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Some female theology professor has written a book called The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom. In an interview with the Huffington Post, she tries to portray modern-day Western Christians as a bunch of sissy cry babies who scream persecution at the drop of a hat. She gives her reason for writing the book.
She goes on to explain why she thinks the “myth” of persecution evolved.
But her views are contrary to the teachings of Scripture. Jesus warned His disciples that they would face persecution, and they did. Because these prophecies came true, we know that the prophecies concerning great persecution before the Second Coming will also come true. From Jesus’ incarnation to His return, persecution is a constant.
Jn 15:18-20
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Jn 16:2-4
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Jn 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Mat 10:21-22; cf Mk 13:12-13
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Lk 21:12, 16
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
And this so-called professor of theology thinks it’s unfair for us to claim rejection and revilement as real persecution even though Jesus Himself classed it as real persecution.
Mat 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
If we weren’t persecuted, how else would we know whether we were saved?
But according to the professor, “real persecution” has to involve imprisonment, torture or the drawing of blood.
Rom 8:16-17
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
The professor claims there is little evidence that the early church suffered persecution, yet here again she is at odds with the Bible. We know that James (Acts 12:1-2) and Stephen (Acts 7:58-60) were martyred, and the Apostles were imprisoned (Acts 5:18, 12:3-5, 16:19-23) and beaten (Acts 5:40, 16:22-23a). The church as a whole was also persecuted.
Rom 8:1b, 3
1 And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
What more historical evidence does this stupid woman need? The Bible clearly says the early church was persecuted. Does she think the biblical account has been exaggerated or fabricated? If we had to excise all the passages of the Bible relating to persecution, hardly anything would be left of the New Testament.
There is one significant extra-biblical historical account of Christian persecution throughout the period of grace, however – Actes and Monuments, better known as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Take, for instance, the martyrdom of John Hooper at the hands of catholics.
Does anything about this account strike you as unrealistic or mythical, as if it has been edited, expanded or invented? Compared to some of the stories in the Bible, this is pretty tame. Obviously the professor has never watched Quo Vadis, a historical movie which also confirms that Christian martyrs always died painlessly and rejoicing. Where are all these myths she keeps going on about in the article?
Persecution results in the furtherance of the Gospel.
Phil 1:2-14
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Revival always accompanies persecution, except in the end times, when the church will decline. The professor probably doesn’t believe this. She would probably be one of those who say Christianity withered under persecution in the Middle East with the advance of Islam. But Eastern Orthodoxy is not True Christianity™.
The professor’s book is nothing short of an attack on the Bible itself.Persecution is alive and well in the West today, if you count verbal revilement as persecution, which Jesus does. Persecution is how we know we are God’s children. Of course, God can always deliver us from persecution – even though it brings great blessings on the persecuted and furthers the Gospel – just like He busted Peter (Acts 12:6-11), Paul and Silas (Acts 16:22-40), and the other Apostles (Acts 5:17-20) out of prison. But the professor probably thinks these are myths as well.
I initially became interested in this subject because of a homily I heard that compared the situation facing modern Christians in America to the martyrs of the early church. I was surprised by the comparison because modern Americans aren't living in fear for their lives and the analogy seemed a little hyperbolic and sensational. After this, I began to notice the language of persecution and victimization being bandied about everywhere from politics, to sermons, to the media, but rarely in regard to situations that involve imprisonment and violence.
She goes on to explain why she thinks the “myth” of persecution evolved.
Often these statements referred to the history of the early Church as evidence that Christians have always been persecuted and, thus, should expect to be persecuted today. In these arguments, a lot of weight rests on the idea that Christians were persecuted in the early church because, without the idea of near-continuous persecution, it would be difficult to recast, say, disagreements about the role of prayer in schools as persecution.
Yes. But intriguingly, the historical evidence for systematic persecution of Christians by Jews and Romans is actually very slim. There were only a few years before the rise of the emperor Constantine that Christians were sought out by the authorities just for being Christians. The stories about early Christian martyrs have been edited, expanded, and sometimes even invented, giving the impression that Christians were under constant attack. This mistaken impression is important because it fosters a sense of Christian victimhood and that victim mentality continues to rear its head in modern politics and society. It's difficult to imagine that people could make the same claims about persecution today were it not for the idea that Christians have always been persecuted.
Yes. But intriguingly, the historical evidence for systematic persecution of Christians by Jews and Romans is actually very slim. There were only a few years before the rise of the emperor Constantine that Christians were sought out by the authorities just for being Christians. The stories about early Christian martyrs have been edited, expanded, and sometimes even invented, giving the impression that Christians were under constant attack. This mistaken impression is important because it fosters a sense of Christian victimhood and that victim mentality continues to rear its head in modern politics and society. It's difficult to imagine that people could make the same claims about persecution today were it not for the idea that Christians have always been persecuted.
But her views are contrary to the teachings of Scripture. Jesus warned His disciples that they would face persecution, and they did. Because these prophecies came true, we know that the prophecies concerning great persecution before the Second Coming will also come true. From Jesus’ incarnation to His return, persecution is a constant.
Jn 15:18-20
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Jn 16:2-4
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Jn 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Mat 10:21-22; cf Mk 13:12-13
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Lk 21:12, 16
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
And this so-called professor of theology thinks it’s unfair for us to claim rejection and revilement as real persecution even though Jesus Himself classed it as real persecution.
Mat 5:10-12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
If we weren’t persecuted, how else would we know whether we were saved?
But according to the professor, “real persecution” has to involve imprisonment, torture or the drawing of blood.
