Ancient Roman Christians

Christian beliefs and practices in the 2nd and 3rd centuries

Icon of Mary, Rome (6th century or earlier)
Image source: Asia

Based on the sources discussed below, the following can be surmised about early Christianity, before it was fused with Roman government and political power:

• These Christians believed in one God as the “single ruler over all things”, such that no other Gods should be acknowledged. Some, if not many, early Christians equated the monotheistic God of Christianity with Sol / the sun, and others equated the Christian God with “the One” of Neo-Platonism. Thus there was, at least for some, a fusion between traditional Greco-Roman beliefs (now updated to embrace monism) and Christian scripture.
• While the core belief of ancient Christianity was monotheism and belief in Jesus as the son of God, there was a diversity of other beliefs amongst early Christians whereby there was debate on such things as:

─ the exact nature of Jesus (how much was of Christ was human versus how much was divine),

─ whether or not God was trinitarian or utterly singular (ie, separate from Christ),

─ whether or not scripture should be taken as literal truth or interpreted allegorically.

• Veneration of Mary, the Saints and relics were early practices, certainly arising before Constantine and the Council of Nicaea. 
• Early Christians believed in demons, and some alleged the traditional Gods were demons.
• They adhered to traditional gender binaries, eg, men should be masculine (not effeminate or androgynous) but exercise personal restraint, especially in relation to violence, food and sex. Nonetheless, though men led the Church, Christian women were extremely active and some women were deaconesses.
• They met with each other regularly (eg, on a Sunday morning) and at these meetings the following might take place:

─ the reading out of “sacred words of holy books”,

─ hymns were sung to Christ / God,

─ something akin to a sermon was delivered,

─ prayers would be made while standing and with hands spread “toward God”,

─ members would commit themselves to moral precepts, such as not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to lie, etc,

─ food was shared which included bread and wine,

─ those who could afford it would donate money to the Church so that it may engage in philanthropic activities, such as feeding the poor and taking in orphans and widows who had no-one else to care for them.

• Individual Christians engaged in regular fasting / moderation in food and drink.
• Some Christians appear to have been proto-monks and nuns by engaging in lifelong celibacy.

Christianity in the 2nd century

Given that I have a good understanding of the religious landscape in ancient Rome it seems fitting to look at Christianity during this era. Many contemporary analyses of this kind focuses heavily on the New Testament, with a particular focus on 1st century Christians. As there is nothing I can add to the discussion on 1st century Christians I am instead starting in the 2nd century, with a focus on this nascent religion as it was before it became a major political force in the 4th century CE.