For my first honors blog of this semester, I chose to write about the Martyrdom of Perpetua because I've always had a great deal of respect and admiration for martyrs and because I thought I had to write about both readings, before I read all the directions, and I started on this one first. Perpetua's Martyrdom took place in the year 203 AD in North Africa. The writing of the account of her imprisonment, torture and subsequent death may have been done by Tertullian, not long after her death. Perpetua's personal account of her imprisonment is also included. Interestingly, the background information preceding the actual account mentions that Romans were not overly eager to kill Christians and were more than willing to let the Christian go, granted they provide a sacrifice for the Emperor, which helps to show the resolve and strong faith of many Christians when they opted out of the easy way. Perpetua undoubtedly felt it was important to be a Christian, had she not, she would not have endured the physical pain and suffering she endured, and most likely would have taken the opportunity to make a sacrifice to the Emperor and be freed. She must also have felt it somewhat important to be public about her faith, if she hadn't, it is doubtful that she would have been arrested for that faith.
The only real mention of the Christian community interacting with Perpetua and imprisoned companions was when the two Deacons, Tertius and Pomponius, bribed the guards to let the Perpetua and her fellow imprisoned Christians to move a better part of the prison for while, in an effort to take care of them. From this example, descriptions of interaction between Perpetua and her imprisoned brothers and sister in Christ, and from prior knowledge of early Christians, the primary role of the Christian community at large was providing care and encouragement.
As a Christian today, especially one living America, I don't have to worry much about being thrown into prison, tortured, and finally killed before an audience because of my faith. I do, however face the very real possibility, of ridicule, and not so much because of what I believe and have faith in, but more because of how I go about showing that. But although the persecution it self and reasons for it are different for us now, the role of the Christian community has remained much the same. We should always keep our fellow Christians in our prayers, when we see our brother or sister being ridiculed, we too should go and show our support for them and even take part in the suffering for Christ, and when our fellow Christians are going through times of trial and tribulation, we should over our support, encouragement, and again, keep them in our prayers.
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