How Persecution Lead to the Early Church’s Growth
Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, persecution is a familiar face especially in its early years. The Bible, for one, had reflected as to how persecution shook the foundation of the Early Christians from the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament to the Book of Revelations in the New Testament. While the stories have varied in its severity on how Christians have been persecuted, it is notable that they continued to grow in small communities and eventually turned into communities still present in the period despite the torture and hardship they have faced while spreading the word of God. After the retellings noted in the Bible, persecutions have been noted in history as many Christians were killed, isolated, forced out of their homes, and even were considered heretics by people who believed they were practicing the real Gospel of the Lord. While history had painted the harsh reality Early Christians had undergone to in the early beginnings of the Church, these persecutions had actually created the foundations of change and growth the Church needed to become a strong foundation to sustain its influence to almost millions of followers practicing the faith.
Since the time of its inception, the Christian Church, like other religious faith, had already been subjected to various persecutions from various sects: from local leaders, other religious groups, and from conquerors that wished to control the faith of their subjects. The Romans were notorious as noted by history, to be some of the most forceful people to have begun the tradition of persecuting Christians. Eventually, it had resulted into the deaths of many saints and martyrs who were found guilty of spreading the Word of God and the laws under Christianity. In the early period, the most basic reason for persecution was the fact that the Church had not allowed emperor-worship to be practiced by its members. In turn, the Roman Empire had forced and ordered their people to hate, imprison and execute Christians. Of course the Christians had to tell the Romans they could not make a compromise over their belief as it would only promote polytheism that Christianity did not teach. The Romans, albeit accepted other religions, believed in fact their emperors were gods themselves as they embody the entire Roman Empire. With Christians not accepting a compromise with the Romans over worshiping the emperors, the Romans eventually grew resentment against the Christians and persecuted them.
Aside from the fact Christianity had not allowed its followers to practice Roman religion, some Christians were persecuted due to the very fact that people claimed their were atheists, who did not care for the lives of others as they refused to take part in the army or serve in the government. There were also those who did not take part in public sorties and send their children to school. Many citizens who just bowed down to the whim of the Emperor claimed that these Christians caused the displeasure of the gods, breaking their society and lives in the process. Some had also noted that Christians were practicing immoral activities in their religious sorties. Christians were noted to commit adultery, incest, and even eat human flesh. The charges itself were pretty severe given the clandestine activities Christians had to practice at night. Aside from this, Christians were also accused of treason against the state due to their religions. Romans and their supporters claim that these Christians would incite revolt within the government. With the growth of the Church’s organization and power, it was seen by many as an organization that promotes conflict between the Roman laws and the laws of the Church. Finally, there were a few who also persecuted Christians due to the contradictions noted in the Scriptures, as well as the continuous of Christians to refer themselves as Christians as Jesus Christ was not very popular with the Christians in the period. Eventually, this had led to many of them being persecuted just because they referred to themselves as Christians .
The extent of the Christian Persecutions had varied throughout the Early History and through the Empires that have passed. There were even cases that Christians could freely practice their religion without feeling molested or persecuted. The persecutions only began sometime in 250 AD in the time of Decius. By 202 AD, conversion to Christianity was forbidden and the Christian clergy were executed to prevent the administration of Christian traditions and sacraments. Some decrees were also executed but they were never fully carried out by the public. Some emperors had even lain low on their position on Christianity as noted in 260-305 AD. Many had even utilized this chance to convert to Christianity in droves. However, by the time Decius (251 AD) and Valerian (257-259 AD) came into power, they ordered persecution to be implemented throughout the Empire. Under Diocletian and his successors, persecution was seen to be in its worst state. While there were direct persecution orders from the Roman Empire and from other groups who did not like Christianity, some had indirectly persecuted Christians. Some Christians were charged with various crimes, placed in unjust trials and stoned to death due to the popular belief that they were atheists and haters of law and order. One could even compare this type of persecution to how racial and ethnic minorities are treated in the later years . Regarding the total number of Christians who died as martyrs in this period, experts have clearly noted that they are uncertain as to its total number. Nonetheless, there were a few accounts that stress that almost thousands were killed due to the Christian persecutions in the Roman Empire. However, some experts believed that the number could be less than a thousand due to the fact that out of the 54 emperors who have ruled sometime around 30 AD up to 311 AD, almost 12 of them had ordered for the deaths of Christians.
With the persecution of Christians thriving in given Roman periods in the Early History, it is notable that it had pushed for the changes the Church needed to grow as a stronger community despite the persecutions done to their ranks. First and foremost, the persecutions had led to the separation of Judaism and Christianity, which now clearly shows as to how Christianity and Judaism differed. In the early stages of Christianity, many noted that it is similar to Judaism in some extend given the teachings they share and the traditions they perform in the temple. However, the persecutions done in the time of Emperor Nero had marked the separation of both religions. In the period, two Jewish wars (held sometime in 69-70 AD and 132-135 AD) had made sure the Jewish communities were dispersed throughout the land as Jerusalem fell to the enemies. In this end, it allowed Christianity to have its own mark as a separate religion and identity. There were even some records that throughout the time of the persecutions, from Nero to Trajan and Hadrian, the Jews used that time to declare formally that they excluded anyone who is seen to practice Christianity. With this announcement, the Church found itself in a dilemma to ensure that they retain the same theological philosophies Christianity has long supported even before the declaration of the Jews. As Christianity tried to redefine itself from Judaism, the Gnostic movements made its move to influence many Christian ideas and transformed Christianity as a separate religion. They also used this period to create their own version of the Scriptures with the help of the Gnostics and made their own decisions regarding the definition of Christian faith .
