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The adaptation of Christians to society in the late first century and the early second century

  • 중앙사론
  • 2017, (46), pp.361-389
  • Publisher : Institute for Historical Studies at Chung-Ang University
  • Research Area : Humanities > History

Gi moon Jung 1

1군산대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Jesus and Paul believed that the Kingdom of God would come in their generation and taught this to their followers. However, as the promise of Jesus was not realized by the end of the first century, the necessity to change the mode of life of Christians became apparent. Thus, Christian leaders developed the Deutero-Pauline epistles, other epistles of the New Testament, and the works of the Apostolic Fathers. The adaptation of Christians to Roman society in the late first and early second centuries is discussed in this paper. First, a hierarchy was developed within the community of believers. In the time of Jesus and Paul, all believers were considered equal, but problems arose in the absence of leaders because Christians were not able to respond actively to persecution. It was necessary to establish an order of priests to overcome adversity, promoted by the Deutero-Pauline epistles, other epistles of the New Testament, and the Apostolic Fathers, such as Ignatius of Antioch. Second, radical elements who supported past views were removed to improve Roman perspectives of Christianity as an anti-social religion and related persecution. Thus, Christian leaders adapted Christian attitudes toward slavery and women, suggesting that slavery was just and that women must submit to men's direction. These internal reforms were insufficient to ensure church survival, and it was necessary to change Christian attitudes toward external society. While Jesus and Paul opposed violent defiance, they regarded authorities as opponents of the Kingdom of God, so many followers regarded Rome as evil. Instead, Christians were encouraged to become loyal to the state and to obey Roman rulers.

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