This seminar has three aims. First, it offers a clear historical account of what we know—and what we do not know—about the persecution of the church in the formative centuries of Christianity. Second, it examines the impact of persecution on the church’s mission and the spiritual and intellectual resources that enabled Christians not merely to survive suffering but, in many cases, to thrive through it. Third, the seminar explores the transformation of the fourth century, asking how the church navigated the responsibilities and temptations of social and political power within the Roman Empire. Throughout, the seminar poses a unifying question: what lessons can the contemporary church learn from these founding centuries?
Session 1 - Persecution and the Early Church: This session traces what can—and cannot—be established about the persecution of Christians in the first centuries of the faith. Moving beyond popular myths and exaggerations, it examines the historical evidence for state action, local hostility, and sporadic violence, clarifying when persecution occurred, how widespread it was, and how early Christians understood their suffering.
Session 2 - Mission, Martyrdom, and Moral Resilience: This session explores how opposition shaped the church from the inside. It considers the effect of suffering on Christian mission and identity, as well as the theological, moral, and intellectual resources believers drew upon to endure hardship. Particular attention is given to martyrdom, moral formation, and the ways adversity sharpened the church’s sense of purpose.
Session 3 - From Margins to Power in the Roman World: This session examines the dramatic changes of the fourth century, as Christianity moved from a persecuted minority to a socially dominant force within the Roman Empire. It asks how Christian leaders negotiated new forms of influence, authority, and responsibility—and what was gained, lost, or compromised when the church learned to live with political power.
