The earliest Christians were practicing Jews who believed that Jesus was Messiah and Lord. It didn’t take long for this to cause strained relations with other Jews who did not hold the same belief. This is evidenced by the stoning of Stephen – a Jewish Christian – and by the description of Saul in the Acts of the Apostles before his conversion:
“Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.”
A major factor, of course, was the fact that in the beginning (and on into the fourth century) Christians were the minority. But when Christians were the majority, they became the persecutors.
The first Christians were all Jewish. What’s more, in those early years they faithfully followed Jewish religious practices. The Eucharist, for example, was something they did in addition to the Sabbath rituals.
Gradually, however, they found themselves at odds with some of the Jewish leaders and were told that belief in Jesus as Messiah and Lord excluded them from the synagogue. (Paul, before his conversion, is an example of those who persecuted early Christians.)
Over the course of 20 centuries, Christians have been persecuted from time to time…and Christians have also done their share of persecuting.
A new day has dawned. The Second Vatican Council explicitly taught respect for those of other faiths, including those of non-Christian faiths.
True ecumenism emphasizes, not differences, but what we hold in common with others. The first goal is to find areas of understanding and agreement.
My time with the Lord today might best be spent praying for unity among Christians.