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CHURCH HISTORY The Church Under Attack!

CHURCH HISTORY The Church Under Attack!. The picture of the Early Church. Acts 2:46-47.

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CHURCH HISTORY The Church Under Attack!

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  1. CHURCH HISTORYThe Church Under Attack!

  2. The picture of the Early Church

  3. Acts 2:46-47 “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

  4. Acts 4:33-35 “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”

  5. The Jewish Persecutions

  6. JOHN 15:20 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

  7. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Tertullian

  8. Why do you think the Jews persecuted the Christians?

  9. Early Persecutions Persecution of Peter and John (Acts 4) Persecution of the Apostolic group (Acts 5) The stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) Under Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12)

  10. The Roman Persecutions

  11. The Duration:From 60 AD to 313 AD

  12. Nero 54 - 68 AD Reason: Nero blamed the Christians for the burning of Rome Martyrs: Peter and Paul

  13. In his Annals, Tacitus states that "to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace"

  14. Domitian 81 – 96 AD Reason: Christians were charged for atheism because they refused to worship the Emperor John the beloved was exiled in Patmos

  15. Trajan 96 – 117 AD Reasons: Conversion from paganism and Unbending in their faith and practices Martyr: Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch

  16. “May the wild beasts be eager to rush upon me. if they be unwilling, I will compel them. come, crowds of wild beasts; come, tearings and manglings, wracking of bones and hacking of limbs; come, cruel tortures of the devil; only let me attain unto Christ.” Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch

  17. Hadrian 117 – 138 AD Christians were persecuted in moderation.

  18. “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he has never done me wrong; how can I blaspheme him, my King, who has served me? I am a Christian.” Polycarp of Smyrna

  19. Marcus Aurelius 138 – 161 AD Reason: Accusers of Christians were given rewards for the confiscated properties. Martyrs: Justin Martyr and Blandina, a slave girl

  20. In your opinion, how were the Christian martyrs able to face death with boldness?

  21. "Though beheaded, and crucified, and thrown to wild beasts, and chains, and fire, and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our confession; but, the more such things happen, the more do others in larger numbers become faithful." -- Justin Martyr

  22. Septimus Severus 193 – 211 AD Reason: Syncretism and To stop proselyting Martyr: Irenaeus

  23. Maximinus the Thracian 235-238 AD Local persecution and not empire wide

  24. Decius 249-251 AD Reason: Refusal to sacrifice to the gods and thereby guilty of high treason

  25. Valerian 253 – 260 AD Reason: Refusal to sacrifice to the gods Martyr: Cyprian, Origen and Sixtus II

  26. Diocletian/Galerius 284 – 311 AD Reason: Influenced by Galerius and for political unity Christians refused to join the army or left it

  27. 4 Edicts which ordered the burning of Christian books and churches. All church buildings were to be destroyed, all bibles burnt, and all Christian worship forbidden (303) All clergy arrested and imprisoned (303) 3. All clergy must offer sacrifice to the gods or face torture (303) 4. All citizens throughout the empire were to sacrifice to the gods or face execution (304)

  28. General Reasons for Persecution Jewish fears Roman political suspicions Social reasons Economic reasons Religious reasons

  29. Specific Reasons for Persecutions Charges of incest Charge of cannibalism Lack of patriotism Anti-social Causes of disasters Refusal to worship the emperor The fact of being a Christian

  30. Purposes of the Persecutions For Christians to apostatize Martyrdom of the obstinate

  31. What were the advantages or disadvantages of persecution?

  32. Positive results of the Persecutions Purification of the Church Expansion and growth of the Church Development of NT canon Relationship of Church to the State

  33. Negative results of the Persecutions Controversy over deserters. Poor literature. Fanaticism and false doctrines.

  34. The Lapsed and the Confessor Controversy

  35. SAMPLE OF LIBELLUS To those appointed to see the sacrifices: From Aurelia Charis of the Egyptian village of Theadelphia. “I have always continued to sacrifice and show reverence to the gods, and now, in your presence, I have poured a libation and sacrificed and eaten some of the sacrificial meat. I request you to certify this for me below.”

  36. What is your opinion about the “deserters”? Will you allow them to return to the church?

  37. The Final Victory

  38. 306: Constantine proclaimed emperor of the West, but the West was divided between Constantine (Britain, France, and Spain) and Maxentius (Italy and Northwest Africa). Constantine tolerant; Maxentius anti-Christian.

  39. Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312 AD) Lactantius: “Constantine received a dream to put the Christian symbol on the shields of his soldiers.” Eusebius: “Constantine saw a vision in the sky with the words: ‘in this you shall conquer’”

  40. Chi Rho symbols

  41. The Edict of Milan313 AD

  42. THE EDICT OF MILAN “Our purpose is to allow Christians and all others to worship as they desire, so that whatever Divinity lives in the heavens will be kind to us.”

  43. The Battle of Chrysopolis 324 AD(in Bithynia, Asia Minor)between Constantine and Licinius

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