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Understanding the Origins of Persecution and Early Monasticism in Early Christianity

This text explores Eusebius's insights on the beginnings of persecution against Christians in the early centuries, highlighting early monasticism in Egypt through the examples of hermetic practices like those of Saint Antony and coenobitic communities such as those founded by Saint Pachomius. It details church developments around 300 AD, including the establishment of bishops, church offices, and the emergence of metropolitan churches. The text also covers significant events such as Diocletian’s persecution, the martyrdom of Saint George, and the schism of Donatism, culminating in the pivotal Edict of Milan in 313 AD.

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Understanding the Origins of Persecution and Early Monasticism in Early Christianity

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Eusebius’s perspective on why persecution began:

  2. Early monasticism (Egypt): 1. Heremetic = alone, hermit - e.g. Antony 2. Coenobitic = communal - e.g. Pachomius

  3. Developments within the Church: ~300 AD 1. Almost every church had a bishop - teacher, enforcer of discipline, selected presbyters & deacons, presided at baptisms & eucharist, ordained by neighboring bishops, 2. Church offices: lectors, widows, subdeacons, catechists, acolytes, virgins, exorcists & doorkeepers, 3. Churches in some cities (e.g. Carthage) became metropolitan churches, headed by Metropolitan Bishops, 4. Christian centers (Rome, Alexandria, Antioch) called patriarchial churches; bishops called ‘papas’ by laity - origin of word ‘pope’.

  4. Diocletian’s persecution:

  5. The Martyrdom of Saint George:

  6. Diocletian’s persecution:

  7. ~311 Schism of Donatism: 1. Donatus Magnus in Africa, 2. Response to apostasizing under Diocletian: Baptisms administered to those who apostacized, and sacraments celebrated by clergy who apostasized, are invalid, 3. Constantine’s Council of Arles in 314 rejected; decreed heretical in 409; Donatists had to give up their churches, 4. Disappeared during Arab conquest of 7th-8th centuries.

  8. Diocletian (284-286) Roman Empire Western Empire Eastern Empire Maximian (286-305) Diocletian (286-305) Constantius I (305-306) Galerius (305-310) X Constantine (306-313) Licinius (308-313) X X Maxentius (306-312) Maximinus (310-313) Constantine (313-337)

  9. 313 - Year of the ‘Coming of Age’ of the Church: 1. Edict of Milan, stopping persecution, 2. Athanasios enters service of Bishop Alexander, 3. Pachomius baptized, 4. Antony withdraws to the desert to find God.

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