Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Early Christian Writings: Pliny the Younger’s Letter to Emperor Trajan in 110AD

It is my custom, my Lord, to refer all questions to you if I am in doubt. Who can better direct my hesitation or instruct my ignorance?  I have never been present at judicial examinations of the Christians, so I don't know how and to what extent it is customary to punish or to search for them.

I have hesitated greatly as to whether any distinction should be made on the ground of age, or whether the weak should be treated in the same way as the strong. Should pardon be granted to the penitent? Or is there risk that one who has always been a Christian gain nothing by renouncing it?
Should the mere name be punished, even if no crime or crimes are associated with the name?

Here's what I have done to date: I have asked them if they were Christians. If they have confessed, I have asked them a second and third time, threatening them with punishment. If they have persisted, I have commanded them to be led away to punishment.  There really wasn't any doubt that pertinacious and inflexible obstinacy ought to be punished no matter what they might have confessed.  There have been others afflicted with a similar insanity whom—since they were Roman citizens—I have decided should be sent to Rome.

As commonly happens, as time has passed, the crime was extended, and many varieties of cases have appeared. An anonymous document was published containing the names of many persons. Those who denied that they were or had been Christians I thought ought to be released, after they had followed my example in invoking the gods and offering incense and wine to your image.
I ordered your image to be brought with the images of the gods for that very purpose.
I also had them curse Christ—something they say that those who are truly Christians cannot be compelled to do.
Others, accused by an informer, first said that they were Christians and afterwards denied it. They said that they had indeed been Christians, but stopped. Some said three years, some several years, and one even twenty years before.
All of them adored your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ.

On top of this, they affirmed that this was the sum of their guilt or error:
They had been accustomed to come together on a fixed day before daylight and to sing responsively a song to Christ as God. They bound themselves with an oath—not to commit some crime—but, on the contrary, that they would not commit theft, nor robbery, nor adultery, that they would not break faith, nor refuse to return a deposit when asked for it.
When they had done these things, their custom was to separate and to assemble again to partake of a meal, common yet harmless (which is not the characteristic of a nefarious superstition)

They stopped doing this after my edict. You had asked me to prohibit fraternities, so I did.
Because you asked this, I considered it all the more necessary to examine, even with the use of torture, two female slaves who were called deaconesses, in order to get to the truth. But I found nothing except a superstition depraved and immoderate.
Therefore, I have postponed further inquiry, and I have turned to thee for advice.
The matter seems to me to be worth consulting about, especially because of the number of people involved! Many of every age and of every rank and of both sexes have been and will be brought to trial.
The contagion of this superstition has permeated not only the cities, but also the villages and even the country districts. Apparently, though, it can be halted and corrected.
At any rate, it is certainly a fact that the temples, which were almost deserted, are now beginning to be frequented. The sacred rites, which were for a long time interrupted, are to be resumed, and the fodder for the sacrifices are being sold again.
For a while, hardly a purchaser was to be found!
It is easy to see how many can be reformed if they are given a chance for repentance.


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Early Christian Writings: Chapter 5 of the Letter to Diognetus (around 130 AD)

Christians are not distinguished from other men by country, language, nor by the customs which they observe. They do not inhabit cities of their own, use a particular way of speaking, nor lead a life marked out by any curiosity. The course of conduct they follow has not been devised by the speculation and deliberation of inquisitive men. The do not, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of merely human doctrines.
Instead, they inhabit both Greek and barbarian cities, however things have fallen to each of them. And it is while following the customs of the natives in clothing, food, and the rest of ordinary life that they display to us their wonderful and admittedly striking way of life.
They live in their own countries, but they do so as those who are just passing through. As citizens they participate in everything with others, yet they endure everything as if they were foreigners. Every foreign land is like their homeland to them, and every land of their birth is like a land of strangers.
They marry, like everyone else, and they have children, but they do not destroy their offspring.
They share a common table, but not a common bed.
They exist in the flesh, but they do not live by the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, all the while surpassing the laws by their lives.
They love all men and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned. They are put to death and restored to life.
They are poor, yet make many rich. They lack everything, yet they overflow in everything.
They are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor they are glorified; they are spoken ill of and yet are justified; they are reviled but bless; they are insulted and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if raised from the dead. They are assailed by the Jews as barbarians; they are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to give any reason for their hatred.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Through My Eyes: Difficult Teachers, Bayshore Baptist Church, My Bible Confessions and Summer

