In chapter 2 we see that Stark suggests in the book that: “Abraham J. Malherbe analyzed the language and style of the early church writers and concluded that they were dressing a literate, educated audience” and “In short people must have a degree of privilege to have the sophistication needed to understand new religions and to recognize a need for them.” In chapters 4 and 5 Stark addresses the advantages Christianity had over paganism and the role of women that led to Christian growth. Moreover, I do not reduce the rise of Christianity to purely "material" or social factors. Although W.H.C. Speratus: We have never hurt anyone. Shipped with USPS Media Mail. 21 Dec. 2020 . These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Jacob Neusner, Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984). Donata: Respect Caesar as Caesar, but fear God. Having established a plausible growth curve for the rise of Christianity, I will review sociological knowledge of the process by which people convert to new religions in order to infer certain requirements concerning social relations between Christians and the surrounding Greco-Roman world. . 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." He approved of Pliny's actions. 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. And, according to Acts 21:20, by the sixth decade of the first century there were "many thousands of Jews" in Jerusalem who now believed. The Rise of Christianity Book Review: The idea that Christianity started as a clandestine movement among the poor is a widely accepted notion. Studies of the rise of Christianity all stress the movement's rapid growth, but rarely are any figures offered. on charges of heresy. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The Rise of Christianity Christianity is today the world’s largest religion, representing at least a quarter of the world’s population. 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. An unusual number of Christian converts, for example, came from the educated, cosmopolitan classes. By the time of Constantine, Christianity had become a considerable force, with growth patterns very similar to those of modern-day successful religious movements. The first Christians, Jesus’ followers, were Jews. Probably Paul and his followers would have lost the quarrel, except that a Jewish revolt intervened. 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. ." In the end, the persecution failed to che… As for Pliny's question, the reply was simple. Speratus: Where our duty is so clear there is nothing to think over. says Yale University's Wayne A. Meeks, for The Rise of Christianity makes a compelling case for startling conclusions. says Yale University's Wayne A. Meeks, for The Rise of Christianity makes a compelling case for startling conclusions. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Speratus: Any doctrine that teaches that we should commit murder or bear false witness—that would be evil. 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. I have committed no theft. 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. 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. He also helped himself to the wealth of the pagan temples. What is the minimum rate of growth that would permit the Christian movement to become as large as it must have been in the time that history allows? Speratus: I do not recognize the kingdom of this world. Christianity originated with the ministry of Jesus, a Jewish teacher and healer who proclaimed the imminent kingdom of God and was crucified c. AD 30–33 in the 1st century Roman province of Judea. A new way of explaining why it was so successful that is very insightful of how humans behave in social groups. Gager 1975). 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. Finally, all questions concerning the rise of Christianity are one: How was it done? The title, The Rise of Christianity, that I eventually chose is, of course, that of Bishop E. W. Barnes's work, published in 1947. Elsewhere, Stark writes, “Thus, until recently, the social scientific (his emphasis) study of religion was nothing of the sort. there was another determined persecution, but by then Christianity was too powerful to be wiped out. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. 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. ADVERTISEMENTS: After reading this article you will learn about the rise of Christianity with the fall of Roman Empire. -- Andrew M. Greeley, National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago. Stark, a sociologist and author of the book shares, some interesting statistical analyzes. Jews claimed an ancient tradition with law codes for daily life (the Laws of Moses) and revelations from their god through Prophets. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 15, 2020, Extremely useful background for any teacher/preacher. "Anyone who has puzzled over Christianity's rise to dominance...must read it." In fact, many Christians at this point in history expected an imminent Second Coming of the risen Christ and may have imagined that the fire that consumed Rome was the opening scene in the destruction of an evil empire. . Nero needed a scapegoat, and the Christians were unpopular; in some quarters they were blamed for setting the fire. This "fresh, blunt, and highly persuasive account of how the West was won—for Jesus" (Newsweek) is now available in paperback. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). That welcome began to grow thin, however, and by the reign of Nero (54–68 c.e. For example, in order for Christianity to have achieved success in the time allowed, must it have grown at rates that seem incredible in the light of modern experience? highly recommended." source: "The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs," in The Fathers of the Primitive Church. says Yale University's Wayne A. Meeks, for The Rise of Christianity makes a compelling case for startling conclusions. The gods seemed to be angry with Rome, and Decius insisted that everyone sacrifice to them and present certificates to that effect. Throughout this time, Jews, Christians, and Muslims would learn to live and tolerate each other. -- "The Christian Century""Anyone who has puzzled over Christianity's rise to dominance in the Roman Empire . The emperor Decius (249–252 c.e.) Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Rome took control of the Judaic Kingdom in A.D. 6 and made it portion of the Roman Empire. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. 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 … -- Wayne Meeks, Yale University"A provocative, insightful, challenging account of the rise of Christianity." Origen remarked, "Let it be granted that Christians were few in the beginning" (Against Celsus 3.10,1989 ed. 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. At the beginning of the fourth century c.e. Betty Radice (London, England: Penguin Books, 1969): 295. The Pharisees were not just another sect, therefore; they were the people. If not, then we have some well-tested propositions to draw upon. He had not known Jesus personally, but he had been converted to the new religion that he believed that Jesus had preached, and he was full of zeal. he persuaded his co-ruler Licinius, who ruled the eastern portion of the empire, that freedom of religion should be extended to all. -- "Library Journal""This book raises, simply and brilliantly, just the kinds of questions anyone concerned with early Christianity should ask." 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. Pliny arrived in Bithynia in 111 c.e. For a starting number, Acts 1:14-15 suggests that several months after the Crucifixion there were 120 Christians. The pagans expected the god to show his anger by refusing to let the Nile flood and water the fertile fields of Egypt, but the Nile flooded as usual. Please try your request again later. There is absolutely no attempt on Stark’s part to convince the reader that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was crucified and raised from the dead. Saturninus, the proconsul: If you come to your senses, you will gain the pardon of our Lord the emperor. 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. It was repeated again and again. "The Rise of Christianity The rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark. A perfect insight into how Christianity grew, how the good word was spread and won over the minds of the people back then. Encyclopedia.com. . But when we were mistreated, we showed our thanks, because we reverence our own emperor. In the worst disaster since the days of Hannibal the Roman army and the emperor Valens were wiped o…, The Rise of Biotechnology as Big Business, The Rise and Practice of Inoculation in the 1700s, The Rise and Fall of the Phlogiston Theory of Fire, The Rise of Falsafah: The Philosophical Tradition, The Rise of Monarchies: France, England, and Spain, The Rise of Probabilistic and Statistical Thinking, The Rise of Revolutionary Sentiment in France and Its Impact on the Theater, The Rise of Rome (3rd century bce to 2nd century ce, The Rise of the Appropriate Technology Movement, The Rise of the Phlogiston Theory of Fire, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/culture-magazines/rise-christianity. Therefore Pliny consulted the emperor Trajan to discover what course of action he should take regarding the Christian church and he received the following reply. -- "Publishers Weekly""Compelling reading . says Yale University's Wayne A. 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