‘Faithful Unto Death’, by Herbert Schmalz – Early Christian martyrs
Christians against Christians: The Anti-heretical Activities of the Roman Church in the Second Century
Dimitris J. Kyrtatas (University of Thessaly)
Historein: Volume 6 (2006)
Abstract
The church of Rome was actively involved in the disputes and conflicts that challenged the Christian movement throughout the Roman Empire from a very early period. Its interference in the affairs of other com- munities is most evident in the anti-heretical campaigns launched by its leaders as well as in the efforts those leaders made to found a universal church. This article shall restrict itself to the second century and as much as possible to the middle of that century. This period has not been investigated much due to the lack of reliable evidence. But as it seems to have been crucial for later developments, it is worth some close scrutiny. Most of what I will present in this article is not highly original – and what is original is not always very solid. My debt to previous studies will be clear enough and my own conjectures underlined. But I hope that a fresh examination of the scant evidence may stimulate discussion that could lead to a slightly new evaluation of the situation.
I shall argue that the leaders of the Christian community of Rome started developing, from a very early stage, an ambitious plan that they consciously pursued in a most persistent manner. To facilitate discussion, my arguments are grouped under four headings. I deal firstly with examples of what may be called clear cases of direct intervention; secondly, with the means employed and the weapons used in such interventions; thirdly, with the reasons behind Rome’s intervention; and fourthly, with the strategy and the aims of the intervention as well as with an estimate of the results, successes and failures of the endeavour.
Christians against Christians: The Anti-heretical Activities of the Roman Church in the Second Century
Dimitris J. Kyrtatas (University of Thessaly)
Historein: Volume 6 (2006)
Abstract
The church of Rome was actively involved in the disputes and conflicts that challenged the Christian movement throughout the Roman Empire from a very early period. Its interference in the affairs of other com- munities is most evident in the anti-heretical campaigns launched by its leaders as well as in the efforts those leaders made to found a universal church. This article shall restrict itself to the second century and as much as possible to the middle of that century. This period has not been investigated much due to the lack of reliable evidence. But as it seems to have been crucial for later developments, it is worth some close scrutiny. Most of what I will present in this article is not highly original – and what is original is not always very solid. My debt to previous studies will be clear enough and my own conjectures underlined. But I hope that a fresh examination of the scant evidence may stimulate discussion that could lead to a slightly new evaluation of the situation.
I shall argue that the leaders of the Christian community of Rome started developing, from a very early stage, an ambitious plan that they consciously pursued in a most persistent manner. To facilitate discussion, my arguments are grouped under four headings. I deal firstly with examples of what may be called clear cases of direct intervention; secondly, with the means employed and the weapons used in such interventions; thirdly, with the reasons behind Rome’s intervention; and fourthly, with the strategy and the aims of the intervention as well as with an estimate of the results, successes and failures of the endeavour.
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