faced martyrdom? What could have possibly driven people from diverse backgrounds to share a common death? It wasn’t a common experience. Each became a Christian in a different way—some had immediate, others gradual, conversions. It wasn’t a common language or culture—they were at odds with their culture. The only thing that could hold a group like that together in the face of massive pressures was a set of common convictions; in short, a common creed. As the church understood more fully what the