ChurchChurch HistoryHistory ChurchChurch HistoryHistory

IntroductionIntroduction toto ChurchChurch HistoryHistory st rd TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch AD 11st-3-3rd centuriescenturies th th TheThe RiseRise ofof ChristendomChristendom AD 44th-5-5th centuriescenturies th th TheThe EarlyEarly MiddleMiddle AgesAges AD 66th-10-10th centuriescenturies th th TheThe AgeAge ofof CrusadesCrusades AD 1111th-13-13th centuriescenturies th th TheThe RenaissanceRenaissance AD 1414th-15-15th centuriescenturies th ConquestConquest andand ReformationReformation AD 1616th centurycentury th th TheThe AgeAge ofof EnlightenmentEnlightenment AD 1717th-18-18th centuriescenturies th TheThe AgeAge ofof RevolutionRevolution AD 1919th centurycentury th TheThe ModernModern AgeAge AD 2020th centurycentury st TheThe PostmodernPostmodern AgeAge AD 2121st centurycentury TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor HisHis papacypapacy waswas underminedundermined byby bishopbishop TheodotusTheodotus ofof Byzantium,Byzantium, whowho hadhad taughttaught thatthat therethere werewere onlyonly twotwo possiblepossible perspectivesperspectives onon thethe relationshiprelationship betweenbetween thethe FatherFather andand thethe Son—Son— 1)1) ModalismModalism—as—as SabelliusSabellius taught,taught, GodGod revealedrevealed HimselfHimself toto humanityhumanity inin threethree stagesstages oror “modes”“modes” (the(the FatherFather inin Creation,Creation, thethe SonSon inin Redemption,Redemption, andand thethe SpiritSpirit inin SanctificationSanctification andand Regeneration)Regeneration) TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor HisHis papacypapacy waswas underminedundermined byby bishopbishop TheodotusTheodotus ofof Byzantium,Byzantium, whowho hadhad taughttaught thatthat therethere werewere onlyonly twotwo possiblepossible perspectivesperspectives onon thethe relationshiprelationship betweenbetween thethe FatherFather andand thethe Son—Son— 1)1) ModalismModalism 2)2) AdoptionismAdoptionism—as—as TheodotusTheodotus taught,taught, GodGod grantedgranted “divinity”“divinity” uponupon aa humanhuman (but(but perfect)perfect) JesusJesus atat HisHis baptismbaptism (or(or atat HisHis ascension),ascension), allowingallowing HimHim toto carrycarry outout HisHis propheticprophetic ministryministry usingusing God'sGod's divinedivine powerpower TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor HisHis papacypapacy waswas underminedundermined byby bishopbishop TheodotusTheodotus ofof Byzantium,Byzantium, whowho hadhad taughttaught thatthat therethere werewere onlyonly twotwo possiblepossible perspectivesperspectives onon thethe relationshiprelationship betweenbetween thethe FatherFather andand thethe Son—Son— 1)1) ModalismModalism 2)2) AdoptionismAdoptionism Interestingly,Interestingly, ZephyrinusZephyrinus actuallyactually diddid subscribesubscribe toto modalismmodalism ThisThis drewdrew strongstrong attacksattacks fromfrom aa youngyoung RomanRoman presbyterpresbyter namednamed HippolytusHippolytus FollowingFollowing thethe writingswritings ofof JustinJustin ,Martyr, HippolytusHippolytus believedbelieved thatthat JesusJesus waswas thethe PlatonicPlatonic LogosLogos—the—the ““WordWord,”,” thethe ““TruthTruth,”,” thethe ““ThoughtThought”” ofof God,God, expressedexpressed inin thethe OldOld Testament—Testament— emanatingemanating fromfrom GodGod andand mademade fleshflesh (i.e.;(i.e.; aa separateseparate DivineDivine Person)Person) TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus HeHe beganbegan toto overturnoverturn severalseveral traditionaltraditional papalpapal decisions—hedecisions—he eveneven beganbegan forgivingforgiving suchsuch sinssins asas adulteryadultery andand ...heresy... largelylargely becausebecause thethe ChurchChurch waswas inin needneed ofof thosethose people'speople's financialfinancial supportsupport IfIf you'llyou'll