A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, Second Edition

Mark Nickens

• Publisher: B&H Academic
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781535985000
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Theologie & Religion
• Subtopic: Religionsgeschichte

Since Jesus’s resurrection, Christianity has expanded across the globe and shaped a vast array of groups and movements. A Survey of the History of Global Christianity, Second Edition, provides an overview of the Christian faith from the apostolic age to the global present. In a friendly and informative tone, author Mark Nickens outlines the historical context of important developments in doctrine and practice, including:

o   the persecution and resilience of the early church

o   the results of increasing papal power in Europe during the Middle Ages

o   the Reformation and later movements that influenced European Christianity

o   the various sects of American Christianity that arose in cycles of revival

o   an examination of Orthodoxy and the history of Christianity in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the West Indies.

In addition to historical information, this book features quotes and spiritual lessons from noteworthy Christians throughout the centuries. By understanding how Christian doctrine has developed over the ages and across the globe, readers will better understand where their own faith tradition comes from.

Section 1

The Early Church: 30–400

Time lines, maps, and images for this section

These are provided on the author’s website: www.studythechurch.com/earlychurch for free. The time lines are available by century, and all three can be used as an aid to better understanding the development of Christianity in this time period.

An interesting question to ponder: When did Christianity begin? In other words, when did people first become Christian? Thinking this through at the most basic level, all Christians could agree that a Christian is someone who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus, seeks to please the Father, and enjoys a connection to God through the Holy Spirit. Using that definition, the first Christians were those in the upper room in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, since that event marked the first time God gave the Holy Spirit freely to all those who accepted the message of Jesus. At that time and in that place, the young Christian movement had the loosest of leadership structures, no Scripture to call their own (they used the Jewish Scripture), no creed to guide them, the barest understanding of the nature of Jesus, and a great fear of a quick arrest and crucifixion. That seemed to be a recipe for disaster. But fast-forward to the year 400: Christianity included a highly structured leadership style, a New Testament, a creed, and a 150-year history of meeting at councils to settle disputes and define doctrine; plus, Christianity is the official religion of the Roman Empire. To say that the first 370 years of Christianity were eventful is an understatement: those years were fascinating, with many moving parts, often occurring at the same time, while all worked toward the development of a robust faith. This first section covers that history.

Chapter 1

Enduring Persecution and Developing Theology

When most people think about the early church period, Roman persecutions of Christians usually spring to mind as the formative experience early Christians endured. Therefore, the beginning of this story of Christianity focuses on the persecution of Christianity. Another critical development in the early church period involved understanding how God functions within himself and in relationship with humanity, basically Christian theology. This chapter focuses on those two developments.

Outline

1. Christianity’s Unpredictable Journey: From Persecution to the Official Religion of the Empire
   1. Two Independent Persecutions: Nero and Domitian
   2. The Standard Persecution Proceedings: Trajan’s Letter
   3. Localized Persecutions from 112 to 250
   4. Empire-Wide Persecutions Begin: Decius and Valerian
   5. The Height of Christian Persecutions: Diocletian and Galerius
   6. Freedom from Persecution to Official Religion
2. Development of Theology
   1. Apostles and Apostolic Fathers
   2. Misunderstandings and Apologists
   3. Heretics, Theologians, and Councils

Christianity’s Unpredictable Journey: From Persecution to the Official Religion of the Empire

While it is true that Roman persecution of Christians occurred from the first to the fourth centuries, widespread Roman persecution of Christianity occurred both infrequently and not immediately. Perhaps six emperors out of fifty from the time of Jesus to Constantine (d. 337) actively persecuted Christians. Roman persecution of Christians usually occurred locally, meaning that persecution frequently originated from within local communities or with governors instead of being directed by emperors. Empire-wide persecutions led by emperors occurred more frequently in the late third and early fourth centuries.

Note about using century names instead of numbers: this can be confusing, but the word century is always one more than the number of the century. For example, the years 1–99 are the first century, 100–199 are the second century, 200–299 are the third century, and so on.

Also, “c.” before a year means the year is an approximation, and “d.” before a year means that a person died in that year.

The attitude of the Roman emperors toward Christianity changed within the first century. In the early to mid-first century, Roman emperors considered Christianity as simply a Jewish splinter group. This misdiagnosis worked to the advantage of Christians. As long as the Roman Empire considered them as Jews, Christians enjoyed the religious privilege that Jews enjoyed: they did not have to worship Roman gods or even the emperor but could worship their one God, provided no disturbances ensued. Eventually Roman emperors recognized that Christianity and Judaism were two different faiths. The exact timing of that realization is uncertain, but one clue is a stipulation granted by Emperor Nerva in 97. After the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70, Rome required Jews to pay their regular temple tax to the Roman Empire; this was known as the fiscus ludaicus, Latin for “Jewish tax.” Nerva declared that only practicing Jews were required to pay the tax. This recognition suggests that by this year, the Roman Empire recognized Christianity and Judaism as two separate faiths.