Hey everyone! I’m sorry I haven’t posted anything for a while. But today, I am
going to talk about a few different subjects. I have had so much going on since I last posted (which is forever ago I know) and I hope to post a whole lot more in the future.
Channelside Academy is a great school. It has seriously changed my life. But one particular teacher is not exactly on my favorites list. Mr. Aparicio is my Spanish teacher. The language was a thing I have had to take for a while and Mr. A joined the staff this year. I know I am supposed to respect my authorities but when you have a teacher whom you just hate because of his personality? Let me tell you, his evaluation scores in the behavior section was not exactly what I think he could have hoped for from me. Romans 13 talks all about how we are supposed to submissive to our authorities. Romans 13:5 says “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to your authorites.” Mr. Aparicio is a hard teacher to deal with because of his bad discipline. One time I got in trouble for doing nothing! But you know what? I realized that in that very situation, I was doing exactly what Romans 13:5 says to do. I dealt with the consequence because my authority said to and if I was one of those people who argued, I would have probably brought home a behavioral notification that day.
Ok, y’all. Bayshore Baptist Church is now my prime hang out spot. I love this church. The church is amazing and everyone is so nice here! This week, I have volunteered to do VBS here and work at a station. Previously, I had thought that it was going to be fun and I was going to fit in just right and all the youth would notice me and I would make some friends. Well. I was wrong. I pretty much just sit in story time all day and help the leader. Yesterday, I had to be queen Esther and be stuck in a costume and a light up tiara most of the day (Thanks Tom!) The snacks were held in the Loft. (Oh yes, THE Loft. It is one of the coolest youth rooms I have seen. Its cool and boring at the same time.) But my mother said something that I realized that I was doing this for my love of ministry. She said “You just have to do your best for God. Don’t care about what anyone else will think. Just do it for God.” I’m here at Bayshore cause I delight in serving God, not just impressing anyone else. I have met some great, amazing, unique people at this church. And I come back because of the people who make the days I spend here AWESOME!!
So yes. I have this thing I like to call Bible problems. I am a good Christian girl. I pray everyday. I go to church pretty much and almost everyday of the week. I go to youth group events. You know, the normal. But the one thing I skip every single day that pretty much every single speaker I have heard stresses about is to read your Bible every day. Listen, guys, I am most certainly NOT a morning person. I would rather sleep in till 9-10 o’ clock than wake up at 6:30. I also used to think that the Bible was just a big boring book and that I knew all the stories. But recently, I have started seeing all these new perspectives on new stories and I realized the Bible isn’t such a boring book. It is filled with so much and I have only dug a tiny bit into His word. I hope to fix these Bible dilemmas.
This summer is jam packed with things to do. This week I am finishing VBS here at Bayshore, then I’m headed to Bigstuf again next week!! (I have a blog about last summer at Bigstuf; you should go check it out!) Then the week after that I have Lake Aurora. Then I am off to Texas with my grandparents, and Monday’s at NBCC with the Upward Soccer Clinics. Stop by and say hey or sign your kid up! It’ll be a awesome and fun way to get your kid into sport and my dad will be running the whole thing. Hope you guys have an awesome summer and I will blog again sometime soon.

Through My Eyes…respecting authorities is important even though you might not like that particular authority, volunteering for God has benefits, and there is so much more to the Bible than you think.


                                                            - Abby