remember,remember, thisthis waswas tootoo muchmuch forfor Tertullian,Tertullian, whowho denounceddenounced thethe popepope forfor forgivingforgiving whatwhat hehe sawsaw asas unforgivableunforgivable sinssins TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus HeHe beganbegan toto overturnoverturn severalseveral traditionaltraditional papalpapal decisions—hedecisions—he eveneven beganbegan forgivingforgiving suchsuch sinssins asas adulteryadultery andand heresy...heresy... largelylargely becausebecause thethe ChurchChurch waswas inin needneed ofof thosethose people'speople's financialfinancial supportsupport ThisThis waswas alsoalso tootoo muchmuch forfor Hippolytus,Hippolytus, whowho allowedallowed himselfhimself toto bebe dulyduly electedelected byby otherother presbyterspresbyters asas aa rival,rival, antianti--pope HeHe continuedcontinued toto serveserve asas anti-popeanti-pope againstagainst thethe nextnext twotwo —Urbanpopes—Urban andand Pontian,Pontian, untiluntil bothboth hehe andand PontianPontian werewere exiledexiled togethertogether byby EmperorEmperor ThraxThrax inin 235235 Ironically,Ironically, inin theirtheir exile,exile, thethe twotwo rivalrival popespopes settledsettled theirtheir differences,differences, andand bothboth areare nownow consideredconsidered saintssaints byby thethe CatholicCatholic ChurchChurch todaytoday TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing...timing... TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch FunkyFunky littlelittle teachingteaching moment—moment— Philip—alsoPhilip—also knownknown asas “Philip“Philip thethe Arab,”Arab,” sincesince hehe waswas bornborn inin Syria—becameSyria—became emperoremperor inin 244244 duringduring thatthat “Crisis“Crisis inin thethe ThirdThird Century”Century” thatthat wewe talkedtalked about,about, whenwhen 2525 differentdifferent emperorsemperors viedvied forfor thethe crowncrown inin aa 50-year50-year spanspan OneOne ofof thethe firstfirst thingsthings hehe diddid asas emperoremperor waswas toto negotiatenegotiate aa peacepeace treatytreaty withwith thethe PersianPersian king,king, ShapurShapur (who(who hadhad justjust killedkilled hishis predecessor),predecessor), givinggiving thethe PersiansPersians 500,000500,000 goldgold denariidenarii ThisThis diddid notnot impressimpress thethe RomanRoman army,army, whichwhich hadhad justjust spentspent twotwo yearsyears inin thethe MiddleMiddle East,East, fightingfighting againstagainst thethe PersiansPersians TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch FunkyFunky littlelittle teachingteaching moment—moment— Philip—alsoPhilip—also knownknown asas “Philip“Philip thethe Arab,”Arab,” sincesince hehe waswas bornborn inin Syria—becameSyria—became emperoremperor inin 244244 duringduring thatthat “Crisis“Crisis inin thethe ThirdThird Century”Century” thatthat wewe talkedtalked about,about, whenwhen 2525 differentdifferent emperorsemperors viedvied forfor thethe crowncrown inin aa 50-year50-year spanspan OneOne ofof thethe firstfirst thingsthings hehe diddid asas emperoremperor waswas toto negotiatenegotiate aa peacepeace treatytreaty withwith thethe PersianPersian king,king, ShapurShapur (who(who hadhad justjust killedkilled hishis predecessor),predecessor), givinggiving thethe PersiansPersians 500,000500,000 goldgold denariidenarii PhilipPhilip waswas openlyopenly sympatheticsympathetic towardtoward ChristiansChristians (coming(coming fromfrom ChristianizedChristianized Syria),Syria), andand EusebiusEusebius sayssays thatthat hehe convertedconverted toto ChristianityChristianity himself,himself, alongalong withwith hishis wifewife HeHe eveneven triedtried toto celebratecelebrate EasterEaster inin ,Antioch, butbut BishopBishop BabylasBabylas saidsaid thatthat hehe hadhad tootoo manymany sinssins onon hishis head,head, andand forcedforced himhim toto sitsit withwith thethe penitentspenitents insteadinstead TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch FunkyFunky littlelittle teachingteaching moment—moment— Philip—alsoPhilip—also knownknown asas “Philip“Philip thethe Arab,”Arab,” sincesince hehe waswas bornborn inin Syria—becameSyria—became emperoremperor inin 244244 duringduring thatthat “Crisis“Crisis inin thethe ThirdThird Century”Century” thatthat wewe talkedtalked about,about, whenwhen 2525 differentdifferent emperorsemperors viedvied forfor thethe crowncrown inin aa 50-year50-year spanspan OneOne ofof thethe firstfirst thingsthings hehe diddid asas emperoremperor waswas toto negotiatenegotiate aa peacepeace treatytreaty withwith thethe PersianPersian king,king, ShapurShapur (who(who hadhad justjust killedkilled hishis predecessor),predecessor), givinggiving thethe PersiansPersians 500,000500,000 goldgold denariidenarii PhilipPhilip waswas openlyopenly sympatheticsympathetic towardtoward ChristiansChristians (coming(coming fromfrom ChristianizedChristianized Syria),Syria), andand EusebiusEusebius sayssays thatthat hehe convertedconverted toto ChristianityChristianity himself,himself, alongalong withwith hishis wifewife SoonSoon afterafter Philip'sPhilip's conversion,conversion, hishis ownown armiesarmies forcedforced TrajanTrajan DeciusDecius toto overthrowoverthrow himhim InIn fact,fact, itit appearsappears thatthat PhilipPhilip waswas “fragged”“fragged” byby hishis ownown troopstroops TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch FunkyFunky littlelittle teachingteaching moment—moment— Philip—alsoPhilip—also knownknown asas “Philip“Philip thethe Arab,”Arab,” sincesince hehe waswas bornborn inin Syria—becameSyria—became emperoremperor inin 244244 duringduring thatthat “Crisis“Crisis inin thethe ThirdThird Century”Century” thatthat wewe talkedtalked about,about, whenwhen 2525 differentdifferent emperorsemperors viedvied forfor thethe crowncrown inin aa 50-year50-year spanspan DeciusDecius immediatelyimmediately crackedcracked downdown onon anythinganything thatthat appearedappeared toto displaydisplay anyany ofof Philip'sPhilip's perceivedperceived weaknesses—includingweaknesses—including ChristianityChristianity InIn 250,250, hehe issuedissued anan edictedict thatthat requiredrequired everyoneeveryone inin thethe EmpireEmpire toto makemake sacrificessacrifices toto thethe RomanRoman godsgods byby aa certaincertain datedate AnyoneAnyone whowho diddid waswas issuedissued aa ““libelluslibellus,”,” certifyingcertifying thatthat they'dthey'd donedone it...it... andand anyoneanyone whowho didn'tdidn't havehave aa libelluslibellus byby thatthat datedate waswas toto bebe torturedtortured andand killedkilled EvenEven PopePope FabianFabian waswas amongamong thosethose whowho refusedrefused toto makemake thethe sacrificessacrifices andand waswas thereforetherefore executed...executed... leadingleading toto thethe electionselections ofof popepope andand antianti-pope,-pope, CorneliusCornelius andand NovatianNovatian TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing,timing, sincesince hehe becamebecame thethe bishopbishop thethe yearyear beforebefore thethe DecianDecian persecutionpersecution startedstarted upup BishopsBishops inin particularparticular werewere forcedforced toto makemake thethe publicpublic sacrifices—Romansacrifices—Roman proconsulsproconsuls wentwent toto themthem personallypersonally SeveralSeveral bishopsbishops cavedcaved inin andand mademade thethe sacrificessacrifices (some(some claimingclaiming thatthat theythey diddid itit onlyonly toto protectprotect theirtheir regionalregional churches)churches) TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing,timing, sincesince hehe becamebecame thethe bishopbishop thethe yearyear beforebefore thethe DecianDecian persecutionpersecution startedstarted upup CyprianCyprian himselfhimself ranran awayaway andand hidhid AndAnd yet,yet, hehe stillstill maintainedmaintained