Christianity, which started as an oppressed minority religion in Rome, managed to spread throughout Rome and eventually become the majority religion in Europe. One can only wonder how when Christianity had just started to pick up traction in a society where “throwing Christians to the lions in the full, public gaze of a well-dressed crowd” (Kelly) was their idea of a good time. Because Christians “persevered when an opportunity was afforded to them to return to the practice of the Romans” (Lualdi), the Romans executed them in hordes. At a time when Christianity was illegal, it is a miracle that the religion persisted to eventually become the state religion of Rome. Despite its initial lack of acceptance in mainstream Roman society, Christianity spread thanks to two things: the appeal Christianity had to all sectors of society, and the support those in influential positions gave it.

Christianity was first and foremost a religion that appealed to all sections of society through its teachings. Christianity was less exclusive and closed off compared to the other mystic cults at the time —  “Some of them, like the cult of Mithras, appealed only to men; others, like the cult of Isis, appealed mostly to women; and still other cults, like that of Cybele, required unrealistic sacrifices or changes in way of life.” (Yuge & Doi), while the Christian faith taught that “there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Paul the Apostle, Romans 3:21-31). God was an unbiased figure who would accept all, and Christians preached that “God shows no partiality” (Peter’s Vision, Acts 10:9-17, 44-48; 11:1-5, 11-14). Christian acceptance of all meant that Christianity was accessible to all members of society, whether they be pagans or Jews, as long as they committed to the religion and turned their backs on all deities other than God, a sacrifice many were willing to make.

Christianity also was appealing to minority sectors of society, such as women, who at the time were not allowed to take part in the same activities as men and whose opportunities society limited. The appeal of being able to gain status denied to them in other religions was undeniable, as “by rejecting the traditional roles of wife and mother in favor of spiritual excellence, by giving their property to their congregation or by renouncing marriage to dedicate themselves to Christ, celibate Christian women achieved independence and status otherwise denied them” (Hunt). It also did not reject the poor or sick like other religions and was in fact “so concerned with questions of social welfare (healing the sick, caring for the poor) that it embedded them into its doctrines” (Bissel). Thus, women and the poor, both of whom did not have status in the Roman society under pagan religions, could gain this status they so desired by converting to Christianity. The faith also had an incredible draw to those in the upper-class thanks to its preachings about death. While the Roman and Greek religions professed that after Life they would live forever in the boring, bland Fields of Asphodel, and the Egyptian religion had the idea of judgment after death, Christianity stated that if gentiles converted, God would make sure that “Their sins and lawless acts God will remember no more” [Jeremiah 31:34]” (The Book of Hebrews, Hebrews 1:1-3; 10:1-18), thus giving them absolution and a place in Heaven. Once the Roman state put its support and power behind the religion in 312 AD, “many pagans, especially from the upper classes, converted for practical reasons, for the tax advantages or the career opportunities” (Winks & Mattern-Parkes). Thus, the Christian religion, just by being more accessible and open to people of all minorities, classes, and genders, unlike other religions, was able to gain followers and tractions despite its initial lack of acceptance.

Though Christianity was able to gain traction thanks to its appeal, it was still illegal; when Emperor Constantine (272 AD -337 AD) made the religion legal, it gained much support from those with influence in the Roman society, and Christianity was able to flourish. Emperor Constantine was the first Roman emperor to throw his support behind the religion in the year 312 AD because “he had a vision instructing him to paint a Christian symbol on his soldier’s shields” (Winks & Mattern-Parkes), and doing so allowed him and his men to win a huge battle. Once the emperor threw his support behind the religion, many others followed because “Throughout its subsequent history, Christianity has managed to spread, with rare exceptions, only by first converting the rulers of nations, after which the conversion of the people was a simple matter” (Yuge & Doi). Constantine’s support meant that “the proportion of pagans in imperial service gradually decreased until very few pagans in these positions were known. In the fifth century, laws required all imperial appointees to be Christians” (Winks & Mattern-Parkes). Roman society connected like a spider web: “One convert of high status could influence his or her whole entourage of slaves, freedman, friends, and dependents” (Winks & Mattern-Parkes). This meant that the support of an emperor garnered considerable support for the Christian faith since the emperor had a considerable amount of influence at the time.

It was not just Constantine’s support that made Christianity a majority religion – “Christianity officially replaced traditional polytheism as the state religion in 391 when Theodosius I successfully enforced a ban on polytheist sacrifices” (Hunt). Other emperors such as Theodosius I continued to support Christianity and outlaw paganism. For example, emperors Arcadius and Honorius decreed “that no [pagan] sacrifice shall be offered, and no damnable superstition be observed” (Theodosian Code, 16.5.5), and another decree from Emperors Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius in 379 stated that “All [Christian] heresies are forbidden by both divine and imperial laws” (Theodosian Code, 15.12.1, 16.5.1, 16.10.4, 16.7.1), a decree that helped strengthen and unite the Christians. It was not just emperors to support Christianity but those in influential positions, such as Paul of Taursas. He “traveled to preach to Jews and Gentiles who had adopted some Jewish practices in Asia Minor, Syria, and Greece.” (Hunt), spreading the religion far and wide. With the power of influential figures and the Roman government behind them, the Christian religion gained traction and soared to new heights.

Though Christianity originally lacked approval in Roman society, it gained traction because  Heaven “was open to believers regardless of their social status or apparent sinfulness.” (Hunt), and because of the support of the Roman state and of influential figures. Christianity’s openness to all followers regardless of gender, social status, and sins meant that people were likely to convert because it offered them hope for life after death, and the hope that they would go to Heaven if they repented for their sins and were faithful. The backing of the state also meant that the religion was not outlawed, so it was less dangerous to convert and Christianity’s followers were able to more easily preach God’s teachings. It is overall thanks to the draw Christianity had to all people and the support of those in power that allowed Christianity to spread. In the present day, in a world where some governments are religious and some are impartial, does this give the religions with government backing an advantage? Or does the backing of the government have no effect because of how different today’s political climate is?

Works Cited

Acts 10:9-17, 44-48; 11:1-5, 11-14 – Peter’s Vision

Bissell, Tom. “Why Did Christianity Prevail?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Feb. 2018, http://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/books/review/bart-d-ehrman-the-triumph-of-christianity.html.

Doi, Masaoki, and Toru Yuge. Forms of Control and Subordination in Antiquity. E.J. Brill, 1988.

Ford, S. Personal Interview, 29 March 2019.

Hebrews 1:1-3; 10:1-18 – The Book of Hebrews

Hunt, Lynn. The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012.

Kelly, Christopher. The Roman Empire: a Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2006.

Lualdi, Katharine J. Sources of the Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. Bedford/St. Martins, 2009.

Romans 3:21-31 – Paul the Apostle

Theodosian Code, 15.12.1, 16.5.1, 16.10.4, 16.7.1

Theodosian Code, 16.5.5

Winks, Robin W., and Susan P. Mattern-Parkes. The Ancient Mediterranean World: from the Stone Age to A.D. 600. Oxford University Press, 2004.