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Are you prepared to die for your faith?

It is a difficult question and one that many Christians today are not forced to answer. However there was a time when belief in Jesus Christ brought harsh torture and brutal execution.

It began with the crucifixion of the one they called “The King of the Jews.” It marked the first of many collisions between Rome and those who confessed allegiance to Jesus of Nazareth.

This course tells the story of how and why Christians were persecuted by Imperial Rome. First, you will survey the basic historical and cultural issues that led to persecution as well as examine the diverse literature involved in studying this tumultuous period in the history of the Church. Why did Rome exert such hostile force against Christians? What exactly did the early Christian martyrs endure? Were men and women punished equally for their profession of faith?

You will examine the writings of Justin of Rome, Perpetua and Cyprian of Carthage. These works not only hold beautiful accounts of faith, but provide incredible insight into the minds of those who would later give up their very lives in service to their Savior. More importantly still, you will encounter the people who testified to Imperial Rome that Christ Jesus was their Lord and reflect on the terrible price they were willing to pay for this commitment.

You will discover this vital part of Church history and understand how Christianity survived the attack of Imperial Rome. This 15-lecture series also conveys the enormous significance of these early years and the impact they had on the establishment of the Church. Prof. Andrea L. Molinari, Ph.D., will make you see what it means to sacrifice for what you know in your heart.

Learn about downloadable programs.

With this order you will receive, free of charge, a detailed Electronic Study Guide. With your confirmation email, you will receive a link that will take you to this Electronic Study Guide, which includes outlines for each topic, review questions and suggested readings for further study. The link to access this Electronic Study Guide will also be included on the case of your CDs or DVDs. You are allowed to print up to 7 copies of your guide. Simply click on the link, or type it into your browser, to access the file.

About Your Presenter

Andrea Lorenzo Molinari, Ph.D., is the President of Blessed Edmund Rice School for Pastoral Ministry, a satellite location for theological studies in connection with Barry University (Miami, FL), where he holds the rank of associate professor. He received his Ph.D. from Marquette University (New Testament and Early Christianity, 1996).

He is author of four books, The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles (NHC 6.1) (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 2000); "I never knew the man": The Coptic Act of Peter (Papyrus Berolinensis 8502.4) (Paris: Editions Peeters, 2000); Climbing the Dragon's Ladder: The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2006); and, most recently, Romans and Christians A.D. 64 (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2009). In addition, he has published a number of scholarly articles on various topics related to apocryphal acts of the apostles, the Nag Hammadi Library, and women in early Christianity, as well as a variety of popular theological pieces.

Topic Titles

• Introduction, Part I: Ominous Beginnings
• Introduction, Part II: False Charges
• Introduction, Part III: The Roman Authorities and Their Response
• Introduction, Part IV: The Punishments of Roma —Sufferings for the Sake of the Name
• Women Martyrs in the Early Church: Earliest Evidence
• Apologies and the Defense of the Faith: Justin of Rome
• Carthage and the Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs
• The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas
• The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas: Perpetua as Mystic, Part I
• The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas: Perpetua as Mystic, Part II
• The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas: The Execution
• Exhortation to Martyrdom: Origen of Caesarea and the Christian Call to Arms
• A Shepherd in the Desert: Cyprian of Carthage and Lessons Learned by a Suffering Church, Part I
• A Shepherd in the Desert: Cyprian of Carthage and Lessons Learned by a Suffering Church, Part II
• A Shepherd in the Desert: Cyprian of Carthage and Lessons Learned by a Suffering Church, Part III