The growth of the early church: religious and political factors

Overview

Why the church spread — the roads and common language of the empire, the appeal of the message, and the shape of its communities.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   How did the Pax Romana assist the spread of Christianity?

   Model answer

   The long peace secured by Rome made travel across the Mediterranean world unusually safe, and piracy and border warfare were largely suppressed. Missionaries, letters and delegations could therefore move between churches with a freedom that would have been impossible in earlier centuries.

2. 2

   What part did the Roman road system and sea routes play in the church's expansion?

   Model answer

   A network of paved military roads and regular shipping lanes linked the cities of the empire. Christianity spread first along those routes and settled in the ports and towns they connected, which is why the early church was overwhelmingly urban.

3. 3

   Why was the use of Greek across the empire important for the early Christians?

   Model answer

   Koine Greek was the common language of trade and education throughout the eastern empire and among educated westerners. The scriptures, the letters of the apostles and the earliest Christian writings could therefore be read without translation from Syria to Rome.

4. 4

   How did the synagogues of the diaspora contribute to Christian growth?

   Model answer

   Jewish communities existed in almost every significant city, with scriptures, a weekly assembly and an audience already familiar with the God of Israel. Around them stood Gentile God-fearers attracted to Jewish monotheism and ethics but unwilling to be circumcised, and among these the Christian message found many of its first converts.

5. 5

   What effect did the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 have on the young church?

   Model answer

   The Jewish revolt and the fall of Jerusalem removed the mother church's central position and hastened the separation of Christians from the synagogue. Christianity increasingly stood on its own as a Gentile movement, losing the shelter of Judaism's recognised status in the process.

6. 6

   How did Roman citizenship affect the treatment of Christians?

   Model answer

   A Roman citizen had the right of appeal to the emperor and could not lawfully be subjected to certain punishments. Paul's appeal to Caesar shows how citizenship could carry the message to the capital itself, while Pliny later sent citizen Christians to Rome rather than executing them in his province.

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