They cited Wikipedia, which stated that the persecution was small and not widespread.Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Since the vast majority of historical information indicates that persecution was commonplace and widespread, the burden of proof is on them.
And what does Wikipedia cite in turn?They cited Wikipedia, which stated that the persecution was small and not widespread.
Why would anyone claim this, unless they’re very anti-Catholic/Christian?How do you respond to a person who says the early martyrdom of Christians in the Roman Empire is largely made up and exaggerated? According to this person, Christian persecution only happened sporadically, and it was never widespread.
Well, one of them is a Roman Pagan, for starters.Why would anyone claim this, unless they’re very anti-Catholic/Christian?
This person is correct. It is incorrect to maintain that Christianity was universally persecuted until Constantine. There were periods of persecutions, and there were periods in which Christians wee free to preach (and gather converts) in public.How do you respond to a person who says the early martyrdom of Christians in the Roman Empire is largely made up and exaggerated? According to this person, Christian persecution only happened sporadically, and it was never widespread.
No one is denying that. But he’s claiming widespread martyrdom did not exist at any point in history, and that Christians were welcomed in with open arms.This person is correct. It is incorrect to maintain that Christianity was universally persecuted until Constantine. There were periods of persecutions, and there were periods in which Christians wee free to preach (and gather converts) in public.
Has this person heard the news lately? There is persecution and martyrdom taking place horrifically today.No one is denying that. But he’s claiming widespread martyrdom did not exist at any point in history, and that Christians were welcomed in with open arms.
Errr, yeah, it only happened sporadically. No one denies that. Hence all the histories say that this or that emperor renewed the persecutions when he came to power.How do you respond to a person who says the early martyrdom of Christians in the Roman Empire is largely made up and exaggerated? According to this person, Christian persecution only happened sporadically, and it was never widespread.
“Sporadic” and “widespread” aren’t opposites. There were persecutions, and they were numerous, decentralized, and disorganized. No one anywhere argues that there was a single, serious, sustained, continuous persecution lasting several centuries. By and large the Church survived precisely because the Romans handled the persecutions incompetently and inconsistently.No one is denying that. But he’s claiming widespread martyrdom did not exist at any point in history, and that Christians were welcomed in with open arms.
The view you describe has been bolstered recently by the work of this Catholic scholar from Notre Dame:How do you respond to a person who says the early martyrdom of Christians in the Roman Empire is largely made up and exaggerated? According to this person, Christian persecution only happened sporadically, and it was never widespread.