Christianity seemed merely to be a "degenerate sort of cult carried to extravagant lengths." must read [this book]. We have never libeled anyone. Rome's machinery for enforcing its laws was always weak. Speratus: Where our duty is so clear there is nothing to think over. Since this book is a work of both history and social science, I have written it for a nonprofessional audience. Jews claimed an ancient tradition with law codes for daily life (the Laws of Moses) and revelations from their god through Prophets. Pliny sought of Trajan the legal basis for punishing the Christians, asking if Christianity was a crime per se, or whether it was the actions of Christians that were recognized as crimes by Roman law. He also helped himself to the wealth of the pagan temples. Saturninus, the proconsul: What do you have as the documents in your case? To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. He gave those persons admitting Christianity three chances to deny it, and if they persisted in their avowal, he ordered them executed. Nevertheless, we must quantify--at least in terms of exploring the arithmetic of the possible--if we are to grasp the magnitude of the phenomenon that is to be explained. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation, "Stark finds that Christians prospered the old-fashioned way: by providing a better, happier and more secure way of life . The Rise of Christianity is a book by Rodney Stark wherein he looks at Christianity’s rise to prominence from a sociological perspective. Combining his expertise in social science with historical evidence, and his insight into contemporary religion's appeal, Stark finds that early Christianity attracted the privileged rather than the poor, that most early converts were women or marginalized Jews—and ultimately "that Christianity … Perhaps this reflects the prevalence among historians of the notion, recently expressed by Pierre Chuvin, that "ancient history remains wholly refractory to quantitative evaluations" (1990:12). the doctrines of which envisaged an ongoing struggle in this world between the forces of Good and the dark forces of Evil. Arts and Humanities Through the Eras. But in this chapter I will pose the question in a more precise way than has been done. The significant question is how it became the official religion of the Roman empire and an agency of the Roman imperial government. The pagans were disheartened at the impotence of their god. . Robert L. Wilken, The Christians as the Romans Saw Them (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1984). Christianity - Christianity - The history of Christianity: Christianity began as a movement within Judaism at a period when the Jews had long been dominated culturally and politically by foreign powers and had found in their religion (rather than in their politics or cultural achievements) the … The rise of Christianity up to the victory of Constantine has often been studied and remains a puzzling phenomenon. 274-337) was a Roman emperor. Others fled, particularly to Alexandria. "The Rise of Christianity "The Rise of Christianity The chapter concludes with a discussion of the legitimate uses of social scientific theories to reconstruct history in the absence of adequate information on what actually occurred. were part of rhetorical exercises" (1977:7-8) and were not really meant to be taken literally. For one thing, the Roman authorities saw Christianity as a secret society, and secret societies made them nervous. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. They believed in Torah and were even prepared to exchange Jewish national independence for the survival of the Jewish people and the Torah, if need be. Saturninus, the proconsul: [speaking to the others] Take no part in this business—it is madness. -- "Publishers Weekly""Compelling reading . Christianity had spread rapidly, partly because Christian preachers were welcome in the synagogues of the Diaspora. Straddling Senate and Pulpit, Warnock Highlights Religious Left's Rise in the U.S. By Reuters , Wire Service Content Jan. 10, 2021 By Reuters , Wire Service Content Jan. 10, 2021, at 7:05 a.m. Christianity was firmly anchored in the heritage of Second Temple sectarianism. Shipped with USPS Media Mail. Christianity began with a group of Jews who followed the teachings of Jesus, a Jewish carpenter who attracted many followers during his three-year ministry which began in 30 c.e. As for Pliny's question, the reply was simple. on charges of heresy. Since its foundation, Ancient Rome was a deeply religious society and religious and political office often went hand in hand. Sold by Bookworm_CT and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. Speratus: I am a Christian. Saturninus, the proconsul, to Speratus: Will you persist in remaining a Christian? Stark received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Please try again. . Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. I finished the book and then ordered seven copies to give to people who might find it interesting. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. The definitive text in early church history, Frend's The Rise of Christianity offers a vast, panoramic sweep of Christianity's first six centuries, from the dust of Palestine to the court of Justinian and the parting of Eastern and Western Christianity. The Rise of Christianity Book Review: The idea that Christianity started as a clandestine movement among the poor is a widely accepted notion. . A sect of Jewish nationalists in Judaea called the Zealots rose in rebellion in the final years of the emperor Nero's reign. The suppression of the revolt was delayed by Nero's dethronement and a year of civil war before Vespasian took over as emperor in 69 c.e. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. An exercise such as this could lead one to conclude that Stark is using sociology to disregard or dismiss the role of the divine nature of Christianity. He wanted to reach out to the Gentiles, and he considered the dietary restrictions of Mosaic law and circumcision unimportant. As far as Pliny could ascertain, all the Christians did was to meet before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses antiphonally in honor of Christ "as if to a god" and to bind themselves by an oath, in Latin, a sacramentum. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. The rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark. This ascendency of Christianity was accelerated by Roman philosophy, institutions and, above all, by the Roman emperors, particularly Constantine. Christian is the name of the central character of the first part of Bun…, EBIONITES is the name given to a Jewish Christian sect that flourished during the early history of the Christian church. ), the Roman authorities began to recognize the Christians as a sect separate from the Jews, and an unpopular one at that. It was repeated again and again. (December 21, 2020). Elsewhere, Stark writes, “Thus, until recently, the social scientific (his emphasis) study of religion was nothing of the sort. introduction: "The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs" is a transcript of the trial of a group of Christians from the city of Scillium in the province of Africa Proconsularis, the capital of which was Carthage. Granted, we shall never discover "lost" Roman census data giving authoritative statistics on the religious composition of the empire in various periods. Here is theoretical brashness combined with disarming common sense, a capacious curiosity, and a most uncommon ability to tell a complicated story in simple prose." Church history in plain language updated 4th edition, The Sacred and The Profane: The Nature of Religion. The book suggests that during these times of epidemics, the people were having a crises of faith and this led to many being converted and becoming Christians. This may explain why, of the few numbers that have been offered in the literature, most are for membership in about the year 300. HarperSanFrancisco; unknown edition (May 9, 1997), The Rise of Christianity shares some great insight into the rapid growth of Christians, Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2016. The future of Judaism lay with the synagogues and their rabbis, and a rabbinical school that was established at Yavna—later moved to Tiberias—in Judaea was actually encouraged by the Roman authorities. Saturninus, the proconsul: If you come to your senses, you will gain the pardon of our Lord the emperor. Combining his expertise in social science with historical evidence, and his insight into contemporary religion's appeal, Stark finds that early Christianity attracted the privileged rather than the poor, that most early converts were women or marginalized Jews—and ultimately "that Christianity was a success because it proved those who joined it with a more appealing, more assuring, happier, and perhaps longer life" (Andrew M. Greeley, University of Chicago). Something went wrong. On the one hand, there was a conservative group centered in Jerusalem, led by James, the brother of Jesus. A Non- Proselytizing explanation of the rise of ealy Christianity, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2014. The Rise of Christianity Christianity is today the world’s largest religion, representing at least a quarter of the world’s population. His efforts to elicit information about the Christian sect, however, revealed nothing that might endanger the state. . says Yale University's Wayne A. Meeks, for The Rise of Christianity makes a compelling case for startling conclusions. Teachings from Jesus, what Christianity had to offer, the persecution of Christians, and Constantine accepting Christianity were factors that led to the rise and success of Christianity. On the coins that Constantine minted, three-quarters of the symbols shown belong not to Christianity but to Sol Invictus, the "Unconquerable Sun." By the time of Constantine, Christianity had become a considerable force, with growth patterns very similar to those of modern-day successful religious movements. Speratus again said: I am a Christian. However, Stark is no apologist. Combining his expertise in social science with historical evidence, and his insight into contemporary religion's appeal, Stark finds that early Christianity attracted the privileged rather than the poor, that most early converts were women or marginalized Jews--and ultimately that Christianity was a success because it proved those who joined it with a more appealing, more assuring, happier, and perhaps longer life (Andrew M. Greeley, University of Chicago). The Rise Of Christianity : Christianity 733 Words | 3 Pages. When we as Christians consider the coming of Christ and the rise of Christianity, we tend to focus on the spiritual forces at work – the powerful preaching of the gospel, the apostles’ martyrdom for the faith, and the evangelistic attraction of the early church’s common life together. The author uses modern Social Scientific Theory and relatively recent studies into religious conversion to explain the successful rise of Christianity in the Greco-Roman world after the death of Christ. The proportion of the empire that was Christian at the time of his conversion is a matter of conjecture, but it is generally agreed that it was a minority and perhaps a small minority at that. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Cittinus: The only one we fear is the Lord our God in Heaven. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. It seems wise to be conservative here, and thus I shall assume that there were 1,000 Christians in the year 40. The chapters that follow will attempt to reconstruct the rise of Christianity in order to explain why it happened. The powerful act of ministering to the sick during times of crises had a huge impact on those receiving the help. The rise of Christianity and its overall importance characterized the Middle Ages. : Harvard University Press, 1990). This was a time when the Roman government had outlawed the relatively new religion of Christianity because its followers did not recognize other religions, including the cult of emperor worship. This fresh, blunt, and highly persuasive account of how the West was won--for Jesus (Newsweek) is now available in paperback. Despite these innocuous proceedings, Pliny demanded that all of them make a little sacrifice before the emperor's image, and those that refused be put to death. Retrieved December 21, 2020 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/culture-magazines/rise-christianity. