Marcin Wysocki - Eschatology of the Time of Persecutions - Tertullian and Cyprian

The proposed communication is to present the results of researches on the issue of possible links between the persecutions and eschatological doctrine in the 2nd and 3rd century in Africa Proconsularis. The base for researches were the works of two Africans, living in a period of persecutions: Tertullian and Cyprian. The first part of the communication sets out their eschatological views. First, Tertullian's eschatological system based on five basic elements (double parousia of Christ - death - resurrection - the end of the world and mankind - eternal life or death) will be shown and then bishop Cyprian’s view, which is focused on three final realities: the end of the world - death - an award or punishment. Particular attention is paid to the impact of persecutions on undertaking and development of above eschatological questions. The second part presents possible interactions between the eschatological views of Christians and the Roman authorities’ persecutive actions. It is shown how the eschatological doctrine could have affected the rising of persecutions and how the persecutions and martyrdom could have affected the development of the eschatological doctrine of the Church in Africa Proconsularis in the second and third century.