A Critical Interpretation of Hans Kung?s Historical Analysis of the Development of the Hierarchical Church

‘Christians to the lions’ as Trajan would say, an emperor in the early centuries Christianity to them have alienated the favour of their gods which has and would continue to cause disasters in the Roman Empire. The misfortune of Christians did not stop during this period, but it did come to a composed halt as Galerius, gave Christians the right to worship in some sense. Christianity during the early stages was clearly a course of persecution and forced pagan accusations. Constantine dramatically changed the recourse of religions with the battle of Milvian Bridge as Christianity became the predominant religion of the Roman Empire.

From the third to the fourth century, the Roman Empire witnessed a widespread attempt to stop the spread of Christianity. Initially, leaders of the church were predominately targeted, but later anyone admitting to Christianity became a target. The persecutions hit a climax during Diocletian’s reign. These persecutions actually helped the spread of Christianity by glorifying Christians and beginning a tradition of martyrdom that shaped the Church, and the strength that Christians displayed shows that the persecutions could not have possible stopped the spread of Christianity.

• Refers to rapid spread of Christianity among all classes of people, as well as Roman citizens that are sent to Rome for trial. “They have high ethical standards and if they repeatedly admit they honor Christ as God they are executed”.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages and into the duration of the Renaissance, the Medieval Church’s social and political power dwindled. Centuries prior the Catholic Church gained a surplus of control, largely due to the stability it maintained during the chaotic breakdown of the Western Roman Empire . Yet toward the end of the Middle Ages the Church set in motion factors that would ultimately lead to its downfall as the definitive figure of authority. However, despite political and social controversy surrounding the church, the institutions it established cleared a path for a new way of thinking, shaping society in an enduring way.

In contrast to the persecution experienced by early Christian followers, Christianity today does not experience the level of outward persecution. Christianity is practiced in an atmosphere nearly void of violence. It was not until the reign of Constantine when Christians were authorized to practice their chosen faith. The “Ediet of Milan”(313 A.D.), gave official recognition to the Christian faith, thus ending persecution within the Roman Empire. Before Constantine’s rule, there were many rulers eager to drive out the Christians. The Emperor Trajan (98-117 A.D.) established the first official policy relating to Christians and how they should be dealt with. Diocletion and the Apologists were the last of the persecutors in this era before Constantine. This marked the end of open persecution

When the Roman Empire collapsed, the Catholic Church was the only powerful authority not complete disrupted by the attack by barbarians. In fact, the work of great Popes is what helped their power increase even more. The newly christened barbarians, done by the Pope Gregory the Great, inaugurated a new age in Jesus Christ called Christendom. All culture in Christendom conformed to that of the Church’s, and, with its headquarters in Rome, the powerful “papal monarchs”, as they were called, controlled the machine that was the Catholic Church.

Martin Luther was an influential scholar, professor, and monk in the 16th century who transformed the Catholic Church by sparking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation was written by Luther in 1520. Within the text, Luther challenges the three walls of the Church and instigates an ecclesiastical movement. Luther exhorts and rebukes the authority and ideals of the Roman Catholic Church. Because the walls surrounding the Church are leading to corruption and are hindering transformation, Luther’s argument for completely disbanding all the walls that the Romanists have developed is the best attempt to revolutionize the Church.

While the church was busy trying to maintain its biblical principles while also trying to be evangelistic and counter the culture; it was undergoing persecution within the Roman Empire. In the earlier years of Christianity, as mentioned before, they were not distinguishable from the Jewish religion. Because of the Jewish religion stirring up trouble and the Christian preaching, which sounded to the Roman mindset like the act of rebellion, the church faced

In Birth of a Worldview: Early Christianity in its Jewish and Pagan Context, Robert Doran attempts to analyze the development of Christianity in the early period of its formation and how it related to the Jewish and the pagan (Roman) religions throughout its development in early times. The text begins with a historical outline of the development of the early Christian world and then delves into a more theological analysis in the latter portions. The development of the book mirrors the development of Christianity itself, which was focused early on with finding ways to worship and expand the faith in a world that was very anti-Christian. Once it had become more accepted throughout the world, Christian writing and thought about

In the early, 300’s A.D, Christians were severely persecuted for abandoning their ancestral faith. Many Christians were tortured and killed for continuing to practice their faith when Roman laws forbid them. However, under the leadership of Emperor Constantine and his successor Theodosius, Christians were free to practice without persecution. The strengthening relationship between church and state resulted in the end of religious persecution of Christians and the acceptance of Christianity. This essay will show how Roman laws changed the placement of Christian in society and ultimately the future of Christianity.

Christians have been persecuted around the world for their faith during varying periods of time since the birth of the religion. Even today there are stories of Christians being killed or beaten severely at the hands of Hindu extremists in India or in places like China and North Korea. Yet Christianity thrives as the world’s largest religion. Persecution of Christians was especially brutal and widespread during the fourth century in the Roman Empire. Christians were tortured until they denied Christ or killed if they refused, their possessions, houses and buildings were confiscated and they were forced to observe pagan sacrificial traditions. Constantine the Great’s rise to power brought about tremendous change in Roman attitudes and laws from absolutely destroying Christians to accepting, protecting and even supporting the furthering of Christianity.

Christians went from being persecuted to dominating Rome rather quickly. In a world where separation between church and state does not exist, a Christian becoming the sole emperor of Rome symbolized a huge turning point in history. The power switched and the Pagans in turn became persecuted. Christians rose up and took control of all aspects of Roman society. The Pagan past was destroyed, banned, or forgotten about. Those Christians that did not agree with how things were being run either left the empire and became monks or formed their own sect. All of Rome changed.

This specific chapter talks about "the persecution of the early Christians under the Roman rule and how they endured suffering (Moss, 2013, page 127)." Jesus Christ started persecution. The Jewish leaders persecuted him because he claimed to be the human incarnate of God. “The Jews sought to kill Jesus because He spoke against them. So, it's not the Romans, but the Jews who were responsible for the death of Jesus (Moss, 2013, page 130)." His followers continued

By the late 1500s, Christian denominations had been popping up all over Europe. This was in response to the reports of indulgences (selling of freedom from purgatory), clerical immorality, abuse of money, along with many other bad actions that were rampant among the Church. It was these problems that Luther and others rebelled and created their own religions. With the rising of these Reformation movements, the Church needed to make some reforms itself. These reforms took the form of educating the clergy, opening monasteries, the Inquisition, and the organizing of councils. In fact, even though Protestant attacks brought these reforms, many of these reforms were needed anyway. The problems in the Church were so bad that the Church would not

Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume I: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation. Second Edi. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2010.