The reading I selected was Tertullian's Apology to the Roman
emperors. Tertullian was writing in defence of the Christians of the
time, who were being acused of treason for not participating in roman
ceremonies. Tertullian stated that "we cannot be held to do harm to
that which has no existence" (pp. 55). Tertullian was also writing in
hopes to decrease the ignorance surrounding Christianity and encouraged
others to educate themselves. He believed that once people learned
about the faith, they would convert.
As Tertullian defended the Christians of the time, he basically suggested that they should be thanked rather than attacked. Christians believed that the many Roman gods didn't exist, therefore it was not a crime to refrain from praising them. The Christians were praying to the only one they knew would grant their prayers, the One, True God. Since the Christian God existed and the Roman gods did not, it only made sense to pray to the real God. In Tertillian's eyes, there was no evidence of a crime.
Though this was written circa 200, there are still many similarities in the Christians of Today. Christians of Tertillian's time and of Today still have the overall expectation to be loving of all people, Christian or not. And sometimes, as Tertullian noted early-on, the only good quality a person might have is that they are a Christian. Christian's of today are definitely in a more favorable light today. though it's not the same all over the world, here at home, no one is persecuted or disowned for being a Christian. As Sarah stated in her blog, it seems that now-a-days, instead of Roman gods, we have things such as pride and money taking the place as the false gods.
As Tertullian defended the Christians of the time, he basically suggested that they should be thanked rather than attacked. Christians believed that the many Roman gods didn't exist, therefore it was not a crime to refrain from praising them. The Christians were praying to the only one they knew would grant their prayers, the One, True God. Since the Christian God existed and the Roman gods did not, it only made sense to pray to the real God. In Tertillian's eyes, there was no evidence of a crime.
Though this was written circa 200, there are still many similarities in the Christians of Today. Christians of Tertillian's time and of Today still have the overall expectation to be loving of all people, Christian or not. And sometimes, as Tertullian noted early-on, the only good quality a person might have is that they are a Christian. Christian's of today are definitely in a more favorable light today. though it's not the same all over the world, here at home, no one is persecuted or disowned for being a Christian. As Sarah stated in her blog, it seems that now-a-days, instead of Roman gods, we have things such as pride and money taking the place as the false gods.
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