The earliest Roman reference to xtians comes from Pliny the Younger who was appointed Governor of Bythinia-Pontus in 110AD and died in 112 so this gives us a short window to date this observation about the "christians" he ran into.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/pliny1.asp
No mention of a jesus. Nor Pilate. Nor crucifixion. Nor Jerusalem. Nor resurrection. Nor virgin births...mary, joseph, judas, magi, water into wine, etc., etc., etc.
There is a book by Bart Ehrman called Lost Christianities and deals mainly with the gnostics. I highly recommend it.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/pliny1.asp
Quote:They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and innocent food. Even this, they affirmed, they had ceased to do after my edict by which, in accordance with your instructions, I had forbidden political associations. Accordingly, I judged it all the more necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition.
No mention of a jesus. Nor Pilate. Nor crucifixion. Nor Jerusalem. Nor resurrection. Nor virgin births...mary, joseph, judas, magi, water into wine, etc., etc., etc.
There is a book by Bart Ehrman called Lost Christianities and deals mainly with the gnostics. I highly recommend it.
