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Why Did the Romans Persecute Christians?
It wasn’t because their lions were hungry
The early history of Christianity is hedged by a number of enduring myths. One common claim asserts that from the beginning of the Christian movement, Roman officials hunted members of the new faith. From the moment it arose in Israel, Christianity was a persecuted religion. Romans had no tolerance for Christians and execute as many as fell into their evil clutches.
It is true that the Romans were responsible for Christ’s death. The Roman Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, ordered his execution. Nevertheless, it would be incorrect to see that as the opening shot in a long campaign to extirpate all Christians. In fact, as the New Testament Book of Acts makes clear, Romans often protected Christians, rescuing them from certain death. When a band of Jews, angered by Paul’s preaching, swore an oath to kill him, it was a Roman tribune, Claudius Lysias, who spirited the apostle away to safety (Acts 23:12–33). Clearly, the Romans did not always kill Christians when offered the opportunity.
That is not to deny the fact, however, that the situation did change in the decades that ended the first century. But that raises an important question: why did the Romans develop animosity toward Christianity? What was it about the Christian faith — a religion that taught…
