What It Was Like Being An Early Christian In The Roman Empire

Summary

This script explores the early spread of Christianity amidst Roman rule, detailing the challenges faced by believers, including opposition, persecution, and the need for unity amidst diversity. It highlights the role of figures like Paul, the establishment of Judeo-Christian communities, and the eventual acceptance and challenges of mainstream Christianity under Emperor Constantine, including the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Early Christianity began during Roman rule and faced significant opposition within the empire.
• 🛣️ The Roman road network facilitated the spread of Christianity, allowing missionaries like Paul to travel extensively.
• 🌆 Despite the grandeur of Roman cities, social problems and a need for hope among the poor contributed to Christianity's appeal.
• 📖 The term 'Christian' first appeared in Acts 11:26, and early followers were known as 'saints' or members of 'The Way'.
• 🌐 The fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 led to the dispersion of Jewish and Christian communities, aiding in the spread of Christianity.
• 🏠 Early Christian gatherings took place in homes, referred to as 'households of faith', emphasizing community and spiritual connection.
• 🛡️ Persecution of Christians was sporadic but severe, with periods of intense violence under emperors like Nero and Decius.
• 🔥 The Great Fire of Rome in A.D. 64 was used as a pretext by Nero to persecute Christians, making them scapegoats for the disaster.
• 🕊️ The Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 marked the legalization of Christianity, ending centuries of persecution.
• 🏛️ The Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed were efforts to establish a unified Christian orthodoxy, leading to the exclusion of heretical groups.

Q & A

When did Christianity begin and under what circumstances?

Christianity began during the Roman rule. Early believers not only had to answer questions but also convince people that their long-held belief systems were wrong.

How did the Roman Empire's infrastructure benefit the early spread of Christianity?

The Roman Empire's intricate network of roads facilitated the travels of early Christians like Paul, who covered 10,000 miles within the empire, visiting sophisticated metropolitan centers.

What social conditions in the Roman Empire made the message of early Christians compelling to the masses?

Despite the grandeur of urban areas, they were filled with poor, struggling people who needed hope, which made the Christian message compelling.

How did warfare and the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 impact the spread of Christianity?

The fall of Jerusalem led to the diaspora of Jewish and Christian communities, which in turn led to the establishment of Judeo-Christian communities around the known world, spreading their forms of worship and beliefs.

What were the terms early believers in Jesus used to refer to themselves, and what was their significance?

Early believers referred to themselves as 'saints' or members of 'The Way.' 'Saints' signifies consecration to God, emphasizing a collective faith, while 'The Way' originates from the Hebrew concept of halakhah, indicating the direction for behavior.

Where does the term 'Christian' first appear, and in what context?

The term 'Christian' first appears in Acts 11:26, when leaders at Antioch named the believers in Christ, reflecting the growing inclusion of gentiles into the faith.

How did the dietary restrictions within Judaism create conflict for non-Jewish converts to Christianity?

The concept of unclean foods was complicated and burdensome for gentiles unfamiliar with Jewish dietary laws, leading to conflict and the eventual relaxation of these rules as more non-Jewish members joined.

What were the living conditions and activities of early Christian communities?

Early Christian communities, or parishes, were close-knit and relied on each other for preservation. Their activities included serving the poor, aiding imprisoned members, economic sharing, religious studies, and worship.

How did the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire vary over time?

Persecution of Christians came in waves, with about 12 out of 54 emperors between A.D. 30 and A.D. 311 making Christians public enemies. Local rulers also sporadically persecuted believers, with periods of intense violence such as under Emperor Nero.

What significant changes occurred for Christianity after Emperor Constantine's conversion?

Emperor Constantine's conversion brought an end to persecution in A.D. 312. His Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 legalized Christianity, leading to policies for the return of property and status for persecuted Christians, funding for church construction, and the curbing of pagan worship.

How did the Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed impact the early Christian church?

The Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed were efforts to establish an orthodoxy and unify the faith. This led to the exclusion of fringe Christian groups considered heretical, with the loss of their legal status and property.

Outlines

00:00

🏛 Early Christian Expansion in the Roman Empire

The early spread of Christianity began during Roman rule, facing opposition yet leveraging the Roman road network for travel. Early believers, like Paul, covered vast distances, spreading the message to urban centers filled with social issues and a need for hope. The growth of Christianity was also influenced by the diaspora following the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, which led to the establishment of Judeo-Christian communities worldwide. These communities were close-knit, relying on each other for survival and referred to their gatherings as 'households of faith.' The identity of early Christians was fluid, with terms like 'saints' and 'The Way' signifying their religious significance and collective faith. The term 'Christian' first appeared in Acts 11:26, reflecting the growing gentile population and the need for a distinct identity separate from Judaism.

