Early Christianity Religion

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Christianity is a religion which occupied massive amount of countries and became one of the most believed religion of the world. Nonetheless, what were the roots of this religion and how did it grow so much? The early Christianity started in Rome with the followers of Jesus and himself. At first, it might have been small group following Jesus Christ’s words; however, after his miraculous return from death, the belief and conversions to Christianity grew. It spread throughout the Hellenized Roman empire, also to South Asia and East Africa. Roman empire is known for its tolerance to other religions; however, Christians were persecuted mercilessly. Due to blame of the Emperor Nero’s blame they were persecuted by authorities. Nevertheless, was …show more content…
Numerous of them were burned down together with a set of fire, forced to fight with beasts in the arena where they became a public spectacle and made into human torches. These persecutions on the other hand, did not stop spread of Christianity but, increased it. Due to saint cults, who were spreading Christianity all over after these persecutions. Rationally thinking the act of brutal persecution was not very strategic one. When Christians’ belief is after death is better life and when their leader or the man they look up to died for the religion, it was more likely that the persecutions would not affect Christians much. They were ready to die for their religion and poor people (slaves and lower classes) would find this religion appealing and get encouraged by braveness of the ones dying for their belief. In a writing by North African bishop aspects of undying braveness and belief in religion could be seen. (Apology, 197 A.D.) “Nothing is accomplished by your cruelties, however exquisite. It is rather a temptation that draws men to us. The more we are cut down by you, the more we grow in number; the blood of Christians is seed.” This supports that there was not any major affect of persecution on reducing number of …show more content…
For example, the persecution itself started with Emperor Nero blaming Christians for the fire that was rumored of his doing. Letter between Pliny and Nero also proves the idea of them not having interest in religion or what is Christians fault. “I have never attended investigations of Christians. Thus I do not know the nature of their crimes, the extent of the punishments usually imposed upon them, or how far an examination concerning them should be pressed…In the meantime this is the course that I have taken with those who were brought before me on the charge of being Christians. I asked them if they were Christians, and if they confessed, I repeated the question a second and third time with threats of punishment. If they persisted, I ordered them to be led away for execution; for I was convinced that whatever admission they made their stubbornness and unbending obstinacy ought to be punished.” As Pliny wrote in his letter, the Christians are persecuted just because they are Christians. Emperor Nero’s answer leads us to idea that Roman degree of toleration of other religious. He does not care what they do as Christians, as long as they approve of Roman gods and worship them, Christians can secretly worship their own religion. Nonetheless, from this we can also conclude that Romans did not like Christians being stubborn and not
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