Who Invented Christian Martyrdom Religion Essay

Who Invented Christian Martyrdom Religion Essay The questions of who invented Christian martyrdom and why, and who was the first Christian martyr, are ambivalent in themselves as there cannot be a definite correct answer. When considering the history, many key related figures become apparent. There are three possible areas in which martyrdom may have been invented, these are the Christians, the Jews and the Romans. There is evidence of martyrdom stemming from each of these groups, which will be addressed in this essay. As well as the three groups mentioned above, there are individual examples of those who may have had been responsible for the initial inspiration that formed the invention of martyrdom. The Romans undoubtedly played a large part in the development of martyrdom. The formation of the Roman Empire following the Republican period, created an autocratic empire that ruled the majority of Europe and surroundings areas of the Mediterranean. This gave the first Emperor Augustus and his predecessors power to control the religious institutions. The development of Christianity was seen by the Roman Empire as both superstition and atheism. The first accusations of the Christians came after the Great Fire on Nero in 64. The Christians were a convenient religious group to blame this upon (even though after the fire Nero himself used the landmass to build, making the fire seem extremely convenient for his own uses, which brings about questions of the sincerity of the accusations of the fire) and from this came persecution and execution. Christians were subsequently dealt with in this way, and from this it can be claimed, that martyrdom stemmed from the Roman Empire. Christians were being forced into execution, and through support of their religion they came to prefer death rather than deny their religion and live.  [1]  The Roman Emperors views differed on the prosecution of the Christians. The attitudes were sporadic. Nero, Decian and Diocletion were responsible for serious attacks on Christianity however Trajan was rather lenient to Christians compared to other Emperors. Pliny is somewhat ambivalent, not knowing whether the crime is being a Christian or the secret crimes connected with the name  [2]   It can be argued that Christian martyrdom was invented by the Jews, as it was Jesus himself who died for his faith, and obviously being a Jew this would lead the invention back to Judaism. However as this was pre-Christianity it cannot be said to be the invention of Christian martyrdom, just a moral example. As well as the latter point, Jews had been taught from the early prophets to scorn the religions of his neighbours, even if these for the time being appeared to be more successful in earthly rewards than himself.  [3]   It was of course the Christians themselves who were martyred, but it can be suggested that if it were not for the prosecution of the Christians by the Roman Empire then Christian martyrdom would not have come about at all. There would have been no need to prove their faith. The martyrs became something of an example for other Christians, and inspiration to stick by their faith. The author of source 20 in A New Eubusis states how blessed and noble are all the martyrdoms which have taken place and respects their nobility and endurance and love for their Master.  [4]  As in the words of Polycarp, when told to curse Christ, Polycarp continued to confess himself as a Christian, and when faced with being burnt alive commented that I must needs be burnt alive, so that he might take a portion among the martyrs in the cup of Christ, because he wanted to be a rich and acceptable sacrifice  [5]  This gives evidence to show that despite the imminence of death, their faith would remain. As well as looking at the groups mentioned above, there are certain individuals who can be said to have had a significant effect on the development of martyrdom. Martyrdom can be thought to have originated from the figure of Jesus, and his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans due to his blasphemous claims. Jesus apostles were thought to have emulated him in this way, as nearly all his apostles in turn died at the hands of their beliefs and faith in Jesus. It is this act of Jesus that is claimed by some to be where martyrdom began, making Jesus the inventor of martyrdom. Despite this claim, I would argue that Jesus is an exemplar rather than a creator. Evidence for this statement is clear in the account of Polycarps martyrdom where there are references to crucifixion, the Lord might once again give an example of the martyrdom which resembles the gospel story.  [6]  It is also stated in the martyrdom that Polycarp refused to blaspheme saying For eighty-six years I have been his servant and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme against my king and saviour?  [7]  It also becomes clear in the Martyrs of Lyons and Vienne, 177, where Christ if often mentioned, with references such as then in turn a mighty dispensation of God came to pass, and the measureless compassion of Jesus was displayed , in a manner rarely vouchsafed among the brethren, but not beyond the art of Christ.  [8]  Both letters make clear and relevant that Jesus actions were the incentive, and that his actions gave them the strength and power to die for their beliefs. Although it can be argued that Jesus was the martyr exemplar, he cannot be called a martyr himself. There is very little evidence suggesting he was ever called a martyr. In fact the only time the word is ever mentioned is in Revelation 2:13 and Acts 22:20 with reference to his disciples as martyrs, meaning witness as this is the Greek root of the word. So the word martyr is associated with Jesus death, but with a different meaning and this is further highlighted by a very relevant Christian martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, who didnt even use the Greek word martyr for himself. Another example of what same may call a martyr is Socrates, however in this case, as well as with Jesus, Christianity was not yet born, and so this pre-Christian martyr can only be seen, as Jesus was, as a model for the Christians. This is referred to in Justin Martyrs second apology; Socrates was charged with the same things that we are.  [9]  Both of these examples perhaps give Christians the idea to carry ou t this heroic action. This then calls for an explanation of how the new meaning of the word martyrdom came about. How did it move away from its original meaning and why? As previously said there is ambiguity as to who the first Martyr was, and hence who invented Martyrdom. We have established the neither Jesus nor Socrates were martyrs, so then we come to the Jewish Maccabees, their relevance is highlighted through the way in which Blandina is likened in Lyons and Vienne to the mother of the seven sons. At this point martyrdom had come to mean what it does today as Professor Baron stated there were born that great exaltation of Christian martyrdom which was to dominate the minds of the jews and chritians for countless generations.  [10]  However, the two terms are clearly linked and may be seen to merge together. As the Apostles were witness to the death of Jesus, they then became venerable due to their everlasting faith, and could at anytime be called upon to deny what was witnessed under penalty of death. As the apostles would never deny their beliefs, they moved from being a witness, to being open to the idea of death, which will lead us on to the controversial topic of voluntary martyrdom. St. John, at the end of the first century, describes martyr as a faithful witness (martus) who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth (Revelation 2:13). In Bowersocks Martyrdom and Rome he highlights the point from the latter paragraph, that despite the use of the word itself in the New Testament, the meaning is by no means the same. Bowersock believes that it was not until the 2nd Century that the word martyr came to mean what is means today. Even though links can be drawn to earlier events, such as Nero at Rome which followed the great fire in 64, the change and the more relevant events come later. It is suggested by De Ste. Croix that from approximately 112 onwards Christians started to be prosecuted by pagans simply for being Christians the nomen Christianum, and Pliny states in a letter to Trajan that he executed those charged before me with being Christians.  [11]  The definition of the word martyr was emphasised when the title was turned down by the confessions of Lyons, as they did not actually die, and stated They are already martyrs whom Christ has deemed worthy to be taken up in their confession, having sealed their te stimony by their departure; but we are confessors mean and lowly.  [12]   The interesting movement that occurred, that is dissimilar to Jesus, Socrates and the Maccabees was the voluntary martyrdom. Not only were devote Christians willing to give their lives, they actually wanted to. This was something that very much puzzled the Roman Empire, and became interpreted as almost a provocation. But the sincerity was entirely there as proved by Perpetua and Germanicus. Voluntary martyrdom was in fact forbidden by the church, and those being executed voluntarily were said to be considered far less heroic. The bishops of the churches were supposed to refuse to the voluntary martyrs the honour of the name martyr, and this is backed up by a number of sources including Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Lactantius, the canons of the council of Elvira and the passion of Polycarp. Yet despite this, the martyrs were usually seen in high regarded, seen also as heroic figures.it has been said, notably by De Ste. Croix that it was a montanist practice in origin, however he then goes on to suggest that it began far earlier, but there is not sufficient evidence to back this up. Christian Martyrdom was essentially invented to prove the seriousness of the Christian faith. Initially those who were sentenced to death, did so graciously, without hesitation, yet not with the will of that being the case. These were described as glorious examples of resistance to tyrannical authority and painful suffering before unjust judges. Despite the development of martyrdom, and from that the stemming of voluntary martyrdom, it is made clear from Perpetua how difficult, and how much of a dilemma the Christians faced when deciding between sacrificing their beliefs, or their lives. It must be noted that the ambiguity of this invention can be partly resolved when considering that Christian martyrdom stems from Christian theology. Even though the discussion of the invention of martyrdom is centred around the denominations and figures mentioned above, none of the martyrs would have died if they were not following closely their religious beliefs, and obeying what the church required of them. It is impossible to say who invented Christian martyrdom, and I question whether invent is even the correct term to use in this context. The action came about due to devotion and faithfulness to the Christian religion, and thus became almost a tradition, in which followers showed their dedication to Christ and their one God. It was not invented for a particular purpose, but became something of a statement. Its roots are deeply embedded in the Jewish history concerning Jesus and then Socrates, as well as in the lives of St. Stephen the first Martyr and the many other Christian figures who gave their lives to support their faiths. Word Count: 1,950

