First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 4 The Defense of the Faith

Chapter Summary Have you had to defend an idea that was important to you? In early Christianity, the Roman culture was very suspicious of new ideas that seemed to threaten its beliefs and lifestyle. At times, the suspicion grew to anger and violence against Christians. To persuade Christians to renounce their new ideas, many were put to death. In fact, all seven of Ignatius’ letters were written on his way to Rome surrounded by guards in order to be thrown to wild beasts and martyred in the Colosseum for his beliefs. It was not always easy for the Christians to defend their faith. In fact, just like in Corinth, the divisions caused within the church actually contributed to the church’s persecution as if God Himself were punishing the believers because of their factions. So, the church in Rome wrote to the church in Corinth to sort out the schism among them

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