7
March. 1662 Book of Common
Prayer. Perpetua, a martyr. http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/notes/saints.html#Perpetua
. An odd account, allegedly, re: a
Montanist, or so this historiographer states.
(We need to check, but we believe John Foxe cites her also.)
Perpetua, Martyr. One
of the African martyrs under Severus (A.D. 203). The "Acts of
Perpetua," written in part by herself, have been preserved to us. They are
full of vividness and beauty, although showing some touches of the visionary
and ascetic tendencies of Montanism. -- March 7th.
Dr. Rusten tells the story of
Perpetus too. Pages 133-134.
Rusten, E. Michael and Rusten,
Sharon. The One Year Christian History.
Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003. http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Christian-History-Books/dp/0842355073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393302630&sr=8-1&keywords=rusten+church+history
Vibia Perpetua and others
martyred at Carthage (northern Tunisia) in response to strict enforcement of
Emperor Septimus Severus’ decree forbidding conversion to Christianity.
Vibia Perpetus was a young 22-year
old with an infant son. She was a member, reportedly, of a noble family of
Carthage. Perpetua, her brother and her slave became Christians, although other
family members were not.
Emperor Septimus Severus issued
his edict in 202 A.D. prohibiting conversion from paganism and the Roman
cafeteria of deities to the Triune God. It was scrupulously enforced, much like
Diocletian’s edict a century later.
Perpetua defied her father’
counsel and continued her preparations for baptism, being a catechumen. She and four other catechumens were
baptized. Baptism was viewed by the
Imperialists as the sign of conversion.
She was arrested, or, put under house arrest.
Here’s the story as told by
Rusten:
While we were still under arrest, my father, out of
love for me, was trying to persuade me and shake my resolution.
“Father,” I said, “do you see this vase here for
example, or water pot or whatever?”
“Yes, I do,” said he.
And I told him, “Could it be called by any other
name than what it is?”
And he said, “No.”
[Perpetua] “Well, so too, I cannot be called
anything other than what I am, a Christian.”
She was thrown into a dungeon.
Hilarianus, the provincial
Imperial governor, held a hearing. Perpetua’s father made a final appeal to her
to recant and sacrifice to the Roman deities.
She refused.
She said of herself and other
prisoners, “We were condemned to the beasts and we return to prison in high
spirits.”
On 7 March 203, she and others were taken to the amphitheater. Mad bulls tore into some. Leopards were released. What was left living was finished by the
gladiatorial sword.
As she was dying, she exhorted
her dying brother, “You must stand fast in the faith and love one another and
do not be weakened by what we have gone through…”
Questions:
- What say you Joel Osteen? Joel, here’s a few tweets from the martyrs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA_wWmVlypg. Joel, ever read anything about people like this? Like elementary church histories?
- What of the robust narcissism in Americano-religio? It’s “all about me,” right?
- We believe John Foxes records this in his Acts and Monuments, but what is the volume number and page?
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