Foundations of Faith

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FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH IN JESUS M. M. NINAN GAIUS PLINIUS CAECILIUS SECUNDUS (61 – 112 AD) Pliny the Younger Governor of Bithynia Pliny the Younger was a Roman statesman who held moderately important posts, but he is known primarily because of his letters. He was a contemporary of Domitian and Trajan, and a personal friend of Tacitus the historian. As a man of letters, his circle of friends and associates included some of the better writers of the Silver Age including Suetonius, Martial, Juvenal, and Quintilian. His career included the standard series of public offices, the cursus honorum, and he was also known as an orator and advocate (or lawyer). He ended his career as the governor of Bithynia, appointed by Trajan to help administer a province then in need of reform. Pliny the Younger was governor of Pontus/Bithynia from 111-113 AD. We have a whole set of exchanges of his letters with the emperor Trajan on a variety of administrative political matters. These two letters are the most famous, in which P. encounters Christianity for the first time. Pliny wrote ten books. The tenth around AD 112. By the second century AD, Christianity had migrated began to spread out into the rest of the world. These included modern-day Turkey, the Greek islands and Rome. It was still considered as Jewish cult, but was spreading fast and attracting others. They were poorly understood in terms of theology and their rites. "The superstition has spread like the plague." 132
FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH IN JESUS M. M. NINAN The Eastern Roman Empire and the province of Bithynia, 112 AD Pliny the Younger asks for the advice of his Emperor, 112 AD: ++++++++++++++++++++++++ PLINY, LETTERS 10.96-97 Pliny's Epistle To Trajan About 112 CE Sir, It is my constant method to apply myself to you for the resolution of all my doubts; for who can better govern my dilatory way of proceeding or instruct my ignorance? I have never been present at the examination of the Christians [by others], on which account I am unacquainted with what uses to be inquired into, and what, and how far they used to be punished; nor are my doubts small, whether there be not a distinction to be made between the ages [of the accused]? and whether tender youth ought to have the same punishment with strong men? Whether there be not room for pardon upon repentance?" or whether it may not be an advantage to one that had been a Christian, that he has forsaken Christianity? Whether the bare name, without any crimes besides, or the crimes adhering to that name, is to be punished? In the meantime, I have taken this course about those who have been brought before me as Christians. I asked them whether they were Christians or not? If they confessed that they were Christians, I asked them again, and a third time, intermixing threatenings with the questions. If they persevered in their confession, I ordered them to be executed; for I did not doubt but, let their confession be of any sort whatsoever, this positiveness and inflexible obstinacy deserved to be punished. There has been some of this mad sect whom I took notices of in particular as Roman citizens, that they might be sent to that city. After some time, as is usual in such examinations, the crime spread itself and many more cases came before me. A libel was sent to me, though without an author, containing many names [of persons accused]. These denied that they were Christians now, or ever had been. They called upon the gods, and supplicated to your image, which I caused to be brought to me for that purpose, with frankincense and wine; they also 133
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Prof. Madathilparampil Mammen Ninan
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The Development Of Mariolatory Theo
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