Contents and limits of assistance and self-help for persecuted Christians

An exegetic-theological examination in a field of New Testament and early Christian ethics

Abstract

From the beginnings of Christianity until the present time “suffering for the sake of belief” has been an integral component of being a Christian. For many Christians it belongs quite often to their everyday experience. If harassment and persecution are one side of the coin, assistance and self-help to their benefit form the other side. These emanate from the persecuted themselves or from non-persecuted third par- ties. Their interventions include preventative measures.