God’s Warriors: The Bishop and the Tribune

The early Christian church faced persecution from several different sources, primarily that of Judaistic sympathizers, such as Hellenistic Jews (Greek Jews) and the Roman Empire. This persecution gave rise to men and woman who would rather face death than deny Yahvahshua (whom we call Jesus). Many suffered excruciating death by burning, beheading, crucifixion, or as entertainment in the Roman Colosseum. There they were forced to fight trained and experienced gladiators or face starving wild animals. Few survived their first encounter. During this period of time, men, whose names have survived to this day, fearlessly preached and taught the Word of God, knowing at any moment they could be arrested for blasphemy against the emperor, the self-proclaimed god of Rome. Such a man was Polycarp. Little is known of Polycarp, however, that which is known spurs the imagination. More is recorded of his death than of his life.

God's Warriors is a story of Polycarp and Flavius, a young tribune in the Roman army whose first assignment is to squelch the riots allegedly perpetrated by Christians in Smyrna. His eventual contact with the Bishop of Smyrna changes his life to the extent that Rome places him on its list of traitors--a crime punishable by death.