To the Martyrs

by Donald Wuerl

Publisher:

St. Paul's Center for Biblical Theology

, 2015

Overview

In many societies today, the utterance of a simple phrase, “I am a Christian,” is a crime punishable by death. So widespread is this persecution that Pope Francis called it a “third world war, waged piecemeal.” In To the Martyrs: A Reflection on the Supreme Christian Witness, Cardinal Donald Wuerl urges solidarity with today’s persecuted Christians and recounts the recurrence of martyrdom throughout Church history. His Eminence’s poignant insight into the spirituality of martyrdom will challenge all Christians to courageously emulate the steadfast commitment of those who have followed Christ—even unto death.

Key Features

• Surveys historical and contemporary occurrences of martyrdom
• Considers the challenges of modernity relative to martyrdom
• Give testimony to many martyrs whose voices might not otherwise be heard

Contents

• The Supreme Testimony
• Israel and the Inevitability of Persecution
• “You Shall Be My Witnesses”: Martyrdom in the New Testament
• Blood Is Seed: The Martyrs of the Roman Era
• Not to the Lions, But to the Margins: The Case of Julian the Apostate
• Death and Dhimmitude: The Aftermath of the Arab Invasion
• The First Police State and the Martyrs It Made
• The Martyrs of Secular “Enlightenment”: The Example of the French Revolution
• A Century of Slaughter
• The Amphitheater of YouTube: Martyrdom in Our Media Age
• Anti-Catholicism in America: The Last Acceptable Prejudice
• Martyrdom and the Eucharist
• The Ecumenism of Blood

Praise for the Print Edition

Yes, sometimes ‘silence is golden,’ but not when it comes to the widespread vicious persecution of our brother and sister Christians around the world. It’s time to shout in defense of these innocent people who are tempted to wonder why their co-religionists around the world—us!—are so quiet.

—Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York

Let your heart be deeply moved as you read these pages. Cardinal Wuerl exercises an admirable form of pastoral care that brings together a depth of insight and a richness of historical witness to educate and inspire.

—Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus

Anyone interested in the future of the Church and in the enduring power of Christian witness ought to read this book.

—Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Product Details

• Title: To the Martyrs: A Reflection on the Supreme Christian Witness
• Author: Cardinal Donald Wuerl
• Publisher: St. Paul's Center for Biblical Theology
• Publication Date: 2015
• Pages: 170
• Christian Group: Catholic
• Resource Type: Monographs
• Topic: Christian Living

About Donald Wuerl

Cardinal Donald Wuerl is the Archbishop of Washington, D.C. He serves on the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Bishops, the Congregation for Clergy, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Pontifical Council for Culture, and the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See. During his decades-long ministry as a priest, bishop, and cardinal, His Eminence has had the privilege of working with refugees and other Christians who suffer religious persecution.