Logos

tion of the Jews, announced to the family and friends one of the most important events in the early historyof Cornelius: of the Christian movement, namely, the recordedjoint collaboration between St. Peter and Philo ju-Ye know that it is an unlawful thing for a man daeus.that is aJew to keep company, or come unto one Simon Magus, the Babylonian-Egyptian cultof another nation; but God hath showed me that priest who had tried to infiltrate the Christian move-I should not call any man unclean or uncommon, ment in Samaria until he was expelled by Peter,(Acts 10:28) disappeared from Palestine altogether after he wasexposed. Some years later, he turned up in Rome.Afterward, Peter defended his initiative in baptizing Now a confirmed and bitter opponent of the ChrisaRoman Gentile, and his decision was approved by a tians, Simon Magus worked busily in Rome to set upfull council of the Apostles and disciples in Jerusalem, a Brand X version of the Christian church yearsabout 41-2 A.D. The decision was a momentous one, before the arrival in Rome of any legitimate leadingfor the Christian movement had for the first time Christian" organizer!broken the boundaries of being a mere sect of Jews About 100 years later, the Christian Platonisttoward becoming the world's first universal, catholic Justin Martyr tells the story of Simon Magus thus:religion.There was a certain Simon, a Samaritan, from thevillage of Gitta, who, in the time of EmperorBY NOW, THE MAD EMPEROR Caligula has passed Claudius, through the force of demons workingfrom the scene, to be succeeded by the Emperor in him, performed mighty acts of magic in yourClaudius, who ruled from 41 to 54 A.D.royal city of Rome, and was reputed to be a god.The Apostle Barnabas, traveling with Paul, then And as a god he was honored by you with apaid a visit to Antioch in Syria, where the new statue, which was erected in the Tiber River,movement established its first real colony and, for between two bridges, with this Roman inscripyears,the major base of operations into other parts ofthe Roman world. Records Acts:tion: "To Simon, the holy god."9Simon Magus also received financial backingAnd when [Barnabas] had found [Paul], he from the imperial treasury for his efficient work inbrought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, establishing a pseudo-Christian cult in Rome, which,that a whole year they assembledthemselves with it seems, succeeded in deceiving many people intothe church and taught many people. And the thinking that what Simon and his followers reprediscipleswerefirstcalledChristiansin Antioch. (Acts sented was the _rival of the Christian movement11:26) from Jerusalem.Simon Magus, accompanied by his constant fe-During this difficult period, when, under the first male companion, a prostitute from a brothel in Tyre,years of Claudius's reign the worst in a series of major had his followers called "Christians." However, thefamines struck the eastern Mediterranean, the Chris- practices that Simon and his cult performed markedtian movement, "every man according to his ability, them as among the most unspeakably evil and mondeterminedto send relief to the brethren which dwelt strous of all the cults--they were cannibals. In thein Judea." Thus did the early Christians help each ritual performed by Simon Magus and his cult, initiotherto survive under adverse conditions (Acts 11:28- ates into the cult were given heavy clubs with which30) to beat a huge lump of dough in which an infant childAbout 42 A.D., at the same time as the commu- had been concealed. After the infant was beaten tonity in Antioch began to flourish, Peter traveled to death, its blood and flesh were consumed as a meal byRome for the first time. In visiting the capital of the those present! This was followed by the "upsetting ofevil empire, Peter understood that he would be faced the lamp," i.e., the lights were turned out, and anwith persecution and the concentrated resources of orgy would follow? °the enemy cults. But, precisely because Rome was the In a letter to the emperor, Justin Martyr writescenter of the empire, Peter knew that the Christian with heavy irony that although the followers ofmovement must ha_e a firm base there if it were to Simon Magus were "called Christians, just as thosesucceed in its mission, who do not share the same doctrines share amongThe visit of Peter to Rome, from 42 to 49 A.D., philosophers the name of philosophy, ''_1neverthelesswhen he was expelled forcibly from the city, provides they were not persecuted by the Roman police--52 August 1980 / CAMPAIGNER