The History of Volleyball

In 1895, a man named William Morgan wanted to create a new game requiring less physical contact than basketball. He decided to blend elements of basketball, tennis, handball, and baseball resulting in the game of Volleyball (at the time called mintonette). Morgan took a tennis net and raised it 6 ? feet; he required the players to hit the ball back and forth over it, keeping it from hitting the ground. During a demonstration, someone stated that the players seemed to be volleying the ball back and forth over the net, and the new name â€Å"volleyball† was born. The first game of volleyball was played at Springfield College in 1896. Four years later, in 1900, a special ball was designed for the sport. Volleyball was presented, in 1907, at the Playground of America convention as one of the most popular sports. In 1916, an offensive style of passing the ball was introduced; one player passes the ball high in the air to be struck by another teammate as it comes back down which is now known as â€Å"set† and â€Å"spike†. In 1920, the rule only allowing the ball to be hit three times per side was set into place. The first YMCA national championships were held in Brooklyn, NY in 1922. It was clear that tournaments and rules were needed, so USA Volleyball was formed. Over the next 27 years, volleyball became a worldwide sport and was introduced to the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964. The U. S. won their first Olympic medals in 1984 in Los Angeles, the women won Silver, and the men won Gold. Two-person beach volleyball was introduced as an Olympic Sport in 1996. In 2001, Kerri Walsh and Misty May became a team. Together, these two women competed in the Olympics 3 times. They won 3 Olympic gold metals, winning all 21 Olympic matches, only losing one set. They became known as the worlds greatest women’s beach volleyball team, holding the world record for consecutive match wins; 90 victories. The sport of volleyball has been around for 118 years, with little changes to rules and regulations. It is a young sport, but has become one of the most popular sports played all around the world.