Two Independent Persecutions: Nero and Domitian

Nero became emperor in 54 and soon gained a reputation for ruthlessness; for example, he ordered his mother’s murder in 59. Nevertheless, Nero was apparently uninterested in Christianity for most of his reign. That changed in July 64, when a catastrophic fire lasting six days burned through Rome. Aware that the crowds blamed him—since his plans to extend his palace into areas already occupied by others were well-known—Nero diverted their attention by blaming a small, unassuming group who also lived in Rome: Christians. He ordered their arrest and death as arsonists. The result was horrific. Some Christians were covered with animal skins and torn to death by dogs. Others were crucified during the day, and after night fell, fires were lit at the bases of their crosses so Nero could ride his chariot through the spectacle. According to tradition, the apostles Peter and Paul were also martyred during this persecution. Nero ordered Peter to be crucified, yet Peter requested he be crucified upside down, stating that he was not worthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus. Since crucifixion was illegal for Roman citizens and Paul was both a Jew and a Roman citizen, he was beheaded.

This persecution was unique from later Roman persecutions for two reasons. First, although an emperor led this persecution, it remained a local affair, occurring only in Rome. Second, Nero did not persecute Christians for theological reasons, the habit of later Roman persecutions. Instead, Nero merely needed a scapegoat to blame for the fire. Nevertheless, Nero holds the distinction of being the first Roman emperor to persecute Christians, although not for theological reasons.

Jerome shares this tidbit about the apostle John in his Commentary on Galatians, 6:10: “Blessed John the evangelist, when he was staying in Ephesus until extreme old age, used to be carried to church with difficulty by the hands of the disciples. He was not able to put many words together with his voice and was accustomed to utter nothing but this during every gathering: ‘Little children, love one another.’ Finally, the disciples and the brothers who were present became irritated because they constantly heard the same thing over and over, and they said, ‘Teacher, why do you always say this?’ He answered with a statement worthy of John: ‘Because it is the Lord’s command, and if it alone is done, it is enough.’”¹

The next emperor to persecute Christians was Domitian. Domitian became emperor in 81 at the age of twenty-nine and, like Nero, took no initial interest in Christians. Domitian reversed his position fourteen years later after they refused to participate in the cult of divinity that Domitian carefully had constructed around himself (this included the Jews). The extent of the persecution is uncertain. Domitian ordered the execution of one of his cousins, Clemens, as well as the banishment of his cousin’s wife, Domitilla, both of whom possibly were Christian. Christian historians writing later describe other Christians martyred by Domitian, but no supporting evidence exists. Nevertheless, Domitian had a habit of banishing his enemies, and this aligns well with a story told about the apostle John. Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria, both living in the second century, independently reported that Domitian banished John to the island of Patmos. This is the island where John wrote the book of Revelation, c. 95. After Domitian died the following year, John was released and most likely traveled to Ephesus, where, according to tradition, he died several years later.

This persecution produced an interesting story. According to Hegesippus, a second-century Christian author, Domitian commanded the deaths of all descendants of King David. This included the family of Jesus, but only two relatives of Jesus could be located: two daughters of Jude, the half brother of Jesus. They were brought to Rome and examined by Domitian. They described their poverty and the small piece of land they owned and farmed, plus showed calluses from working manual labor. After deciding that they presented no threat, Domitian allowed them to return to Palestine.

The Standard Persecution Proceedings: Trajan’s Letter

Following Domitian’s death, Nerva ruled as emperor for one year, followed by Trajan, who reigned for nineteen years. The success of Trajan’s long rule produced a policy toward Christians that lasted for 140 years. In 112, Pliny, a Roman governor, wrote to Trajan and requested guidance on handling Christians. Pliny noted that true Christians refused to worship Roman gods; offer prayer, incense, or wine to the image of the emperor; or curse Christ. He, therefore, set those three as requirements for release from arrest. He informed the emperor that some did acquiesce and turn from Christianity, but others refused.

Trajan responded in a brief statement that governed the response of future emperors until Emperor Decius reversed it in 250: “They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that he is a Christian and really proves it—that is, by worshiping our gods—even though he was under suspicion in the past, shall...