aa harshharsh disciplinediscipline againstagainst thosethose whowho hadhad “lapsed”“lapsed” inin theirtheir faithfaith andand mademade thethe sacrificessacrifices Thus,Thus, hehe mademade enemiesenemies onon bothboth sidessides ofof thethe theologicaltheological fence—fence— thethe conservativesconservatives becausebecause he'dhe'd runrun fromfrom thethe persecution,persecution, andand thethe liberalsliberals becausebecause hehe wouldn'twouldn't showshow gracegrace toto othersothers whowho hadhad cavedcaved inin underunder persecutionpersecution TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing,timing, sincesince hehe becamebecame thethe bishopbishop thethe yearyear beforebefore thethe DecianDecian persecutionpersecution startedstarted upup CyprianCyprian himselfhimself ranran awayaway andand hidhid WhenWhen hehe returnedreturned afterafter thethe persecutionpersecution waswas over,over, hehe diddid allowallow forfor thethe lapsilapsi oror libellaticilibellatici toto bebe receivedreceived backback intointo thethe Church...Church... butbut onlyonly onon theirtheir deathbedsdeathbeds TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing,timing, sincesince hehe becamebecame thethe bishopbishop thethe yearyear beforebefore thethe DecianDecian persecutionpersecution startedstarted upup CyprianCyprian mademade aa namename forfor himselfhimself withinwithin thethe ChurchChurch byby demonstratingdemonstrating hishis servant'sservant's heartheart duringduring aa secondsecond greatgreat plagueplague thatthat hithit thethe RomanRoman EmpireEmpire inin 252252 TheThe plagueplague devastateddevastated thethe RomanRoman worldworld forfor thethe nextnext 1515 years—years— AlexandriaAlexandria lostlost 2/32/3 ofof itsits populationpopulation andand (at(at thethe peakpeak ofof thethe plague)plague) RomeRome waswas losinglosing 5,0005,000 peoplepeople everyevery dayday TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing,timing, sincesince hehe becamebecame thethe bishopbishop thethe yearyear beforebefore thethe DecianDecian persecutionpersecution startedstarted upup CyprianCyprian mademade aa namename forfor himselfhimself withinwithin thethe ChurchChurch byby demonstratingdemonstrating hishis servant'sservant's heartheart duringduring aa secondsecond greatgreat plagueplague thatthat hithit thethe RomanRoman EmpireEmpire inin 252252 TheThe plagueplague actuallyactually cutcut shortshort ththee DecianDecian persecution,persecution, inin largelarge partpart because—asbecause—as hadhad beenbeen thethe casecase duringduring thethe AntonineAntonine PlaguePlague decadesdecades earlier—theearlier—the ChristiansChristians becamebecame famousfamous forfor seekingseeking plagueplague victimsvictims outout soso thatthat theythey couldcould ministerminister toto theirtheir needsneeds InIn fact,fact, historyhistory callscalls thisthis “'s“Cyprian's Plague,”Plague,” duedue toto hishis effortsefforts toto helphelp TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage ThisThis waswas reallyreally unfortunateunfortunate timing,timing, sincesince hehe becamebecame thethe bishopbishop thethe yearyear beforebefore thethe DecianDecian persecutionpersecution startedstarted upup CyprianCyprian mademade aa namename forfor himselfhimself withinwithin thethe ChurchChurch byby demonstratingdemonstrating hishis servant'sservant's heartheart duringduring aa secondsecond greatgreat plagueplague thatthat hithit thethe RomanRoman EmpireEmpire inin 252252 TheThe plagueplague actuallyactually cutcut shortshort ththee DecianDecian persecutionpersecution Grass-roots,Grass-roots, publicpublic supportsupport againagain beganbegan toto swaysway towardtoward Christianity,Christianity, sincesince thethe ManicheansManicheans tendedtended toto seesee thethe plagueplague asas partpart ofof thethe ongoingongoing battlebattle betweenbetween GodGod andand Satan,Satan, andand thusthus