Church History in Plain Language

by Bruce L. Shelley

In AD 250 the most violent persecution the church had yet faced was instigated by the Emperor Decius (249–251). A general from the Danubian frontier, Decius was determined to have no nonsense from Christians. In his eyes, they were enemies of the empire. Their atheism was responsible for the many troubles in the realm. Thus Decius commanded all citizens of the empire to sacrifice to the traditional Roman gods. Those who did so were given certificates (libelli, in Latin) as evidence that they had obeyed the order. Those who refused to obey and were unable (or unwilling) to obtain false libelli from sympathetic or corrupt officials faced death. To save their lives many Christians complied. Others were able to obtain certificates without having actually sacrificed. But an unknown number of Christians were imprisoned or executed, among them the bishops of Rome, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Those who were killed were called “martyrs,” that is, “witnesses.” Decius, however, was not out to make heroes. He wanted to discredit Christianity, so many Christians were tortured until they denied Christ by saying “Caesar is Lord.” If a Christian endured this persecution without denying Christ he was called a “confessor.” If a believer under torture did what the Romans demanded, he was classed among the “lapsed,” the fallen ones. The fury ended, at least for a season, in AD 251, when Decius, deserted by his gods, was killed in a battle with the barbarian Goths. Then the question of readmission...