Don’t Fan The Flames

In the summer of A.D. 64 a terrible fire swept through the city of Rome. Emperor Nero found himself praised for his efforts to help the victims, and accused of setting the fire. To deflect the criticism, he blamed the city’s Christian community, whom many Romans disliked already because they felt Christians set themselves apart from the rest of society. But Nero’s move backfired, so to speak. The hideous executions he inflicted on Christians actually aroused the pity of many Romans. The victims continue to witness (martyr in Greek) both to the power of faith and to the dangers of prejudice and hate.