Fire of 64 AD - Secrets of the Dead episode

[tlclark]

The thesis was that Tacitus was wrong and Nero was right, that the Christians did in fact set the fire of 64!

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_rome/index.html

My opinion of it is this.

It's Boudy's thesis that certain apocalyptic texts prior to the Revelation of St. john indicate that the Christians were an apocalyptic cult bent on the destruction of Rome. Tacitus is therefore not a reliable source and Nero should be exonerrated.

My take.

These apocalyptic texts cannot be linked to the Christian population in Rome.

The apocalypse of John is written after the fire and therefore is not evidence that Christians favored such a fire, only that they took contemporary events and contextualized them in scripture. That's a far cry from saying they wanted to burn Rome and thus forment the apocalypse.

Tacitus, the closest historian on the scene has no reason to take the Christians side, in fact, from other writings, its pretty clear he doesn't like the Christians, he has no reason to shill for them and put the blame on Nero.

Finally, if Tacitus and others only made one indictment against Nero, the show might have a case. Rather, the case against Nero's character is legion and burning Rome is not out of character for this tyrant. Neither is blaming the Christians.

Travis