The Spread of Christianity Throughout Europe

1185 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Acculturation and assimilation

The single most important aspect of European empires, beginning just prior to the fall of Rome, is the spread of Christianity to all areas of the continent in as little as a few hundred years. Many theologians state that Christianities spread is the indirect influence of God and the adoration of people to one true faith. Though it is true that Christianity has brought about people that even atheists could call saints, it is unquestionable that Christianity was so monumental because it united larger groups of people and its spread is contributed to adherence to local customs and its lack of new ideas in comparison to other religions of the day.

As the greatest empire in the western world began to crumble one city at a time, the leader of the Roman Empire, Constantine, under pressure from external and internal sources moved the capital of Rome to Constantinople around 330 AD. The movement of the capital was after his conversion to Christianity in 312 AD, a growing religion throughout the empire despite being officially illegal. Constantine was not the devote saint that the church may speak of today, “from 312-320 Constantine was tolerant of paganism, keeping pagan gods on coins and retaining his pagan high priest title "Pontifex Maximus" in order to maintain popularity with his subjects, possibly indicating that he never understood the theology of Christianity” (Ferguson & Grupp, 1998). The first Christian Emperor claimed to have converted after a victorious battle with his brother and there are many that corroborate this story it appears highly suspicious to only promote Christian ideals and worship. Constantine was not even the Emperor that made Christianity the religion of the Roman people, but simply permitted religiou...

... middle of paper ...

...l and perceptive way for rulers to unite empires and spread their society to other regions. The religion of Christianity, in itself, holds a number of assimilations with local pagan rituals that allowed for a much smoother transition. People tended to take the religion of the successful or more advanced civilizations because of logical areas as promoting trade and unifying their own neighbors, turning enemies into allies or possibly vassals. A further dissection of Christianity reveals that the ideas and precepts of this organization have striking similarities to that of other religions of the time. Although it should be noted that there is obviously no definitive answer on religion and it is the choice of the individual to follow their beliefs to their hearts content, but a bit of abstract observation and scrutiny is hardly a crime, at least in modern society.

Show More
Related

  • Change and Continuities of Religion from 600 CE to 1450 CE in Europe

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    Between the years 600 CE and 1450 CE in Europe, there was only one thing that stayed constant, and it was the Roman Catholic Church. The church remained a major influence on the people of Europe and the majority of the region continued to believe every single thing that the church preached. The only thing that did not stay constant was who had the power over the church and how the church made sure that everyone was following their rules that they had created. The church had varying teaching over the course of many years. It was also used as a tool for the rulers of that time.

    Read More

  • Comparing Diocletian And Constantine's Policies

    255 Words  | 1 Pages

    However, this was different compared to Constantine who converted to Christianity and evangelized people to convert to Christianity as well. Constantine ruled as emperor from 306-337 A.D. and was the first Christian emperor of the time and credited

    Read More

  • The Rise And Fall Of Christianity And Afro-Eurasia

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    The rise of Christianity in Rome did not come easily. It came with much destruction and death. The spark of Christianity in Rome came from an appearance of Martyrs in Rome. Martyrs were people that were executed for going against the common beliefs of pagan (polytheistic) ways. (Tignor, 2011, p. 286) Because of these awful executions, Christianity is said to be based off of “the blood of martyrs.” One of their main ways of spreading Christianity was through the sharing of their writings and by 300 CE there was an exceptional amount of book production throughout Rome. (Tignor, 2011, p. 289) “Christianity operated as one among many minority religions in the Roman Empire, and on several occasions experienced widespread persecution, especially under the emperors Nero (r. 54–68), Decius (r. 249–251), and Diocletian (r. 284–305). However, the situation changed radically under the emperor Constantine (r. 306–337), who in 313 issued the Edict of Milan that made Christianity a legitimate religion in the empire.” (Melton, 2010, p. 634)

    Read More

  • Discuss The Role Of Polytheism In The Roman Empire

    290 Words  | 1 Pages

    By the fourth century C.E., the Roman Empire was declining. After so many years of perseverance the Roman Empire began to give into the changes that were happening all around them. One change in particular was the spread of Christianity. This new religion went against the traditions of the Romans, it was monotheistic and focused on the will of God. A religion that began small and under persecution became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