Example of an Ethnolect Based Essay

The speech of an individual is a linguistic map of their identity and an indication of how they would like to be perceived. Migrants who come to Australia already possess the linguistic structures of their mother tongue, and these will affect the way they speak English, forming an ethnolect. Consequently, a person’s language is a clear indicator of their past ethnic origins, and the English they choose to speak will also indicate how they would like others to perceive them. This latter is true for everyone, as we all vary our language according to context. Bill is a young Chinese student who has come to Australia two years ago from China to further his education. His lexical field is wide and varied, he is able to use complex syntactic structures and his accent and prosodic features show a good familiarity with standard Australian English. However, it is still possible to find linguistic features which demonstrates that he is from a Chinese background, that he is male, that he has travelled, can appreciate humour, and that he would like to be perceived as an educated person with further academic goals. The phonological features of a person’s speech are the most obvious signposts to his or her origins or mother tongue. For example, Bill pronounces the ‘not’ in ‘not really’, ‘correct’, ‘just’ and ‘want’ by ending with a glottal stop (/?/), rather than the voiceless consonant (/t/). This occurs as final consonants are much less frequent in Mandarin than in English and thus they are normally dropped or replaced by a glottal stop. This could give linguists a clue on his origins or mother tongue. Bill also values the Australian accent, but there are also traces of American English in his speech, notably his pronunciation of ‘currently’, with the sound ‘ker’ (American) rather than ‘kar’ (Australian). This shows the subtle ways that every experience can affect a person’s identity as Bill has stayed in America for a short period of time, making his English slightly different from another Chinese student that has not had that experience. Local idioms and foreign borrowed words are also used in a non standard way by Bill. An example would be the way he pronounces ‘gourmet’, by analogy; he assumes that all letters are pronounced in English. However, since this word is of French origin, its final‘t’ should not be pronounced. Through the way a subject speaks, we could pinpoint his ethnic group. Although Bill has a wide and varied lexical field, he does not use many idiomatic Australian expressions. This could mean that he is either still a newcomer and has not become familiar with colloquial language, or he may not value these expressions (such as Aussie, veggie, mate†¦etc) as he might view them as low status words. This could show that he wants to be perceived as an educated, cultured person, instead of a rough Aussie. Even though English is not the subject’s mother tongue, he still has a fairy large lexicon, using lexemes such as â€Å"lucrative†, â€Å"environment† and â€Å"gourmet†, this could show that he has been exposed to English even before he migrated to Australia. Bill also uses the word â€Å"reckon† and â€Å"heaps† which shows that he has tried to fit into his peer group and that he has a good grasp of the type of language used by the people around him. A subject’s syntactic structures are another indication of his ethnic origins. The use of modal verbs is sometimes difficult for Chinese learners as there aren’t any tenses in Mandarin, and this is evident in Bill’s speech. For example, in his sentence ‘Basically, I can choose from a lot of country’/ The lack of plural is evident here ( country/countries), but also the verb ‘can’ is used in a non-standard way, it is used in its base form rather than the more accepted past tense, as in ‘I could choose from a lot of countries’. Leaving verbs in their base form is a feature of many Mandarin speakers, as in Mandarin, tenses are indicated by other means†¦. Another syntactic feature is the plural, which is sometimes not formed as shown before. For example, ‘my family member’, ‘at those stage’, ‘a lot of country’ and ‘different background’. Such non-standard usage also pinpoints Bill’s identity as a Chinese speaker as there are no plurals for nouns in Mandarin. Bill’s word order too is sometimes non standard, especially when expressing more complex ideas. For example, ‘aging population faces in Japan’ rather than ‘Japan too faces an aging population’. All these syntactic features contribute to his identity as a young Chinese student still in the process of mastering the English language. A subject’s attitude can also show what kind of speaker he or she would like to be perceived. For example, Bill states that he prefers the Australian accent over the Singaporean accent. This would show that he puts a high value on the Australian English and would like to be perceived as a English speaker From this, it can be seen that many features contribute to a person’s ethnolect, and from it we can deduce the subject’s identity and the way he or she wants to be perceived. Furthermore, migrants who come to Australia know that they must learn English, as ‘Nothing unites a country more than its common language. ‘(John Howard). However, each migrant, such as Bill, brings his own variation of English which is linked to his first mother tongue (in this case Mandarin). In this way, each person contributes to the rich tapestry of sounds, words and syntactic structures which make up Australia's history, culture and identity. ‘

Analysis Of John Milton s The Fall Of Mankind Essay

The story of the fall of mankind, explored by John Milton in his epic Paradise Lost, has a way of defining the roles of solitude through its characters, and through those definitions the effects solitude has overall. The epic explores how the good and bad of what happens when one is left alone in their thought, and deep into it, a question is asked by a main character, â€Å"who can enjoy alone, or all enjoying, what contentment find?† (Book 8. Line 365-66). The way alone is defined is â€Å"having no one else present, on one’s own†; â€Å"taking or acting on its own†; and â€Å"no one or nothing else besides, exclusive of all other people or things†. All three definitions will be explored, because in ways each definition applies to more than one character, and some characters are defined by more than one definition of alone. 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