Church Theology

The Shows or De Spectaculis, also known as On the Spectacles, is a treatise by Tertullian. Written somewhere between AD 197-202, the work comments on issues and consequences related to the attendance of circus, theatre, or amphitheater ("the pleasures of public shows"). Tertullian’s views of these public performances in the theatre are that they are immoral and lead to corruption.

Whatever noxious vapors, accordingly, exhaled from philosophy, obscure the clear and wholesome atmosphere of truth, it will be for Christians to clear away, both by shattering to pieces the arguments which are drawn from the principles of things - I mean those of the philosophers - and by opposing to them the maxims of heavenly wisdom - that is, such as are revealed by the Lord; in order that both the pitfalls wherewith philosophy captivates the heathen may be removed, and the means employed by heresy to shake the faith of Christians may be repressed.

A Letter of Augustin to Boniface, who, as we learn from Epistle 220, was Tribune, and afterwards Count in Africa. In it, Augustin shows that the heresy of the Donatists has nothing in common with that of Arius; and points out the moderation with which it was possible to recall the heretics to the communion of the Church through awe of the imperial laws. He adds remarks concerning the savage conduct of the Donatists and Circumcelliones, concluding with a discussion of the unpardonable nature of the sin against the Holy Ghost.

As persecutions in increasing number threaten us, so the more are we called on to give earnest thought to the question of how faith ought to receive them, and the duty of carefully considering it concerns you no less, who no doubt, by not accepting the Comforter, the guide to all truth, have, as was natural, opposed us hitherto in regard to other questions also.

The Apology (Latin: Apologeticum or Apologeticus) is Tertullian's most famous work, consisting of apologetic and polemic. In this book, Tertullian defends the Christian Church, demanding legal toleration and that Christians be treated as all other sects or religions of the Roman Empire. It is in this treatise that one finds the phrase: "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."

Praxeas was a Monarchian from Asia Minor. He believed in the unity of the Godhead and vehemently disagreed with any attempt at division of the personalities or personages of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Christian Church....

This was written by our author in confutation of certain heretics who denied the reality of Christ’s flesh, or at least its identity with human flesh - fearing that, if they admitted the reality of Christ’s flesh, they must also admit his resurrection in the flesh; and, consequently, the resurrection of the human body after death.

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