“Let Them Not Share in the Affairs of Life”: How Ancient Christians Were Viewed as Dangerous to Society
Celsus “just can’t stand Christians.”
So, writes James O’Donnell (Pagans, 101) as he describes the vicious opposition to Christians in the earliest centuries, particularly from the second-century critic Celsus.
A few weeks ago, I began a short, three-part blog series about what people in the ancient world thought of Christians. In the prior post, we explored how Celsus viewed Christians as ignorant, uneducated simpletons.
In other words, one of the main problems with Christians was intellectual in nature.
But Celsus is by no means finished. In this post, we will see that he thinks that Christians also have a behavioral problem. Their actions are rude, anti-social, and … Continue reading...
Was Gnosticism Tolerant and Inclusive? Debunking Some Myths about “Alternative” Christianities
In the world of biblical studies, at least among some critical scholars, Gnosticism has been the darling for sometime now. Especially since the discovery of the so-called “Gnostic Gospels” at Nag Hammadi in 1945, scholars have sung the praises of this alternative version of Christianity.
Gnosticism was a heretical version of Christianity that burst on the scene primarily in the second century and gave the orthodox Christians a run for their money. And it seems that some scholars look back and wish that the Gnostics had prevailed.
After all, it is argued, traditional Christianity was narrow, dogmatic, intolerant, elitist, and mean-spirited, whereas Gnosticism was open-minded, all-welcoming, tolerant and loving. Given … Continue reading...
Think the Church’s Precarious Cultural Situation is Unique? Think Again
It is clear by now that we are living through one of the most monumental cultural shifts in the history of America. While most cultural changes are slow and plodding, this one has been a rapid, raging flood wiping out everything in its path.
Christianity, while once the defining influence on American culture and policies, has now become public enemy number one. In many people’s minds, Christians represent a clear and present danger to the social stability of the American enterprise. We are now less like citizens, and more like foreigners.
As a result, a bit of panic is spreading through the ranks. Anxiety levels are high. Christians are wondering … Continue reading...
Bumper Sticker Worldviews: Do They Make Sense?
Since the Christian worldview is largely on the defensive these days, it is easy to forget that non-Christians also have a worldview. They are not neutral or undecided about the nature of reality, but have a network of beliefs that is designed to explained the way the world works, or more importantly, the way they think it ought to work.
Some non-Christians may not even realize they have a worldview, and even those who know they have one rarely put all their intellectual cards on the table. You have to sniff around a bit to determine what some people really believe.
But then, in other situations, people just put their … Continue reading...