avoidedavoided thethe sicksick TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage 251251 DeciusDecius lostlost thethe crucialcrucial BattleBattle ofof Abritus,Abritus, largelylargely duedue toto hishis ownown stupiditystupidity HavingHaving solidlysolidly beatenbeaten thethe GothsGoths onon thethe field,field, hehe chosechose toto “finish“finish themthem off”off” byby chasingchasing themthem intointo theirtheir nativenative BulgarianBulgarian swamplands,swamplands, wherewhere thethe guerillaguerilla tacticstactics hehe forcedforced themthem intointo usingusing thenthen overwhelmedoverwhelmed hishis RomanRoman troopstroops DeciusDecius himselfhimself waswas killedkilled inin thethe slaughterslaughter TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage 251251 DeciusDecius lostlost thethe crucialcrucial BattleBattle ofof AbritusAbritus TrebonianusTrebonianus GallusGallus becamebecame emperoremperor HisHis firstfirst actionaction waswas suingsuing forfor peacepeace withwith thethe —promisingGoths—promising themthem anan annualannual tributetribute inin returnreturn forfor notnot fightingfighting againstagainst RomeRome TheThe RomanRoman EmpireEmpire isis nownow officiallyofficially payingpaying intointo thethe Goths'Goths' protectionprotection racketracket InIn thethe MiddleMiddle East,East, thethe samesame PersianPersian KingKing ShapurShapur withwith whomwhom PhilipPhilip hadhad dealtdealt nownow invadedinvaded Syria—destroyingSyria—destroying thethe legionlegion stationedstationed there—andthere—and eveneven movedmoved intointo EasternEastern EuropeEurope It'sIt's tellingtelling thatthat therethere waswas nono officialofficial RomanRoman responseresponse toto thisthis TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage 251251 DeciusDecius lostlost thethe crucialcrucial BattleBattle ofof AbritusAbritus TrebonianusTrebonianus GallusGallus becamebecame emperoremperor HisHis firstfirst actionaction waswas suingsuing forfor peacepeace withwith thethe Goths—promisingGoths—promising themthem anan annualannual tributetribute inin returnreturn forfor notnot fightingfighting againstagainst RomeRome WithinWithin aa year,year, Cyprian'sCyprian's plagueplague hit,hit, andand thethe RomanRoman ArmyArmy waswas decimated,decimated, soso appeasementappeasement actuallyactually becamebecame thethe mostmost militarilymilitarily andand economicallyeconomically feasiblefeasible coursecourse ofof actionaction Nonetheless,Nonetheless, GallusGallus waswas murderedmurdered byby hishis ownown disgruntleddisgruntled troopstroops forfor beingbeing aa badbad commandercommander inin theirtheir eyeseyes TheThe AncientAncient ChurchChurch TheThe ThirdThird CenturyCentury waswas aa timetime ofof massivemassive crisiscrisis inin thethe worldworld 199-217199-217 PopePope ZephyrinusZephyrinus succeededsucceeded PopePope VictorVictor 217-222217-222 PopePope CallixtusCallixtus succeededsucceeded ZephyrinusZephyrinus 249249 CyprianCyprian becamebecame bishopbishop ofof CarthageCarthage 251251 DeciusDecius lostlost thethe crucialcrucial BattleBattle ofof AbritusAbritus TrebonianusTrebonianus GallusGallus becamebecame emperoremperor 253253 ValerianValerian becamebecame emperoremperor ToTo showshow hishis strengthstrength ofof charactercharacter comparedcompared toto thethe weakweak Gallus,Gallus, hehe diddid whatwhat emperorsemperors hadhad donedone forfor years—heyears—he persecutedpersecuted thethe ChristiansChristians InIn 257,257, hehe issuedissued anan edictedict thatthat calledcalled forfor thethe immediateimmediate executionexecution ofof allall ChristianChristian leadershipleadership ThisThis massmass purgepurge includedincluded CyprianCyprian asas wellwell asas PopePope Stephen,Stephen, whowho waswas bloodilybloodily beheadedbeheaded whilewhile sittingsitting onon thethe papalpapal throne—onethrone—one ofof thethe firstfirst referencesreferences toto itsits usageusage