How Sacrifice Shaped Early Christian Identity
Today sacrifice is seen as a barbaric, pagan practice, but it was central to the formation of early Christian identity.
During the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius in the second century AD a group of Christians was led in front of a magistrate in Rome to be questioned about their adherence to Christianity. One of them was a famous Christian teacher who would later become known as St Justin Martyr, an influential father of the Church. According to accounts of the trial, the magistrate questioned the group about their beliefs and gave them a stark choice: they must make sacrifices to the gods or face death. Justin and his companions were unmoved. ‘Do what you want’, they said. ‘For we are Christians and do not sacrifice to idols!’ They were taken away and executed.
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