PERSECUTION FOR THE FAITH

1
PERSECUTION FOR THE FAITH

• Martyrsthose who accept torture and death rather
  than renounce their beliefs
• Many martyrs in early Church
• St. Stephen was first
• Martyrs came from all walks of life

2
INTER-JEWISH CONFLICTS

• Hellenistic Jews among the first to join The
  Way, or New Way, as the group was called
• Some felt different
• Apostles sought out assistants, or deacons
• Stephen one of first deacons
• Jesus followers first called Christians in
  Antioch, with Paul Barnabas present

3

• Gentile converts to Christianity grew in number
• Roman persecutions most profoundly affected
  Christianity
• Several factors contributed to persecution of
  Christians (p. 36 text)

4
FUELED BY FIRE

• July 19, 64 A.D.tremendous fire in Rome gutted
  entire districts
• Nero began persecutions
• He blamed Christians for fire
• Peter and Paul
• Lasted 3 years

5
EMPEROR DOMITIAN

• First empire-wide