The Early Church in the Roman Empire

In this short article prof. Bruce shows how Christianity developed from a sect of Judaism, a religio licita (Latin for “permitted religion”) in the Roman Empire, to a persecuted religion spreading across Asia, Europe and Africa.

Summary: The hand of God through history—the period (A.D. 30-100) divided into two by the first Christian persecution of A.D. 64—a religio licita—called “Christian”—decision regarding the ceremonial Jewish Law—the Jewish response to Christianity—Jewish persecution—Saul, the leader of Jewish persecution—his conversion—Paul, the greatest man the Christian Church has ever known—Paul’s use of the civilisation of the Empire for the spread of the gospel—the gospel spreads to Asia, Europe and Africa—the gospel makes its way into high social circles.

---

Frederick Fyvie Bruce (1910 – 1990), was Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester. He was born in Elgin, northern Scotland, and was educated at the University of Aberdeen, Cambridge University and the University of Vienna. He wrote over thirty books and served as editor of The Evangelical Quarterly. He retired from teaching in 1978.

Bruce was a distinguished scholar, best known for his book, Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free He also wrote commentaries on Gospel of John, Acts, 1 & 2 Corinthians, and the Epistle to the Hebrews.

---

This article first appeared in The Bible Student (Bangalore, India), 56 (March-April 1933): 30-32. It is reproduced here, lightly edited (with summary) exclusively for the Krapf Project by permission of F.F. Bruce Copyright International, Nashville, Tennessee, USA and Bath, England.