1 / 17

Persecution & Martyrdom in the Early Church

Persecution & Martyrdom in the Early Church. Why were Christians Persecuted?. Political Reasons: Christians refused to recognize Emperor as Lord. Christians were viewed as a danger to The State. Christians became easy scapegoats for rulers like Nero. Why were Christians Persecuted?.

gabby
Download Presentation

Persecution & Martyrdom in the Early Church

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Persecution &Martyrdomin the Early Church

  2. Why were Christians Persecuted? Political Reasons: • Christians refused to recognize Emperor as Lord. • Christians were viewed as a danger to The State. • Christians became easy scapegoats for rulers like Nero

  3. Why were Christians Persecuted? Moral Reasons: • Christians lived by a different morality than pagans. • The Christian’s morality condemned pagan wickedness.

  4. The Fires of Persecution

  5. Martyrs of Lyons

  6. Amphitheater in Lyons

  7. Emperors & Martyrs • Nero • fire destroyed much of Rome • Rumor spread that Nero ordered the fire to make room for his new city, Neropolis • He used Christians as a scapegoat.

  8. Simon Peteraccording to tradition, was crucified upside down

  9. Apostle Paulaccording to tradition was beheaded

  10. The Great Persecution (303-311) Diocletian(284-305) Galerius (305-311)

  11. Diocletian • Paranoid Emperor • Most savage of persecutions. • Destroyed Church Buildings. • Destroyed Bibles and Writings. • Removed legal rights of Christians. • Imprisoned Clergy • Mutilated and murdered Christians.

  12. Edict of Toleration • In 305, Galerius forced Diocletian to resign • Galerius became ill; Christians convinced him it was God’s punishment for persecuting them • Edict of Toleration: 1) pardoned Christians, allowed them to pursue their faith and to assemble together 2) required them to pray to their God for the emperor and the public good.

  13. Constantine(306-324)

  14. WEST Maxentius (Emperor) Constantine (Caesar) EAST Maximinus Daia (Emperor) Licinius (Caesar)

  15. Constantine: Conquest of Western Empire (312) • War against Maxentius • Eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge • Saw a vision: • Chi & Rho • In hoc signes vinces – “In this sign, you will conquer” • He painted the Chi-Rho on his soldiers’ shields • Maxentiusdrowned in river

  16. Edict of Milan (313) • Constantine met with Licinius at Milan and established an alliance which required the cessation of Christian persecution • MaximinusDaia (eastern emperor) continued persecution until he was defeated by Licinius • In 324, Constantine defeated Licinius and became sole emperor; then persecution of Christians ceased throughout the empire.

  17. WEST Maxentius (Emperor) Constantine (Caesar) EAST Maximinus Daia (Emperor) Licinius (Caesar)

More Related