Page:The early Christians in Rome (1911).djvu/26

 VII

THE ASCETIC AND THE MORE PRACTICAL SCHOOLS OF TEACHING

Two schools of teaching, showing how these difficulties were to be met, evidently existed in the early Church—(A) ''The school of Rigourists''—Tertullian is a good example of a teacher of this school—Effect of this school on artisans—On popular amusements—On soldiers of the Legions—On slaves—On family life—From this stern school came the majority of the martyrs—(B) ''The gentler and more practical school''—exemplified in such writings as the Dialogue of Minucius Felix and in writings of Clement of Alexandria, etc.—Results of the teaching of the gentler school—Art was still possible among Christians, although permeated with heathen symbols—The Christian might still continue to live in the Imperial court—might remain in the civil service—in the army, etc.—Examples for such allowances found in Old Testament writings—(C) The Rigourist school again dwelt on—Its great influence on the pagan empire—The final victory of Christianity was largely owing to the popular impression of the life and conduct of followers of this school—This impression was voiced by fourth century writers such as Prudentius and Paulinus of Nola, and is shown in the work of Pope Damasus in the catacombs       144

VIII

WHAT THE RELIGION OF JESUS OFFERED IN RETURN FOR THIS HARD LIFE TO RIGOURISTS, AND IN A SLIGHTLY LESS DEGREE TO ALL FOLLOWERS OF THE SECOND SCHOOL

(A) Freedom from ever-present fear of death—S. Paul, Ignatius, and especially epitaphs in the Roman catacombs are referred to here—(B) New terminology for death, burial, etc., used—(C) The ever-present consciousness of forgiveness of sins—(D) Hope of immediate bliss after death—The power of the revelation of S. John in early Christian life—(E) Was Christian life in the early centuries after all a dreary existence, as the pagans considered it? 153