Rise of Christianity
Luke establishes the secular backdrop to his first three Gospel stories by listing the names and dates of rulers. These details offer the reader not only chronological information, but also point to the kairos of the age. The words “Herod, King of Judea” in chapter 1 and “Ceasar Augustus” in chapter 2 remind the reader of the tensions in the Jewish world but also the peace in the Roman world. Indeed, the Pax Romana ushered in by Augustus did more than stop internal military conflicts; it allowed for the flourishing of trade and the mind, both of which benefited Christianity. However, Luke’s Gospel also indicates that Jesus was born far off the beaten path. This is also the story of Christianity within the Roman world. In a time dominated by not only the reality of but the desire for order and reason, the humble lifestyle and irrational faith claims of Christianity proved incompatible with acceptable conduct and thought in the Roman world. While certain characteristics of the Augustan Age afforded Christianity an environment in which it could flourish, the movement was ultimately “a superstition” in the eyes of Roman establishment.
The trade and resulting wealth that arose during the Pax Romana created an environment in which Christianity could flourish. Augustus and later emperors built roads and secured shipping routes which extended from Spain to Turkey to Gaul to Libya. Even Christians without apostolic zeal would have an opportunity to spread the Gospel, as trade and military duties often caused people to travel throughout the empire. As Stark writes, “Anyone could cross the empire from one end to the other in a summer, and travel was common (135).” The rise of urban centers enabled the early Church to “assemble a ‘critical mass’ needed to form a deviant subculture. (Stark 134).” The concurrent rise of the merchant class gave Christianity an audience with time and education for religious and philosophical speculation. The adherence to Stoicism and Epicureanism as well as the revival of platonic thought evidence the means and desire for philosophical questioning that this merchant class possessed.
The existence as well as the desire for stability, wealth and loyalty to the Emperor in the Pax Romana shaped its view on proper religion, pieta. Pieta was religion that supplied the people with a means call on the Gods to fulfill their wishes and desires. It did not make radical faith claims or upset the given social order, but rather, “[i]ts rites were age-old and traditional … conducted by the normal leaders of the community (Walker 7).” The aim of religion was success for humanity, whether that be the nation, the family or the individual. Walker attests that it “used divination, dream, and oracle to seek the will of the powers; it used prayer and sacrifice to gain their alliance (7).” Pieta was also pluralistic. One could have numerous gods to cover one’s bets. This attitude manifests itself in the tolerance Roman authorities used with local religious groups, as long as the local group paid homage to the cult of the emperor.
The treatment of the Jews shows the functional nature of Roman Pieta. Julius Ceaser granted the Jews the status of religio licto in exchange for military loyalty. “Roman law protected the communities of Jewish farmers, craftsmen, and traders throughout the empire. (Walker 18).” The Jewish exclusive claims on faith, focus on God and adherence to monotheism all stood in contrast with the respected norms of Pieta. Ceasar’s move shows that religion served the state, not the state the religion. Although the later destruction of the temple involved the desecration of a religious symbol, the Rome did this to suppress political rebellion, not religious zeal.
Superstition stood in contrast with Pieta. A superstition was “an anti-social belief grounded in the primitive fear of the Gods and leading to extreme behavior.” The Romans viewed such extreme behavior with suspicion. Indeed, the basic tenant of Epicurean philosophy, practiced by Emperor Marcus Aurielus, was that a fear of the gods was a primary cause of human suffering.
When Pliny calls Christianity a superstition, he speaks not only for himself, but for Roman sensibilities. Jesus proclamation of Good News to the poor and stood in stark contrast to the Roman aims of stability and wealth. Further, in contrast with the pluralism of Roman Peita, the Christian community believed that Jesus was the only salvation. The Didache puts it more plainly, “There are two ways, one of life and one of death (Richardson 171).” Christians called on the fear of God to promote extreme behavior, the opposite of what a materialistic philosophy such as Epicurean would espouse. Polycarp even evokes fear as he writes, “Therefore, grid your loins, serve God in fear (131).” A refusal to renounce one’s faith in the face of mortal persecution epitomizes extreme behavior, and Christians did exactly this. Perhaps the most Roman saying in the early Church belongs to Ignatius: “The greatness of Christianity lies it its being hated by the world, not in its being convincing to it (104).” Christianity promoted an anti-social belief, the fear of God and extreme behavior.
