The Rise of Christianity

Factors of the Growth of Christianity

            Rome, the central, new-aged empire housed many races and many different people.  One type of these people were the Jews and they were given a prophecy that one day a king would deliver them from the hands of the Romans.  Today, Christianity seemed to have three main reasons why it spread and keeps spreading so fast across the world.  First was Jesus, the teacher who sparked the beliefs of the religion; second was his apostles or followers who carried on his teachings, and lastly was the global message taught.  The global message was the main factor that brought Christianity around the world and made it the number one religion of the world today because how Jesus brought us as human beings closer to the one thing that would grant us salvation.

           

The first major factor that allowed Christianity to spread was the leader or starter of Christianity, Jesus Christ.  As human beings, we seek the answers to major questions such as why are we here, how do we live, and is there a being or God bigger than ourselves?  Jesus preached about many of these answers and about God, his father.  No matter where he went, people understood him because what he said connects with everyone, no matter age, race, or gender. He even preached about ending sin and granting eternal salvation, two major topics hovering above people’s heads at that time.  Such teachings challenge Roman views on the afterlife and some of their important Gods, getting people’s attention.  Although, through preaching against some of the Jewish culture and belief, by 26 AD, “the chief priests of the Jews denied that Jesus was the Messiah. They said his teachings were blasphemy, or contempt for [or of] God.” – Blue Patterns book pg. 169.  Jesus’ teachings set the spark because he died for what he believed.  He was crucified and believed that he rose again from the dead.  Conquering death is something that all humans find fascinating and that today is something that make people inquire and curious about such a man and the religion Christianity, that followed his death.

Apostles' Journeys

Journeys of Paul and Peter

            In Jesus’ life, he had twelve apostles or disciples that were inspired to follow his teachings, thus one of the factors that spread Christianity all over the world.  They spread out all over the Roman Empire to preach the word of their teacher.  The two most famous apostles were Peter and Paul.  They went out and preached, conducted miracles, baptised new followers, and set up churches based on Jesus’ teachings, thus forming a large body of believers like themselves.  These disciples were similar to the kind of schools that Plato and Aristotle left behind in Athens, passing on his knowledge and teachings to the next generations.  Through the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, Rome took its first step to making Christianity a global religion by officially recognising the groups of believers and grouping them together in a religion known as Christianity.  Emperor Constantine declared that the official religion of Rome would be from here on Christian, thus giving new Christians a place to escape from the oppression.  This attracted the attention from outer nations and groups, taking heed of the spread of the ‘Word’.  Even as Jesus did, some died for what they believed as martyrs because of Roman oppression.  With Christianity accepted now, they could speak freely and no longer hide their beliefs.  Kamikaze bombers and some terrorists were inspired by the term martyrs from Christianity and adopted it to themselves, as an example of global influence towards modern day.

            Today, Christianity has gotten all over the world because one of the major factors were the Pax Romana and how Jesus’ teachings reached the hearts and minds of the people. Originally, Rome was a vast Empire and stretched all over the world, even touching Asia.  During the Pax Romana, Peter traveled far and wide, spreading the word, bringing it to Asia, higher parts of Europe, and all the way down to Egypt.   Also during the Diaspora, the converted Christians and Jews set out all over the world, bringing their beliefs with them, much like missionaries today and began to convert people.  Throughout all of Jesus’ teachings, the main reason that people became Christians was because he preached that one should “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, let him hit the other one too; if someone takes your coat, let him have your shirt as well,”   (BIBLE) Luke 6:27–31.  Jesus is saying here that one should not ever hate but try to understand or pity those who hate you.  Let them hate because as a Christian or follower, one should love infinitely as he did and as our Father does.   Jesus’ teachings will always be relevant.  Even today, this passage relates to many other religions for they have all come to a similar thing.  In Buddhism, another major religion, Siddhartha taught people to love each other and value all life because we are connected.  In even Hinduism, the main principle is to love because no matter what religion or race, we are all bound by the same humanity or karma.  We all are below something and that is what makes major religions spread and stand the test of time.  They all have the similar thing in common and that is that they answer major questions and spark people’s interest.

That is how major religions such as Christianity grow because the word spreads through people’s hearts and minds, “so then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” – (BIBLE) Romans 10:17.  This quote means that hearing Jesus’ words without faith could be meaningless but once there is faith in the heart, then true belief follows.  In Christianity, there first came Jesus and his teachings.  Then was the apostles that spread his teachings to people but the last is the most important factor of why this religion grew.  It really was because of the message Jesus Christ preached.  He answered some of the universal questions and brought us closer to the one true god.  The people heard his words and with enough faith caused the rise of another great religion.