Teprice
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Teprice was a religion-based state establiced by the Paulicians in the 9th century, in the area that is now Divriği district of Sivas province in central Anatolia, Turkey.
The capital of the state was also called Teprice. Teprice was a free state established by the preaching of the Paulicians. It was the first free state in the Roman Empire. (Holland was the second free state allowing religious liberty and USA was the 3rd) It remained free for about 150 years until it was overthrown by the Muslims.
It has been used by Baptist historians as an example of early forerunners of Protestantism.
"The number of the Paulicians constantly increased, and they soon attracted the attention of their enemies. In the year 690 Constantine, their leader, was stoned to death by the command of the emperor; and the successor of Constantine was burned to death. The Empress Theodora instituted a persecution in which one hundred thousand Paulicians in Grecian Armenia are said to have lost their lives.
(Ref "The Faithful Baptist Witness" By Dr. Phil Stringer pp84)
John T. Christian writes in "A History of The Baptists Vol 1" Chapter 4:
"The Paulicians, in the ninth century, rebelled against their enemies, drove out Michael III, and established in Armenia the, free state of Teprice. This is a well-known site, some seventy miles from Sivas, on the river Chalta. They gave absolute freedom of opinion to all of its inhabitants (Evans, Historical View of Bosnia, p. 30). From the capital of this free state, itself called Teprice, went forth a host of missionaries to convert the Slavonic tribes of Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Servia to the Paulician faith. This is positively stated by Sikeliotes. Great was their success—so great that a large portion of the inhabitants of the free state migrated to what were then independent states beyond the emperor’s control. The state of Teprice lasted one hundred and fifty years, when it was overcome by the Saracens. All around them were persecutions for conscience sake—they themselves had lost one hundred thousand members by persecutions in the reign of Theodora—yet here was a shelter offered to every creed and unbeliever alike. This is a striking Baptist peculiarity.
"The Baptists have always set up religious liberty when they had opportunity." The tracing of our religious liberty takes an important stand in the little state of Teprice, and an important step thanks to the Baptistic preaching of the Paulicians.
[edit] References
- "The Faithful Baptist Witness" By Dr. Phil Stringer pp84, @1998 Landmark Baptist Press, 222E. Hinson Ave., Haines City, FL 33844 1800-700-5322
- "A History of The Baptists" Vol 1 Chapter 4 published at [www.pbministries.org/History/John%20T.%20Christian/vol1/history_04.htm pbministries.org]
