Why did Christianity take hold in the Ancient World? Christianity started off with only a few followers, but has grown into the most practiced religion in the world. About 2,000 years ago a man by the name of Jesus was born into the Roman ruled city of Jerusalem. Jesus was raised in a community of Jewish followers, and followed the Jewish law himself. Jesus believed that he was the messiah, the savior whom profits predicted would one day bring peace to the people of Israel. The Romans and and Jewish leaders felt threatened by Jesus because he thought he was the messiah. Jesus would then be crucified by the Romans. Christianity was able to take hold in the ancient world and flourish because of Christianity 's belief in equality, Rome’s biased …show more content…
Rome’s hierarchy system was very strict and it was based on how much money a family or person had. (Doc D) The Emperor was at the top, then it was his court which was made up of the wealthy and prestigious, then at the bottom the commoners, and people rarely moved between classes. (Doc D) Romans believed that the only way to a peaceful existence was through violence, victory, and no one opposing their rule. (Doc E) Christianity believed that you could have peace through nonviolence, justice, and when all was fair. (Doc E) Pliny the Younger, who was a Roman judge sentenced a group of Christians who would not buy sacrificial items for Roman gods to execution. (Doc G) Romans believed that there was an afterlife but there were two afterworlds that were for heros and commoners that people would be sent to after being judged on what they did in their lives. (Doc C) Christians to believed in an afterlife in which people who followed the laws of Christianity would be free of illnesses, poverty, and isolation, in their afterlife everyone was equal. (Doc C) The evidence above shows why Christianity took hold in the ancient world. Christianity gave an escape from the Roman hierarchy and let people of all backgrounds come together. Christianity also gave people a way of thinking so that they did not have to follow the Roman way to …show more content…
The final reason that Christianity took hold in the ancient world is because of how devoted the followers of Christianity were. Christians would take people into their homes and take care of them if they were in need, and would do their best to help them get back on their feet. (Doc D) A man named Paul who came to know the Christian religion spent 30 years of his life traveling the eastern Mediterranean sea, preaching the word of Jesus, and he single handedly wrote most of the New Testament letters on his journey. (Doc F) A group of Christians were sentenced to execution for not buying sacrificial items for the Roman gods. They all had an option to be set free if they stated that they were not Christian but none of them did. They all died for their belief in the religion after being offered a way out. (Doc G) This information helps explain why the Christian religion took hold in ancient world. People that followed the Christian religion were open to helping anyone in need and would even take them into their homes. The people who followed the Christian religion found its message so important that they would die rather than proclaim that they were not a follower of the Christian religion. This religion meant so much to a man that he spent 30 years of his life just to spread the word of
In Rome, the introduction of the religion of Christianity overhauled ancient Roman beliefs with its new concepts and ideas. In Rome, Christianity, which is said to be one of the many factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire, introduced monotheistic beliefs to the Romans were whose religions and religious ideologies were previously exclusively polytheistic in nature. It is harder to categorize and define the concept of god(s) in ancient China; however, the Chinese religions clearly believed in a unifying deity they referred to as Heaven. In both Rome and China, religion and religious ideologies was constantly used to justify political authority and maintain order. In Rome, the celebration and veneration of figures such as Caesar, who was a politician, pushed Romans to obey the law and unify as a common peoples.
Roman tradition was tolerant of religion, and the empire was home to a diverse array of gods and goddesses worshiped by its people. However, when Christianity, seen as a small cult at the time, emerged as a new religion, it faced persecution from Roman authorities. Christianity faced persecution for its stark contrasts with Roman culture and religious practices. One unique aspect of Christianity that caused Roman authorities to persecute it was its monotheistic doctrine and exclusive claim to one true God. Roman tradition allowed a diverse array of gods and goddesses to worship.
Regardless of its developing prevalence, Christianity might never have turned into the prevailing religion of the Roman Domain had it not in the end discovered magnificent backing. Under Sovereign Constantine the Incomparable, Christianity went from an abused confidence to the most essential religion in the Roman Domain. Constantine 's backing for Christianity was moderate in its advancement, what 's more, a long way from an anticipated event. Constantine came to control when a progression of common wars toward the fourth 's start century obliterated the tetrarchy built up by Diocletian. The framework went into disrepair as each of the four sovereigns fought the others for control.
