Christian Persecution in Antiquity

by Wolfram Kinzig, Markus Bockmuehl (Translation)

For centuries into the Common Era, Christians faced social ostracism and suspicion from neighbors and authorities alike. At times, this antipathy erupted into violence. Following Christ was a risky to be a Christian in the Roman Empire carried with it the implicit risk of being branded a traitor to cultural and imperial sensibilities. The prolonged experience of distrust, oppression, and outright persecution helped shape the ethos of the Christian faith and produced a wealth of literature commemorating those who gave their lives in witness to the gospel. Wolfram Kinzig, in Christian Persecution in Antiquity , examines the motivations and legal mechanisms behind the various outbursts of violence against Christians, and chronologically tracks the course of Roman oppression of this new religion to the time of Constantine. Brief consideration is also given to persecutions of Christians outside the borders of the Roman Empire. Kinzig analyzes martyrdom accounts of the early church, cautiously drawing on these ancient voices alongside contemporary non-Christian evidence to reconstruct the church’s experience as a minority sect. In doing so, Kinzig challenges recent reductionist attempts to dismantle the idea that Christians were ever serious targets of intentional violence. While martyrdom accounts and their glorification of self-sacrifice seem strange to modern eyes, they should still be given credence as historical artifacts indicative of actual events, despite them being embellished by sanctified memory. Newly translated from the German original by Markus Bockmuehl and featuring an additional chapter and concise notes, Christian Persecution in Antiquity fills a gap in English scholarship on early Christianity and offers a helpful introduction to this era for nonspecialists. Kinzig makes clear the critical role played by the experience of persecution in the development of the church’s identity and sense of belonging in the ancient world.

181 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2021

Reviews

[Monica05 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reputo questo saggio letto per un esame completo e approfondito. Ci sono anche particolari macabri come la descrizione delle varie tipologie di torture a danno dei cristiani, ma contribuiscono a rendere il libro esaustivo. Alcuni capitoli un po’ più lunghi e macchinosi di altri, ma nel complesso consiglio questa lettura a chi voglia saperne di più sulle persecuzioni dei primi cristiani.

[Dane Radigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for class. I think it gave a detailed and in depth summary of what persecution was. The book did a great job at what it was aimed to do. The historical recollection is just not my favorite thing to read.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tough yet enlightening read on a 'misunderstood' period of history. We often just reflexively gesture to this period (often in hopes of gaining sympathy for current 'movements' within the broader church). Kinzig, with great translation by Bockmuehl, does a good job of bringing this dark period to greater awareness, without falling into the trap of differential reverence that a more 'faith based' account would have done. That scholarly nature did make it hard to go through at times; there are a lot of people tortured, burned at the stake, fed to lions, beheaded, etc. That style was also a strength, in my view. Rumors and inconsistencies are put down with care. I also liked the explanation of the Roman rational (as much as we can gather) and the Roman legal system. It's compact, which would make it a great entry point for people looking to learn more.