05:02

🛡 Persecution and the Formation of Christian Identity

Christians in the Roman Empire faced intermittent persecution, with 12 out of 54 emperors between A.D. 30 and 311 declaring them public enemies. Notable periods of violence included Nero's reign, where Christians were scapegoated for the Great Fire of Rome, leading to horrific executions. The 3rd century saw empire-wide harassment under Emperor Decius, culminating in Emperor Constantine's conversion in A.D. 312, which marked the end of persecution. Early Christians had no formal churches, meeting in homes for worship and community. The blending of Jewish and gentile believers brought about tensions, particularly regarding dietary restrictions and the integration of non-Jewish members. The Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 sought to resolve these issues, allowing for a more inclusive Christian practice. Martyrdom was a stark reality for early Christians, including the Apostles, with many meeting violent ends for their faith.

10:03

🕊 Theological Debates and the Path to Legitimacy

The early Christian community grappled with theological questions about Jesus' nature and the Holy Trinity, leading to debates between 'low Christology' and 'high Christology.' The Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed attempted to establish orthodoxy, but this also resulted in the exclusion of heretical groups. Tensions between Jews and Christians were evident, with periods of peaceful coexistence as well as conflict. The New Testament reflects the broken relationship between the two, influenced by the tumultuous times. Persecution reached its peak under Emperor Septimius Severus, who initiated brutal punishments for Christians, including gladiatorial games. However, the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313 by Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity, leading to a swift acceptance and the establishment of policies supporting the Christian community. This newfound legitimacy, however, came with challenges, as the empire sought to create a unified and organized religion, often at the expense of diversity within Christian beliefs.

Keywords

💡Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a vast ancient civilization that was the dominant power in the Mediterranean region for several centuries. In the context of this video, it is significant as the setting where early Christianity began and faced opposition. The script mentions the early Christians taking advantage of the Roman roads for spreading their faith, indicating the empire's infrastructure's role in the religion's early dissemination.

💡Diaspora

Diaspora refers to the widespread dispersal of a people from their original homeland. The video script discusses how the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 led to the diaspora of Jewish and Christian communities, which in turn helped establish Judeo-Christian communities around the known world. This term is central to understanding the spread of Christianity beyond its birthplace.

💡Persecution

Persecution denotes the act of subjecting a person or group to abuse or discrimination, often due to their beliefs or identity. The script describes various instances of Christian persecution, such as the violence under Emperor Nero and the systematic harassment during the reign of Emperor Decius. This concept is essential for understanding the challenges early Christians faced in their faith.

💡Christian Parish

A Christian parish refers to a community of believers, often centered around a church. The script mentions parishes as 'households of faith,' indicating their intimate and communal nature. This term helps illustrate the organizational structure of early Christian communities and their role in providing support and identity to believers.

💡Gentiles

Gentiles, in the context of early Christianity, refers to non-Jewish individuals. The script discusses the challenges faced in incorporating gentiles into the Christian faith, particularly regarding dietary restrictions and understanding Jewish customs. This term is key to understanding the inclusivity and adaptation of Christianity as it grew.

💡Martyrdom

Martyrdom is the act of suffering or dying for one's religious beliefs. The video script recounts several instances of martyrdom among early Christians, including the Apostles Peter and Paul, and the first Christian martyr, Stephen. This concept is crucial for understanding the sacrifices made by early believers and the intensity of their faith.

💡Christology

Christology is a branch of theology that concerns the nature and person of Jesus Christ. The script touches on debates between 'low Christology,' which views Jesus as fully human, and 'high Christology,' which asserts his divinity as part of the Holy Trinity. These debates are central to the theological development of Christianity.

💡Council of Jerusalem

The Council of Jerusalem, as mentioned in the script, was a meeting of early Christian leaders to resolve disputes, particularly regarding the requirements for gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs. This term is significant for understanding the early church's efforts to establish unified practices and beliefs.

💡Edict of Milan

The Edict of Milan, issued by Emperor Constantine, was a decree that granted religious tolerance to all religions within the Roman Empire, effectively legalizing Christianity. The script highlights this as a turning point for Christianity, ending centuries of persecution and leading to the religion's widespread acceptance.

💡Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed is a statement of faith that was adopted by the Council of Nicaea, convened by Emperor Constantine. It aimed to establish a unified Christian doctrine. The script notes this as an attempt to standardize beliefs among Christians, which also led to the exclusion of those deemed heretical.