During Pliny’s time, Christians were being persecuted and heavily looked down upon. Fast forward to Eusebius’s time, the ruler at the time, Constantine, was Christian, and fought for Christians to have religious freedom, and won. All of the documents referred to in this paper had different perspectives. The first two, Pliny and the Edict of Milan were both Roman documents. Although they were both Roman, they both had different perspectives.
Secondly, all the perquisites of Christianity meant that kings could claim legitimated power from God and its prestigious international
Christianity has been the superior religion ever since the times of the Roman Empire. Christianity appealed to all different type of people throughout the Roman Empire, and was spread by many followers and even rulers of the Roman Empire. The main person who helped spread Christianity was Jesus, he appealed to so many people because he treated everyone with equality which meant that the rich and poor was at the same levels in his eyes.
The great John Piper once said,” God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”(Piper Philippians 1:12-26). The Christianity religion survived over many centuries because of many reasons. Many Christians relied on the teachings of the Bible to pave the way for the religion’s survival. Another reason why the Christian religion survived was because of the many Christian churches being built all over the world. The last reason why the Christian religion survived was because of Christianity was spreading and becoming one of the most popular religions in the world.
In Tacitus account of Roman history, Christians were burnt, eaten by animals, and crucified. Document C details why the Romans were persecuting the Christians. According to the Theologian professor, the reason for Christian persecution in Rome was because the Romans did not understand Christian rituals.
Ancient Roman Religion Affects Modern Time Sacrificing animals, condemning people for believing in something different, or having no creed are some examples of what presents itself in ancient Roman religion. All may not have followed into today’s time, but seeing divinity in everything, congregating together to worship and religion effecting political standings or issues have. Everything about religion from ancient Rome contributes to modern life. Religion around ancient Rome covers many topics including information with respect to practices and worships, which have blossomed more to today’s attributes. It also includes the effect religion had on the empire and the citizens in Rome that could have changed our political standings today.
Christians were persecuted by Jews and Gentiles alike, through beatings, plots, riots and imprisonment. Even though there was great persecution, there was great growth of Christianity, then handy work of God. God moved through the oppression, in fact it was the catalyst. The Romans were responsible for their persecution
The story of Christianity’s rise to prominence is a purely remarkable one seeing that the religion managed to grow out of Judaism to become the bedrock of Medieval Europe despite the many years it was persecuted and discriminated against. Within just a few hundred years, Christianity had become the dominant religion of Europe and the Western world as well as the largest and most influential religion in the world upon becoming the state religion of the Roman Empire. Although there are many scholars who continue to debate why and how this occurred, it is clear that it was one of the most important transformations in history. Christianity was spread through the Roman Empire by the early followers of Jesus, a religious leader. Jesus was born
Although Christianity was spreading throughout several empires, the Roman Empire did not like it. They tried to prosecute several of the Christians just for their faith. They were normally tolerant of other religions but not of this one. Christianity was led by Jesus. He has the twelve Apostles who were his closest
The birth of Christianity is marked by the life of Jesus, and the New Testament was written by the apostles that witnessed his life and teachings. Jesus was executed for being a rebel rouser by the Roman Government at the behest of the Jewish Oligarchy. They saw his teachings, miracles, and his movement as dangerous to the Roman Empire. This cemented his Prophecy and ensured his legacy and Churches place in
Christianity began in the first century CE with the birth and death of Jesus Christ. Small pockets of the religion began to form in the eastern region of the Roman Empire. As the apostle Paul began spreading the word, so too did the religion. Eventually, the rulers of the Roman Empire began to see its rising popularity as a threat, as it challenged the beliefs set forth that named the emperor as a god. Under the rule of Emperor Nero, Christians were brutally prosecuted.
This essay examines the political and religious situation of the world into which Jesus was born. This is to determine what human preparation was made for his advent and how this ‘aided’ the spread of Christianity and prepared