    Read More

  • European History - The Spread of Christianity

    443 Words  | 1 Pages

    The spread of Christianity overtime replaced the old warrior religion changing the way of life, and at the giving it new meaning. With the coming of Christianity a hope for poets also came about. As the conversion of Ireland to Christianity took place a new era known as Ireland's Golden Age began to take over. Christian munks worked hard preserving literature of the ancient world and works of popular culture. Due to the rapid growth of Christianity the Anglo-Saxon's were given a common faith, a common system of morality and right conduct, linking England with Europe.

    Read More

  • Medieval Christian Europe

    2215 Words  | 5 Pages

    With the decline of the Western Roman empire Western Europe was a disjointed land that had no true unifying structure till the rise of Christianity. In Roman antiquity people used the State or empire of Rome to define themselves and give them a sense of unity despite having a diverse group of people within the empire. When Western Rome fell this belief based on a Roman cultural identity disappeared and no longer were people able to identify themselves with any particular group as they once have. The Christian religion was able to fill this vacuum by having the people associate themselves to a religion instead of a given state or cultural group. During Medieval Europe Christianity became the unifying force that would define what it meant to be European. Christianity gave political leaders legitimacy by showing that they have been favored by the gods. The clergyman that recorded the histories surrounding the kings of the Medieval Europe also provided a link to the Roman Empire to give the Kings a link to Roman empire of antiquity. Christianity became the center of the cultural life in western Europe and created a new social elite in Europe which would dominate literacy and knowledge within Europe for centuries. Christianity provided Europe with an escape from the disorder of the Medieval ages and give them a spiritual outlet for their fears and desires for a better life, whether in the physical life or in the spiritual world after death.

    Read More

  • Religion and the Development of the Western World

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...aith and theology. Christianity was declared the official religion of the state and was used to bind a vastly diverse population together under a common faith. The people lost their say in public matters and their place in society and the justification for it was dictated to them by the unquestionable leaders of the church and the empire.

    Read More

  • Ancient World Religions and Philosophies

    980 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christianity developed with Jesus of Nazareth (6 BCE- 29 CE). He was born during the reign of Augustus Caesar. He practiced Christianity from 26 CE to 29 CE. He was the Son of God and the Redeemer of all Mankind. The Romans viewed him as someone “rocking the boat” with what was already a nation of the religiously obsessed. Eventually h...

    Read More

  • How Did Constantine The Great Conversion To Christianity?

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    Constantine I (February 27, 280 C.E.- May 22, 337 C.E.), also known as Constantine the Great, was the first Roman emperor to not only abolish persecution of Christians, but he was also the first to convert to Christianity in 312 A.D. Around 200 years later, in 496 A.D. Clovis I (466 C.E.- 511 C.E.), the King of the Franks, converted to Christianity, in which he was called a “new Constantine” . Constantine and Clovis’ reign through Christianity were alike in the way that they decided to convert. However, the two emperors were different in their commitment to God and their impacts on the church and state.

    Read More

  • Religion and the Roman Empire

    1032 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Roman Empire is credited with many things due partially to their ability to share, spread, and adapt culture. Rome was successful because it both conquered and shared the fruits of conquest with the conquered. Religion was one part of the culture that demonstrated the tolerance of Romans. For example, at the time of Jesus’ birth, paganism could be divided into three spheres: the official state religion, the traditional cults of the hearth and countryside, and the new mystery religions from the East. Even though the official religion in the Roman Empire began as Pagan, it ended as Christianity when Emperor Theodosius declared it as the official religion in A.D. 380. The following examines two works of fiction that deal with religion during the Roman Empire.

