EUSEBIUS, DEMONSTRATION OF THE GOSPEL, PAMPHILIUS, (ABGAR), PHILO, JOSEPHUS, THEOPHANIES, FTG I*, FTG II*

CANON, ECCLESIASTICUS, TOBIT, JUDITH, DEUTEROCANONICALS, APOCRYPHA, PSEUDEPIGRAPHA, ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA, GOSPEL OF THOMAS

GNOSTICISM, VALENTINUS, MARCION, IRENAEUS, (HIPPOLYTUS), QUARTODECIMIANS, MONTANISTS, SABELLIUS, PAUL OF SAMOSATA, NOVATIAN, CYPRIAN

NERO, (DOMITIAN), PLINY, TRAJAN, DECIUS, (VALERIAN), (POLYCARP), (BLANDINA), DIOCLETIAN, GALERIUS
  
CONSTANTINE, EDICT OF MILAN, ARIANS, COUNCIL OF NICAEA, ECUMENICAL COUNCILS, JUSTIN MARTYR, ATHENAGORAS, ORIGEN

*FTG = Favorite Theater Game

A.  Eusebius' History of the Church is an extremely valuable source for anyone who wants to understand the development of the church during the Ante-Nicene period.  Playing theater games might help too.  Comment.

B.  One task facing the early church was to decide what writings would and would not be accepted as authoritative scripture, "canonical."  Many have argued that they made a mistake or two in their decisions, but, for the most part, it would be hard to improve on their choices.  Comment.

C.  In some ways, dealing with heresy is as tricky as dealing with cancer.  While the early church was able to develop diagnostic tools and surgical instruments effective in containing some forms of heresy, the church found other forms of heresy much harder to diagnose and treat.  Comment.

D.  It is not surprising that Christians were persecuted by the Romans.  It is somewhat more surprising that persecution not only failed to eradicate Christianity but may even have led to its spread.  Comment.

E.  Constantine is one of the most important figures in the history of the church.  The support he gave the church was certainly an important factor in the eventual triumph of Christianity over paganism.  But while the political support of men like Constantine was important, there was something even more important to the success of the church--the triumph of Christian thinkers in the battle for the hearts and minds of men.  Comment.