Persecution of Christianity in Ancient Rome: King Nero's Role

Introduction

Christianity was highly unpopular during the first and second centuries for various reasons. Christians did not respect the ancestral pagan customs, and their preaching focused on a new king hence sounding like a revolution. King Nero was the first person to recognize Christianity as a new religion and immediately begun persecuting the faith (Jones, 2013, 18). Besides, Christians were associated with vices such as consuming dead infants since the Lord's Supper was taken secretly. This suspicion was further heightened by their mention of body and blood. Moreover, Christians called each other as brothers and sisters, terms that referred to sexual partners (Jones, 2013, 21); hence they were accused of sexual promiscuity. These aspects made them unpopular among the Jews and Romans, leading to a rise in persecutions.

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Christians dealt with the persecution they received under the Roman leaders in various ways. The first response was through martyrdom, as many opted to die instead of living their faith. They believed that in keeping their faith, they were protecting the teachings of the apostles and setting an example to fellow believers (Jones, 2013, 52). They believed that God was eternal and had a purpose for the happenings (Grudem, 2005, 24). This resilience led to the conversion of many as it had a ripple effect on others. The martyrs' blood only worked towards increasing the number of believers and therefore went against the course that the persecutors had envisioned.

Christians also responded by writing defenses of their faith to the Roman leaders. For instance, one leader insisted that John and Philip adhered to the eastern custom of Easter rites during the Jewish Passover and, therefore, should not be persecuted (Jones, 2013, 55). The two had been accused of going against the set customs. Church leaders wrote such letters to defend the prevailing misconceptions about Christianity, such as the cannibalism associated with the Lord's Supper, and address the different works undertaken by Christians. These letters aimed at proving that Christianity was good to the Romans and could be regarded as equal as or better than pagan religions. As such, it was inappropriate to persecute believers.

God used several political factors to expand the church's mission despite persecution. The conversion of Constantine was a significant political event (Jones, 2013, 69). He recognized the support and interest that Christianity was gaining and played politically to embrace in its rule. This move insinuated the legitimization of Christianity hence leading to its expansion. Another political event was the council of Nicaea. There were fears that the empire would not hold together if it were politically divided. As such, a common belief was essential in uniting the empire. The established religion was the belief in Christ; hence this agreement contributed, which led to an exponential expansion of congregants (Jones, 2013, 63). Thus the political decision played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity.

Several false teachings cropped up during the formation of the church. One of the common misconceptions was the taking of the body and blood of Christ since it was misunderstood as cannibalism (Jones, 2013, 20). The Lord's Supper was taken while concealed; hence Romans could not attend the Christian congregations to verify their viewpoints. The church responded by its leaders writing letters to the Roman rulers to clarify such myths. They explained how their practices involved consecrating body and wine to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ (Grudem, 2005, 36). However, most Romans were reluctant to believe these clarifications.

The Edict of Milan played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity. It declared the practice of Christianity as legal in the Roman Empire; hence Christians would no longer be persecuted, and they would receive the properties that had been confiscated (Jones, 2013, 71). Therefore, it marked the beginning of religious freedom and an end to the persecution against Christ believers. It paved the way for the rapid spread of Christianity through both The Roman Empire and Europe. Conversely, the council of Nicaea addressed the date of celebrating Easter and settled matters about the teaching of Jesus Christ in The Roman Empire (Jones, 2013, 73). It brought together different leaders of the church and was, therefore, the first ecumenical council. It presented an end to the controversies surrounding Christianity at the time, and the Nicene Creed, which is practiced to date, was inaugurated during this meeting.

Conclusion

Overall, the spread of Christianity since the early days has undergone many challenges. There were several misconceptions about the practice of this faith, which led to persecution. However, believers upheld their conviction, and martyrdom contributed further to the extension of Christianity. With this religion gaining popularity, political leaders converted to it and legalized it to get the desired power over the masses, which contributed further to the spread of this faith. The council of Nicaea and Edict of Milan played a significant role in ensuring Christianity gained roots and spread to other places. They legalized Christian practices and set a course that the beliefs were to follow. Thus, after a long period of persecution, the desired of the martyrs were met, and Christianity gained a footing in different places of the world.

References

Grudem, W. (2005). Christian beliefs. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Jones, T. P. (2013). Rose Bible Basics: Christian History Made Easy. Rose Publishing, Inc.