Quote:1 Clement, Turtullian, Origen, the writers of the Ante-Nicene Church Fathers, Eusebius, and Augustine.
The epistle known as 1 Clement is dated by Early Christian Writings to between 80 and 140 AD. The later date makes more sense in the context of the other second century apologists. The basis for a first century date is some alleged persecution at Corinth under Domitian but the connection is dubious, at best.
Tertullian is generally dated from 160 - 220 AD in other words, 3d century.
Origen is dated at 185 - 254 AD, 3d century.
You left out Polycarp d 155 AD, Irenaeus, d 202 AD, and Justin Martyr although perhaps you are including them in the catchall phrase Ante-Nicene fathers...in any case, they are all 2d century.
Eusebius 263-339 AD late 3d - 4th century
Augustine 354-430 AD late 4th -5th century.
So, everything you suggested is not first century writing, except for perhaps 1 Clement and if you'd like to talk about "Corinth" by all means lets do so. Its an interesting story.
There has been much speculation ( to put a polite face on it ) about Tacitus and Suetonius having learned of xtians by speaking to them and learning what they believed but not that there were any Roman records to sustain these opinions. There is a serious problem with this and it revolves around Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Younger.) Pliny left behind volumes of correspondence and one exchange of letters with the Emperor Trajan is of particular interest. However, Pliny's earlier career is on point. He was not a stranger to the East. In his youth he served as a military tribune with the 3'd Legion in Syria c 80 AD. He entered the senate and prospered as a lawyer in the capitol. In 110 AD he was appointed by Trajan as the Governor of the Roman Province of Bithynia-Pontus in Asia Minor. Before getting to the point, Tacitus was a good friend of Pliny's and Suetonius was a junior officer on his staff in Asia Minor. Thus, all 3 of these men knew each other and of course would have known each other's work.
Now, somewhere around 110 (and Pliny died in 112) so the date is pretty solid Pliny writes to his boss, Trajan, (I'll give you a link to the correspondence at the end) and reports that he has come upon a group of christians who were breaking the law. NOT by being christians...but rather by holding "secret meetings." The issue for Pliny was possible sedition, not religion. This is the earliest, non-christian reference to christians. More important, Pliny was not writing a history. He was merely making a report and asking for advice. Yet, he seems to know nothing about christians. Apparently he never heard of them in Syria, either. Now, if his good friend Tacitus comment is correct why is it that other Roman aristocrats, Pliny and Trajan, do not seem to know that christians were crazed arsonists who tried to burn the capitol to the ground a mere 46 years earlier. If there were "multitudes" of christians in Rome being persecuted, why did the lawyer Pliny not seem to know anything about them? We cannot reconcile Pliny's bland report with what seems to be blatant christian propaganda which was not even copied by Severus. Moreover, Trajan replies with mildness that any christians who sacrifice to Roman gods (which included himself at that point) were to be pardoned and Pliny was not to allow anonymous accusations to be made. I wish Trajan were running the US Justice Department under Bush....he comes across as a combination of Gandhi and Oliver Wendell Holmes. Seriously, were the Emperor dealing with a group of crazed nut jobs who tried to burn the capitol to the ground do you think he would have been so gentle in his reply?
Lastly, Suetonius can be envisoned holding the stylus while the christians who were being questioned....or tortured in the case of the slaves...by Pliny. One suspects that whatever he learned of christians came from the mouths of those who were being questioned. As you will see when you read the letter, there was nothing about any jesus coming back from the dead or being crucified in jerusalem mentioned. These christians were not much of a threat to the state in 110 AD.
Pliny correspondence
By all means, read it over and get back to me.
