Week 4. Reflection on History of Christian Doctrine 4
Week 4. Reflection on History of Christian Doctrine 4 Persecution has always been a major catalyst for the spread of Christian values and doctrines. In the book of Acts, persecution caused the gospel to spread from Jerusalem unto the uttermost part of the world as Jesus said (Acts 1: 8). During the period 130 -180 A.D, Christianity came under serious attacks, by pagan Greeks. Starting for Emperor Nero until the reign of Emperor Diocletian ten major persecutions occurred, until 313 A.D. when Emperors Constantine and Licinius promulgated the ‘Edict of Milan’ which legalized Christianity and instituted official policy on tolerance. However, between 250 and 313 as paganism declined and Christianity expanded, they where empire- wide attempts to stamp out Christianity. The oppositions were based mainly on misunderstandings and scurrilous rumors. Christians often met in secrets to avoid persecution but that brought them more persecutions. Their opponents easily spread malicious gossips about them. They where accused of murdering people, sacrificing babes, eating human flesh, drinking blood etc. The pagan writers on the basis of these rumors attacked Christianity claiming that Christianity undermined the state and fibre of society, advancing intellectual objections based on Greek philosophies. It is very natural for a man to defend himself in such circumstances. But more naturally, God raised men to defend his course. Their approach was not physical but intellectual, to publicly correct the scandals. Their concept in the defense was to demonstrate that Christianity was a good philosophy, in fact the best and the truest. Whenever possible they employed an endorsed Greek philosophical terms and concepts that the people were familiar with in other to make Christianity look, reasonably attractive and fitting to the pagans in the culture of the day. Many Apologists arose during this period, such as Marcianus Aristides, Flavius Justinus or Justin, Titian, Meleti, Theophilus, Athenogoras and many others. Of all, Justin seems to be most influential. On the whole, the Greek Apologist had great task presenting the monotheistic concept of The Christian God to the Greek polytheistic philosophies. Justin and most others used John 1:1 as the best of scriptural passages. The Greeks had a concept of the ‘Logos’ which the Christian philosophers seized upon to present Christianity to them. Plato who shaped the philosophy of the time had taught that there were two words: The good, real world of ideas or forms, and the imperfect physical world. Plato further added that “The world of ideas serves as intermediary between the physical world and God who is Impassible.” This God was also believed to be totally uninvolved with the second world. It was difficult for people of this background, to believe the deity of Jesus - God in human flesh? In issues like the salvation, faith baptisms, the Holy Spirit and his manifestations, the Lord’s super last things etc., Greek Apologists had slight differences among themselves. The Greek Apologists perhaps were able to gain a hearing from some pagans, and may be lessened the attacks, but this approach presented Christianity just like a philosophy. Pagan terms and ways of thought were introduced. Also, people started formulating and evaluating theology by rationalism and Greek philosophy rather than by the scripture. Pagans who were intellectually persuaded had no experience of the Christian realties. There is so much to learn from this. Church membership and position without new life experience is only a time bomb. The persecution the Greek Apologists thought they had avoided from without through a philosophical approach, they met within with unregenerated members and clergy in time. No matter the difficulty, let the gospel of Christ be the force behind the church and new birth the watch word. Apostle Usukumah Udom G.B.I.S. Calabar, Nigeria. P.O.Box 798. Calabar E-mail:apostleudom@yahoo.com. Tell:08033885284.
Week 4. Reflection on History of Christian Doctrine 4 Persecution has always been a major catalyst for the spread of Christian values and doctrines. In the book of Acts, persecution caused the gospel to spread from Jerusalem unto the uttermost part of the world as Jesus said (Acts 1: 8). During the period 130 -180 A.D, Christianity came under serious attacks, by pagan Greeks. Starting for Emperor Nero until the reign of Emperor Diocletian ten major persecutions occurred, until 313 A.D. when Emperors Constantine and Licinius promulgated the ‘Edict of Milan’ which legalized Christianity and instituted official policy on tolerance. However, between 250 and 313 as paganism declined and Christianity expanded, they where empire- wide attempts to stamp out Christianity. The oppositions were based mainly on misunderstandings and scurrilous rumors. Christians often met in secrets to avoid persecution but that brought them more persecutions. Their opponents easily spread malicious gossips about them. They where accused of murdering people, sacrificing babes, eating human flesh, drinking blood etc. The pagan writers on the basis of these rumors attacked Christianity claiming that Christianity undermined the state and fibre of society, advancing intellectual objections based on Greek philosophies. It is very natural for a man to defend himself in such circumstances. But more naturally, God raised men to defend his course. Their approach was not physical but intellectual, to publicly correct the scandals. Their concept in the defense was to demonstrate that Christianity was a good philosophy, in fact the best and the truest. Whenever possible they employed an endorsed Greek philosophical terms and concepts that the people were familiar with in other to make Christianity look, reasonably attractive and fitting to the pagans in the culture of the day. Many Apologists arose during this period, such as Marcianus Aristides, Flavius Justinus or Justin, Titian, Meleti, Theophilus, Athenogoras and many others. Of all, Justin seems to be most influential. On the whole, the Greek Apologist had great task presenting the monotheistic concept of The Christian God to the Greek polytheistic philosophies. Justin and most others used John 1:1 as the best of scriptural passages. The Greeks had a concept of the ‘Logos’ which the Christian philosophers seized upon to present Christianity to them. Plato who shaped the philosophy of the time had taught that there were two words: The good, real world of ideas or forms, and the imperfect physical world. Plato further added that “The world of ideas serves as intermediary between the physical world and God who is Impassible.” This God was also believed to be totally uninvolved with the second world. It was difficult for people of this background, to believe the deity of Jesus - God in human flesh? In issues like the salvation, faith baptisms, the Holy Spirit and his manifestations, the Lord’s super last things etc., Greek Apologists had slight differences among themselves. The Greek Apologists perhaps were able to gain a hearing from some pagans, and may be lessened the attacks, but this approach presented Christianity just like a philosophy. Pagan terms and ways of thought were introduced. Also, people started formulating and evaluating theology by rationalism and Greek philosophy rather than by the scripture. Pagans who were intellectually persuaded had no experience of the Christian realties. There is so much to learn from this. Church membership and position without new life experience is only a time bomb. The persecution the Greek Apologists thought they had avoided from without through a philosophical approach, they met within with unregenerated members and clergy in time. No matter the difficulty, let the gospel of Christ be the force behind the church and new birth the watch word. Apostle Usukumah Udom G.B.I.S. Calabar, Nigeria. P.O.Box 798. Calabar E-mail:apostleudom@yahoo.com. Tell:08033885284.