The secret of how Christianity spread across the world

by Terry 108 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  I agree with PSacramwnto. There's many references in the NT of women who were key supporters of the early christian movement. Some were like patrons and some were loved very much for the charitable things they did like Dorcas in Acts. (Acts may be fiction but Dorcas is very likely a composite of early christian women and what they did for others.)

  Stark's argument about the birth rate differential between christian and non christian populations works equally well if applied to the present situation of muslim immigrants in europe. Some europeans nowadays are a bit concerned over that. What shouldn't be discounted though is how the group acts to its own members and to others. Again early christians were noted for their help of the underprivileged and sick. That they were growing in numbers wasn't all that worrisome.
• 

  Curtains

  hey psac and midgetsasquatch - I'm not denying that women played a part in the growth of chrisitianity but there are so many other factors that when taken together the part women played is quite small and not like how terry suggests in his polemic against men and women.

  How christianity spread is very complicated - but some of the main reasons are that

  they actively preached

  they offered new understandings regarding sacrifice, text and morality focused chiefly on Jesus.

  heavenly destiny was emphasized

  from the 3rd century every chrisitan assembly demanded the presence of a bishop indicating that a heiarchy had been established by then

  christians developed a new moral theory and much of this was based on stoic traditions. Shepherd, 2nd cent CE, Sentences of sextus and the pedagogue of Alexandria - c150-2150

  A personal theory though is that slaves had multiplied astronomically in the Roman empire (indeed Roman politicians became quite fearful of how fast slaves bred and how much the rich were encouraging them to breed). When rome began freeing its slaves I wonder if many turned to budding christianity. Many slaves were educacted in Greek and Roman philosophy, some had been teachers within elite households. I wonder what impact they had on the growth of christianity. Stoicism had begun to emphasize inner character and humanitariansim as being all important and not status and wealth (resonating with early christian thought). Other Hellenic philosophies interacted with jewish traditions too plus Roman religion had a part to play as well - a resonant bright fresh new worldview emerged. Mind you if I ever have to write a thesis I would choose this as my subject - the impact of slaves and freedmen on the growth of christianity.
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  PSacramento

  Christianity spread because it WORKED for its believers and it was NOT a threat to the existing empire.
• 

  slimboyfat

  You know the reason sociologist Rodney Stark gives for the spread of Christianity? Love. Check it out.

  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Christianity-Rodney-Stark/dp/0060677015/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300800866&sr=8-1

  In particular he argues that Christians looked after the sick during the plague and that this was crucial to their expansion.

  I don't buy this argument by the way but it is an entertaining read.
• 

  Terry

  I'm not denying that women played a part in the growth of chrisitianity but there are so many other factors that when taken together the part women played is quite smal l and not like how terry suggests in his polemic against men and women.

  Okay, I challenge you to QUANTIFY your claim.

  What is your methodology?

  I think you nay sayers simply take the position: "Please, no! Any reason but women!"

  Stop and check out the CONTEXT of my Topic: the SECRET of how Christianity spread...

  All we have ever heard promoted is the male side of things with very little time and interest expended on the role of christian women.

  Women have been DOWNPLAYED on purpose. The actual facts about women have been supressed as a matter of sexist and even misogynist policy by male dominated christianity. Consequently, the role of women has remained a well-managed SECRET.

  I'm trying to direct discussion toward a REDISCOVERY of this secret.
• 

  Curtains

  psac

  Christianity spread because it WORKED for its believers and it was NOT a threat to the existing empire.

  my own reading tells me that there were negotiations on both sides amidst much turbulence. Indeed christianity was not for the fainthearted and it doesn't appear to be so on this board either

  terry pls see my post above -451
• 

  PSacramento

  my own reading tells me that there were negotiations on both sides amidst much turbulence. Indeed christianity was not for the fainthearted and it doesn't appear to be so on this board either

  It was hardly for the feinthearted, true, it takes some serious cojones to do what the MANY christians did, to face the persecution that they did at times.

  But christianity as a whole was never a threat to any government as it expanded, sure it got blamed for a lot of crap, but that is just the way things worked in those days.

  That the ruling powers saw the potential to use Christianity to control their people is anoher matter.

  Christianity spread via missionaries, and while the role of women can't be downgraded, lets also not make MORE if that than it needs to be made.

  Where women a factor?

  Yes.

  So where various political regimes and even wars.

  Missionarries were the main factor and most of them were men, not women.
• 

  Terry

  Missionarries were the main factor and most of them were men, not women.

  Missionary work is notoriously ineffective. Look at Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses as the most glaring example!

  You can spend years knocking on doors and get little or nothing by way of converts.

  It is the domestic influences which are most effective and that means WOMEN!
• 

  PSacramento

  Missionary work is notoriously ineffective. Look at Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses as the most glaring example!

  Considering that they don't actually do any missionary work, but only preaching work, I am not sure if those are good examples.

  Missionary work was NOT just preaching, though it was the main focus of course, it was helping people, building hospitals or hostels, caring for the outcasts, sure later on it go intertwined with the expansionist policies of the portuguese and spanish ( via commerce in regards to the Portuguese and via conquests in regards to the spanish), but that is NOT how it started.

  They would build schools and homes and take care of people and while those things were exploited at times, one can't deny th true help those missionaries did and the effect they had.

  Think peace corps with bibles.

  Arguably in the New world the expansion was done via conquests more than anyhting else and that is a truly horrific thing.

  No one is arguing the role of women, just pointing out that it is NOT that much of a secret and that it was only ONE of many factors.
• 

  Terry

  Trivia question: How many people did Jesus baptise?