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[German Version] I. Church History – II. Law – III. Practical Theology – IV. Systematic Theology I. Church History 1. Early Church The Roman state (Roman Empire) tolerated philosophical atheism and a multitude of cults that flooded in from its conquered territories, but it refused to tolerate rejection of the cult of the official gods ( di publici populi Romani), on which the security of the state was believed to depend. Since Christians refused to participate in this cult, they inevitably came into conflict with the Roman state. Both official and popular opinion agreed on this assessment of Christians as enemies of the Empire ( odium generis humani). Celsus (c. 178) asked what would happen if all Romans became Christians: that would spell the downfall of the Empire (Or. Cels. VIII 69, 71). The actions taken by the state varied. It is strange that in the great metropolis of Rome Nero already had his eye on what must have been still just a handful of Christians and persecuted them (Tacitus Annales XV 44.2; Suet. Vita Neronis 16.2…