“Follow Jesus” seems like such a simple command, until you remember that Jesus went to the cross. The early church had an uncompromising allegiance to Jesus, unity in a non-violent ethic, and a shocking willingness to obey Jesus’ words, “Follow me.” But how did the church in Rome go from being a non-conforming problem for Rome to asking the Roman military to settle church division within a century? Nick and Matt chat about the transformative effect of a “Christianized” Roman Empire, and how this newfound political power radically shifted the church’s beliefs and practices regarding state, violence, and the purpose of the church, resulting in the horridly violent legacy that is church history.
Resources Referenced: Caesar and the Lamb by George Kalantzis, Jesus Wars by Philip Jenkins.
Interlude Music: In the Beginning of Timeby Of Water
Theme Song:Believe by Posthumorous
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Episode Outline:
00:41 Introduction: The Early Church and Its Ethic
02:34 The Early Church's Response to Violence
04:18 The Role of Martyrdom in the Early Church
05:58 The Early Church's Stand Against Violence in the Roman Empire
15:00 The Early Church's Rejection of Military Service
21:31 The Shift in the Church's Stance on Violence
22:55 Constantine and the Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire
27:26 The Influence of the Roman Empire on Church Doctrine
30:38 Augustine's Influence on Christianity
33:35 The Shift in Christian Approach to Violence
42:16 Christianity and Violence in the Reformation and Post Reformation Eras
43:29 Manifest Destiny and the Dangers of Christianizing Behavior Contrary to Jesus' Ethic