💡Judeo-Christian

Judeo-Christian refers to the shared beliefs, values, and traditions between Judaism and Christianity. The script discusses the establishment of Judeo-Christian communities and the close relationship between the two faiths in their early stages. This term is important for understanding the roots of Christianity and its connection to Judaism.

Highlights

Christianity's origins during Roman rule and the challenge of convincing people to abandon their traditional belief systems.

The Roman Empire's road network facilitated the travels of early Christians like Paul, who covered 10,000 miles.

The appeal of Christianity to the masses in sophisticated yet socially troubled urban centers.

The unintentional spread of Christianity through warfare and the diaspora following the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

The establishment of Judeo-Christian communities and the transport of their worship and charitable activities.

The close-knit nature of Christian groups due to sporadic persecutions and their reliance on one another.

The term 'Christian' first appearing in Acts 11:26, given by leaders at Antioch to believers in Christ.

The struggle to integrate gentiles into Christianity and the relaxation of dietary restrictions.

The fluctuating levels of persecution faced by Christians under different Roman emperors.

Emperor Nero's infamous persecution of Christians, using them as scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome.

The end of empire-wide persecution with Emperor Constantine's conversion in A.D. 312.

Early Christians gathering in homes for worship and the concept of 'households of faith'.

The Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 addressing the differences between Jewish and gentile believers.

The martyrdom of early Christians, including the Apostles Paul and Peter.

Theological debates on the nature of Christ and the Holy Trinity among early Christians.

The Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, legalizing Christianity and leading to its rapid acceptance.

The Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed as efforts to unify Christianity and define orthodoxy.

The challenges faced by fringe Christian groups considered heretical after the establishment of orthodoxy.

Transcripts

Everything needs to start at some time, and for Christianity, that was during Roman rule.

Being an early believer wasn't just a matter of answering questions, it also involved convincing

people that their long-held belief system was wrong.

Early Christians faced a lot of opposition within the Roman Empire, but they also took

advantage of some of its amenities, especially its intricate network of roads.

These marvels of the ancient world made the incredible voyages of early Christians such

as Paul possible.

He traveled 10,000 miles within the empire.

His trips included visits to some of the most sophisticated metropolitan centers there.

His message proved so compelling to the masses because, despite the grandeur of these urban

areas, they also contained barely concealed social problems.

They were marvels of the ancient world, but they were also filled with poor, struggling

people who needed some hope.

That said, the spread of Christianity wasn't entirely a conscious effort.

Warfare and the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 led to the diaspora of Jewish and Christian

communities alike.

These forced journeys led to the establishment of Judeo -Christian communities around the

known world.

These groups transported their forms of worship, scriptural studies and insights, and charitable

activities as pilgrims.

The sporadic persecutions faced by these communities made Christian groups very close-knit as they

relied on one another for preservation.

Christian parishes, the basic building blocks of each community of believers, were also

referred to as "households of faith," reflecting their intimate structuring as spiritual tribes.

Being an early Christian in the Roman Empire meant embracing a changing identity.

Nowhere in the four Gospels does Jesus refer to his followers as "Christians" or by any

other label.

The first believers in Jesus called one another "saints" or members of "The Way."

Both of these terms had deep religious significance.

The term "saints" comes from the Greek word hagios, meaning

"consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious"

In other words, Jesus' followers identified most closely with how they lived out their

faith.

Since the word almost always appears in the plural form, they also emphasized a collective

faith rather than one of isolated individuals.

As for "The Way," it has origins in the Hebrew concept of halakhah, referring to

"the way a Jew is directed to behave, encompassing civil, criminal, and religious law"

While both terms emphasized relationship with God, neither one implied a break with the

overarching principles of contemporary Judaism.

Where did the word "Christian" come from?

It first appears in Acts 11:26 when the leaders at Antioch give the name to believers in Christ.

Jesus taught primarily to a Jewish audience, but as his teachings incorporated an increasingly

numerous gentile population into its ranks, this came with new problems.

Specific rules existed within Judaism that local Jewish communities and nearby populations

understood and followed.

But gentiles had little comprehension of these expectations.

Although some, known as "God-fearers," attended synagogue and cultivated a respect for Jesus,

other non-Jewish converts came out of a firmly pagan background.

Dietary restrictions are the perfect example of where conflict comes in, as the concept

of unclean foods proved complicated and burdensome to those unfamiliar with it.

