2. 1. Early Church (up to 300 AD) Radical Witness Matthew 10: 16-25 (p. 898)

3. History Month  Recommended Book:  Atheist Delusions by David Bentley Hart 2009.  The Home Group Seminars:  Proclaim or Defend? Growth and Persecution During the Early Church.  Heresy/orthodoxy; Apology (Defence); Martyrdom; Community.

4. 1. A Brutal Opposition  Persecution:  From the Start: Jews & Gentiles against Church & Message  Nero 60s AD, Domitian 90s AD...  Pliny the Younger, Letter to Trajan, 111 AD  Decius (first Empire wide persecution 250 AD)  Dionysius’ letter: persecution in Alexandria.  Why? A Threat to the very foundations of Society.

5. 2. An Unstoppable Witness  Tertullian:  “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”  Early baptismal rites –  Facing West (darkness) - cursing the Devil & demons  Facing East (Dawn/Light) – affirming allegiance to Christ  Justin Martyr – A Philosopher convert.

6. 3. A Blessed Legacy  End of many evil practices:  Infanticide (gendercide)  Quality of life for women  Plagues (180 & 280) – care of the sick  Care of the Poor – Emperor Julian’s letter (360 AD)  Respect for Human Life – Telemachus: end of Gladiators

7. Continuing the Legacy  Holiness & Service  Marriage and Family – Sexual morality  Care of the sick, poor, aged, unborn, disabled... Abortion and euthanasia  Faithful Witness  Standing firm – The subtlety of Decius’ persecution  Scriptural authority (& joy);  Exclusivity vs Pluralism