Christianity in the Roman World

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Christianity in the Roman World

• Religion Mr. Kilbridge McQuaid Jesuit

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I. The Spread of Christianity

• Why was Christianity so successful?

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A. External Factors The Roman World

• Favorable material conditions
• Extensive Empire
• Roads, shipping networks aided missionaries
• Common Greek language (Hellenistic World)
• Pax Romana order (Xians claimed Gods will)

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B. Internal Factors Appealing Characteristics

• Moral and ethical standards in an age of
  spiritual unrest/hunger
• Depressing political climate
• Roman pantheon offered no role models
• Open to all social strata salvation for all
• Eschatological zeal
• Alternatives that did no succeed
• Philosophy (ex. Cynics) for the elite
• Mystery Religions (ex Mithraism, Cults of Cybele
  and Isis) made weak ethical demands

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II. Christian Relations with Rome

• Persecution

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A. Rationale for Persecution

• Religious tolerance of the Romans
• Syncretism (gods, architecture, religion)
• Judaism exempted from Emperor worship
• Nero 64 AD 1st significant persecution -
  scapegoating
• Initial accusations Incest and cannibalism
• Judaism loses its privileged status in 70 ad
• Domitian (81-96)
• Claimed to be god (convictions for non-worship)
• Lasting accusation Jews and Christians as
  atheists, seditious, unpatriotic
• Letters of Pliny and Trajan, 112 AD