Tertullian of Carthage, c. 190-220 CE

From Against Heresies

"What is there in common between Athens and Jerusalem?  What between the Academy and the Church? . . . . I believe that God became man because it is impossible. . . . I believe that He died for us and rose again because it is absurd . . . . Away therefore with all projects for a Stoic or a Platonic Christianity. . . . We need no . . . subtle theories after the Gospel. . ."

From On Idolatry

"of all the 'powers and dignities' of this world, which you know are alien to, and enemies of God, since it is through these powers and dignities that the servants of  God are persecuted even unto death, while the truly impious are spared . . . . Among these 'powers and dignities' is included the military estate. . . . These days, however, one is asked whether a Christian may not become a soldier of the booted or inferior sort, upon whom it is not incumbent to make sacrifices or render judgements of blood.  The answer, however, is simple: No, they do not agree, the sacramental oath sworn to God and the oath sworn to men; the standards of Christ and the standards of the Devil; the encampments of light and the camps of darkness.  The same soul cannot serve two masters, that is both God and Caesar.  To be sure, Moses bore a rod and Aaron wore a buckle [ie, military dress]; John the Baptist was girt with a belt; Joshua, the son of the Nave, led an army and the people waged war-- if one likes to play this sort of game!  But how shall one wage war, indeed how shall one serve in the army, even in peace time, without the sword which the Lord has taken away?  And though soldiers did go up to John the Baptist and received from him a rule of observance (Luke 43:14), and though the centurian did believe (Matthew 8:5), subsequently the Lord, by disarming Peter (Matthew 26:53), stripped all soldiers of their military belts: for Christians no form of dress is lawful which is bound to an unlawful activity."

From Apology

"We constantly pray for every emperor, that they may have a long life, a secure empire, a safe palace, a strong army, a faithful Senate, an honest people and a peaceful world. . . . Indeed, there is another reason why we must pray for emperors, and thus for the entire world and the state of the Roman commonwealth: this is because we know that the horror which is threatening the world, and indeed the very end of the world, which is soon to come, together with all the terrifying disasters that will accompany that end, is being retarded by the presence of the Roman Empire . . . "

From a letter to Scapula

"The Christian is the enemy of no one, not even of the Emperor.   He knows that the Emperor has been constituted by God and that he must therefore love him, revere him, honor him, and wish him as the best together with the Roman Empire: for the Roman Empire will stand as long as the world."

Hippolytus of Rome, c. 220 CE

From Apostolic Tradition

"Inquiry shall be made about the professions of those who seek admission to the faith.  If a man is a procurer [of prostitutes], he must desist, or he will be rejected.  If a man is a sculptor or a painter, he must desist from making idols.  If a man is an actor or a circus performer, he must desist or he will be rejected..  A teacher of pagan literature had better desist, but if he has no other occupation he may perhaps be permitted to continue.  A charioteer must likewise desist. . . A gladiator or a trainer of gladiators. . . oranyone who is any way connected with the [gladiatorial] spectacles must desist. . . . A soldier of the worldly authority must be taught not to kill and absolutely refuse to do so if he is commanded.  He must also be taught to refuse to take the military oath.  [Under these conditions he may be permitted to remain in the army.]  If he is unwilling to comply, he must be rejected. . . . On the other hand, if a catechumen or a  believer seeks to join the army, he must be excluded from communion for he has despised God.  A harlot must be up for examination . . . .a concubine, who is a slave, and has reared her children [not allowing them to be killed] and has remained faithful to her master, may become a catechumen; if not, she must be rejected.  If a man has a concubine, he must desist or marry her; if he refuses he must be rejected."

From Commentary on Daniel

"While Christ was being born in the twelfth year of Augustus (under whom the Empire had its origin), and while the Lord was calling together all nations and all tongues, and thus created the Faithful People, the People of the Christians, at this very same time, the kingdom of this world, which rules through the power of Satan, aped this action of the Lord's in exact imitation, and-- on its side-- gathered together the most famous from all the peoples of the earth, gave them the name 'Romans,' and prepared for war.  Indeed this is why the first census of the whole world took place under Augustus, precisely at the time of the birth of Christ, so that the people of this world, who bear the inscription of the earthly king, should be called 'Romans,' while those who believe in the King of Heaven, and bear on their foreheads the sign of victory over death might be called 'Christians. . . .'"

"Whoever believes in God. . . need have no fear from the 'powers that be,' (Romans 13:1) unless he has indeed done evil.  If, however, for the sake of the faith, he should be forced by that power to do something against conscience, it is sweet for him to resist that command and thus go to his death.  When St. Paul writes 'let every soul be subject unto the higher powers,' he does not say so that we might carry out without distinction whatever men may order us to do, even to the point of denying the divine commandments. . . "