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Running Head: ESSAY 2
Essay 2
Shanel R. Inay
Liberty University
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ESSAY 2
In the Roman culture almost all religions were tolerated, but Christianity was widely
persecuted for many different reasons. First, the Romans were accustomed to their own religious
beliefs and gods. The Roman Empire created laws that restricted many from worshipping any
one god, but the god or gods that they, the Roman Empire designated to be worshipped amongst
the Roman culture. So, when Christianity became known and noticed, the Romans decided
Christianity, and the suggestion of worshipping one, personal, and true god, went against all their
beliefs, and was a threat to the Romans religious culture. Thus, starting the persecution of
Christianity and its believers. For centuries the Roman Empire and culture were accustomed to
the worshipping of many gods, whom were emperors, leaders, and rulers that were mortal men
with faults and flaws. They could not begin to understand the beliefs of Christianity, or even
acknowledge Christianity as a religion. The idea of a new unheard-of religion could offer
salvation was a threat to the Romans religious belief system. As Christians publicly refused to
worship the Romans appointed Gods, they would be punished or executed to set an example
among other Christians and Romans. As the Roman Empire carried out the laws of their culture,
so did the Roman civilization. Some persecution was carried out by fellow neighbors, in times
of hardships, disasters, or refusal to sacrifice to the gods. Christians had that absolute in God’s
revelation. Believers in Christianity had a value to live and to be judged by. It is believed that
Christians were rebellious, and their mission was to disrupt the unity of the state. And this is
why Christians were persecuted, unjustly.
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ESSAY 2
Reference:
Dr. Francis Schaeffer: How Should We Then Live? Episode 1 of 10. (2015, August 15).
Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://youtu.be/QT5Z-bcOoxE
Rawls, D. E. (2017). A NARRATIVE OF WESTERN CULTURE (3rd ed.).
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