Why martyrs were such a big deal in early Christianity By Matt Nash

https://www.academia.edu/49057094/Why_martyrs_were_such_a_big_deal_in_early_Christianity?nav_from=69bae039-8a0a-4f98-8def-546426e18958 We will never understand Christian spirituality unless we grasp the significance of martyrdom"-Gerald L. Sittser Christians were persecuted throughout much of the Roman Empire's history, from the early 1 st century AD to the Edict of Milan in 313. As Christianity spread throughout the Empire, it came into ideological conflict with the pagan imperial cult and such practices as sacrifices to other gods and the deification of the emperors. Although persecution and martyrdom was sporadic and piecemeal, it was nonetheless widespread, because Christians as a movement were being persecuted. The causes of these persecutions continue to be investigated by scholars today. ...