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2017. The majority of the population followed the Pharisees, Josephus writes (Antiquities13:10). According to the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of St. Paul, there soon arose a division of opinion among the followers of Jesus. If they were Roman citizens, they had a right to a trial at Rome, and Pliny entered them on the list of persons to be sent to Rome to have their cases judged there. The Romans had reason to be apprehensive. . Swear, instead, by the genius of our Lord the emperor. Please try again. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Christianity emerged in the cities of the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Jacob Neusner, Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984). Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. -- Wayne Meeks, Yale University"A provocative, insightful, challenging account of the rise of Christianity." It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The persecutions were sporadic until the middle of the third century c.e. Since the killing off of infants was normally female newborns, early Christians had a higher percentage of women that could have children as opposed to the pagans. The origin of the term, a He…, Christianity, derived from Judaism to become the dominant religion of western Europe and the driving force behind its civilization, has underpinned m…, Constantine I (ca. It is also the primary inspiration … Start studying Rise of Christianity. Stark, a sociologist and author of the book shares, some interesting statistical analyzes. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Saturninus, the proconsul: You may have a thirty-day reprieve to think this over. Legitimized Christianity. Secunda: I want to be none other than what I am. And this because I recognize my Lord, the king of kings, and emperor of all mankind. source: Pliny, The Letters of the Younger Pliny. The Rise of Christianity is a book by Rodney Stark wherein he looks at Christianity’s rise to prominence from a sociological perspective. Constantine I's long reign brought about a profound change between the Ro…, Christian relating to or professing Christianity; a believer in Christianity. Pliny's policy towards the early Christian church was harsh in accordance with Rome's suspicious attitude towards these radical believers who neither adhered to Roman pagan gods nor worshipped the emperor. During the Late Middle Ages, the power of the church started to decline and all three of … Speratus: Any doctrine that teaches that we should commit murder or bear false witness—that would be evil. Stark's provocative report challenges conventional wisdom and finds that Christianity's astounding dominance of the Western world arose from its offer of a better, more secure way of life. These people are not to be hunted out; if they are brought before you and the charge against them is proved, they must be punished, but in the case of anyone who denies that he is a Christian, and makes it clear that he is not by offering prayers to our gods, he is to be pardoned as a result of his repentance however suspect his past conduct may be. There are many good insights to be gleaned from this book, Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2017. In 64 c.e. This "fresh, blunt, and highly persuasive account of how the West was won—for Jesus" (Newsweek) is now available in paperback. Later, in Acts 4:4, a total of 5,000 believers is claimed. Had there been that many converts in Jerusalem, it would have been the first Christian city, since there probably were no more than twenty thousand inhabitants at this time--J. C. Russell (1958) estimated only ten thousand. It was dispersed, and many of its leaders were probably killed. If not, then we have some well-tested propositions to draw upon. Stark's provocative report challenges conventional wisdom and finds that Christianity's astounding dominance of the Western world arose from its offer of a better, more secure way of life. No sacrilege is entailed in the search to understand human actions in human terms. The Christians suffered their first state persecution at this time, but there were more to follow. Then, too, there was misunderstanding at fault. he persuaded his co-ruler Licinius, who ruled the eastern portion of the empire, that freedom of religion should be extended to all. Christianity was considered dangerous for several reasons. Having read textual scholars over the years, one finds them obsessed by tiny details and with a failure to grasp the big picture and, where there may be some gradual consensus on dating and provenance, this is often the product of unacknowledged interpretive schemes that are less tested and therefore less valuable than the sociological approaches advanced by Stark. The Rise of Christianity shares some great insight into the rapid growth of Christians. ["The Rise of Christianity" will] generate spirited argument." Nor is this limited to antiquity. Christianity was a crime perse. The Diocletianic persecution was ultimately unsuccessful. The author also makes reference to the works of historians in the field and lists many works that can be sourced for future reference. "Compelling reading" (Library Journal) that is sure to "generate spirited argument" (Publishers Weekly), this account of Christianity's remarkable growth within the Roman Empire is the subject of much fanfare. Highly recommended, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2018. The Rise of Christianity Christianity is one of the largest ancient religion in the world. Arts and Humanities Through the Eras. . The years following Jesus' crucifixion saw an increase in the number of "Christians"—so-called because they followed Jesus "the Christ." Stark is upfront by stating, “No sacrilege is entailed in the search to understand human actions in human terms” (p. 4). The Roman rule … Finally, all questions concerning the rise of Christianity are one: How was it done? Indeed, as Robert M. Grant pointed out, "one must always remember that figures in antiquity . Stark suggests that during times of epidemics, Christian stayed in cities that were