The Rise Of Christianity

[Brenda]

Christianity created many conflicts with other religions when it was first preached and introduced. For example, the fire in Rome, the conflicts in Lystra and Ephesus. believing in Christianity meant giving up all other Gods, this was different from all the other Ancient Religions, but my question is how did Chrisitianity become so popular? What made it rise?

 

I wasn't too sure where to put this thread sorry.

 

Thanks

[Brenda]

I meant how did it grew popular in the EARLY ROMAN EMPIRE. Thanks

[phil25]

IMHO three things apply:

 

A spectacular record of healing in the first 300 years - this diminished thereafter;

 

It was a mystery religeon when such things were fashionable;

 

It admitted women - which rival cults such as Mithraism did not.

 

Phil

[Primus Pilus]

It also provided a sense of hope and social equality in a system which did not otherwise provide it. As Phil alluded to above, its another reason why it became so popular with the poor and with women.

 

There may have been a great deal of consternation among the populace as Germanic tribes routinely poured over the borders of the frontiers and as civil war and economic crisis threatened the lives, properties and sanity of the populace for the better part of the 3rd century AD. The ideas of Christianity may have helped ease the the tensions caused in the daily lives of the people where perhaps the old gods appeared to be failing them.

[Ludovicus]

It seems to me that Christianity's appeal also lies in its tenets on justice. Even the Emperor had to answer for his deeds. He would be judged after death just as would the lowliest slave. Early Christianity planted the seeds for what would blossom later as the concept of universal human rights. I know that Greek philosophy and Jewish religion offered these ideas as well. Christians weren't the only ones.

 

Perhaps the best appeal of Christianity to the masses was the image of Christ crucified. What a subversive and earth shaking idea! A lowly non-Roman criminal, member of the working class, from a conquered Middle East province was their God.

 

For more about the appeal and gifts of Christianity in Roman times I suggest:

The Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World Before and After Jesus, by Thomas Cahill

 

He's the author is the famous Hinges of History series:

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/cahill/bio.html

[WotWotius]

Christianity offered an afterlife, whereas the Roman State religion only offered its followers a post-funeral residence in the Halls of Hades--the world of the dead where most wandered as dull shadows among fields of asphodel acting out the movements of their mortal life.

 

This would probably explain why Christianity was so popular amongst ordinary people during the early Empire. If you were poor city dwelling Christian with nothing going for you, things could only get better in heaven. However, if you were in the same situation but believed in the Roman State religion, the religion would dictate that your crappy existence would remain crappy in the afterlife.

[Ursus]

Almsgiving to the urban poor in the troubles of the later empire should not be underestimated as a conversion incentive. Julian the Apostate attempted to have Paganism do the same thing because it was presumably the only way to compete with Christianity.

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

One of the main reasons for the survival of Christianity in the empire was obviously it's apolitical nature, with it's emphasis on rendering to Caesar what belongs to Caesar etc.

There is no way a religion could have survived in that milieu without being apolitical. The Pauline Christian concept of an otherworldly messiah whose kingdom was "not of this world" certainly could not have been a challenge to Roman authority.

The same reason can be given for the survival of post Temple Rabbinical Judaism and for the destruction and near extinction of Apocalyptic Messianic Judaism. This also helps to explain the non-survival of the early following of Jesus in Judea - whatever they were they certainly not apolitical

[Northern Neil]

I think that Christianity was anything but apolitical once it took hold. It was edited, re-packaged and adopted as the state religion as a political expedient, and thereafter up to recent times it exercised political power to astonishing degrees.

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

Ave Northern Neill

The first editing and repackaging was actually done by Paul of Tarsus, who depoliticized the Messianic Judaism of Jesus's immediate followers and presented it to the pagan world not only as a new religion, which it certainly was not meant to be, but also as a non-political one that posed no threat to Rome's status quo in Judea.

This was the reason why Pauline Christianity actually managed to survive the violent upheaval of the 60s CE and the Bar Kokhba rebellion of the following century.

Once it managed to ingratiate itself into the fabric of Roman society it managed to repackage and re-edit itself a second time and set itself on a slow but steady course of political usurpation that culminated in the Council of Nicea and it's later manifestations.

Edited January 14, 2007 by Gladius xx

[Segestan]

<<<Chrisitianity become so popular? What made it rise?>>>

 

The worlds expectation of a Messiah was long fortold by all the prophets. The Doctrine was Salvation , the proof was Christ deeds of humanity to man.

Thus over a short historical timeline millions of persons from all nations regardless of racial or national origin grew the Church to such a power that even the Emperors after much refusal and persecutions of those who called themselves Christian gave the Seal of Empire to Christ's Church.

The story is a simple one; Millions and millions found the Doctrines of Christ worthy of personal conviction.

 

 

regards,

[Northern Neil]

Ave Northern Neill

The first editing and repackaging was actually done by Paul of Tarsus, who depoliticized the Messianic Judaism of Jesus's immediate followers and presented it to the pagan world not only as a new religion, which it certainly was not meant to be, but also as a non-political one that posed no threat to Rome's status quo in Judea.

 

Many thanks Gladius, for pointing that out. From your comment, and my further reading on the subject, I suspect that the de-politicisation enabled it to survive long enough to reach the council of Nicaea in the first place.

[Gladius Hispaniensis]

Ave Northern Neill

Yes, precisely. Recommended reading on the subject: "The Mythmaker" by Haim Maccoby and "James the brother of Jesus" by Robert Eisenman.

The first one is an easy read and a very good buy. The second one is a bit of a hard slog, not very readable but a veritable treasure trove of information on the evolution of early Christianity and it's true Judaic origins.

Regards, Gladius xx

[AEGYPTUS]

IMHO three things apply:

 

A spectacular record of healing in the first 300 years - this diminished thereafter;

 

It was a mystery religeon when such things were fashionable;

 

It admitted women - which rival cults such as Mithraism did not.

 

Phil

 

There were other mystery cults which allowed women Like Isis which were popular as well weren't there?

[Theodora]

IMHO three things apply:

 

A spectacular record of healing in the first 300 years - this diminished thereafter;

 

It was a mystery religeon when such things were fashionable;

 

It admitted women - which rival cults such as Mithraism did not.

 

Phil

 

There were other mystery cults which allowed women Like Isis which were popular as well weren't there?

 

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Theodora

 

Re: The Popularity and Rise of Christianity

 

Dr. Robert Eisenman, in his book, Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered (1992, Element Books,UK), highlights one of the texts found in the Qumran corpus entitled,

Edited January 19, 2007 by Theodora