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The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1 - Contents
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    CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO: Lactantius—Emitting Light Amid Encroaching Darkness

    1. REVOLUTION IN ROMAN LIFE AND THOUGHT

    We have already seen how the transition from paganism’s final attempt to crush Christianity, under Diocletian, to Constantine’s espousal of the Christian faith, introduced within a single generation the most remarkable revolution in thought, laws, and manner of life recorded of any empire in history. Though still a pagan at heart, Constantine accepted the “logic of events” and came to terms with Christianity. Under his edicts of toleration, world conditions suddenly changed. Christianity was no longer proscribed and persecuted, and its adherents emerged from their hide-outs in catacombs and caves. The church’s adversaries were restrained, and tranquillity reigned for a time.CFF1 1029.1

    2. STAYING THE TIDE OF DRIFT AND ERROR

    The world’s favor now became the church’s new peril—her new trial of faith. Multitudes soon sought entrance into her communion because it had become advantageous and was the popular thing to do. Worldliness swept in as a result. In reaction, various Christian leaders turned to asceticism as a means of staying the ebbing tide of spiritual life. This appealed to many of the pious, and the hermitage and the monastery were explored as a possible deterrent. Meanwhile, new doctrinal errors commingled with the old. And Lactantius, to whom we now turn, who had first witnessed the anguish of persecution, and then the elevation of Christianity to imperial patronage, now undertook to stay the tide of drift and error, and to instruct the emperor. This is important to note.CFF1 1029.2

    LACTANTIUS FIRMIANUS (c. 250-330), conspicuous Latin Father, was called the Christian Cicero because of his elegance of expression and the purity and finish of his style—the “milky softness of his style,” as it has been phrased. He was one of the eminent lights of the fourth century. Jerome called him the “most learned man of his time.” Born of pagan parentage, and converted to Christianity in maturity, Lactantius’ life really spanned three epochs—(1) the uneasy truce of the church, (2) the crowning persecution of paganism, and (3) the preferment of Christianity in the Constantinian period. His life likewise paralleled that of Eusebius, who wrote in Greek, while Lactantius’ productions were in Latin.CFF1 1030.1

    Picture 1: Lactantius:
    Lactantius Speaks Out Amid Apostasy’s Encroaching Darkness and Paganism’s Final Stand.
    Page 1030
    CFF1 1030

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