Christian Persecution From Early Civilizations

In the first half of the third century, Christian persecution was fragmented and while Christianity was illegal, there is not evidence that it was widely persecuted.

Christian life during the third century was a constant mix of small local persecution and continually being held as the scapegoats for any problem that occurred within the society.

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

Religions and its followers have been persecuted, both legally and hypothetically, for its beliefs and practices throughout history. While there are numerous examples of religious persecution around the world, here, in the United States the legal persecution of Native Americans for their use of peyote has been one of the most distinct. Another historical event, in the United States, was the legal discrimination against Mormons, in specific The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. While both cases have been historical, they have had very different outcomes from each other.

Part I – Intro: “An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.” (James A. Michener, Space) I am here today arguing a denied, avoided, and controversial topic [Christian Persecution]; and, I am doing this so that I can make the increasing amount of attacks on our first amendment rights known. The injustice here is not only the attacks on Christians’ rights to religious freedom, but also because it is ignored. The rights of everyone are compromised because no matter what religion you identify with or even one at all, there is a precedent being set that denying someone’s right is okay. “1,400 documented attacks on religious freedom, at a 15% increase over the past year and a 133% increase over the past five years.”

Christians were persecuted in the early centuries after Christ. When we hear about the persecution of Christians, you hear about genocide or Christians being dragged out of their homes to be eaten by wild animals. Christians were seen as traitors and were also blamed for the cause of every public disaster. Around 115 C.E, there was an emperor named Trajan. Trajan stated that if Christians refused to make sacrifices to the Roman gods then they would be punished by death. On page 88 it also stated, “...Christians would not go along with the sacrifices necessary for the good of the empire, and so were traitors of the empire.” Another known emperor was Nero. Emperor Nero was also involved in the persecution of Christians. Nero had caused a great

Romans was written around 57 A.D. In those days the emperor was Nero. And Nero was a man who was considered to have no morals. It is speculated that Paul and Peter were both martyred during Nero’s reign. During that time the early church was growing at a very fast rate, but was also being persecuted at an all-time high. This put the early church in a very bad position, they would have to have their gatherings in secret to hide from the Romans who persecuted them. You would think this would intimidate the

Because of the persecuted Christian's ability to live out their faith, even the persecutors can end up being saved. Kaltenbach mentions how the Apostle Paul was invited in by the early church even though he was known to persecute Christians. They were cautious, but the Spirit of God commanded

Since the time of the first apostles, Christians had been dealing with persecution. There would be times of peace, but the persecution would resume. The Roman

Since the fifth century we have been able to count ten of the major persecutions in the early Christian church which are:

There are lots of problem that early christen face. My uncle is now 95 years old and I remember he told me that outsiders used to intentionally speak against the church. People were not nice to everyone like they seen to be now. While some may have done so simply by repeating unfounded rumors, others used to do so much out of prejudice and envy. The bottom line was, the Lord’s people received a lot of unfair, bad publicity.

Persecution in the church was expected and even prized as martyrs believed suffering brought them closer to Christ. But the church abused this understanding and created a cult of saints reflective of the old paganism of Rome. The purpose of this paper is to explore the early church and the persecution and criticisms that it went through. A background of the causes of such oppression will also be discussed as well as the role that Christians at that time played during this time of hurt. This paper will utilize the time frame of the first and second century and will highlight the role of the rulers at that time and their effect on the early church.

Persecution has always been a perpetual entity within humanity, oppressing people of any and all racial backgrounds, sexual identities, creeds, and social statuses since the time of the flood. There will always be an everlasting struggle between doers of injustice and believers for change, change to correct a world in which some people in a position of privilege cannot help but look down upon others as ‘less than’ or ‘not enough’. In doing so, such ‘superior’ humans would facilitate oppression so deep-seated, so entrenched within society that it would take centuries of political and social movements to slightly ameliorate only some of the implications of institutional suppression. Believers for change will often stand up in the face of their adversity with indignation, outrage, and fervor to tear down the absurdities of the reigning oppressor. While misanthropic cynics will often present the seemingly logical view that no amount of outrage from a small group of subjugated people could effect substantial change (without disappointment or letdown), they fail to recognize that such solidified provocation from the weak and weary is the only force that ever has.

Martyrs tells us that the earliest persecution came under the rule of Nero in the year 67

Christian persecution, are so barbaric that Eusebius can only surmise that the perpetrators are being