Plinius Secondus, Pliny The Younger

What is a Non-Biblical Source?

A Non-Biblical source is a person or group of people who have a written a document that is not part of the bible. Although, specifically, in Christian Apologetics, a Non-Biblical source is a person or group of people who wrote a document concerning Jesus, early christianity, the Jews before Jesus, or the Bible. This source would not be a part of the Bible but would be important to Corroberate what it is saying.

Why do Non-Biblical Sources Matter?

Non-Biblical Sources are important for a few reasons. In apologetics, they attest to Jesus's existence, the existence of his followers, and collaberate with the Bible in showing how it is accurate in what it says occured. Both positive Non-Biblical sources and negative Non-Biblical sources towards christianity; do corruborate these things. Also, there is a misconception that the bible is less trustworthy than these Non-Biblical sources. Despite this not being true, people who hold this misconception will have a higher appreciation seeing Non-Biblical Sources attesting to the intellectual credibilty of christianity.

Who was he?

 He was the governor of Bithynia in Asia Minor (AD 112) He wrote to the emperor Trajan to receive counsel on how to treat the Christians.

His writings related to Jesus:

In his writing, he explained that he had been killing Christians both men and women, boys and girls. He explained that there were so many being put to death that he wondered if he should spare some lives, and which if he did.

Epistles X.96: “made them curse Christ, which a genuine Christian cannot be induced to do”

Epistles X.96: “They affirmed, however, that the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they were in a habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god, and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their word, not to deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up”.