It is an amazing story that
Christianity that started as a sect in the remote corner of Palestine, should
grow into a gigantic religious organization covering every part of the earth.
How was it made possible? It is an interesting story. I would try and touch
some very interesting points along its historical development.
Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and
buried in and around 33 AD under the regime of the Governor Pontius Pilate over
the Roman province of Judea and Herod the king of Judea, under the Roman
Emperor Tiberius, who ruled from AD 26 to 36. That they were real historical
persons have been affirmed from other writings of this period and also through
archaeological surveys. The 11 disciples of Jesus were witnesses to his
resurrection and in proclaiming his message died as martyrs in many countries,
in Jerusalem, Rome, Ethiopia, India, Armenia and Greece.
For three hundred years after the
death and rising of Jesus Christ, this religion, first thought as a sect of Judaism,
but known among its followers as ‘the Way,’ was persecuted first by Jews and
then by the Roman Emperors. Persecutions happened sporadically and in selected
pockets within the Empire, during the regime of Emperors like Nero, Domitian,
Valerian, Diocletian.
Persecution however failed to stop
the growth of the church. Many perished in these persecutions, bishops were
burnt, people were thrown to wild animals in the circuses and so on. The main
reason for persecution was these Christians refused to sacrifice and worship Greco-Roman
gods and goddesses and would not call Caesar as Lord. They recognized only
Jesus as their Lord.
It is amazing that this religion
which started among the poor and the powerless, the slaves and fishermen, grew
to cover the Roman Empire within a short span of 300 years.
True, Apostle Paul took Christ’s
teaching to the prominent cities of Roman Empire around the Mediterranean Sea,
like Corinth, Athens, Ephesus, Philippi, Galatia, Caesarea, Neopolis, Miletus,
Thessalonica, Berea and Antioch, in the region of Asia Minor, Macedonia, and
Greece, laying the foundations for New Testament churches among the Jews and
the Gentiles. Rome already had a church by Paul’s time.
But it caught like wild fire, with no
arms, no ammunitions, no emperor promoting it. It stood only on the teachings
of Jesus Christ, his selfless death to provide people a way to be reconciled to
God and the simple and genuine life of the first generations of the Christians.
The primitive church was formed within 40 days of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Among the other reasons for such a
rapid stride Gibbon[1]
puts forth five important ones. 1. The zeal of early Christians which made them
even welcome death but not defy their Lord Christ and how they refused to bow
before any earthly or the then worshipped gods. But Christianity was
universally offered to the slave, barbarian, the rich and the poor, men and
women, in short to all. It was not an exclusive religion like Judaism, nor a
polytheistic religion like that of the Romans’.
2. The hope of an afterlife which was
clearly enunciated. With the promise of eternal life after death and
immortality, the adherents had a motivation to live amidst tribulations of this
world which they saw as passing away. Jesus had promised not to leave them
orphans, but to send the Holy Spirit to indwell them, guide them and teach them
in his physical absence. That was a great comfort which they could testify and
experience in their earthly lives. Further hope was given in Jesus’ promise
that he will come back again and take them to be with him, so that they can be
together for eternity. That was something to hope for and eagerly await.
3. Miraculous powers attributed to
the primitive church. The miracles which Jesus performed during is earthly
life, were performed continually by the church, through the apostles, prophets
and ministers. These miraculous powers which healed the sick, raised the dead,
expelled the demons acted as conclusive proofs for the divine origin and
continuance of the church. It affirmed the supernatural force, the Holy Spirit,
behind the church.
4. The pure and austere morals of the
Christians, which the primitive Christians demonstrated in their lives by being
virtuous. They were definitely purer and with better morals than their contemporary
adherents of the other. Marriage bed was given sanctity and they abhorred
divorce. They were simple, told no lies, abided by their oaths, were conscientious
in their work, and carried on service to the others in the community, in spite
of their poverty of earthly means.
5. The union and discipline of the
Christian republic, the order among the churches, which gradually developed
along the side of the Roman Empire. They had Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, the
clergy and the laity. Discipline was upheld and submission and respect were
given to the elders in the church and to those placed as their overseers.
Difficult questions were resolved by Councils and Assemblies. Money was spent
on looking after widows, orphans, the infirm, the sick and the aged. Pilgrims
and strangers were welcomed in their centres. They were benevolent.
These factors attracted people to
Christianity and it spread ever so quickly like yeast fermenting the whole
dough, and until one day suddenly the Roman Emperors saw the advantage of
keeping these once abhorrent Christians on their side. An approximate
calculation puts that 20% of the population of the Empire was Christian before
the conversion of Constantine.
The Roman Emperor Constantine, the
most powerful man on earth, converted to Christianity. That was a wonder of
wonders. However his conversion did not take place in one day; it was gradual.
He did not take the rite of baptism until he was on his death bed in 337 AD. Till
the very last, he had his one leg in Christianity and the other in the older Greco-Roman
religion. In 321 AD he published the edict permitting the solemn observance of
Sunday. In 313 AD he issued the Edict of Milan, whereby Christians were
permitted to worship their God in peace. Peace was restored to the church.
But the problems of the church were not
over. Those who came after Constantine tired to root our Christianity and re-establish
the Greco-Roman religion of the people.
Did it succeed or did it fail? The vicissitudes
of these times is another story to tell.
You may have to wait for the next blog
for details of that story!