Disciples such as Peter and Paul struggled with how to bring gentiles into the fold.

Ultimately, as more non-Jewish members joined the movement, these rules were relaxed.

This created a bit of a divide, and thus Christianity was born.

"How many are you?"

"Well… we are… few… for now, and our only weapon is love."

For Christians living in the Roman Empire, persecution came in waves.

Of the 54 emperors who ruled between A.D. 30 and A.D. 311, roughly 12 made Christians

public enemies.

But many small-time local rulers also sporadically persecuted the growing body of believers,

with the blessing of the empire, of course.

One of the most vicious periods of violence against Jesus' followers occurred under Emperor

Nero, who famously went after Christians in A.D. 64.

Why?

Nero attempted to divert attention away from his own mistakes during the Great Fire of

Rome by making Christians a scapegoat.

He had them crucified, burned alive, and –even fed to wild animals.

"I particularly like these huge candles."

"Oh, yea, I had them made specially."

"They're shaped like Christians."

"They are Christians."

Regional persecutions fluctuated based on individual emperors' beliefs.

But empire-wide harassment of Jesus' followers came in the 3rd century when Emperor Decius

took the throne.

Successors continued to ratchet up the pain felt by Christians until Emperor Constantine's

conversion brought persecution to an end in A.D. 312.

Before there were formal churches and state religions, a small body of believers existed.

Given that, it's not entirely surprising that the first Christians had no distinct physical

locations to gather for worship.

Instead, groups met in each other's homes for fellowship and teachings.

The Apostle Paul mentions some of these meeting spots by name, including the house of married

converts, Priscilla and Aquilla, in Romans 16:3-5.

Little is ultimately known about how the teachings of Jesus got a firm foothold in Rome, but

Paul's Epistle to the Romans confirmed that house-hopping remained the favored way for

the first Christians to come together.

Fifty thousand Jews lived in the city of Rome during Paul's lifetime, and many proved receptive

to the Gospel message.

These Jewish believers attended synagogue and met at Christian households for teaching,

communion, and fellowship.

There the first believers kept Torah, and Yale scholar and pastor Jaroslav Pelikan explains:

"It is obvious — and yet, to judge by the tragedies of later history, not at all obvious

— that Jesus was a Jew, so that the first attempts to understand his message took place

within the context of Judaism."

Organized into parishes, groups of Christians could better meet the needs of local communities.

But it's worth noting that "parish" is just one letter away from "pariah," which speaks

volumes about how Christians got seen and treated in the early days.

As outcasts and refugees, they forged close-knit communities where communal care took precedence

over individual needs.

Day-to-day activities included serving the poor, visiting and providing aid to imprisoned

church members, other forms of economic sharing, religious studies, and worship.

They were, after all, redefining religion, lifestyle, and what it meant to be a community.

As Christians of every background spread the gospel message and attempted to follow the

teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, it sent shock waves through the ancient world, bringing

Jews and gentiles together as never before seen.

Being an early follower also came with increased criticism for the first Greek and Roman adherents

of Jesus' teachings.

After all, the strong stigma associated with being a gentile could make Greco-Roman converts

feel like second-class citizens.

This situation got exacerbated when one of Jesus' Apostles, Peter, quit mingling with

his non-Jewish brethren due to pressure from other religious leaders.

In Galatians 2:11-17, Paul admonishes Peter for this hypocritical stance.

The passage demonstrates how unresolved issues simmered beneath the surface of the early

church.

Paul notes that Peter, who once took meals with gentiles, started avoiding them when

Jewish leaders from Jerusalem arrived.

Soon, other Jewish followers of Jesus did the same, causing an ever-expanding rift.

Hence, Paul's public confrontation of Peter.

While one can only guess how gentile believers in Antioch felt about the situation, the implication

that they were less Christian than Jewish believers hung in the air.

So did the notion these Christ-followers were somehow unclean or unworthy.

The Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 was meant to put questions about Jewish versus gentile

believers to rest.

During the council, church leaders concluded that as long as non-Jewish Christians avoided

a few basic sins, keeping all of Jewish law would not be required of them.

For the first followers of Jesus, martyrdom could come unexpectedly — even for the 12

Apostles.

During Nero's reign, Roman authorities beheaded Paul in Rome, and they crucified Peter.

According to some accounts, Peter asked to be crucified upside down as he didn't feel

worthy to share in Jesus' manner of death.

Tradition also tells us that both deaths occurred in A.D. 66.

Whether by the sword, stoning, or clubbing, the other Apostles fared little better.