Rom 8:16-17
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
The professor claims there is little evidence that the early church suffered persecution, yet here again she is at odds with the Bible. We know that James (Acts 12:1-2) and Stephen (Acts 7:58-60) were martyred, and the Apostles were imprisoned (Acts 5:18, 12:3-5, 16:19-23) and beaten (Acts 5:40, 16:22-23a). The church as a whole was also persecuted.
Rom 8:1b, 3
1 And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
What more historical evidence does this stupid woman need? The Bible clearly says the early church was persecuted. Does she think the biblical account has been exaggerated or fabricated? If we had to excise all the passages of the Bible relating to persecution, hardly anything would be left of the New Testament.
There is one significant extra-biblical historical account of Christian persecution throughout the period of grace, however – Actes and Monuments, better known as Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Take, for instance, the martyrdom of John Hooper at the hands of catholics.
Now, after he had entered into prayer, a box was brought and laid before him upon a stool, with his pardon from the queen, if he would turn. At the sight whereof he cried, "If you love my soul, away with it!" The box being taken away, Lord Chandois said, "Seeing there is no remedy; despatch him quickly."
Command was now given that the fire should be kindled. But because there were not more green fagots than two horses could carry, it kindled not speedily, and was a pretty while also before it took the reeds upon the fagots. At length it burned about him, but the wind having full strength at that place, and being a lowering cold morning, it blew the flame from him, so that he was in a manner little more than touched by the fire.
Within a space after, a few dry fagots were brought, and a new fire kindled with fagots, (for there were no more reeds) and those burned at the nether parts, but had small power above, because of the wind, saving that it burnt his hair and scorched his skin a little. In the time of which fire, even as at the first flame, he prayed, saying mildly, and not very loud, but as one without pain, "O Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul!" After the second fire was spent, he wiped both his eyes with his hands, and beholding the people, he said with an indifferent, loud voice, "For God's love, good people, let me have more fire!" and all this while his nether parts did burn; but the fagots were so few that the flame only singed his upper parts.
The third fire was kindled within a while after, which was more extreme than the other two. In this fire he prayed with a loud voice, "Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me! Lord Jesus receive my spirit!" And these were the last words he was heard to utter. But when he was black in the mouth, and his tongue so swollen that he could not speak, yet his lips went until they were shrunk to the gums: and he knocked his breast with his hands until one of his arms fell off, and then knocked still with the other, while the fat, water, and blood dropped out at his fingers' ends, until by renewing the fire, his strength was gone, and his hand clave fast in knocking to the iron upon his breast. Then immediately bowing forwards, he yielded up his spirit.
Thus was he three quarters of an hour or more in the fire.
Even as a lamb, patiently he abode the extremity thereof, neither moving forwards, backwards, nor to any side; but he died as quietly as a child in his bed. And he now reigneth, I doubt not, as a blessed martyr in the joys of heaven, prepared for the faithful in Christ before the foundations of the world; for whose constancy all Christians are bound to praise God.
Command was now given that the fire should be kindled. But because there were not more green fagots than two horses could carry, it kindled not speedily, and was a pretty while also before it took the reeds upon the fagots. At length it burned about him, but the wind having full strength at that place, and being a lowering cold morning, it blew the flame from him, so that he was in a manner little more than touched by the fire.
Within a space after, a few dry fagots were brought, and a new fire kindled with fagots, (for there were no more reeds) and those burned at the nether parts, but had small power above, because of the wind, saving that it burnt his hair and scorched his skin a little. In the time of which fire, even as at the first flame, he prayed, saying mildly, and not very loud, but as one without pain, "O Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul!" After the second fire was spent, he wiped both his eyes with his hands, and beholding the people, he said with an indifferent, loud voice, "For God's love, good people, let me have more fire!" and all this while his nether parts did burn; but the fagots were so few that the flame only singed his upper parts.
The third fire was kindled within a while after, which was more extreme than the other two. In this fire he prayed with a loud voice, "Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me! Lord Jesus receive my spirit!" And these were the last words he was heard to utter. But when he was black in the mouth, and his tongue so swollen that he could not speak, yet his lips went until they were shrunk to the gums: and he knocked his breast with his hands until one of his arms fell off, and then knocked still with the other, while the fat, water, and blood dropped out at his fingers' ends, until by renewing the fire, his strength was gone, and his hand clave fast in knocking to the iron upon his breast. Then immediately bowing forwards, he yielded up his spirit.
Thus was he three quarters of an hour or more in the fire.
Even as a lamb, patiently he abode the extremity thereof, neither moving forwards, backwards, nor to any side; but he died as quietly as a child in his bed. And he now reigneth, I doubt not, as a blessed martyr in the joys of heaven, prepared for the faithful in Christ before the foundations of the world; for whose constancy all Christians are bound to praise God.
Persecution results in the furtherance of the Gospel.
Phil 1:2-14
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Revival always accompanies persecution, except in the end times, when the church will decline. The professor probably doesn’t believe this. She would probably be one of those who say Christianity withered under persecution in the Middle East with the advance of Islam. But Eastern Orthodoxy is not True Christianity™.
The professor’s book is nothing short of an attack on the Bible itself.Persecution is alive and well in the West today, if you count verbal revilement as persecution, which Jesus does. Persecution is how we know we are God’s children. Of course, God can always deliver us from persecution – even though it brings great blessings on the persecuted and furthers the Gospel – just like He busted Peter (Acts 12:6-11), Paul and Silas (Acts 16:22-40), and the other Apostles (Acts 5:17-20) out of prison. But the professor probably thinks these are myths as well.
You are a funny little troll, aren't you.
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