"In a time when violent death is all too common and wars of choice are undertaken all too readily, it is bracing to be reminded by this cloud of witnesses from the early church of the value that early Christians placed on human life and the severe judgments they issued on those who took it without cause."  
\--__Harold W. Attridge__, Yale Divinity School  
   
"The question of 'killing' has been a contested and debated issue from the earliest years of the church's history. May Christians serve in the military? Is abortion ever justifiable? What of the question of capital punishment? Ron Sider has produced an invaluable handbook of primary source material from an ancient Christian perspective that can serve the entire church well as we continue to face these thorny and often heartrending questions in a modern context."  
\--__Christopher A. Hall__, Eastern University  
  
"In recent years some have argued that the church of the first three centuries might have been somewhat ambivalent in its opposition to war and killing. Ron Sider's excellent and comprehensive sourcebook shows once again that, even though the practices of individual Christians might have deviated at times from what Christians are called to be and do, the uniform voice of the church before its rise to political power was one of unconditional rejection of war and killing in all its pluriformity."  
\--__George Kalantzis__, The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies; author, Caesar and the Lamb: Early Christian Attitudes to War and Military Service   
"In this very important work, Ron Sider returns to his roots as a church historian to offer an exceedingly careful, measured study of the literary evidence left by the early church on the morality of killing. This volume is entirely free of propaganda or polemics, following the evidence where it leads. This deceptively brief, highly disciplined study should prove to be authoritative in this field."  
\--__David P. Gushee__, Center for Theology and Public Life, Mercer University

__Ronald J. Sider__ (PhD, Yale University) is the founder and president emeritus of Evangelicals for Social Action and professor of theology, holistic ministry, and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. He is the author of many books, including the bestselling Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger and The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience.

What did the early church believe about killing? What was its view on abortion? How did it approach capital punishment and war? Noted theologian and bestselling author Ron Sider lets the testimony of the early church speak in the first of a three-volume series on biblical peacemaking.  
  
This book provides in English translation all extant data directly relevant to the witness of the early church until Constantine on killing. Primarily, it draws data from early church writings, but other evidence, such as archaeological finds and Roman writings, is included.  
  
Sider taps into current evangelical interest in how the early church informs contemporary life while presenting a thorough, comprehensive treatment on topics of perennial concern. The book includes brief introductions to every Christian writer cited and explanatory notes on many specific texts.

Noted theologian and bestselling author Ron Sider presents the early church's attitudes toward and teaching on the taking of human life.

Introduction  
__Part 1: Christian Writers before Constantine__ 1. Didache 2. The Epistle of Barnabas 3. First Clement 4. Second Clement 5. Apocalypse of Peter 6. Justin Martyr  
7\. Tatian  
8\. Irenaeus  
9\. Athenagoras  
10\. Clement of Alexandria  
11\. Tertullian  
12\. Minucius Felix  
13\. Didascalia apostolorum 14. Julius Africanus  
15\. Origen  
16\. St. Cyprian  
17\. Gregory Thaumaturgus  
18\. Dionysius of Alexandria  
19\. Archelaus  
20\. Adamantius, Dialogue on the True Faith 21. Arnobius of Sicca  
22\. Lactantius  
__Part 2: Church Orders and Synods__ 23. Apostolic Tradition 24. Three Later Church Orders  
25\. Synod of Arles __Part 3: Miscellaneous Items__ 26. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas 27. Paul of Samosata  
28\. The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena __Part 4: Other Evidence of Christian Soldiers before Constantine__ 29. "The Thundering Legion"  
30\. A Third Century Christian Prayer Hall Near a Military Camp  
31\. Epitaphs  
32\. Military Martyrs  
33\. Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History 34. An Early Christian Kingdom?  
Afterword  
Indexes

This eBook explores early church beliefs on killing, abortion, capital punishment, and war. It includes translations of relevant writings and archaeological evidence for in-depth understanding.

\["For Christians interested in biblical peacemaking", "Clarifies early church beliefs on killing and war", "You will gain insights for today's moral dilemmas"\]

This eBook explores the early church's views on killing and peace.

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Endorsements

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Introduction

Part 1: Christian Writers before Constantine

Didache (c. AD 80120)

The Epistle of Barnabas (c. AD 70135)

First Clement (c. AD 80100)

Second Clement

Apocalypse of Peter (c. AD 100150)

Justin Martyr (c. AD 100167)

Tatian (c. AD 11070)

Irenaeus (c. AD 130202)

Athenagoras (d. c. AD 180)

Clement of Alexandria (c. AD 150215)

Tertullian (c. AD 160225)

Minucius Felix (probably late second to early third century)

Didascalia apostolorum (early third century)

Julius Africanus (c. AD 180250)

Origen (c. AD 185254)

Cyprian (c. AD 20258)

Gregory Thaumaturgus (mid-third century AD)

Dionysius of Alexandria (c. AD 200265)

Archelaus (late third century AD)

Adamantius, Dialogue on the True Faith (probably late third or early fourth century AD)

Arnobius of Sicca (d.c. AD 330)

Lactantius (c. AD 250325)

Part 2: Church Orders and Synods

Apostolic Tradition (probably early third century)

Three Later Church Orders

Synod of Arles (AD 314)

Part 3: Miscellaneous Items

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas

Paul of Samosata

The Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena

Part 4: Other Evidence of Christian Soldiers before Constantine

"The Thundering Legion"

A Third-Century Christian Prayer Hall Near a Military Camp

Epitaphs

Military Martyrs

Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History

An Early Christian Kingdom?

Afterword

Notes

Bibliography

Scripture Index

Index of Ancient Sources and Early Christian Writings

Author Index

Subject Index

Back Cover

Sider, Ronald J.

\["For Christians seeking insights on early church beliefs", "Addresses questions on war and capital punishment", "You will deepen your understanding of biblical peacemaking"\]

This sourcebook explores the early church's views on killing, war, abortion, and capital punishment.

The Early Church on Killing [eBook]

Navigation Bar

Header Default

Download the Christian360 App to read eBooks and listen to Audiobooks bought at Christian360

Download the App

The Early Church on Killing [eBook]

Description

Need support?

Customer reviews

Download the App

Download the App