This is for you to decide. Did repression work? Why did Galerius, who was the main instigator of Diocletian's Great Persecution, decreed the end of this persecution seven years later? Why did he do so for peace and security in the empire? Why was it only the Christian religion which was persecuted? What were the benefits of the Romans' policy of tolerance of the religions of the conquered peoples? Note that Christianity was not always persecuted. There were periods of tolerance and periods of persecution.
* Christians suffered persecution at the hands of the Romans.
A:It is part of Christian lore that Christians are persecuted and always have been, with numerous martyrs put to death during early Roman times, but this is far from the truth.Any Christians in North Korea could expect to be persecuted by this oppressive Communist regime, but the risks for Buddhists would be far greater. Some persecution of Christians occurs occasionally in Muslim-majority countries of the Middle East, but the official position of Islam is that Christians, as people of the Book, should be free to worship as they please.Certainly, there was occasional and local, unofficial persecution of the early Christians of the Roman Empire, but it is estimated that widespread official persecution of Christian totalled no more than about twelve years, over the course of approximately three centuries. Origen, who, from his experience as well as reading, was intimately acquainted with the history of the Christians, declared that the number of martyrs was not great. Edward Gibbon (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire), in explaining the tradition of early Roman persecution, says the ecclesiastical writers of the fourth or fifth centuries ascribed to the magistrates of Rome the same degree of implacable and unrelenting zeal which filled their own breasts against the heretics or the idolaters of their own times. Christians of this period needed to justify their own actions in persecuting others, by claiming that persecution of Christians had been far more common in the past.
Roman critics often accused Christians of being atheists because they rejected the traditional Roman pantheon of gods. They also criticized Christians for their secretive practices and gatherings, which were perceived as subversive to social order. Additionally, Christians were blamed for societal problems, such as plagues or disasters, due to their refusal to participate in state-sponsored religious rituals. This led to widespread suspicion and persecution during various periods of Roman history.
There is no real evidence of the Romans persecuting Christians before at least 97 CE, and only sporadic periods of persecution even after that. Professor Keith Hopkins (A world full of gods: the Strange Triumph of Christianity) says that although in its early years Christianity was both illegal and at loggerheads with the state, it was largely ignored until the three purges of 250, 257 and 303- 311.Any persecution of the Christians ended early in the fourth century, when Christianity received state patronage under Emperor Constantine. Then, later in the fouth century, Christianity became the official religion of Rome and was in a position to persecute pagans and Mithraists. It seems that persecution does not choose its victims - whichever religion is more powerful at the time persecutes the less powerful.AnswerEuan Cameron (Interpreting Christian History: The Challenge of the Churches' Past) says, "Contrary to popular tradition, the first three centuries of Christianity were not times of steady or consistent persecution. Persecution was sporadic, intermittent, and mostly local." It is generally agreed that there was no organised, general, centrally directed persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire before the edict of Emperor Decius in 249, which then only remained in effect until 251 CE. The only prolonged and very widespread "great persecution" of Christians was that initiated by Diocletian in 303 CE. It lasted until 305 in the West, but continued until 311 in the East. Over a period of almost three centuries, it has been estimated that the Christians suffered a total of about twelve years of official, widespread persecution.Answer120years
AnswerBy the third century, Christianity was well established in and around Greece and the Middle East, as well as in Rome, Alexandria, Carthage and a few cities such as Lyons in the 'barbarian' western Europe.Christianity had largely failed to penetrate Egypt outside Alexandria, or much of western Europe. Even Italy, outside the city of Rome, seems to have largely resisted Christianity. It seems that the Egyptian and Celtic religions had not entered a period of decline and scepticism in the way that the Greco-Roman religion had done. However, there was no impediment to Christians preaching in those areas, other than a lack of interest on the part of the population.Christian tradition suggests that the Christians suffered constant harrassment and persecution by the Roman authorities. However, Euan Cameron (Interpreting Christian History: The Challenge of the Churches' Past) says, "Contrary to popular tradition, the first three centuries of Christianity were not times of steady or consistent persecution. Persecution was sporadic, intermittent, and mostly local." Edward Gibbon (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) goes further and, on a number of occasions, praises the pagan Romans for their general tolerance towards Christianity. Widespread and persistent persecution of other faiths only really began with the Christian Empire.There was a total of perhaps 12 years of official persecution of Christianity during nearly three hundred years in which Christianity existed in the pagan Empire. Otherwise, the Christians were largely allowed to worship as they pleased, and even to proselytise their faith, as long as they took care not to offend others or disturb the peace. This allowed Christianity to prosper and spread far and wide.
* Christians suffered persecution at the hands of the Romans.
In 300 AD, and the surrounding years, Diocletian persecuted Christians worse than they ever had been in history. This was known as the Diocletianic Persecution.
History shows that most Roman emperors were tolerant of Christianity. It was Galerius who formalised this by proclaiming the Edict of Toleration, overturning the Great Persecution of Diocletian.Constantine subsequently extended privileges to the Christian Church by the Edict of Milan.AnswerThe Roman emperor Galerius issued the Edict of Toleration that brought an end to the Great Persecution instituted by his predecessor, Diocletian. Strangely, it was Galerius who had pressured Diocletian to undertake the persecution of Christians. Constantine subsequently issued a further edict, the Edict of Milan that gave the Christians positive advantages.
Persia, now known as Iran, has a history of religious tolerance dating back to the ancient Persian Empire. Today, the Iranian constitution recognizes Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism as protected minority religions, although the Baha'i faith faces persecution. Despite this, there have been instances of religious discrimination and restrictions on freedom of worship in the country.
W. Denton has written: 'Montenegro' -- subject(s): Accessible book, History 'The Christians of Turkey' -- subject(s): Christianity, Christians, Church history, History, Islam, Persecution, Relations 'Fallacies on the Eastern question' -- subject(s): Eastern question, History
The Edit of Milan was issued by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in 313 AD. This decree granted religious tolerance to Christians and ended the persecution they faced in the Roman Empire. It marked a significant turning point in the history of Christianity, allowing the faith to be practiced openly and leading to its eventual establishment as the state religion.
Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in the year 313 AD. This decree granted religious tolerance to Christians and allowed them to practice their faith openly without persecution. It was part of a broader effort to unify the Roman Empire under a single religious framework. The edict marked a significant turning point in the history of Christianity.
It all depends on which Muslim you are dealing with. some of them have none while the vast majority of them have been able to live with other religions throughout history.
The persecution of natives is a recurring theme in human history.
Its past, what goes on there, and what religions may have started there are near there. Israel is a good example. The Jewish, Christians, and the Muslims have their religions tracked backed to Israel, all for different reasons, History huh?
By definition, Christians act like Christians, but perhaps they do not act as we wish Christians would. The good news is that, regardless of well-publicised accounts of the failings of many Christian leaders in modern times, Christians are undoubtedly more ethical today than they were in earlier times. The history of the Christian Church is replete with murders, theft, forgery, fraud and pseudepigraphical writings, persecution of pagans and Jews, enforced conversions, nepotism and sins of a sexual nature. If the history of Christianity defines how a Christian acts, then modern Christians compare very well to the precedents set for them.
Popes frequently ordered the persecution of Christians outside the Catholic Church, as well as those who claimed to be Catholics but who appeared to dissent from the teachings of the Church. From 1209 until almost 1250, crusading armies poured into the Languedoc region of southern France, on the orders of Pope Innocent III, to persecute the Cathars and destroy their non-Catholic Christianity.