000			01560nam a22001697a 4500
008			230906b |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
020			_a9781839735356
082			_a272
100			_aBOAMAH, Kwaku
245			_aThe Cross or prosperity gospel: _bpersecution and martyrdom in the early church
260			_aCarlisle _bLangham Monographs _c2022
300			_a195p; _b23cm
505			_aIncludes index and bibliography
520			_a"Are Christians meant to experience suffering? This question has long been a contentious one within the church. Christ is risen, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, yet sickness, poverty, and persecution continue to be daily realities for Christians around the world. In this study of martyrdom and persecution in the early church, Rev. Dr. Kwaku Boamah reminds us that there is no Christianity without a cross and that suffering has played a prominent role in church theology and tradition since the time of Christ. Examining second- and third-century apologetic texts and martyr narratives, he utilizes a systematic comparative approach to create a holistic picture of the extreme challenges facing Christians under the Roman Empire. Drawing parallels to the history of persecution and martyrdom in his homeland of Ghana, Boamah locates the experience of African Christianity firmly within the larger narrative of church history, reminding Christians that they are not alone in their suffering but are members of a global, unified whole.
650			_2persecution, martyrdom, early church, prosperity gospel
942			_2ddc _cBK
999			_c16361 _d16361