua”

Now we need to remind ourselves of the Christian values of the time and why they conflicted with Roman society:

1.Communion

2.Transformation by faith

3.Promise of Eternal Life

4.“In the world, but not of the world…”

Ignatius Letter Notes (section 2)

Okay with death…self sacrifice…knows that there is a promise of transformation

Purpose for dying…transformed

“Spirit is forever” not the body

No worldly possessions

“Freed through suffering”…God is present (blessing)…moving into fullness of life with Christ

“Letter of Ignatius” Notes…

Self sacrifice

Desire to enter KOG = trust/faith=fidelity!

“not to desire anything worldly” (ch.4)

“Freed-man through service and suffering…” = God is always present/ if we’re transformed (in the spirit)…then eternal life is achievable

Ignatius Continued…ch 7 (section 2)

World will try and corrupt him…take him away from God

Eager to die… “wants to”? Readiness to meet God…sacrifice…REBORN

Body not as important as Spirit

Bread of Life/Blood of Life…DESIRE is for God and not this world… suffering included

“Ignatius” Continued (ch 7)

If we have desires in the world, then we cannot have a desire to be with Jesus = in the spirit (ch 7)

“Do not speak of Jesus Christ, and yet set your desires on the world”

Don’t fear death if we are transformed…

“Bread/Blood of Life”…not attached to his physical form

Perpetua Notes

Christian!In prison…knows she will dieHelped by deacons in prisonVision = ladder of bronze/serpent…garden/paradiseThemes= eternal life/no fear of physical death. Also transformedSerpent = as a barrier into eternal life = STEPS ON ITS HEADAccepting physical death

Perpetua Notes Continued…

“ In the net” = she doesn’t even realize that she’s with the beast (transformed in the spirit)Saturus = “second Baptism” (covered in blood) = renewed and cleansed and Baptized into eternal life Body not the end“Ring” = to inspire others/help them remember

“Perpetua’s Passion” Notes…

Proclaiming that she is Christian

Moved to prison (helped by deacons)

Vision of the “bronze ladder”:

Courage through faith…stepping on the serpents head

Passion = physical death is coming

In the spirit…doesn’t realize she’s in the net

Perpetua Continued

No fear

“Second Baptism”…covered in blood meaning that he is renewed at death.

Perpetua’s death

Ring as a sign of remembrance

Choosing Life ... but which one?Choosing Life ... but which one?

Accepting Accepting BaptismBaptism is choosing to accept the new life is choosing to accept the new life of Christof Christ

““MartyrosMartyros”: Greek for “witness”: Greek for “witness

What does this mean?What does this mean?

But the continued growth in that life is a series of But the continued growth in that life is a series of ongoing choices…ongoing choices…

Christians experienced the ongoing struggle to Christians experienced the ongoing struggle to choose Christchoose Christ as a contest with the forces of Satan as a contest with the forces of Satan (aka persecution!)(aka persecution!)

Results of the Persecutions…“Courage under Fire”

The sight and affect of the martyrs was supposed to weaken and decay Christianity and the Church.– However, it has an adverse

affect, it made Christianity stronger and more resilient!

– People were able to see examples of courage and “faith under fire!”

– SympathySympathy from common from common people for extreme brutalitypeople for extreme brutality

Outside the Times of PersecutionOutside the Times of Persecution

Christianity continued to Christianity continued to growgrow

““The blood of the martyrs is the The blood of the martyrs is the seedseed of of the Church” — Tertullianthe Church” — Tertullian

Christian writers offered a defense of Christian writers offered a defense of Christian practice… Christian practice…

ApologistsApologists: defenders of the faith: defenders of the faith

““apologiaapologia”: which means “to defend””: which means “to defend”

Choosing Life ... but which one?Choosing Life ... but which one?

Christians who were transformed gave Christians who were transformed gave witnesswitness to to their relationship with Jesus and the power of the their relationship with Jesus and the power of the Spirit.Spirit.

““MartyrosMartyros”: Greek for “witness”: Greek for “witness

The ultimate “bad choice” was apostasy… The ultimate “bad choice” was apostasy…

Apostasy: “ giving up your faith”Apostasy: “ giving up your faith”

But what happened when the apostates want to be But what happened when the apostates want to be reunited reunited with the church community?with the church community?

Can Apostates Re-unite?Can Apostates Re-unite?

Apostasy was a challenge for the early Church Apostasy was a challenge for the early Church and raised the issue: and raised the issue: can the ultimate denial of can the ultimate denial of Christ be forgivenChrist be forgiven??Sacramental practice of Sacramental practice of penance/reconciliationpenance/reconciliation developeddevelopedAfter a long period of public penance, the penitent After a long period of public penance, the penitent would be formally re-admitted to communionwould be formally re-admitted to communionIt was a one time offer!It was a one time offer!

The End and the AftermathThe End and the Aftermath

Diocletian feels the pressure from all sides Diocletian feels the pressure from all sides and decides Rome is at risk of being and decides Rome is at risk of being abandoned by the godsabandoned by the gods303: Church leaders are required to surrender sacred 303: Church leaders are required to surrender sacred books; churches are locked up; Christians who refuse to books; churches are locked up; Christians who refuse to

apostatize are killedapostatize are killed

Constantine and the ChurchConstantine and the Church

Constantine:Constantine: attributes his success in 312 to attributes his success in 312 to the Christian Godthe Christian GodWas a pagan (worshiped the sun God)Was a pagan (worshiped the sun God)Vision: victory through the sign of Christ = Vision: victory through the sign of Christ = XPXP (chi-rho) = these are the first two Greek letters (chi-rho) = these are the first two Greek letters of Christ’s name…of Christ’s name…

Result: “Edict of Milan”

Issued in 313

Granted freedom of worship to Christian in the Roman Empire

“Open” religious status!

New political role for Church leaders…

Tension between being “true to faith” or “loyal to the government”??

The Aftermath ContinuedThe Aftermath Continued……

325: 325: ConstantineConstantine directs the bishops to meet and directs the bishops to meet and settle questions about what Christians believe settle questions about what Christians believe (Nicene Creed results)(Nicene Creed results)– He saw himself as the ultimate authority in society, He saw himself as the ultimate authority in society,

and so involved himself in the running of the churchand so involved himself in the running of the church

The imperial The imperial rights for bishopsrights for bishops bring imperial bring imperial duties, mixing church leadership and concerns duties, mixing church leadership and concerns with political oneswith political onesA “state religion” and a history of state leaders A “state religion” and a history of state leaders treating the church as a tool for managing society treating the church as a tool for managing society

Reprise: Effects of the Reprise: Effects of the PersecutionsPersecutions

Reverence of relics, the Communion of Reverence of relics, the Communion of SaintsSaints

Development of the Sacrament of PenanceDevelopment of the Sacrament of Penance

The exemplar Christian: prepared to undergo The exemplar Christian: prepared to undergo any test of pain or threat of death in order to any test of pain or threat of death in order to give witness to the truth give witness to the truth

Some seek to prepare themselves for the Some seek to prepare themselves for the contest through a life of self discipline (more contest through a life of self discipline (more on this next unit)on this next unit)