Christianity: Its origins and growth

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!  

---

[1] Edward Gibbon, “The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire,” Abridged version, 2003