Be Part of the Mission
Your prayers and actions make a difference. Let God guide you into His purpose.
Explore MoreHistory of Persecution
Ancient Rome started Christian persecution. The Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth came and died on the cross, establishing for us the Christian faith. As the power of Christianity started to shine within Rome, the non-Christians began to feel threatened. The only response they had was death from Nero to Domitian to Trajan. What these ruthless leaders forgot was that you can kill the body but not the soul. Thus, through the power of God, Christianity continued to spread at an unprecedented rate.
However, by the 9th century many individuals had turned to Christianity, and so did Constantine himself. The Christian persecution would slow down with the Edict of Milan, which granted religious freedom in the Roman Empire. Undoubtedly, it is heartbreaking to see anyone persecuted, but it was a testament to what Christianity would become and to the strength of the Lord against evil.
Persecution in the Byzantine Empire
Christian persecution continued under the Byzantine Empire. However, Christian persecution carried on after the Roman Empire into the Byzantine Empire. From the 8th to 9th century, the Byzantine Empire had the iconoclasm controversy, which encouraged the destruction of icons. The icons, especially in the Orthodox faith, had become a defining aspect in all monasteries, churches, and homes. Thus, as you can imagine, there were no boundaries or borders on the destruction and attacks against Christians.
Furthermore, from the 9th century and beyond until 1500 AD, Christians would be persecuted for economic downturn, land, and power. The underlying reasons here were always selfish desires, and when those could not be satisfied, Christians were persecuted.
Persecution in the World Today
The world today is persecuting Christians in the same form and shape as the 1st century. The ranking is clear, with North Korea being the most extreme country persecuting Christians. The forms of persecution range from not being allowed to have a Bible to forbidding church meetings.
The leader of North Korea is not doing this by accident — he knows the power and might of Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of all North Koreans. The world is not persecuting Christians by accident either; they know who Jesus Christ of Nazareth is and His glory.
