Secular Evidence for Jesus (Leaving Cert Religious Education): Revision Notes
Secular Evidence for Jesus
What is secular evidence?
Secular evidence comes from non-religious sources that are considered unbiased and objective. These sources provide facts without religious motivation, making them particularly valuable to historians. Secular sources are often viewed as more reliable than religious sources because they present information without trying to promote a particular faith or belief system.
When examining the historical existence of Jesus, secular evidence is especially important because it comes from writers who had no reason to invent or exaggerate claims about Jesus. In fact, some secular sources were actually hostile towards Christianity, which makes their testimonies even more credible.
Pliny the Younger
Background and role
Pliny the Younger served as governor of the Roman Province of Bithynia, which is located in modern-day Turkey. As a Roman official, he was responsible for maintaining order and dealing with various groups that might cause disturbances in his province.
His letter to Emperor Trajan
Pliny wrote to Emperor Trajan seeking advice about how to handle Christians in his province. The Roman authorities were concerned about any group or religious sect that might potentially cause civil unrest or challenge Roman authority.
In his correspondence, Pliny described the actions he had taken against Christians. He explained that he had tried, tortured, and executed Christians who refused to worship the Roman gods. This shows the serious persecution Christians faced during this period.
What Pliny reveals about Jesus
Pliny mentions that Christians worshipped Christ (Jesus) as a god. He describes Christianity as a form of superstition and expresses concern that if this faith continued to spread, people would stop worshipping the Roman gods and the temples would become empty.
Whilst Pliny provides limited additional information about Jesus himself, his letter confirms that Jesus was regarded as divine by his early followers and that Christianity was already spreading significantly by this time.
Tacitus
Background and attitude
Tacitus was a Roman historian born in 56 CE, which was after Jesus's death. He held a suspicious and hostile attitude towards Christianity, describing it as a "depraved, excessive superstition" and referring to it as a "pernicious superstition."
This negative view actually strengthens the reliability of his testimony about Jesus. Since Tacitus was hostile to Christianity, he had no motivation to invent or embellish details that would favour the Christian movement.
His historical account
Tacitus wrote about the burning of Rome in 64 CE and mentioned Jesus in this context. He clearly had no sympathy for Christians and was simply recording historical facts as he understood them.
According to Tacitus, Christians got their name from Christ, who was executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. He describes Jesus as someone who was crucified for causing disturbances in the Roman Empire.
Significance of Tacitus's testimony
Tacitus provides crucial non-religious confirmation that supports the Gospel accounts of Jesus's execution. His dislike of Christianity actually adds credence to his testimony, as he had no motivation to invent or embellish details about Jesus. His account is considered reliable historical evidence for both the existence of Jesus and the circumstances of his death at the hands of Pontius Pilate.
Why these secular sources matter
Both Pliny the Younger and Tacitus provide independent, non-Christian evidence for Jesus's existence and death. Their testimonies are particularly valuable because:
- They wrote without religious bias or motivation to promote Christianity
- Their neutral or hostile attitudes towards Christianity make their accounts more credible
- They confirm key details found in the Gospel accounts, particularly Jesus's execution under Pontius Pilate
- They demonstrate that Christianity was already established and spreading in the Roman Empire within decades of Jesus's death
These secular sources help establish that Jesus was a historical figure whose existence and execution were accepted facts, even among those who opposed the Christian movement.
Key Points to Remember:
- Secular evidence comes from non-religious sources and is considered more objective than religious sources
- Pliny the Younger was a Roman governor who wrote to Emperor Trajan about Christians, confirming they worshipped Jesus as a god
- Tacitus was a Roman historian who was hostile to Christianity but confirmed Jesus was executed under Pontius Pilate during Tiberius's reign
- Both sources are credible because of their objectivity and even hostility towards Christianity - they had no reason to invent details about Jesus
- These accounts support Gospel narratives about Jesus's existence and crucifixion, providing independent historical confirmation