Church History
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class opened with a prayer and then delved into Roman emperor worship, tracing its origins from the Senate’s deification of Julius Caesar through Augustus’s reign and culminating with Domitian’s insistence that subjects honor him as a living deity. The teacher explained how this state‑mandated worship conflicted with Christian monotheism, leading to intense persecution as refusing to worship the emperor was seen as both unpatriotic and subversive. He highlighted the expansion of the Roman Empire under Augustus, the naming of July and August after the Caesars, and the titles such as Pontifex Maximus and Princeps that underscored the emperor’s divine claim. After discussing emperor worship, the lecture turned to the mystery religions that proliferated throughout the empire, especially those originating in Egypt, Persia, and Asia. These cults offered personal, secretive rituals centered on a dying‑and‑rising god, contrasting sharply with the impersonal, public rites of the Greco‑Roman pantheon. The teacher emphasized that, unlike pagan religions, Judaism and Christianity linked worship with moral teachings, condemning practices like gladiatorial bloodshed and infant exposure. Resources such as *The Eternal Kingdom* were recommended for deeper study, underscoring the importance of understanding the historical context that shaped early Christian faith.