because of those of India getting in the way, i am Macedonian by the way born in Europe, […] https://nwspiritism.com/spiritist-knowledge/why-did-the-romans-hate-the-christians/ […], […] Why did the Romans Hate the Christians? - How is our life planned And what forgiveness do you exemplify, when your heroism is nothing but shame and humiliation?” [6]. In fact, the Romans attempted to absorb many religions and cults into the Empire and actually allow the building of temples and other edifices in the greatest city in the world at that time, Rome.  ©. The conversion was the result of either a vision or a dream in which Christ directed him to fight under Christian standards, and his victory apparently assured Constantine in his faith in a new god. [9] The papacy, the Bishop of Rome, claimed temporal power using Constantine’s ascension to Emperor. But the Christians, along with the Druids, were different, for both they engaged in a centuries long struggle of extermination. It challenged the traditional social order of the empire. A new religion preaching the types of things christianity carries on about - love, tolerance, charity, restraint, that sort of thing, was instantly appealing to people tired of the current state of things. [8] Wikipedia, “Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire”, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire, (accessed July 25, 2014) Hence, during the first budding of Christianity, they too knew that reincarnation was the doctrine of Christ. Although in the first few centuries AD Christians were prosecuted and punished, often with death, there were also periods when they were more secure. And no their version was not some Nazi version as shown in the MGM bible movies. Indeed, when pagans blamed Christian impiety (meaning negligence of the old gods) for the barbarian sack of Rome in 410 AD, one of the foremost Christian intellectuals of the time, Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, regarded the charge as serious enough to warrant lengthy reply in his mammoth book 'The City of God'. Other important links: 47-48 How did it happen? And any other spiritual topic you wish to post or start a discussion. Realistically, the empire was finished a long time before the last emperor, Romulus Augustus, was deposed in 476 AD. It’s hard to track the exact century, let alone a specific date … Thus under Trajan, it was agreed that although admitting to Christian faith was an offence, ex-Christians should not be prosecuted. It was supported by the early Roman emperors. Although saints Peter and Paul are said to have established the church in Rome, most of the early Christian communities were in the east: Alexandria in … What service can you offer society by preaching rebellion to slaves with misleading promises of a heavenly kingdom? Spiritism and the Spirit World Around Us This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.. by Neil Godfrey . Last updated 2011-02-17. You may use these HTML tags and attributes: This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Over the next hundred years or so, Christians were sporadically persecuted. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hopefully, this answers the question from the title of this article. In Christianity: The church and the Roman Empire. Wikipedia. Their martyred comrades, who left behind families they were meant to protect and educate, departed like soldiers of Jesus.”[2]. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. Only in 313 AD, with the Edict of Milan issued by Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius, was Christianity legalized. Christian writers played up the idea that this was to be a 'new Rome', a fitting Christian capital for a newly Christian empire. Brian Foster has a blog at http://www.nwspiritism.com. Why did Christianity threaten the Roman Empire and how did Christianity later emerge, and spread, to become the official religion of the Roman Empire? General persecutions tended to be sparked by particular events such as the fire at Rome under Nero, or during periods of particular crisis, such as the third century. The most straightforward theory for Western Rome’s collapse pins the fall on a string of military losses sustained against outside forces. Listen to us on Spotify NWSpiritism’s YouTube Channel They also realized that with reincarnation, there must be a spirit world for those not in a physical body, to exists while awaiting their next life. He refused. As the Roman Empire got bigger and new lands and people were taken into it, the conquered people added their Gods or religion to the Roman Pantheon (the name for the multitude of Roman gods). http://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/texts/pliny.html […]. Bacchic revels encouraged ecstatic drunkenness and violence, and the cult of Magna Mater involved outlandish dancing and music, and was served by self-castrating priests. The force of the ideals of Christianity was a real threat to the Empire. Some returned under an edict of King Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC that allowed them to rebuild Jerusalem, but Israel would remain under the rule of Persia, then Greece, then the Seleucids, with a brief period of relative freedom under the Maccabees … The whole persecution myth is largely Christian propaganda. Get Kardec Radio – for your iPhone or Android device, The group has been created to discuss Spiritism to those who seek understanding and knowledge about the Spirit World. Progress was bitty, hesitant, geographically patchy. Your