Were early Christians pacifist?

[demi-conservative]

Well, were they??

[Obsidian]

What do you even mean by that term

[Darth Executor]

a few were, the claim that they were overwhelmingly so is mostly a lie peddled by pacifists who routinely misrepresent texts to make it look that way.

[Obsidian]

Depending on what you mean by the term, I'm not 100% convinced that ANY of them were pacifists. But probably the majority of wars are stupid and pointless. Does my saying that make me a pacifist?

[rogue06]

I've often wondered how much the desire for martyrdom among some early Christians has been conflated with pacifism per se.

[KingsGambit]

Largely, not entirely. There's evidence of Christian participation in the Roman army. Every extant church father who weighed in on whether it was permissible for Christians to participate said no, but the number of church fathers who did so was only three. The reasoning given included both idolatry involved in military service and literal interpretations of the Sermon on the Mount.

[One Bad Pig]

Largely, not entirely. There's evidence of Christian participation in the Roman army. Every extant church father who weighed in on whether it was permissible for Christians to participate said no, but the number of church fathers who did so was only three. The reasoning given included both idolatry involved in military service and literal interpretations of the Sermon on the Mount.

There were a fair number of soldier martyrs, from at least as early as the 2nd century through the 4th century (under paganism's last stand under Julian the Apostate).

[demi-conservative]

Largely, not entirely. There's evidence of Christian participation in the Roman army. Every extant church father who weighed in on whether it was permissible for Christians to participate said no, but the number of church fathers who did so was only three. The reasoning given included both idolatry involved in military service and literal interpretations of the Sermon on the Mount.

So how is this 'largely'?

[demi-conservative]

What do you even mean by that term

'Violence is bad', or specific example being Christian soldiers of army of Rome

[demi-conservative]

So how is this 'largely'?

Still trying to figure out how three out of many Fathers of church is "largely". Seems more like Fake to me!!

[KingsGambit]

Still trying to figure out how three out of many Fathers of church is "largely". Seems more like Fake to me!!

I'm not wasting time responding to you. If anybody who isn't a troll wants to discuss it that's fine.

[demi-conservative]

Well, I must reach conclusion then!

Claim: early Christians were "largely" pacifistic

Evidence presented: Only one church father said violence is bad

Verdict: Fake Fact