Guided path

Faith under fire

Two voices on facing death for the faith. About 27 minutes of reading in total.

1. Ignatius to the RomansAbout AD 110 (traditional) · 9-minute read Easy

   A bishop in chains writes ahead to Rome, asking not to be rescued.

   Look for: Read chapters 4 and 5 for the best-known passages, then ask how he sees his own death.

2. The Martyrdom of PolycarpAbout AD 155 to 160 (traditional) · 18-minute read Easy

   Then an elderly bishop is brought before the proconsul.

   Look for: Watch how the writers deliberately compare Polycarp's arrest and death to the Gospel account of Jesus.

Other paths: Meet the first Christians, Unity and leadership in the early church, Read it in order.