Landon Klick

800906784
Martyr Essay
Martyrs and Martyrdom
When you hear the word martyr, what do you think of? Do you think of Islamic
suicide bombers? Kamikaze pilots? Jesus Christ? One thing that I couldnt keep out of
my mind as I read the primary and secondary sources was a question; What qualities
make a martyr? I believe that the martyrs possessed intense courage, a following, a great
sense of purpose and a lasting legacy.
The first quality of a martyr is intense courage. This is the most self-explanatory
of the 3. This quality is what, according to Fredriksen, made the martyrs a heroic
minority. Their acts of bravery and sacrifice are what made them such memorable
heroes. Elizabeth Clark goes on to say [The] pagans present at [The Christian]
martyrdoms who were so impressed by the... courage of the Christians that they came to
see the truth of the Christian religion themselves and immediately converted to
Christianity. The martyrs legendary courage accounted largely for the establishment of
Christianity, which is no small feat. The fact that their acts were so brave is why their
messages have survived time and why they still have such a large following for their
purposes.
For a martyr to be a fixture in religion, folklore or cultures, they have to gather a
large following before, during, and after their persecution. It is important that there is
some following of their persecution and their story. This following can be through the
media, religious/cultural followers, or other means of support of the martyr and the

spread of the Martyrs message. The message of the martyr is the martyrs purpose,
which is another key component of a martyr.
The martyr must have a sense of purpose to be a martyr. This is a given seeing as
the martyr is being persecuted, imprisoned and even killed to preserve their beliefs or to
make a very significant point. The martyr and their message is what are immortalized as
the trials, tribulation or death of the martyr are spread by word of mouth or on the printed
page. This commitment to their beliefs is why martyrs, like Perpetua. Perpetua herself
tells her account of how she remained locked firm in her identity as a Christian, despite
imprisonment, separation from her infant child, and the tearful pleading from her father.
There are many other martyrs who were just as notable, such as Ghandi, Joan of Arc or
Jesus Christ. All of these martyrs made great sacrifices for their cause, and are
remembered to this day. The most important thing that makes a martyr is that they leave a
lasting impression.
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, did it make a sound? To
the same extent, if a martyr is persecuted and no one is around to record it or to recount
it, was the martyr even a martyr? My answer is yes and no. They have achieved the
condition of sacrifice, but have not left their lasting impressions on time. According to
Elizabeth Clark, I think the martyrdom stories that got circulated were very important
for the development of early Christianity. Clark is making the case that the martyrdoms
of Christian martyrs were a large part in establishing Christianity because the intense
displays of devotion and courage moved people to convert. This is the kind of lasting
impression that makes a martyr.