plagued by sickness. Nero needed a scapegoat, and the Christians were unpopular; in some quarters they were blamed for setting the fire. The Jewish priesthood that had presided over the sacrifices at the Temple no longer had a center for their rituals. I pay taxes on everything I buy. But pamphlets circulated anonymously must play no part in any accusation. There was no public prosecutor, and thus when a law appears in the law code, it should not be assumed that it was universally obeyed. There's a problem loading this menu right now. The Rise of Christianity, is a book by the sociologist Rodney Stark, which examines the rise of Christianity, from a small movement in Galilee and Judea at the time of Jesus to the majority religion of the Roman Empire a few centuries later. The first Christians, Jesus’ followers, were Jews. . introduction: Pliny the Younger was a Roman litterateur and a gentleman of the governing class who was sent by the emperor Trajan to the province of Bithynia (in northwest Asia Minor) which had been misruled by its senatorial governors and needed someone to remedy the situation. At the beginning of the fourth century c.e. Frend's "The Rise of Christianity" is approaching its 30th birthday (and while there has been an immense proliferation of scholarship on Early Christianity and Late Antiquity in the interim), this is still an authoritative and fundamental survey of the first 7 centuries of the Christian Church. Although the religion initially faltered after Jesus' death, reports that Jesu… His thirty books on the history and sociology of religion include The Rise of Christianity, Cities of God, For the Glory of God, Discovering God, and The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success. How did a tiny and obscure messianic movement from the edge of the Roman Empire dislodge classical paganism and become the dominant faith of Western civilization? Rome's change of attitude towards Christianity began with the conversion of the emperor Constantine to Christianity in 312 c.e. Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2016. There aren't many books that I've done that with (I can think of two others). The earliest Christians, because they refused to honor the Roman pagan gods, were subject to civil penalties, sporadic persecutions, the contempt of the Roman social establishment. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Combining his expertise in social science with historical evidence, and his insight into contemporary religion's appeal, Stark finds that early Christianity attracted the privileged rather than the poor, that most early converts were women or marginalized Jews—and ultimately "that Christianity was a success because it proved those who joined it with a more appealing, more assuring, happier, and perhaps longer life" (Andrew M. Greeley, University of Chicago). Gager 1975). Having achieved such a rate and used it to project the number of Christians in various years, we can then test these projections against a variety of historical conclusions and estimates. Saturninus, the proconsul, then read out the sentence from his tablets: Whereas Speratus, Nartzalus, Cittinus, Donata, Vestia, Secunda, and the others, have admitted that they live in accordance with the religious rites of the Christians, and whereas they have persevered in their stubbornness even when given the opportunity to return to the Roman religion, it is hereby decreed that they should die by the sword. The future of Christianity lay with the followers of Paul's teachings. He approved of Pliny's actions. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2020, Extremely useful background for any teacher/preacher. "Compelling reading" (Library Journal) that is sure to "generate spirited argument" (Publishers Weekly), this account of Christianity's remarkable growth within the Roman Empire is the subject of much fanfare. Saturninus, the proconsul, then said to the others: "Cease to adhere to this belief.". Studies of the rise of Christianity all stress the movement's rapid growth, but rarely are any figures offered. In this way I can make sure that the social science is fully accessible to historians of the early church, meanwhile preventing social scientists from becoming lost amidst obscure historical and textual references. source: "The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs," in The Fathers of the Primitive Church. highly recommended." 1 shall qualify this assumption at several later points in the chapter. This book is not a work of theology. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. Christians were given the opportunity to renounce their faith in court; those who did not do so were put to death. The other group centered on Paul, a Jew of the diaspora, that is, the Jewish communities living outside Judaea. Very interesting indeed. It was a small part of the Judaism at the beginning, and it grew up very quickly in the later hundreds of years. You have followed the right course of procedure, my dear Pliny, in your examination of the cases of persons charged with being Christians, for it is impossible to lay down a general rule to a fixed formula. faced a Gothic invasion, the first of many that the empire would suffer. This is a refreshing piece of scholarship. They had not supported the Jewish revolt, and their lack of support was not forgotten. The rise of Christianity was a powerful beginning. Herbert A. Musurillo (Toronto: The New American Library of Canada, 1966): 150–152. Stark's provocative report challenges conventional wisdom and finds that Christianity's astounding dominance of the Western world arose from its offer of a better, more secure way of life. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. For another, it is clear from early Christian writings that the Christians. The book is well structured and easy to follow and answers many of the questions on how an obscure Palestinian sect became the main religion of the Roman Empire. An exercise such as this could lead one to conclude that Stark is using sociology to disregard or dismiss the role of the divine nature of Christianity. The ban on pagan sacrifice is a case in point. The emperor Decius (249–252 c.e.) . 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