Why were Christians persecuted?

Reasons recorded in Acts

• 17:5–8: Christians are traitorous
• 16:16–24: Christians create economic problems and disturb the peace
• 19:23–29: Christians are impious and atheistic
• 14:1–5, 20–20: "Faith and fratricide"

Other reasons

• Christians hate the human race (Tacitus)
• Christians are Asians (the martyrs of Lyons)
• Christians belong to an illegal organization, or are generally reprehensible (Pliny/Trajan)
• Rumours: Christians commit cannibalism and have orgies (Tertullian, etc.)
• Christianity is intellectually despicable (Celsus)
• Christians are just asking for it

Why were Christians willing to suffer for their faith?

• Jewish antecedents, e.g. II Macc. 6:12–30
• Christian theology of suffering
  i. Witness to Christ
  ii. Completing affliction (see Col. 12:24)
  iii. Imitation of Christ
  iv. Baptism, rebirth, personal resurrection
  v. Sacrificial themes
  vi. Experience of spiritual gifts

A chronology of persecutions (with the names of the emperors responsible)

• 64, Nero
• 113 or so, Pliny/Trajan
• 160s–170s, Marcus Aurelius
• 202–203, Septimius Severus
• 235-236, Maximin
• 250–251, Decius (empire-wide)
• 261 Toleration of Gallienus
• 303–312, "The Great Persecution," beginning with Diocletian
• 313, "Edict of Milan"

Impact of the persecutions on the Church

• Church growth
• Issues of schism
• Martyrdom and affliction as norms
• Suspicion of state
• Organizational development