While their deaths remain unrecorded in the New Testament, apart from James' death in

Jerusalem at the hands of King Herod, early church history speaks of violent ends in all

cases but one.

John, the author of the Gospel of John, lived to a ripe old age exiled on the island of

Patmos, where he penned the New Testament's Book of Revelation.

But you didn't have to be an Apostle to face a grim fate as an early Christian.

The first Christian martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death in Jerusalem.

Ironically, the pre-Christian Paul (then known as Saul of Tarsus) oversaw his execution.

In A.D. 62, James the Just, Jesus' brother, died after getting thrown from a roof and

stoned, and even women endured persecution.

Thecla, a convert of Paul, survived two attempted martyrings.

"Brilliant, isn't it?

You get to light up your garden, and torture Christians at the same time.

So, you know, two birds, one stone."

Because of Jesus' short ministry and violent death, early church leaders had to deal with

many unanswered questions.

These involved not only queries about how Jewish a Christian must be, but also the very

nature of who Christ was.

Arguments could get abstract and confusing, as exemplified by the debate over "low Christology"

and "high Christology."

"Low Christology" refers to the idea that Jesus proved as human as any other person

walking the planet, apart from his liberation from sin nature.

As for "high Christology," it argues that Jesus, as a part of the Holy Trinity, brought

his divinity to Earth and was all-knowing.

Another area for debate involved the nature of the Holy Trinity.

While some argued that the Trinity represented three separate deities rather than one Supreme

God in three forms, others preached that, essentially, God and Jesus were of the same

substance.

Tensions inevitably flared between Jews and Christians.

After all, Jesus famously argued with various leaders within Judaism, and the first Christian

martyr, Stephen, got stoned to death by a crowd of non-Christian Jews.

Later, the revolving doors of persecution would swing the other way, with great atrocities

perpetrated against Jewish communities by those claiming to be Christian.

But many scholars also think there's another story of relatively peaceful cohabitation,

and even co-worship, between Jewish and Christian groups that existed for roughly 400 years.

This shouldn't come as a surprise: The origins of Christianity were in Judaism.

That said, the New Testament doesn't reflect much of this history because of the tumultuous

times during which it was written.

And the only thing that compared to the hatred between Jews and their Roman occupiers was

the great internal strife within Judaism.

Ultimately, the New Testament tells the story of the broken relationship between the Jews

and Christians that points to later repercussions.

Emperor Septimius Severus carried out the fifth persecution of Christians beginning

in A.D. 192, meaning many believers in Jesus met their end in the gladiatorial arena as

tortured objects of Roman entertainment.

It only got worse: By A.D. 202, Severus banned Roman conversion to Judaism and Christianity,

ramping up the momentum of violence.

Those who ignored Severus' laws faced cruel and inventive punishments.

Beheading, immolation, attack by wild animals, scalding baths, and more...

all in front of a live audience.

Among the victims were a 22-year-old noblewoman, Perpetua, and her slave Felicitas.

A handful of male converts would share in their arena fate.

The men ran a gauntlet of "hunters" and wild animals, whipped and savagely attacked along

the way, while officials stripped the two women and threw them into the gladiatorial

arena with a "wild heifer" followed by a leopard.

"How is that any better, huh?

He's going to tear me to pieces!"

But the crowd's bloodlust remained unsatisfied, and they called for the deaths of all in the

ring, meted out at the sharp end of a gladiator's sword.

Despite these horrors, many early Christians remained undeterred.

As "Foxe's Book of Martyrs" notes,

"Though persecuting malice raged, yet the Gospel shone with resplendent brightness;

and, firm as an impregnable rock, withstood the attacks of its boisterous enemies with

success."

When Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, Christianity received

formal legalization.

After centuries of persecution, this sudden, radical acceptance by a Roman emperor left

many Christians breathing a sigh of relief.

And with good reason.

Constantine delved into immediate public action on behalf of Christians.

He set policies on the return of property and status for those who were persecuted,

church construction funding, and curbing pagan worship.

But the repercussions of Roman appropriation of the faith soon followed as the emperor

demanded a unified, clearly organized religion.

Third-century Christianity proved far from it.

The emperor pushed for the formal adoption of an orthodoxy by calling the Council of

Nicaea, and the resulting Nicene Creed represented an attempt to get all believers on the same

page.

Of course, this meant exclusion for those who refused to negotiate.

Many fringe Christian groups lost their legal status because they were considered heretical,

and they also had their property seized by the empire.

These believers traded the frying pan for the fire, proving that new challenges followed

going mainstream.

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