Christianity was once an obscure religion of the Roman Empire but thanks to the ambitious efforts of its mythic founders, it soon mushroomed into a major world faith. This is a story of how Christianity spread through the heart of the Roman Empire and beyond.
At the center of this story is the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who was born around the year 4 BCE. His followers and apostles, among them St. Paul, preached the new faith throughout the established Roman provinces. In doing so, they encountered great opposition-some even paid with their lives-but where ever faith went, it gathered more followers. Christianity created a powerful bond between people from different provinces and civilizations.
Christianity’s popularity brought about substantial cultural and political changes. The new faith gained recognition from Roman officials and acquired rights that protected the growing Christian communities. This, combined with a changed attitude of the Roman administration, allowed Christianity to quickly spread throughout the empire. Over the next hundred years or so, hundreds of Christian communities emerged.
The “message” of Christianity also tapped into the pessimistic and nihilistic world-view of the ancient world, while offering hope and salvation. While Roman cults focused on offering to the gods and assimilating their power, Christianity offered a personal relationship with its divine creator. This narrative provided a moral framework that emphasized how individual people could live their lives and how they should treat each other. It inspired the local population to strive for higher moral values, culture, and understanding of the world around them.
Christianity also provided a new emphasis on charity and philanthropy, which was seen as a sign of a true Christian. In some ways, the Christian ethos was a radical departure from the more materialistic worldview of the Roman Empire. This message resonated profoundly with its audience, especially when Christian philanthropy was combined with prophetic utterances of its leaders.
The Christian religion spread across the Roman Empire from North Africa to Greece and from Italy to Turkey. Gradually more and more people adopted the new faith as their own. Through the work of missionaries, churches flourished and spread Christianity to even the most distant parts of the Roman Empire. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity had become a major religious force in the Roman Empire.
The Role of Emperor Constantine
No other period of conversion has been more seminal or significant than the conversion of Emperor Constantine at the beginning of the fourth century. By embracing the faith himself, Emperor Constantine declared it “the religion of the emperor” and the official religion of the Roman Empire. His conversion to Christianity had far-reaching consequences for the Roman Empire.
Constantine ordered the construction of churches in major cities, appointed bishops to Church positions, and oversaw the composition of the Bible. He also sought to create a unified version of the faith, which led to the Council of Nicea in 325 CE. This gathering of Church leaders issued the Nicene Creed, the cornerstone of orthodox Christianity.
Additionally, Constantine’s patronage gave Christianity a distinct advantage over its rivals. Neoplatonic philosophies, Gnosticism and other early rivals found it impossible to compete with Christianity. Meanwhile, as its rivals faded, Christianity flourished as the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Although Christianity had come a very long way since its beginnings, the spread of the faith was still in its early phase. Emperor Constantine’s reign held enormous significance in the development of the Christian Church.
Conversion of Barbarian Kingdoms
During the fifth century, the Roman Empire began to decline and the barbarians who had threatened it for centuries finally gained a foothold in Europe. The entry of the Germanic tribes into the former Roman provinces brought about a decline in classical learning and a decline in literature, arts and architecture.
In spite of the decline of Rome, Christianity was embraced by the “barbarians” who had formerly been enemies of the Roman Empire. The Goths, Franks and Visigoths adopted Christianity, and the religion spread rapidly in their new territories. This conversion of the “barbarian” tribes had a profound effect on their cultures and the culture of Europe in general.
The appeal of Christianity was particularly great for these tribes because it offered an ideological alternative to the paganism that had been the focus of their reverence. Christianity gave them a moral code to live by and a spiritual outlook that was missing from their pagan beliefs. At the same time, it also provided them with a sense of identity and a common culture that distinguished them from their former enemies.
In this sense, the introduction of Christianity served to create a sense of unity among the Germanic tribes, who had formerly been divided by a host of disparate cultures and beliefs. This unity was a powerful weapon against the Roman Empire and became essential to its eventual downfall.
By the sixth and seventh centuries, Christianity had taken firm root among the Germanic tribes. Not only had the faith of these tribes been changed to Christianity, but their culture, laws and customs had been altered, shaping the development of Europe in the Middle Ages.
missionaries and Monks
At the same time, the Church was much more organized than before. Monasteries served as spiritual retreats and centers of religious learning. The Church recruited missionaries to spread the faith in outlying areas and played a significant role in the conversion of large segments of Europe.
These missionaries were highly effective in their efforts. They travelled to the furthest corners of Europe, some as far as Ireland and Scotland, to preach to the heathen. The Church’s missionaries were greatly aided by the conversion of kings and rulers, who in turn could serve as effective ambassadors for the faith.
Many of these missionaries were also successful scholars and educators. By teaching the scriptures and evangelizing, they spread the faith even further. Through these efforts, monks, priests and bishops trained lay people as well as rulers in the Christian faith and its principles.
In this way, Christianity was able to take firm root among the various European peoples and helped to shape their attitudes towards both the Church and the government. At the same time, missionaries were often able to win the loyalty of rulers, helping to ensure the permanence of the faith in a given country.
The Spirit of Renewal
A sense of renewal and spiritual enlightenment pervaded much of Europe in the seventh and eighth centuries. After the collapse of Roman rule, Christianity served as a cornerstone of the new European societies that emerged.
The spread of the faith was nothing short of astonishing. It changed the political landscape of Europe and provided the foundation for the spread of education, cultural enrichment and economic growth. As a result, many formerly pagan societies were transformed into Christian communities.
At the same time, the Church played an important role in the spread of new political, educational and cultural institutions. In some cases, the Church even shaped the emergence of new nations and state structures. The conversion of kings and rulers had immense consequences for the political structures of the period and for the development of Europe as a whole.
The spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire changed the face of Europe and the world. Nearly two thousand years later, the legacy of this great faith continues to influence societies and cultures around the world.
Theology and Bible translation
Christianity in the Roman Empire brought forth a new emphasis on theology. This resulted in the development of early Christological, trinitarian, and soteriological doctrines, as well as the establishment of the canon of Scripture.
In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine commissioned the Bishop of Rome to create a single version of the Bible for the Roman Empire. Though this version of the Bible was not accepted everywhere, it became the basis for translations from the original Greek and Syriac versions. In the fifth century, a Latin version of the Bible—known as the Vulgate—was created, and from then on became the official version of the Bible in the Western world.
At the same time, Christians began to engage in theological debates about Jesus and the laws that governed his Church. This increased knowledge and understanding of the faith, resulting in a better appreciation for the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
Theological debates also served to help define the relationship between the Church and state, as well as the acceptance of papal authority. These debates were instrumental in determining the parameters of Church doctrine and the role of the clergy within the Christian Church.
Effects on Society
The transformation of the ancient world through Christianity had both positive and negative consequences. On the negative side, Christian dogma replaced much of the learning of the ancient world and contributed to the decline of intellectualism and science.
At the same time, the spread of the faith provided new opportunities for those who adopted it. Through Christian charity and philanthropy, poorer members of society were offered a new sense of hope and social justice. The Church also played an important role in educating the masses, allowing them to rise up and challenge arbitrary rule.
In addition, the rise of Christianity contributed to a greater sense of cultural unity across Europe. This was especially evident in the seventh and eighth centuries, when the increasing sense of unity among countries helped shape the cultural norms of what we know today as the European Union.
Ultimately, the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire resulted in an abiding faith that is still an influential force in the world today. Many aspects of daily life, including the Church’s teaching, spirituality and tradition continue to influence the values, beliefs and practices of both individuals and society.
