Why did Tertullian object to bishops pardoning sins?
“Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” “It is certain because it is impossible.” “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Such tart epigrams are typical of the works of Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus —or Tertullian. A native of Carthage, he had been reared in a cultured pagan household and trained in the literary classics, speech making, and the law. About 196, when he turned his powerful intellect to Christian topics , he changed the face of thinking and literature in the Western church . Up to this point, most Christian writers had used Greek—a flexible, subtle language, perfect for philosophizing and hair splitting. And often the Greek-speaking Christians carried this bent for philosophy into their faith. Though the African Tertullian knew Greek, he preferred writing in Latin, and his works reflect the Latinspeaking Romans’ practical, morals-oriented streak. This influential lawyer drew many other writers to his favorite language. While Greek Christi