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I was raise xian, debate xians, pagans etc, but for the LONGEST time
I have wanted to write way christianity has spead the way
it did. Just don't have the writers fortei to do it the way I want and get all the info in there.
Can anyone tell me how to find a article on how Christianity spread
wtihout reference or specuation about it being the
truth or any that stuff. JUST focus on a message that was written,
the dispershion of the followers over a wide area, the
pervious arrival of Roman rule, coins (MONEY) , a univeral language
"Latin, Greek", the Roman ROAD system,
Without this presence of these I feel that a new religion would not
have prospered to a "Great world religion", but
I just don't want to do the effort of writing my thoughts down and I
am sure that someone else has done it from
a historical perspective.
Thank you so much for your help. :)
Randy
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San Diego
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Re: , Xian question, thank you for your help
Wed, July 30, 2008 - 1:34 PMSt Paul is credited with spreading the Christian faith among the Gentiles - the non-Jewish population of the Empire. Expansion of the Christian faith was slow at first, but Christianity often appealed to poor people who felt alienated by mainstream religions.
By the beginning of the 4th century CE, Christianity is believed to have converted about ten percent of the popualtion of the Roman Empire. Scholars believe that at this stage Christianity was evenly split between the proto-Catholic-Orthodox faith and Gnostic Christianity.
In the early 4th century, Emperor Constantine gave Christianity state patronage, after which the faith began to expand rapidly, as many felt that it was socially or politically desirable to embrace Christianity.
Emperor Theodosius I made Christianity the official state religion of Rome in the 380s, and banned worship at pagan temples in 391. The spread of Christianity was soon complete.
wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_did...man_Empire
I think the short answer is, Christianity spread among the exploited majority who had no particular reason to support the Roman system. The Christian message ("Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.") had a natural appeal for the poor, to slaves and to women. On the other side, the official Roman religion was very much on the side of the rich and powerful. -
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Re: , Xian question, thank you for your help
Tue, August 5, 2008 - 5:54 AMI'd like to weigh in on this if I may.
I've long been of the opinion that Christianity's success had as much to do with its suitability as a state religion as anything else. Consider how useful it has proven as a support to the status quo ante in the western world, the way it lends itself to conservatism and reaction in this country. Rendering unto caesar that which is caesars could hardly be considered challenging to the ruling class of Rome, and from the viewpoint of the overlord, the encouragement of meekness would have been very desirable. I expect that Constantine made use of the new religion to further his own ends, the reorganization of the roman state to serve the interests of the emperor's maintenance of power rather than the interests of the state itself. It is interesting and I think telling to recall that Constantine himself never personally converted to Christianity, but was only baptized on his deathbed when he was in no position to resist. Throughout his life, he remained devoted to the cult of "Sol Invictus" or the Invincible Sun god even after he legalized and encouraged Christianity.
Interesting that, isn't it?
The historian Edward Gibbon, the author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire has some interesting criticisms and commentary on the role of Christianity in the destruction of the empire. Well worth checking out. -
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Re: , Xian question, thank you for your help
Sat, August 9, 2008 - 12:11 PMThe historian Edward Gibbon, the author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire has some interesting criticisms and commentary on the role of Christianity in the destruction of the empire. Well worth checking out.
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Oh, please, that was such a suicide. The over extension into Britian and the north without
suffienient NEW incoming funds to support the costs of maintaining an EXTENDED empire.
An king worth his salt, (poiniting accusing finger at Bush here) knows to follow
Sun Tzu's advise. NO long campaigns.
But otherwise I will look into both your comments in detail.
I was thinking more in terms of the Advances that Chin Wang (shang) ti had made ofr
China in 230-210 B.C. to unify and how it correllated to Roman.
ONE money, One language, ""All roads lead to Roman" which was one of the innovations of Chin Wang ti that made his reunification wars a success. Without that, it would have failed for a surety. The mongols invading provided an outside threat, and the
sense of threat and danger I am sure had a similar effect on unifying those near
Christian influence (Israel, Roman, Turkey, and, ) a sense of emptiness and fear has
a very evangelic effect. As well as the ready access of roads. Having a common currency
encourages people's to share food stuffs and merchantile, and with that religious ideas infect each other's culture and mindsets.
With roads that are safe it permits communication, but one of the surest things was the writings that preserved the ideas in a stagnate form so that the beliefs did not get
changed with every retelling. and encouragement to those that had already joined the
"faith". helps retension of members.
Randy
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Randy
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