Renaldo W.
Tertullian’s Apology was a protest against the presumption of criminality that had never been proved and a defense of Christianity with demands to be treated as all the other sects in the Roman empire. “If, then, it is decided that we are the most of wicked people, why do you treat us differently from those who are on par with us, that is, from all other criminals? The same treatment ought to me meted out for the same crime,” (Ehrman 76). Simultaneously with his defense of Christianity is an attack upon paganism. “We cease worshiping your gods when we find out that they are non-existent,” (Ehrman 77). The Romans largely based charges on rumors to which Tertullian writes: “The nature of rumor is well known to all. It was your own poet who said: ‘Rumor, an evil surpassing all evils in speed’,” (Ehrman 77). The Christians were charged with sacrilege to which Tertullian states: “For, if the existence of the gods is uncertain, then surely the existence of your religion is uncertain, too. If there is no religion, since you have no gods for certain, then it is certain we are not guilty of violating religion,” (Ehrman 78). Christians were accused of disloyalty to the emperor in which Tertullian retorts: “Yet, what crime does one commit who, in order to render better service to Caesar, transfers his attention and his hope and declares that the title of God, like that of emperor, belongs to none other than the one sovereign, since it is considered a capital offense to call anyone Caesar but Caesar and to listen to such talk?” (Ehrman 78). As you can see, Tertullian was was well equipped as not only a defender but a prosecutor as well.
Some educated Christians enrolled into a dialogue with Greco-Roman culture, in which they put up an intellectual defense aimed at not to the large majority of pagans who were not able to read; but rather to the educated class, to politicians, and even to the emperor himself from accusations that incensed violence be that by the mob or public officials. “Within a century of Jesus’ death, a small number of people with a Greco-Roman higher education began to convert to Christianity. Some used their education to defend Christianity in documents called “apologies,” (Lynch 92). I think that what Tertullian and others as apologists were doing in the name of their faith was admirable. As Lynch points out some apologists even acknowledged that there were good aspects of Greco-Roman culture. I am of the opinion that for most apologists, all they wanted was the same religious tolerance that seemed to be provided to all the other pagan sects.
Tertullian’s Apology was a protest against the presumption of criminality that had never been proved and a defense of Christianity with demands to be treated as all the other sects in the Roman empire. “If, then, it is decided that we are the most of wicked people, why do you treat us differently from those who are on par with us, that is, from all other criminals? The same treatment ought to me meted out for the same crime,” (Ehrman 76). Simultaneously with his defense of Christianity is an attack upon paganism. “We cease worshiping your gods when we find out that they are non-existent,” (Ehrman 77). The Romans largely based charges on rumors to which Tertullian writes: “The nature of rumor is well known to all. It was your own poet who said: ‘Rumor, an evil surpassing all evils in speed’,” (Ehrman 77). The Christians were charged with sacrilege to which Tertullian states: “For, if the existence of the gods is uncertain, then surely the existence of your religion is uncertain, too. If there is no religion, since you have no gods for certain, then it is certain we are not guilty of violating religion,” (Ehrman 78). Christians were accused of disloyalty to the emperor in which Tertullian retorts: “Yet, what crime does one commit who, in order to render better service to Caesar, transfers his attention and his hope and declares that the title of God, like that of emperor, belongs to none other than the one sovereign, since it is considered a capital offense to call anyone Caesar but Caesar and to listen to such talk?” (Ehrman 78). As you can see, Tertullian was was well equipped as not only a defender but a prosecutor as well.
Some educated Christians enrolled into a dialogue with Greco-Roman culture, in which they put up an intellectual defense aimed at not to the large majority of pagans who were not able to read; but rather to the educated class, to politicians, and even to the emperor himself from accusations that incensed violence be that by the mob or public officials. “Within a century of Jesus’ death, a small number of people with a Greco-Roman higher education began to convert to Christianity. Some used their education to defend Christianity in documents called “apologies,” (Lynch 92). I think that what Tertullian and others as apologists were doing in the name of their faith was admirable. As Lynch points out some apologists even acknowledged that there were good aspects of Greco-Roman culture. I am of the opinion that for most apologists, all they wanted was the same religious tolerance that seemed to be provided to all the other pagan sects.