The Pax Romana Podcast · Professor Colin Elliott

Defending Early Christianity (Christianity in the Roman Empire 4/5) - The Pax Romana Podcast 064

·22 min·2 clips

Justin Martyr challenges Roman emperors: why condemn Christians just for their name without investigating their deeds?

This episode examines how early Christian apologists defended their faith against Roman accusations. Host Colin Elliott, a history professor, focuses on the intellectual and legal arguments crafted by second-century Christian writers. The episode directly follows a prior discussion detailing the five main charges levied against Christians in the Roman Empire. The defenses addressed accusations including persecution for the "Christian" name alone, atheism for rejecting Roman gods, sedition for not honoring the emperor, immorality based on misunderstood rituals, and novelty as a recent superstition. Apologist Justin Martyr argued to Emperor Antoninus Pius that no just court should condemn people based solely on a name without investigating their deeds. Tertullian, a lawyer, countered the atheism charge by asserting Roman gods were non-existent and their mythical behaviors were morally reprehensible. The anonymous *Epistle to Diognetus* contended that the treatment of physical idols proved even pagans did not truly believe in those gods. Tertullian also defended against sedition charges by noting philosophers criticized the state and gods without punishment, sometimes even receiving rewards. To rebut claims of immoral rituals, Justin Martyr plainly described baptism as a washing and the Lord's Supper as a shared meal with bread and wine. Aristides, in his apology to Emperor Hadrian, highlighted Christian charity, describing a "brotherhood of strangers" that cared for the poor and buried the dead, functioning similarly to Roman mutual aid societies (*collegia*). To combat the novelty charge, Justin Martyr argued Christianity's roots were in ancient Jewish prophecy, which foretold Jesus's life and the spread of his followers among the Gentiles. A striking legal argument was that Roman law itself required examining a person's actions, not just their identity. The apologists turned the atheism accusation around by questioning the logic and morality of worshipping man-made idols depicted in myths as committing incest, rape, and murder. An insightful cultural point was that Christian charitable practices mirrored accepted Roman social structures, making them seem less deviant. The apologists' writings subtly implied Christianity was a divine, unstoppable force, a potentially unsettling message for imperial authorities. The tone is educational and analytical, structured around examining historical arguments in their cultural context. Elliott's style is conversational and expository, clearly explaining complex religious and legal concepts. Listeners interested in ancient history, early Christian theology, or the interplay between religion and Roman law will find this episode compelling. Those seeking narrative storytelling or contemporary religious debate might find it too focused on historical textual analysis.

As heard by us

Christian apologists get a clear, rigorous hearing.

The episode takes Christianity in the Roman Empire and frames it as a case for the defense, moving from accusation to rebuttal as early Christian writers answer charges that Christians were irrational, impious, and socially dangerous.

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Why you'd press play

You want an early Christian defense against Roman suspicion, made crisp and easy to follow.

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