Church History Chapter 3

Domus Aurea

"House of Gold"-the palace that was built at the center of Rome after the fire during Nero's reign

Dominus et Deus

"Lord and God;" what Domitian referred to himself as

Ad Metalla

"to the mines". Refers to the punishment given to many Christians during the Roman persecutions

The 4 edicts of Emperor Diocletian

1) Destruction of any churches or scriptures; banned all Christian gatherings 2) Imprisonment of all leaders/clergy 3) Demanded leaders/clergy to offer pagan sacrifice, or risk execution 4) Demanded everyone offer pagan sacrifice (like Decius did)

Edict of Decius

1st empire wide persecution against the Christians. Stated that anyone suspected of being Christian had to present him or herself before the local magistrate and offer a simple sacrifice to prove he/she had given up his/her belief. Christians who refused to renounce their faith were sent into exile or put to death.

St. Polycarp

Burned at the stake under Antonius Pius, wrote a letter to the Philippians which was preserved and was widely read (showed that letters and teachings were spreading in the early days of Christianity)

Thurificanti

Christians who burned incense to pagan gods.

Sacrificanti

Christians who offered their sacrifice to the pagan gods.

The Great Fire

Destroyed 11 of the 14 legions and a colossal part of Rome in the summer of 64 AD. The people blamed Nero, saying he wanted the land to build the Domus Aurea. Nero blamed the Christians, thus beginning the persecution.

Constantine

Eastern Roman Emperor (4th century A.D.) who promoted tolerance to all religions in the Roman Empire and legalized Christianity; won battle at the Milvian Bridge

Tetrarchy

Emperor Diocletian's division of the Roman Empire into four seperate administrative districts

Emperor Diocletian

Emperor who wanted to be worshiped as a god and started the "Tetrarchy" divisions in the Roman Empire. He issued the "Great Persecution."

"Five Good Emperors"

Five consecutive Roman emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, and Marcus Aurelius) distinguished by their benevolence and moderation (but not to the Christians)

Septimus Severus

Harsh Emperor under whom many martyrs died

Hadrian's Rescript

He emphasized the primacy of the rule of law over mob action. He ordered that Christians could only be persecuted for actual violations of the common law, not just for professing Christian belief. If an accuser made a false accusation, then the accuser was to be punished.

Emperor Domitian

He had imperial cult which he wanted Christians to conform to; he wanted to stop Christianity from spreading to the upper classes from the lower classes.

Emperor Decius

He wanted to be certain that citizens remained loyal behind him. They all had to sacrifice to the gods of the empire and obtain a certificate. If you didn't, you were suspected to be Christian and killed (apostasy or death).This was the beginning of the first empire wide persecution of Christians.

St. Irenaeus

He was a disciple of Polycarp; devoted to combating heresy; wrote "Adversus Haereses" or "The Refutation of Gnosticism" where he described the origin and history of Gnostic heresies in order to show their lack of knowledge and authenticity; he was martyred under Septimus Severus

Marcus Aurelius

Last of the "5 Good Emperors of Rome."He was the nephew and son-in-law and adoptive son of Antonius Pius; known as the "philosopher king," treated Christians harshly (believed it was easier to let the mobs kill the Christians than for the persecutors use their anger to rebel againtst the government), Stoic philosopher; the decline of the Roman Empire began under him

Vox populi

Latin for "voice of the people." The early Church was often more threatened by the unconverted commoners in any given area than by the opinion of the Roman state or emperor.

The affects of persecution on the Christian community

Many converted even though, during the persecution, being Christian was essentially a death sentence. People were moved by the courage and the peacefullness of the martyrs.

Volkerwanderung

Meaning "people wandering."; refers to Germanic invasions on the Empire's northern borders.

Christiani non sint

Means "Let the Christians be exterminated"; principle of Nero

St. Lawrence

Murdered under Valerian; who had ordered the execution of all clergy and bishops; He was a deacon and was told to bring the riches of his church to the Romans, and he brought the sick and the poor people. The Romans got all angry and had him executed by roasting him, and he is to have said "Turn me over, I'm done on this side." Thus, he is the patron saint of commedians.

Pope St. Sixtus II

Murdered under Valerian; who had ordered the execution of all clergy and bishops; he was beheaded with 6 other deacons after being caught celebrating mass.

St. Perpetua

Noble woman in Rome who denounced the pagan gods and professed Christianity and was martyred (fed to wild beasts), was Felicity's master

St. Agnes

One of the most highly revered on Christian martyrs. Believed to have died during Diocletian's persecution sometime during the fourth century. She refused to renounce her faith, and decided to live as a virgin and remain pure. She was tortured by fire, forced into prostiution, and was beheaded. Still, she stayed pure and never renounced her faith.

St. Justin Martyr

Pagan philosopher who converted to Christianity; witness of the martyrs moved him; wrote the "Two Apologies;" martyred under Marcus Aurelius

Novationist schism

People thought that the Lapsi could not re-enter the Church

Trajan's Rescript

Policy for handling Christians in the Roman Empire which stated that Christians who renounced their Faith and offered sacrifice would be allowed to live. Those who did not renounce their faith would suffer death.

Origen

Prolific writer and teacher in the East who initiated the concept of the homily; he was a brilliant theologian but some of his teachings were sketchy (he said that God the Son was subordinate to God the Father-false). He was not an ordained priest or deacon, and had a run in with the Bishop of Alexandria because of this.

Justification for Persecution

Said that the Christians were secrative, and they called them antisocial and many rumors spread (they had orgies, that they were cannibals). This made them easy to blame. They said that because the Christians didn't worship pagan gods, they caused disunity and they could be blamed for everything that went wrong.They followed Jesus Christ, who was a traitor against the Roman Empire. He commited treason, so so did they.

St. Ignatius of Antioch

The bishop of Antioch, appointed by St. Peter who wrote the Epistle to the Romans and the Epistle to the Smyrnaeans. He was the first to use the term Catholic Church. He recognized the importance of bishops in communities and developed theology of martyrdom.

Emperor Nero

The first recorded persecution of Christians began in Rome around AD 64 under him, he blamed Christians for a fire in Rome that he actually started

Roman perspective on Judaism and Christianity prior to the persecutions

They like Jews because they were ancient, but not because they were monotheistic. They disliked the Christians because they were both new and monotheistic.

Novatian

Unsuccessful candidate for the papacy (but was an antipope), taught that bishops could not forgive the sins of apostasy, murder, or adultery; he wanted a Church of perfect people only

Maxentius

Western Roman Emperor defeated by Constantine at the Battle of Milvian Bridge

St. Felicity

Woman in Rome who denounced the pagan gods and professed Christianity and was martyred (fed to wild beasts), was Perpetua's slave

Apostate

a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.

Insulae

apartment blocks in Rome where the poor people lived

Edict of Milan

issued by Constantine in 313, ended the "Great Persecution" and legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire

Emperor Trajan

one of "5 good emperors" who was responsible for final expansion of Roman Empire

Apostasy

the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes)

Lapsi

this refers to a person who denies their Faith, but wants to join again

Two Apologies

written by St. Justin Martyr; 1st was to Antonius Pius and his sons, 2nd was to the Roman Senate