This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden, under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see-brigands on the high roads, pirates on the seas; in the amphitheatres men murdered to please applauding crowds; under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is really a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. Yet in the midst of it I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasures of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians - and I am one of them.
St. Cyprian, c. 258, a letter
Showing posts with label church history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church history. Show all posts
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
The Early Christians...
...In their own words.
I've been dipping into The Early Christians In Their Own Words, a 'topically arranged collection of primary sources', edited by Eberhard Arnold, the founder of the Bruderhof community.
These texts, translated from Greek, Latin and Hebrew, range from letters and accounts to apologetics, poetry and confession, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the life of the 1st and 2nd century Christians.
The most striking texts I've read so far are those concerning the martyrs. The most revealing perhaps is a letter from Gaius Pliny, the governor in Asia Minor, to the Emperor Trajan, asking for advice on prosecuting Christians: "I do not know what or how much to punish or to investigate." He asks whether Christians should be punished even if there is no crime, how he should determine guilt where names had been given by an informer, and whether he should acquit those who denied being a Christian and worshipped the statues of the gods. As regards the last, he points out: "It is said that those who really are Christians cannot be compelled to do any of these things in any circumstances."
Gaius Pliny explains that Christians who continued to confess their faith, despite threat of the death penalty, were "led away to their death, for I had no doubt that, whatever is was that they confessed, their stubborness and inflexible obstinacy certainly deserved to be punished."
He also reveals his concern about the large number of those 'imperiled': "The contagion of this superstition has spread not only in the cities but even to the villages and to the country districts."
Trajan replies that Pliny has followed the correct procedure and explains that Christians "should not be sought out", and should be pardoned on 'repentance'.
There is a further letter from the Emperor Hadrian, again concerning the legal implications. His instruction is that accusations against Christians should go through the proper channels and proof should be given that "the people concerned are acting against the law". He also speaks strongly against accusations brought with "slanderous intention".
It's amazing to get such a clear picture, from the Roman authorities, of the life and health of the early church. The letters reveal the very real danger of life as an early Christian and yet the church is clearly growing and thriving, and with a reputation preceeding it - that the Christians would rather die than recount their faith.
Finally, Pliny also offers what is apparently the earliest external account of Christian worship, describing "their custom to meet on a fixed day before sunlight and, alternating with each other, to sing a hymn to Christ as to a god.... After doing this it was their custom to part from one another and then to meet again to share an ordinary and harmless meal."
(If you're interested in reading the correspondance for yourself, the link at the top of the page takes you to the ebook version, in pdf format. )
I've been dipping into The Early Christians In Their Own Words, a 'topically arranged collection of primary sources', edited by Eberhard Arnold, the founder of the Bruderhof community.
These texts, translated from Greek, Latin and Hebrew, range from letters and accounts to apologetics, poetry and confession, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the life of the 1st and 2nd century Christians.
The most striking texts I've read so far are those concerning the martyrs. The most revealing perhaps is a letter from Gaius Pliny, the governor in Asia Minor, to the Emperor Trajan, asking for advice on prosecuting Christians: "I do not know what or how much to punish or to investigate." He asks whether Christians should be punished even if there is no crime, how he should determine guilt where names had been given by an informer, and whether he should acquit those who denied being a Christian and worshipped the statues of the gods. As regards the last, he points out: "It is said that those who really are Christians cannot be compelled to do any of these things in any circumstances."
Gaius Pliny explains that Christians who continued to confess their faith, despite threat of the death penalty, were "led away to their death, for I had no doubt that, whatever is was that they confessed, their stubborness and inflexible obstinacy certainly deserved to be punished."
He also reveals his concern about the large number of those 'imperiled': "The contagion of this superstition has spread not only in the cities but even to the villages and to the country districts."
Trajan replies that Pliny has followed the correct procedure and explains that Christians "should not be sought out", and should be pardoned on 'repentance'.
There is a further letter from the Emperor Hadrian, again concerning the legal implications. His instruction is that accusations against Christians should go through the proper channels and proof should be given that "the people concerned are acting against the law". He also speaks strongly against accusations brought with "slanderous intention".
It's amazing to get such a clear picture, from the Roman authorities, of the life and health of the early church. The letters reveal the very real danger of life as an early Christian and yet the church is clearly growing and thriving, and with a reputation preceeding it - that the Christians would rather die than recount their faith.
Finally, Pliny also offers what is apparently the earliest external account of Christian worship, describing "their custom to meet on a fixed day before sunlight and, alternating with each other, to sing a hymn to Christ as to a god.... After doing this it was their custom to part from one another and then to meet again to share an ordinary and harmless meal."
(If you're interested in reading the correspondance for yourself, the link at the top of the page takes you to the ebook version, in pdf format. )
Monday, September 12, 2005
Christians in Antioch
I was reading Acts 11 this morning and noticed for the first time Luke's statement that "the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch". The notes in my Bible point out that they were called Christians because, being a mixture of Jews (speaking Greek or Aramaic) and Gentiles, Christ was all they had in common - not race, culture or language.
I was inspired by two things:
- unity IS possible in Christ, across all cultural boundaries and in the most impossible situations
- diversity is a reality, homogeneity unnecessary. Sometimes Christ is ALL we have in common. We don't have to 'click' with everybody, nor mold them in our own image, but we are called to love everyone.
I was inspired by two things:
- unity IS possible in Christ, across all cultural boundaries and in the most impossible situations
- diversity is a reality, homogeneity unnecessary. Sometimes Christ is ALL we have in common. We don't have to 'click' with everybody, nor mold them in our own image, but we are called to love everyone.
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