email address will not be published. This was completely unacceptable to the Romans. Christianity was able to spread so efficiently through the entirety of the Roman Empire for at least three main reasons. This elevation of … Land of Maps Historians have marvelled at this idea. NWSpiritism’s BitTube Channel Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. According to the book, the early Christians knew about our immortal souls and how we travel through many lives in order to improve ourselves. I have seen companions who preceded us receiving those who were put to death… Consequently, I know that you and I will continue to be together. He ruled so badly that Augustus deposed him in A.D. 4 (see Matt. Hail Christ! In the space of a few hundred years, a small, often brutally persecuted cult rose to become the dominant religion of the West. The Roman Empire heavily persecuted the new religious movement budding from Jerusalem known as Christianity. In Roman society, religion and politics were entangled, and Christians were caught in the middle of the fray. Answer: The Roman Empire was the human political entity that God used to prepare the world for the birth of the Messiah and for the spread of the gospel. Many of the leaders were declared ‘Christos’ by their followers which simply means Messiah which means a prophetic war leader that would lead the Jews to victory against non-Jews. The success of Christianity was by no means inevitable. 2:22), and Judea was directed thereafter by Roman officers, which explains why Jesus’ sentence was given in Jerusalem by the Roman Pilate, who governed from A.D. 26 to 36. They believe the fall of Rome simply came because the barbarians took advantage of difficulties already existing in Rome - problems that included a decaying ci… Download Le Probleme est la Solution (in French) in PDF for free But as the Christian religion began to gain popularity and influence both in society and government, the Roman Empire allowed the religion to be practiced freely. His understanding of Christianity was, at the stage of his conversion, unsophisticated. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel:(LiveStreams Sundays and Tuesdays around 5 pm est) [1] Wikipedia, “Religion in Ancient Rome”, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome, (accessed July 25, 2014) At the end of the Old Testament, Israel had returned from exile, Jerusalem had been rebuilt, and the temple had been reconstructed and was functioning again. Christianity in the Roman Empire. Starting wars over religions was not in their best interest. How could an emperor subscribe to a faith which involved the worship of Jesus Christ - an executed Jewish criminal? Christianity spread quickly through the provinces of the Roman Empire, shown here at its height in the early 2nd Century. By the height of the Empire, numerous international deities were cultivated at Rome and had been carried to even the most remote provinces, among them Cybele, Isis, Epona, and gods of solar monism such as Mithras and Sol Invictus, found as far north as Roman Britain. The Romans saw Christianity as a threat, because their beliefs were so different than most religions. • Early Christians: Jesus brought a message of hope to the masses of poor people in the Roman Empire. The Growth of Early Christianity Christianity was spread through the Roman Empire by the early followers of Jesus. First, there were the characteristics of the empire itself. Did not the Lord himself — whom we aspire to serve — say ‘There are many dwellings in my Father’s house?’ Toil is the ladder of light to other spheres, where we will meet again like birds, which, after losing each other in winter’s gusts, regroup again in the blessed spring sunshine.”[3]. “Most authorities agree that by 300 A.D., between seven and ten percent of the population of the Roman Empire were Christian.” (Freeman, 215) … And then that gets even more momentum when we … It is not easy to pinpoint what exactly caused a decline of an entire empire, especially one so large as the Roman Empire. My interest in this subject was ignited by the book, Hail Christ!, psychographed by Francisco C. Xavier, and dictated by the spirit Emmanuel. Click to read more facts. Emperors had historically been hostile or indifferent to Christianity. Works Cited And how? A place to discuss, - What does Reincarnation mean to us Yet life was not easy for early Christians. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome However, Christianity obviously played a role. And who? So what did cause the Romans to react so violently against what we, in the modern age, would see as a small group of pacifists, who would gladly render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Wikipedia – Religion in Ancient Rome. We create suffering by defying the universal laws, and we endure it so we can return to harmonious communion with them. Thus, the material world and all of its trappings, power, glory and riches become less relevant. Hopefully, this answers the question from the title of this article. Furthermore, the Christian refusal to offer sacrifices to the emperor, a semi-divine monarch, had the whiff of both sacrilege and treason about it. Early Christians expected suffering. - How to become a pure spirit Chief among these were the spiritual and religious climate of the time, the zeal of the early Christian proselytes and the eventual sponsorship by the court of the Roman Emperor. Read more. A document written in the late 2nd century A.D. called The Octavius of Minicius Felix describes a debate between a Christian and a pagan at the Roman port of Ostia. If you wish to learn about Spiritism, and how we are all immortal souls who reincarnate through many lives, read Spiritism 101 – The Third Revelation. Only in 313 AD, with the Edict of Milan issued by Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius, was Christianity legalized.