Dr. Michael Peppard

They just have the bread or bread and water. And so then you're like, well... Could they have been thinking of it as a bloody sacrificial meal or like that kind of communion if they weren't even using the wine? Because they thought that they weren't using the wine because they wanted to be more ascetic and more self-denying. But what was in their mind when they were having this meal, you know?

They just have the bread or bread and water. And so then you're like, well... Could they have been thinking of it as a bloody sacrificial meal or like that kind of communion if they weren't even using the wine? Because they thought that they weren't using the wine because they wanted to be more ascetic and more self-denying. But what was in their mind when they were having this meal, you know?

Um, so when we really, here's what I would say though, when we really start to get to a strongly sacrificial kind of transubstantiation, um, belief system, I would, I would say I'm confident around 250. I would say I'm confident that in Western Christianity, North Africa, when I say North Africa, I mean, um, like modern day Tunisia, Algeria, that region.

Um, so when we really, here's what I would say though, when we really start to get to a strongly sacrificial kind of transubstantiation, um, belief system, I would, I would say I'm confident around 250. I would say I'm confident that in Western Christianity, North Africa, when I say North Africa, I mean, um, like modern day Tunisia, Algeria, that region.

So there, can I tell you just a story here? Because I think a lot of things come together here. So there is Christianity is growing throughout the second century, early third century, to a point where a Roman emperor named Decius, in around the year 250, has what's considered the first empire-wide persecution of Christians. The first big one. Now, was he intending only to target Christians?

So there, can I tell you just a story here? Because I think a lot of things come together here. So there is Christianity is growing throughout the second century, early third century, to a point where a Roman emperor named Decius, in around the year 250, has what's considered the first empire-wide persecution of Christians. The first big one. Now, was he intending only to target Christians?

Probably not. He's intending to shore up, I guess you could say patriotism, shore up Roman... the Roman ethos, right? He feels like things are fraying a bit. And so he wants everyone in the whole boundaries of the Roman Empire to make a sacrifice to Rome and its gods. And you have to prove it. So you have to get a receipt. In Latin, a libellus. A receipt.

Probably not. He's intending to shore up, I guess you could say patriotism, shore up Roman... the Roman ethos, right? He feels like things are fraying a bit. And so he wants everyone in the whole boundaries of the Roman Empire to make a sacrifice to Rome and its gods. And you have to prove it. So you have to get a receipt. In Latin, a libellus. A receipt.

Yeah. So, now, there... The vast majority are still polytheists, and so they have no problem doing this. It's like, no big deal. I'll go to my village sacrifice. I will participate in it. I'll get my labellus, my receipt, move on with my day.

Yeah. So, now, there... The vast majority are still polytheists, and so they have no problem doing this. It's like, no big deal. I'll go to my village sacrifice. I will participate in it. I'll get my labellus, my receipt, move on with my day.

Sorry, sorry, no. I'm non-Christian and non-Jews. Most people are polytheists, so they're fine with this.

Sorry, sorry, no. I'm non-Christian and non-Jews. Most people are polytheists, so they're fine with this.

what we would call an open pantheon, right? Like there's more gods than we even know of and more can come in. It's not a big deal. I'm happy to participate in a sacrifice to the Roman emperor and the gods of Rome. It's fine. But, you know, quite famously, Jews and Christians are not into that.

what we would call an open pantheon, right? Like there's more gods than we even know of and more can come in. It's not a big deal. I'm happy to participate in a sacrifice to the Roman emperor and the gods of Rome. It's fine. But, you know, quite famously, Jews and Christians are not into that.

They're monotheists and they're non-idolatrous and they don't want to participate because they believe it's real. They believe that if they do this, they're actually communing with the God that they are sacrificing to. Yeah. It's not just like cross my fingers behind my back and, you know, eat some meat from this altar. It's like, no, this is actually coming into my body and affecting my soul.

They're monotheists and they're non-idolatrous and they don't want to participate because they believe it's real. They believe that if they do this, they're actually communing with the God that they are sacrificing to. Yeah. It's not just like cross my fingers behind my back and, you know, eat some meat from this altar. It's like, no, this is actually coming into my body and affecting my soul.

And it is also telling the God that I think the God's real.

And it is also telling the God that I think the God's real.

And so this is a huge moment because Christianity had now gotten big enough where there's a lot of people left here what to do. So there's a number of options in this scenario. One is, if you're a Christian, let's say, one is you just go do it anyway.

And so this is a huge moment because Christianity had now gotten big enough where there's a lot of people left here what to do. So there's a number of options in this scenario. One is, if you're a Christian, let's say, one is you just go do it anyway.