Tharasmund's father-in-law, Athanaric, king of the West Goths, persecutes Christians because he sees them as agents of the Empire, an unjust and counterproductive policy. Instead, he should:
treat Christians and pagans with full equality;
show Christians that they can be as happy outside the Empire as inside it and indeed might even prefer life outside it;
include one or more representatives of Christian communities among his advisors;
encourage sharing of cultures and festivals.
Some Christian clergy dislike that fourth policy but it can be done. Muslim neighbours bring us food at Eid. Everyone who visits a Sikh Gurdwara or a Krishna Temple is fed. We are enriched by diversity.
7 comments:
Of course, early Christianity was militantly exclusionist.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
A better word would be "universalist," that being the belief and duty of the Catholic Church to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.
I was surprised to find out even Tibet has a Catholic community and hence oppressed by the Maoists for being both Christians and Tibetans.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: I'm a 'live and let live' type myself.
Note that the Romans, say, didn't have the concept of "a religion". They had words for 'religion-in-general', rites and sacrifices, and they identified foreign gods with theirs if they resembled each other, but they had no concept of -a- religion.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Of course, and I believe having a "live and let live" attitude does not mean being a milquetoast about one's beliefs. Only that evangelizing should be peaceful.
The fierce, uncompromising monotheism of the Jews and the evangelizing zeal of the Christians was a shock to pagan Romans.
Ad astra! Sean
I don't think it would have gotten far without the 3rd-century crisis, when Rome's Empire nearly went under.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I am not entirely sure of that. I do agree the chaos of the Third Century Crisis of the Empire encouraged conversions to Christianity--meaning any averting of that crisis might well have slowed the growth of Christianity. But, as Psalm 89/90.4 says: "For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday which has passed, and as a watch in the night." Meaning God's time is not man's time. Christianity would still increase because I believe that is the will of God.
Ad astra! Sean
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