B.  THE INFLUENCE OF THE EMPIRE UPON THE CHURCH

Pliny, the Roman Governor of Bithynia, writing to Emperor Trajan

Christ had taught compliance with civil authorities. Luke’s writings stressed that Christians were no threat to the Roman Empire. Yet the Empire soon took a hostile response to Christianity. During these periods of persecution the Church seems to have grown rapidly. But suddenly the persecution stopped and the entire Empire itself became Christian.

(i)      PERSECUTION

The Church was birthed in persecution. From Pentecost it was initially persecuted by the Jews. Beginning with Emperor Nero (54 - 68 AD) it was persecuted sporadically by the Roman Empire, until 250 AD when it became intensive and violent. [2] It was during this period that Emperor Decius wanted to stamp out Christianity and return the Empire to more traditional Roman values. He did this by decreeing that everyone must sacrifice to Roman gods and thus receive a certificate of proof called a Libellus. Anyone without a Libellus was to be put to death. During this persecution, the bishops of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Rome were martyred. [3] Other leaders, such as Origen, were imprisoned and brutally tortured for one year. [4]

© 2001 Andrew Corbett, www.andrewcorbett.com

Persecution had a profound affect on the Church. Especially during this Decian persecution, the leaders of the Church were faced with a mammoth task. Many Christians had ‘lapsed’ by participating in the pagan sacrifices, or, purchasing a Libellus from a bribable commissioner. [5] Perhaps taking Christ’s instruction in Matthew 10:23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another... literally, Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage went into hiding. When Decius was killed in a Gothic battle, the persecution ceased, and Cyprian returned to Carthage to assume his leadership position. But sharp division arose over two key issues. The first was how to deal with those Christians who had lapsed, and the second was to deal with the replacement for the Bishop of Rome.

© 2001 Andrew Corbett, www.andrewcorbett.com

Cyprian of Carthage became a leading figure in resolving both these issues. He was also instrumental in coordinating efforts to mobilise the Carthaginian church into relieving the victims of a plague that ravaged their city. [6] This also increased his prestige. He supported the appointment of Cornelius as Bishop of Rome and both dealt with the matter of lapsed Christians by taking a gracious approach to their reinstatement into the Church.

Leadership of the Church during this stage demanded a different approach and style to that the first century apostles. But the figures mentioned as prominent leaders during this period should be recognised as fulfilling an apostolic ministry of government, albeit different to that of the original Twelve.

(ii)     CHARISMATIC DECLINE

Interestingly, charismatic gifts were still evident in the Church, especially in North Africa, during the time of these leaders. Cyprian apparently gave much weight to dreams and revelations. [7] Tertullian acknowledges that prophecy was still being practiced in the second century Church, and is generally thought to have been a late sympathiser with Montanist views of piety. [8] The Roman Church though, was to soon condemn Montanism as pagan at the Council of Constantinople in 381. [9] Some scholars suggest that Montanus was simply reacting to a trend in the Church that extolled order over spirituality. Perhaps unwittingly, in dealing with factions and heresy, the Church had emphasized unity, authority and correct order, over its organic life in the Spirit. Cyprian, in pondering some of these issues and the newly formed practice of Christian ordination asked whether one who had lost the Spirit could confer the Spirit’s gifts. [10]

(iii)    DONATISM

The next major wave of persecution came under Emperor Diocletian just after 300. Christians were required to once again sacrifice to Roman gods and surrender all sacred objects, but especially Scriptures. Those who did so were called traditors, and a North African churchman, Donatus, protested forcefully that traditors (in this case, bishops) had any authority to ordain new bishops since they had committed the sin of participation in the Roman edict. [11] This led to the Church formally recognising what was Canonical Scripture, since people were preferring to die rather than hand over copies of Pauline Epistles they wanted to make sure that their deaths were not in vain. It also gave rise to a stronger Church organisation since Bishops collectively met to arbitrate on such matters.

Thus through this period the leadership of the Church centred around the monarchical bishop. Persecution drove the Church to look to a leader in each local church. Heresy almost demanded a single voice to arise from each local church to renounce it. And most significantly, the exaltation of the Lord’s Supper as an ongoing Christian sacrifice that could only be officiated by a monarchical bishop, against the backdrop of Roman compulsory pagan sacrifices, all helped to ensure the monarchical bishop’s rise to prominence.