"Indeed, early Christian texts such as the Didache and Barnabas incorporate the Jewish tradition about the “two ways” where abortion and expositio are condemned as murder. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the fact that the doctrine of the “”two ways” condemned abortion, expositio, and infanticide: this tradition became an integral part of catechetical instruction and thus helped form early Christian attitudes. We can therefore say that by the beginning of the third century, there was a well established critical attitude to all forms of the murder of children-whether abortion, expositio, or other methods of killing. “Critical” is really too mild a word: these practices were utterly condemned. There already existed a certain measure of opposition to these practies among Roman moral philosophers, and some forms of the limitation of the number of children (including expositio) were rejected by the ruling authorities in some Italian cities, as reflected in the alimenta program mentioned above. Nevertheless, the early Christian attitude represents a considerable intensification of this criticism. The Christian writers go much further in backing up their arguments by means of fundamental principles; we also perceive a greater zeal and commitment, since they understood this question, theologically and ethically, as a matter of living in accordance with the will of God. On the deepest level, the question of refraining from murder was a question of salvation or damnation. I therefore find it difficult to see the Christian critique of expositio as nothing more than an echo and development of other critical voices in contemporary society. The intensity and extent of the Christian critique represents an intensification of existing criticism of Roman praxis and legislation in these fields."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
p.125
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Early_Christianity
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Early Christianity
34 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Early Christianity →
Related Quotes
"The beginnings of an identifiable Christian art can be traced to the end of the second century and the beginning of t…"
"In considering the spiritual significance of icons and other kinds of religious art, it is helpful to observe that th…"
"Between 50 and 400 AD, and out of this same circumstance the Fathers of the Christian Church-and in this case the usu…"
"Pagan religions had a calm acceptance of abortion and contraception, including the use of barrier methods, coitus int…"
"The public veneration of saints in the Christian Church is known to have existed in the 2nd century. As will be shown…"
"Inquiry shall likewise be made about the professions and trades of those who are brought to be admitted to the faith.…"
"The early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was n…"
"Leaving his beloved teacher Origen behind in Caesarea Maritimma about the year 240, bound for his distant home in the…"
"Robinson has snatched away the comfort of the urban thesis. The idea that at the time of the Edict of Milan (313) som…"
"Early Christians condemned abortion, but did not view the termination of a pregnancy to be an abortion before "ensoul…"