[8]. 111 Roman officials, as protectors of the state, tended toward religious conservatism, and emperors would label themselves as conservatores patriae (“preservers of the fatherland”) or reparatores (“restorers”). Wikipedia. [5] As an extension to this belief is the realization that we are all equal. In the mid-second-century account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, officials begged Polycarp to say ‘Caesar is Lord’, and to offer incense, to save his life. The positions of the elite and the rulers lose their aura. Christianity did increase in numbers gradually over the next two centuries, and among Constantine’s successors only one, the emperor Julian in the 360s AD, mounted concerted action to re-instate paganism as the dominant religion in the empire. This was an insult to the gods and potentially endangered the empire which they deigned to … Emmanuel writes about the early Christians; “Everywhere, the evangelical organization prayed to serve and give instead of praying to be served and to take. Christianity influenced the Roman Empire in different ways as well as the Roman Empire influenced Christianity. [2] XAVIER, Francisco C. Hail Christ!, EDICEI, p. 73 In Roman society, religion and politics were entangled, and Christians were caught in the middle of the fray. First, there were the characteristics of the empire itself. Later, in the arena, he was asked by the governor to swear an oath by the ‘luck of Caesar’. The story of Christianity’s rise to prominence is a remarkable one, but the traditional story of its progression from a tiny, persecuted religion to the established religion in the medieval West needs some debunking. Christians were first - and horribly - persecuted by the emperor Nero . The beast is led to confinement to be tamed. Constantine’s ‘conversion’ poses problems for the historian. Perhaps to divert attention from the rumours, Nero ordered that Christians should be rounded up and killed. The conversion was the result of either a vision or a dream in which Christ directed him to fight under Christian standards. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire Many of the Jews were taken into exile in Babylon. 311 CE The Edict of Toleration is issued, ending the persecution of Christians in Roman Empire 312 CE Emperor Constantine converts, becoming the first Christian emperor 313 CE Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which decriminalized Christianity and provided tolerance for all religions.It also declared that all church property that had been seized be returned. The cults of Bacchus and of Magna Mater had also been suppressed - by the Roman senate during the Republic, mainly because their behaviour was louche and ‘un-Roman’. [6] XAVIER, Francisco C. Hail Christ!, EDICEI, p. 157 (2014, July 25). The progress of Christianity was bitty, hesitant, geographically patchy. Therefore, it's helpful to gain a better understanding of the Christians and churches who lived and ministered in Rome during the first century A.D. Contemporary pagan and Christian sources preserve other accusations levelled against the Christians. This was an insult to the gods and potentially endangered the empire which they deigned to protect. The last emperor of the Western Roman Empire was Romulus Augustus. The opposition of the Jews to them led to breaches of the peace. Inscriptions throughout the Empire record the side-by-side worship of local and Roman deities, including dedications made by Romans to local gods. Change ). Brian Foster has a BSCS degree and a MBA. It welcomed anyone who was willing to believe. Afire with faith in the immortality of the souls, they did not fear death. In Lyon, many of our brothers and sisters communicate with the dead, who are simply those living in eternity. Constantine's decision to cease the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire was a turning point for early Christianity, sometimes referred to as the Triumph of the Church, the Peace of the Church or the Constantinian shift.In 313, Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan decriminalizing Christian worship. While recognizing various powers in the universe, Jews nevertheless differed from their neighbors by only offering worship (sacrifices) to their one god, Yahweh. So if Nero blamed followers of the Christos for the fire it wasn’t necessarily the Christos who preached loving your enemies and turning the other cheek. Some were torn apart by dogs, others burnt alive as human torches. He supposedly blamed them unjustly for the 64 AD Fire of Rome. In this piece, I will briefly look at just five possible reasons. Read more. Decline of paganism within the Empire. (2014, July 25). It is not easy to pinpoint what exactly caused a decline of an entire empire, especially one so large as the Roman Empire. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire occurred throughout most of the Roman Empire's history, beginning in the 1st century AD. Jewish Diaspora – During the Second Temple period, Jews were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean world. However, the Jews refused to worship the Roman Gods (the Romans believed in many gods, where the Jews were strictly monotheistic).Although the Romans obviously had problems with the Jews, they let the Jews legally worship their God to repay the Jews for helping Julius Caesar win a recent battle. But we are not told by apologists what was happening OUTSIDE of Rome during that time. All in all, Christianity arose as a religion of the oppressed masses that have lost confidence in the possibility of a better life on earth and sought salvation in the arrival of the messiah. ( Log Out /  Free Spiritism books Trials are a salutary remedy. The fear of a slave rebellion was a constant factor in Rome, after the year’s long marches up and down the Italian peninsula by Spartacus, the threat of having your throat slit by those who live in your house involuntarily became all too real. Jesus-born around 4 BC-found in the temple or Jerusalem talking to Rabbis-started teaching and preaching at age 30-was crucified. [5] Druidry.org, “Druid Beliefs”, n.d., http://www.druidry.org/druid-way/druid-beliefs, (accessed July 25, 2014) Christians can explain the rapid spread of Christianity with theological reasons. Some hundred years after Constantine’s ‘conversion’, Christianity seemed to be entrenched as the established religion, sponsored by emperors and protected in law. That all of us must suffer during our time here on earth in order to learn valuable lessons. A miracle-working Jewish prophet and teacher would not have posed much … Could they have believed in something so onerous as to horrify the Romans? This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. How could they have posed a threat to the might of Imperial Rome? (2014, July 25). Hence, over time, the Church became an extension of the Empire and not a potential adversary. Difficulties are steps upward on the great ascent. Wikipedia – Constantine the Great. So, here goes ... and so it goes. However, Christianity obviously played a role. Rumours abounded that Nero himself was responsible. Well, the Roman empire was in the first few centuries AD expansionist and in its conquests accommodated new cults and philosophies from different cultures, such as the Persian cult of Mithraism, the Egyptian cult of Isis and Neoplatonism, a Greek philosophical religion. Too many Roman elites, along with slaves and freedmen, became members of a religion that not only rejected the basic tenants of Roman society, love of power, importance of ancestors in social standing, glory of combat, but additionally considerably raised the possibility of a massive slave revolt. Factors Which Led to the Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire Christianity was not born in a vacumn. This is why for three hundred years, the entire might of the Roman government sporadically made repeated attempts to crush the early Christians. By the fourth century Christianity becomes the state religion and by the end of the fourth century it is illegal to do any form of public worship other than Christianity in the entire Roman Empire. What kind of fraternity could an unknown Galilean teach you, one who died nearly two hundred years ago? By Dr Sophie Lunn-Rockliffe Constantine the Great wasn’t satisfied to just allow the doctrine of Christianity to flow freely, he called the First Council of Nicaea in 325, at which the Nicene Creed was professed by Christians. Think of an ancient version of ISIS terrorists. The emperor of the Roman, the emperor of the Roman Empire has converted to Christianity, and it's a legalized religion. The attitude of the first generations of Christians toward the existing political order was determined by the imminent expectation of the kingdom of God, whose miraculous power had begun to be visibly realized in the figure of Jesus Christ. ( Log Out /  [3] XAVIER, Francisco C. Hail Christ!, EDICEI, pp. Subscribe to our BitChute Channel: However, I've read a little bit about the beginning of Christianity, and I know a bit about the early Empire. After suffering several national defeats by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and the Babylonians in 587 BCE, their prophets claimed that God … Although he immediately declared that Christians and pagans should be allowed to worship freely, and restored property confiscated during persecutions and other lost privileges to the Christians, these measures did not mark a complete shift to a Christian style of rule. His disciples set about spreading the word of this new religion with remarkable success in the crowded cities of the Empire. Romans were polytheists believed in many Gods, they had the God of sun, moon, rain, etc… But it was after the third century when Christianity started to form part and get a place in the Roman Empire. The Growth of Early Christianity Christianity was spread through the Roman Empire by the early followers of Jesus. The Christians during that era concentrated on helping others, educating themselves to become better souls, with an emphasis on giving instead of taking from the populace, all laudable traits. The force of the ideals of Christianity was a real threat to the Empire. Syncretism was the rule of the early Roman empire s day. Therefore, the Church began its phase of slowly corrupting the doctrine of serving and started to take on the mantle of expecting to be served by the people, with a cohort of officials with ready hands to deal with the cash. It was the support of the emperor Constantine that transformed Christianity into a driving force in the Roman Empire. Christian beliefs made heavy inroads into Teutonic barbarians. Thus, the Christians could very well be unpopular, and they often were. Therefore, early Christianity, similar to the Druid belief that we are here temporarily, and in between physical lives, our souls live in what the Druids calls the “Otherworld”. The Roman emporers did not see Christianity as a threat to their religion but to their power. Rome had tangled with Germanic tribes for centuries, but by the 300s “barbarian” groups like the Goths had encroached beyond the Empire’s borders. [9] Wikipedia, “Constantine the Great”, n.d., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_the_Great, (accessed July 25, 2014). Choose four correct answers. NWSpiritism’s BitChute Channel However, what was certainly established by the early fourth century was the phenomenon of an emperor adopting and favouring a particular cult. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. These early Christians sound like ideal neighbors and citizens. Towards the end of the Roman imperialism pagan beliefs were almost in a dying condition. Sophie Lunn-Rockliffe is a Lecturer in Roman History at King's College, London. Download Spiritism 101 – the 3rd Revelation in PDF for free The force of the ideals of Christianity was a real threat to the Empire. During the third century the turn-over of emperors was rapid - many died violent deaths. Christianity was able to spread so efficiently through the entirety of the Roman Empire for at least three main reasons. He refused, and although he was apparently eager to meet his death, beast-fighting had been declared closed for the day and so he was burnt alive instead. The practice of Christianity could result in execution or other severe punishments. [8] A colossal fire broke out at Rome, and destroyed much of the city. Christians were first, and horribly, targeted for persecution as a group by the emperor Nero in 64 AD. Since the beginning of the Roman Empire, religion has always been a big influence in this state. Remember that the Roman Emporers power came from saying they were gods themselves or chosen by the gods, therefore making them better than everybody else and giving them claim to the throne. German historian Alexander Demandt is an expert in the history of ancient Rome and came up with 210 different theories as to why the empire collapsed! The reasons why individual Christians were persecuted in this period were varied. Rome persecuted those who were disruptive of their version of law and order. Pagans were suspicious of the Christian refusal to sacrifice to the Roman gods. What you will discover will change your outlook on life – Heaven and Below – Book 1 of Spiritism – The Spirit World Revealed to an Anglican Vicar. Many of his actions seemed resolutely pagan. It was not until the mid-third century that emperors initiated intensive persecutions. But there was no ‘triumph’, no one moment where Christians had visibly ‘won’ some battle against pagans. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. This is why for three hundred years, the entire might of the Roman government sporadically made repeated attempts to crush the early Christians. One such new religion was Christianity. After all, they absorbed many religions, and were quite tolerant of almost every sect. What kindness do you exercise by leading women and children to the bloody spectacle of the circuses? In the ancient world of Christianity, the whole world was divided into two opposing empires - that of Rome and that of Persia. The economy was suffering and inflation was rampant. Druid Beliefs. ‘Toleration’ is a distinctly modern, secular idea. In the New Testament, numerous reports by authors such as Luke and Paul document early Christian persecution. To early Christians, idea of Christianity served as a mission but not an act of revolution towards the Roman Empire. No, for they tried hard to allow the Jews their religious place and the Druids were not monotheists. Explore the spirit realm in depth, read the first book of a series of three about the numerous revelations spirits told the Rev. Thus the classic test of a Christian’s faith was to force him or her, on pain of death, to swear by the emperor and offer incense to his images, or to sacrifice to the gods. ( Log Out /  They had just emerged from the so-called ‘Great Persecution’ under the emperor Diocletian at the end of the third century. Why did Christianity spread so quickly in the Roman Empire? Roman Empire was okay with people who believed in one god as long as they don't seemed threatening to the Roman Empire. He has worked in R&D for medical device corporations and in IT for large financial institutions. Secondly, the rise of Christianity to imperial-sponsored dominance in the fourth and fifth centuries, although surprising, was not without precedent, and its spread hardly as inexorable as contemporary Christians portrayed it. BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It was hardly surprising that a series of emperors ordered savage empire-wide persecutions of the Christians. Jesus Christ was executed by Roman authorities in Jerusalem, a city in a Roman province. “In terms of world-historical significance, few developments can rival the enduring impact of the triumph of Christianity within the Roman world” (Bryant, 1993, p. 303). The stone bears the pressure of the tool that polishes it so that it can shine supremely. Download Spiritisme 101 – La Troisieme Revelation (in French) in PDF for free Five reasons that helped Christianity to ultimately take over the next hundred years, the emperor of Christian... 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