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Persucution of the Early Church (2) - Coggle Diagram
Persucution of the Early Church (2)
Marcus Aurelius
AD 161-180 (2nd Century)
Persuction broke out in the Summer of 177 in CE Lyon-> Roman citizens= beheaded + others sent to amphitheatre recant= freed -> first batch sent in June 177 +persecution ended in August
Rome
Christians refused to make sacrifices
Decius
AD 249- 251 (3rd Century)
Persecution= 250
Libelus
= certificate
Libelli pacis
= letters of peace (writen by confessors)
Libellatici
= those who procured a certificate
Sacrificati
= those who sacrificed
Confessors
= those who withstood great torture and survived
Philip the Arabian (Pre persection)
Reign= 244-249 -> Church enjoyed tolerance +even protection <- general population didn't like this (growing resentment) -> massacre of Christians in Alexandria eg lynching +forced sacrifices in the pagan temples (Eusebius Hist Eccl 6.41) -> Origen felt that soon persecution would soon no longer be localised but universal
Commander in the military, conservative, lost territory + men to the Goths who invaded in 248, wanted to bring the empire together- restore traditional values to Rome, named himself after Trajan (highly regarded), restored old Republican office of Censor Minted coins with imperial worthis and required sacrifices to the gods
Libellus contained -> name, address, age, any distguishig marks, signature, what had been done, date, signature of comissioner + witness and name of emperor
Edict of 3rd January AD 250
Required all citizens to sacrifice to the gods
1st time apart from Sepitimus Severus, that an imperial decree was indirectly against the Church
As Orign had foreseen persecution= univeral
A date was set by which sacrifices had to be made. Failed= regarded as Christian
Sacrifice= an animal (usually a goat or ox) +cup of incese left before statues of gods or the emperor
Decius (2)
Impact of the Decree
Carthage
- Apostracy= wide spread ->people making sacrifices had to come back the next day because there were so many. Bishop Cyprian went into hiding -> coward or to save the Church from losing its leader
Alexandria
- Dionysius highlighted the fear in his church -> many gave in and others dragged
Smyrna- Pionius burned alive + companion, his bishop Euctemon committed apostacy
Easement of AD251
Only 1 year after the persecution began Cyprian returned to Cathrage after Easter in AD25
Decius was preoccupied with external threats to the Empire-> the emperor was killed while at war with the Goths in June AD251 <- persecution was over but new problems were only beginning
Situation allowed a successor to Fabian to be appointed in Rome
Problem of the Lapsed
During the persecution there were 2 groups-> Libellatici + Sacrificati <- Could the lapsed Christian sbe readmitted to the Church? If so on what conditions? Were the Sacrificati more guilty than the Libellatici? Should it be easier for the Libellatici to be readmitted to the Church?
Confessors were giving letters of peace to thos who had lapsed and wanted Cyprian to support this process
Cyprian didn't agree with the letters of peace (seen in the doucment 'On the Lapsed') -> felt they were being restored hastily. However, if they had a letter from a martyr + became seriusly then a deacon could hear their confessions + lay hands on them -> may go to God in peace
In Rome- Cornelius was appointed Bishop -> laxed approach to the lapsed <- Cyprian disagreed -> Novatus made a group to who took a stricter approach <- Novatus became a schismatic bishop
Following in Carthage- Cyprian, Novatus, Fortunatus + Felicissimus
Following in Rome- Cornelius + Novatian
Decision of the 1st Council of Carthage ( April-June AD 251) -> The Libellatici were to be restored to the Church after penance appointed to each case. The Sacrificati could only be restored on their death bed if they were penitent to the end
2nd Council of Carthage (May 252) -> Readmitted the penitent lapsed to the Church so it could present a united front in the face of persecution
4th Council of Carthage (Autumn AD 254) -> Cyprian opposed the reinstatement to clerical office the lapsed clergy however they could be readmitted to penance <- couldn't become clergy again (leader of the Church)
Decius' successor + Christians -> AD 252= Plague sweeping through the Empire reached Carthage. Decius' successor, Gallus, renewed persecution against the Church particuarly its leaders in an attempt to appease the anger of the gods (ira deorum -> pax deorum)
What about those who had been baptised by Novatian (schismatic) should they be allowed re-entry to the Church? Stephen (Bishop of Rome) said yes but Cyprian said no (Church should be the seamless robe of Christ)
How did Rome + Cartage resolve the issue? Carthage accepted Rome's position during the Donatist controversy of the early 4th century