The Martyrdom of Paul and of Peter (Eusebius)

When reading the New Testament it is clear that right from the start there were very fierce opponents of the gospel. Not nearly everyone was a fan of the Christian message or the Christian church. For just one example, we learn about Stephen's martyrdom in Acts 7. Certainly other Christians were persecuted as well, although…

Polycarp: “Away with the Atheists!”

For various reasons, it is sometimes difficult to gauge the accuracy of ancient uninspired literature. The ancient methods and customs of writing were often different than they are today. Scholars have spent a lot of time and energy working to learn how accurate various ancient sources are. One such example is the Martyrdom of Polycarp.…

Turing From Idols: Ancient Syriac Documents

In volume 8 of the Ante-Nicene Fathers (ANF), there are some ancient Syriac documents which "made the cut" and are included, though the authorship, date, and occasions are not always known.  It is also clear that some of these Syriac documents have additions and subtractions.  However, they do preserve for us at least in general…

Cyprian, Martyrs, and Jesus

It is hard to speak about martyrdom for a few reasons.  First, we don’t want to sugar coat it or make it something to necessarily strive for.  Second, we don’t want to avoid it and act as if it is not a real thing that Christians have been and are being disemboweled just because they…