What Spread Christianity?

[Nam]

Here's a theory:

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06/23/how-an-apocalyptic-plague-helped-christianity/

By Candida Moss, special to CNN

(CNN) â€" Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed relics from an apocalyptic plague that some Christians believed heralded the end of the world â€" an idea that likely helped spread the faith centuries ago.

A team from the Italian Archaeological Mission to Luxor unearthed the remains in a funerary complex in the ancient city of Thebes. (The city is now known as Luxor.)

As archaeologists excavated the site earlier this month, they found remnants of bodies covered in a thick layer of lime. The lime was significant, as it was used in the ancient world as a form of disinfectant to prevent contamination.

Nearby, there was evidence of an enormous bonfire, used to incinerate the remains of plague victims, and three kilns used for lime production.

Pottery located in the kilns enabled the scientists to date the discovery to the middle of the third century, the time of a gruesome epidemic known as the “plague of Cyprian.”

Cyprian, the mid-third century bishop of Carthage, provides us with the most detailed description of the plague’s terrible effects. In his essay “De mortalitate” (“On Mortality”), Cyprian wrote:

“The intestines are shaken with a continual vomiting; the eyes are on fire with the infected blood; that in some cases the feet or some parts of the limbs are taken off by the contagion of diseased putrefaction.”

In many cases, Cyprian went on to say, blindness and deafness would ensue.

At its height the epidemic is estimated to have killed 5,000 people a day in the city of Rome alone. Among them were two Roman emperors: Hostilian and Claudius II Gothicus.

The effects were just as extreme elsewhere in the empire. Sociologist Rodney Stark writes that as much as two-thirds of the population in Alexandria, Egypt, died.

Modern scientists may believe that the disease was smallpox, but to Cyprian it was a portent of the end of the world. Interestingly, this belief may have actually helped the spread of Christianity.

Cyprian noted that Christians were also dying from the plague, but suggested that only non-Christians had anything to fear.

His compatriot Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria â€" one of the most hard-hit areas â€" wrote that it was a period of unimaginable joy for Christians.

The fact that even Roman emperors were dying and pagan priests had no way to explain or prevent the plague only strengthened the Christian position.

The experience of widespread disease and death and the high probability that they themselves might die made Christians more willing to embrace martyrdom.

And that, somewhat paradoxically, helped the faith thrive, providing early publicity that Christianity is worth dying for.

Add to this the fact that the epidemic coincided with the first Roman legislation affecting Christians, and martyrdom became both a possibility and a more reasonable option: When death is always around the corner, why not make yours count?

As the martyr Apollonius is reported to have said at his trial, “It is often possible for dysentery and fever to kill; so I will consider that I am being destroyed by one of these.”

The harrowing images of putrefying bodies and burning pyres of corpses also influenced early Christian descriptions of hell and the afterlife, which were already filled with fire and brimstone.

With the spread of the plague, these threats seemed increasingly real. Now that hell had become a place on earth, Christians were increasingly eager to avoid it in the afterlife.

The epidemic that seemed like the end of the world actually promoted the spread of Christianity.

Candida Moss is a professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame and author of “The Myth of Persecution.”

-Nam

[Draconic Aiur]

Pure Ignorance of the world.

[Hydra009]

Pure Ignorance of the world.

That's what got the whole shebang rolling, not just this one particular rock.

I've also heard that Christianity came at a very fortuitous time - Roman polytheism was on the wane, Judaism was somewhat attractive to its citizens (Pauline Christianity kept the stuff people liked and conveniently got rid of the largely unattractive Jewish laws), and its very simplistic structure combined with its lavish, largely hypothetical heavenly rewards really appealed to people, especially among the lower classes.

[SGOS]

Life is hard, and then you die.  For those who live in ignorance, it was as much a bitter pill to swallow then as it is now.  So believe your death has great meaning, a time when others get cast aside as you rise above them.  It turns your meaningless death into the triumph you believe finally proves your importance.  After a life of pointless toil and emptiness, you achieve ultimate greatness.  Ha ha!  So long suckers!  You leave the Earth in victory and become immortal, at least until the final electrochemical impulse in your last brain cell flickers out.

[stromboli]

No question the apocalyptic nature of plagues played a part, but the fact that constantine accepted Christianity- because his mother was Christian- was what gave it a running start. His Edict of Milan decreed tolerance for Christians. He was also successful militarily. The winners are more likely to influence cultures than the losers.

I am sure the early Christians were quick to use anything seen as gods judgment to further their beliefs. The movie "Agora" about Hypatia in 4th century Alexandria, gives an indication of the nature of how Christians moved in and took over Alexandria, culminating in Hypatia's murder by Christians. Her death is often noted as the end of the classical period and the end of Greek Platonist Philosophy.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Hey, what better way to claim your god's better than their god than them dying off in droves of some horrific Ebola-like disease while you just happen to have a great big army hanging around? If I wanted to be ruler of the world I'd make sure every nation send a few thousand people to say.. Sierra Leone for vacation and wait..

[Solitary]

A most interesting hypothesis that makes sense, but I believe when it comes right down to it, it is ignorance and magical thinking, just like it is now, that perpetuates all religions. The unknown is a fearful thing. How many people now, that are Christians, want to bring up the God of the gaps in our knowledge to justify their beliefs from that fear? Solitary

[stromboli]

A most interesting hypothesis that makes sense, but I believe when it comes right down to it, it is ignorance and magical thinking, just like it is now, that perpetuates all religions. The unknown is a fearful thing. How many people now, that are Christians, want to bring up the God of the gaps in our knowledge to justify their beliefs from that fear? Solitary

I agree for the most part with the OP, because Christians are nothing if not opportunists. The fact they grafted pagan winter solstice festivals into Christmas is a good example, along with Spring Equinox being Easter. I get a chuckle every time a Christian comes on here thinking his religion was created from whole cloth, and we point out it developed through Judaism from polytheism.

[MagetheEntertainer]

No question the apocalyptic nature of plagues played a part, but the fact that constantine accepted Christianity- because his mother was Christian- was what gave it a running start. His Edict of Milan decreed tolerance for Christians. He was also successful militarily. The winners are more likely to influence cultures than the losers.

I am sure the early Christians were quick to use anything seen as gods judgment to further their beliefs. The movie "Agora" about Hypatia in 4th century Alexandria, gives an indication of the nature of how Christians moved in and took over Alexandria, culminating in Hypatia's murder by Christians. Her death is often noted as the end of the classical period and the end of Greek Platonist Philosophy.

This.  Some people also speculate that if Constantine did not convert that the empire would not have fallen, and that we also would not have had the dark ages.  As far as it spreading to the west you can thank columbus for that one.

[PickelledEggs]

Your mom spread Christianity

You're not even trying to be creative with your trolling, are you?

Sent from your mom

[Moralnihilist]

You're not even trying to be creative with your trolling, are you?

Sent from your mom

Fuck I can't wait until summer is over for these idiots.

[aitm]

The description sounds very similar to leprosy, and as leprosy is perhaps the most prominent disease mentioned in both the OT and NT maybe they could not discern between the two.

[CatholicCrusader]

One of the things that spread Christianity whas the love that Christians had for others including their enemies, and their willingness to be martyred for their faith.

[SGOS]

One of the things that spread Christianity whas the love that Christians had for others including their enemies, and their willingness to be martyred for their faith.

And don't forget killing the Muslims or the Inquisitions.

[Nam]

And don't forget killing the Muslims or the Inquisitions.

Or crusades. Got to take Jewishland from the Jews (but let them have it back in 1948 so they can fight over it until the apocalypse).

-Nam