Tertullian Analysis

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Recommended: Impact of Christian persecution

Heinous crimes Christians were accused of include sacramental baby-killing, sacramental baby-eating, and performing illicit sexual acts after banquets “under covers of darkness”. As quoted in the Apologia, “We are said to the be the worst of criminals because of our sacramental… modest for our impious lusts”. (2, 8) According to Tertullian, Christians were hated because, they did not worship the Roman gods nor did they offer sacrifices to the emperor. As a result, Christians would be accused of sacrilege and treason. Referenced in the Apologia, “You say, 'You do not worship the gods, and you do not offer sacrifices for the emperors.'… we are accused of sacrilege and treason.” (2, 9) Tertullian’s rebuttal against this claim is, Christians ceased …show more content…

This can be interpreted early on in the Apologia, Tertullian exposes the Magistrates of Rome, "If you are not allowed to conduct an open examination, face to face, into the truth regarding the Christians, if in this case… by the secret pathway of literature." (1, 1) Tertullian openly expresses how Magistrates fail to exercise their authority to conduct a just public investigation because, of the hatred shown to Christians, which inhibits their defense in court. On top of that, Emperor Trajan, proclaimed that Christians were not meant to be hunted down, however, they were to be punished when brought to court. “To the contrary, we find that it is forbidden to hunt… but when brought to court, they should be punished." (2, 4) Tertullian responds to the emperor’s statement by saying, “What a decision! How inevitably self-contradictory! He declares that they should not be… forbidden to be look for, when he was found!" (2-1, 5) In this quotation, Tertullian calls to attention the hypocrisy of Trajan and the cowardliness of Pliny the Younger. By reiterating, how Christians are punished as if they are bandits, traitors, or public enemies. "A person shouts out, 'I am a Christian.' He says what he is. You want to hear he is not. You preside to extort the truth yet in our case alone you take infinite pains to hear a lie." (1, 5) Tertullian emphasizes how Christians are treated differently from all other

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