    Read More

  • How Did Constantine Legalize Christianity

    1934 Words  | 4 Pages

    Constantine was a huge benefactor when it came to the Church. He ordered the construction of many Churches in Rome including St. Paul’s outside the walls and the Basilica of St. Peter in 318 A.D.(Morgan 61-62). Both Churches are built on the spots where both Saints are buried. Constantine wanted to help the church grow and spread throughout the empire. In order to make this easier, he gave tax breaks to priests and made all church land tax free(Morgan 55). He also gave allowances to nuns, monks and others who devoted time to the Church. Even though he never made Christianity the official religion of the empire his conversion was the reason for a massive growth in the Christian population in the 4th century. Even though many people think it was a conversion based on spiritual reasons, it was actually a more political move seeing as many of his soldiers were already Christians and he wanted to be seen as more relatable(Stephenson 14). Also, Constantine wanted to appeal to the large and growing Christian communities within the empire. He feared the Christians would rebel against him if he did not act in their favor. Also, many of his soldiers were converting to Christianity and he did not want a military takeover to take place if he did not act in favor of the Christians. He came to realize through his working with the Church, that there was truth to Christianity and

    Read More

  • Constantinople

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    Numerous were the reasons that gradually led to the movement of the empire to the East. Initially, Rome was very far from the regions of the shores of the Bosphorus and the river Euphrates and thus unable to confront effectively the empire’s most significant enemies (the Goths and the Persians) that had made their appearance from the 3rd century. Additionally, Rome, a centre of paganism, with its memories of municipal traditions and “republican sentiment, with its aristocratic, educated and fiercely traditionalist senators ”, had begun to annoy the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (337-362). He, himself, was a vigorous supporter of Christianity and especially after the prolonged period of his successful confrontation with Licinius (314-323), he was convinced that the future belonged to the Christians and for that reason, he decided to turn decisively towards the East, which was the main source and origin of the new religion. Furthermore, from the 3rd century onwards, most of the emperors originated from provinces and did not share significant bonds with Rome. What Constantine visualised instead of sacrifices to pagan deities and four emperors with irregular courts and capitals, was an empire with one emperor and one established capital, along with a splendid innovative church devoted to the glory of the one true God . He therefore regarded the foundation of a new city as the most important symbol of his deeper aim, the renewal of the empire.

    Read More

  • The Spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire

    1119 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, it is important to realize that it was not one single factor which was responsible for the spread of Christianity, all these figures came together to give the perfect platform for a new religion to develop, " Never before in the history of the race had conditions been so ready for the adoption of a new faith by the majority of the peoples of so large an area" (K.S Latourette).

    Read More

  • Western Civilization Essay

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    The emergence and spread of the Christian faith influenced the Western civilization significantly, particularly between BC and AD when most civilizations based their leadership and divinity on Christianity. The Biblical truth was more pronounced in the Greco-Roman civilization than other previous civilizations. The present Western lifestyle and culture controls a significant chunk of the attributes that were derived from ancient Western civilization. This paper explores the evolution of the western civilizations in relation to the lineage attributes, influence of the Christian faith, and the impact of the contemporary West on the attributes of the western civilizations (Noble,

    Read More

  • Constantine the Great

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    Constantine the Great, first Christian Emperor, originator of Constantinople, creator of the Byzantine Empire, military conqueror, and honored saint, has been labeled by many the most instrumental emperor of the Roman Empire. Constantine played a crucial role in the development of Europe during the Middle Ages, and founded Christianity as the formal religion of the Roman Empire. His dynamic yet effective predominance laid the infrastructure of European development. From his humble beginnings, to his command of the Roman Empire, to his final days, Constantine’s impact on world history and Christianity has left behind an unforgettable legacy. He was described by Eusebius as “such an emperor as all history records not.” Ware compared him to, “a watershed in the history of the Church.” Additionally, Meyendorff states, “No single human being in history has contributed to the conversion of so many to the Christian faith.” Norwich declared that “No ruler in all of history has ever more fully merited his title of ‘the Great’…Constantine has serious claim to be considered the most influential man in all of history.” Some of Constantine’s notable acts in the history of Christianity was his calling of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, his institution of freedom for Christianity with the Edict of Milan, and the relocation of the capital of empire from Rome to Constantinople.

    Read More

More about The Spread of Christianity Throughout Europe

Open Document