In addition in finding its own image as a separate religion to Judaism, the persecutions done by the Roman Empire eventually supported the creation of the Church’s identity. In Domitian, for example, his persecutions had enabled John to write the book of Revelations and called for the followers and believers of Christianity to remain faithful and strong despite the persecutions. In the reign of Emperor Trajan, many Christians, even those of Roman citizenship, showcased strong will to support their faith. In this period, the Apostolic Fathers slowly outlined the documents that would showcase the Christian leadership and how the Church must be sustained or founded. Some of the notable examples of these Apostolic writings were 1 Clement and 2 Clement (which outlined the hierarchy of the Church leadership and the story of Paul and Peter in Rome), the Didache (which became the outline for clergy men to administer Christian sacraments), the Epistle of Barnabas (which showcased Judaism), and Letters of Ignatius (which contained letters Ignatius of Antioch sent to various Churches to remain strong with their faith and eventually became the foundation of the monoepiscopacy, having one bishop or cardinal rule over the region).
Aside from the separation from Judaism and its subsequent effect in enabling Christianity find its own image, persecution eventually led to the qualitative growth of the Church which is powered by martyrdom. As noted, the Early Christians had faced both indirect and direct means of persecution from the Roman Empire and from the people who did not accept Christianity. Many Christians had tried to flee from these areas, while some had faced dead on the persecution of the Romans due to their strong fate. Martyrdom in itself exhibited the deep commitment of many Early Christians to the word of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. While many of them had indeed died, their followers slowly eluded stronger and deeper devotion to Christianity and fought any persecution against them. The martyrs became the key for early Christians to find newer meanings to their devotion to Christ as these martyrs were considered similar to Christ, considering them close to the Lord. The early Christians respected and revered the lives and sacrifices these martyrs went through, eventually influencing their faith. The martyrs were also considered by Christians similar to that of bishops and the members of the clergy, who could forgive sin and perform extraordinary traits. Considerably, the Church considered the early years as the “Age of the Martyrs” as many were killed in the name of the Lord. Their deaths, many stressed, also redefined the concept of Christ and the liturgy, creating a more defined image of the Church and Christianity in its entirety from other religions .
The Church also became a tight knit community on the verge of persecution from the Roman Empire. While before, it could be noted that Christians were mostly practicing their religions haphazardly, the persecutions had made them reassess as to how people see their religion and who should gain access to their traditions. While others could see this as the very disadvantage placed on Christianity by persecution, it actually sustained the belief that they are also embodying Christ’s life in their own way, strengthening their faith and accepted that their suffering was a means to make them humble. In this end, even the heathens are humbled by the very life of Christians and admired them for their loyalty and faith. Christians had also gone in full lengths to make sure they could escape the harsh persecutions done by the Romans unto them by relocating their meetings and adjusting their traditions to fit spaces like catacombs and even offered houses to worship. Eventually, this enabled the Christians to grow as the persecutions passed and created stronger ties with one another, allowing the Church, upon the end of the persecutions to remain as a solid religion, despite the onset of losses. Since Christians remained firm and strong over their belief and the very fact many of their traditions now are embedded deeply in the mindset of all Christians, this eventually allowed them to continue molding the Church to its strong image.
Women were also given a stronger position in the time of the persecutions in Early History. As noted in the Acts of the Apostles, women should be given just treatment and equality by men as they would be the ones capable of aiding men and provide hospitality for those who proclaim the teachings of the religions. This alone paved the way for European Christians to establish the Church since women became the means for them to create small churches in their homes while the men worked on the foundations of the Churches they wish to build. In some cases, Christian men even asked for the aid of women to aid them in performing several religious traditions while in hiding on catacombs and in house churches. Women then became a key actor in Christian worship and fellowship. Women also helped in administering several Christian traditions and acted as a leader for small Christian communities, especially of those who hid themselves in house churches. Women’s position in the early church is as expected as many women owned many of the house churches used by Early Christians on the time of the persecutions. Not only did it give women a means to be recognized as equals, it had also enabled leadership to be given to women, allowing them to aid in the growth of the Church.
Finally, the persecutions enabled the Early Church to find a medium to spread the word of God to other areas without worrying of its plausible risks while the persecutions are done. Rome itself was the center of many trade partnerships and markets, as well as the center of information gathering for its surrounding nations. While the language in the region varied from Aramaic to Greek, it enabled some Christians to use Greek to write the gospels and eventually use this to spread the word to various communities, especially to Greek speaking Christians who flock the Roman capital. By the end of the century of persecutions in the early Church, Christianity moved not only throughout Rome but also in its neighboring regions, allowing a huge number of followers to grow and support the Church. Those who were also forced out of Rome were given a chance to preach outside the Roman Empire, supporting the growth of followers outside of Rome, subsequently increasing the number of Christian followers for the Church to represent .
Given the different events in Early History that portrays the persecutions done to Christians, it is no wonder that it would eventually lead to the growth of one of the world’s main religions in practice today. Persecution in itself strengthened the faith and teachings of the Church in the early times and had enabled many to move in secret across the globe to preach the Good News despite the possibilities of being killed in the process. Indeed there have been many deaths as these persecutions had been done to Christian martyrs, saints and worshippers, but it had also ignited the flames needed by the Church to find its bearing and create the deep devotion it now reflects on its millions of followers. The persecution had also paved the way for the Church to show a strong front, especially on the onset of its end and clearly showed their unwavering spirit to practice the faith. The persecutions had also given the Church a means to separate itself from Judaism and recreate its own doctrines, image and traditions that makes it Christian in nature and not from other sects. The different authors had supported this very idea and in this end, it could be agreed that without the persecution instances throughout the Church’s history; it is likely that the Church would not be as powerful as it is today.
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