The Roman Empire offered Christianity the secular stability necessary for its growth. However, this same Empire maintained a view on religion, Pieta, which conflicted on many levels with Christianity. This led the Empire to persecute Christianity. Its unsuccessful attempt to eradicate Christian faith echoes Luke’s Gospel, where Herod unsuccessfully tries to kill Jesus once he begins to perceive a threat.
The trade and resulting wealth that arose during the Pax Romana created an environment in which Christianity could flourish. Augustus and later emperors built roads and secured shipping routes which extended from Spain to Turkey to Gaul to Libya. Even Christians without apostolic zeal would have an opportunity to spread the Gospel, as trade and military duties often caused people to travel throughout the empire. As Stark writes, “Anyone could cross the empire from one end to the other in a summer, and travel was common (135).” The rise of urban centers enabled the early Church to “assemble a ‘critical mass’ needed to form a deviant subculture. (Stark 134).” The concurrent rise of the merchant class gave Christianity an audience with time and education for religious and philosophical speculation. The adherence to Stoicism and Epicureanism as well as the revival of platonic thought evidence the means and desire for philosophical questioning that this merchant class possessed.
The existence as well as the desire for stability, wealth and loyalty to the Emperor in the Pax Romana shaped its view on proper religion, pieta. Pieta was religion that supplied the people with a means call on the Gods to fulfill their wishes and desires. It did not make radical faith claims or upset the given social order, but rather, “[i]ts rites were age-old and traditional … conducted by the normal leaders of the community (Walker 7).” The aim of religion was success for humanity, whether that be the nation, the family or the individual. Walker attests that it “used divination, dream, and oracle to seek the will of the powers; it used prayer and sacrifice to gain their alliance (7).” Pieta was also pluralistic. One could have numerous gods to cover one’s bets. This attitude manifests itself in the tolerance Roman authorities used with local religious groups, as long as the local group paid homage to the cult of the emperor.
The treatment of the Jews shows the functional nature of Roman Pieta. Julius Ceaser granted the Jews the status of religio licto in exchange for military loyalty. “Roman law protected the communities of Jewish farmers, craftsmen, and traders throughout the empire. (Walker 18).” The Jewish exclusive claims on faith, focus on God and adherence to monotheism all stood in contrast with the respected norms of Pieta. Ceasar’s move shows that religion served the state, not the state the religion. Although the later destruction of the temple involved the desecration of a religious symbol, the Rome did this to suppress political rebellion, not religious zeal.
Superstition stood in contrast with Pieta. A superstition was “an anti-social belief grounded in the primitive fear of the Gods and leading to extreme behavior.” The Romans viewed such extreme behavior with suspicion. Indeed, the basic tenant of Epicurean philosophy, practiced by Emperor Marcus Aurielus, was that a fear of the gods was a primary cause of human suffering.
When Pliny calls Christianity a superstition, he speaks not only for himself, but for Roman sensibilities. Jesus proclamation of Good News to the poor and stood in stark contrast to the Roman aims of stability and wealth. Further, in contrast with the pluralism of Roman Peita, the Christian community believed that Jesus was the only salvation. The Didache puts it more plainly, “There are two ways, one of life and one of death (Richardson 171).” Christians called on the fear of God to promote extreme behavior, the opposite of what a materialistic philosophy such as Epicurean would espouse. Polycarp even evokes fear as he writes, “Therefore, grid your loins, serve God in fear (131).” A refusal to renounce one’s faith in the face of mortal persecution epitomizes extreme behavior, and Christians did exactly this. Perhaps the most Roman saying in the early Church belongs to Ignatius: “The greatness of Christianity lies it its being hated by the world, not in its being convincing to it (104).” Christianity promoted an anti-social belief, the fear of God and extreme behavior.
The Roman Empire offered Christianity the secular stability necessary for its growth. However, this same Empire maintained a view on religion, Pieta, which conflicted on many levels with Christianity. This led the Empire to persecute Christianity. Its unsuccessful attempt to eradicate Christian faith echoes Luke’s Gospel, where Herod unsuccessfully tries to kill Jesus once he begins to perceive a threat.
posted by RJM at 2:45 PM
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