The Age of the Apologists and the Defense of the Faith (AD 100–180)
What is an apologist?
A person who explains and defends the Christian faith.
What does the word heresy mean?
a belief that goes against the essential teachings of the christian faith
What is a martyr?
A person who dies for their faith.
What is theology?
The study of God and religious beliefs.
what does persecution mean?
Treating people cruelly or unfairly because of their beliefs.
Why did early Christian apologists defend Christianity?
To answer false accusations and explain Christian beliefs.
What does orthodoxy mean?
Correct belief or teaching according to the Christian faith.
Who was the Roman emperor when Pliny the Younger wrote to him about Christians around AD 112?
Emperor Trajan.
Who was Tertullian?
An early Christian writer who helped explain and defend the Christian faith in Latin.
Which Roman emperor began the Great Persecution in AD 303?
Emperor Diocletian.
Who was Justin Martyr?
An early Christian apologist who explained and defended Christianity.
Why did early Church leaders work to identify false teachings?
To protect the Church's teachings and help Christians understand their faith.
Why were Christians punished under some Roman emperors?
Some refused to worship Roman gods or take part in emperor worship.
Who was Origen?
An important early Christian teacher and writer who studied and explained Scripture in Greek.
What did Roman officials do to Christians during the Great Persecution?
They destroyed churches, took Christian Scriptures, and imprisoned Christians.
What did apologists use to defend their faith?
Reason, writing, and explanations of Christian beliefs.
What is the New Testament canon?
The collection of books recognized by the Church as Scripture.
Which Roman emperor ordered Christians throughout the empire to perform religious sacrifices in AD 250?
emperor decius
What is the difference between Latin theology and Greek theology?
Latin theology developed mainly in the Western Roman Empire, while Greek theology developed mainly in the Eastern Roman Empire.
Who was Constantine?
A Roman leader who supported Christianity and later became emperor.
What was one major goal of the early Christian apologists?
To show that Christianity was true and that Christians should not be persecuted for their beliefs.
Why was it important for the early Church to recognize which writings belonged in the New Testament?
To preserve the authentic teachings about Jesus and guide Christian communities.
How did the persecution under Decius differ from some earlier persecutions?
it required people across the emppire to perform sacrifices to the roman gods and obtain proof that they had done so.
How did Tertullian and Origen help the early Church?
They wrote about Christian beliefs, explained Scripture, and helped develop early Christian theology.
Why was Constantine’s rise to power important for Christians by AD 312?
Constantine won the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312, an important step toward ending the persecution of Christians and gaining imperial support for Christianity.