The Triumph of Christianity

How does a small backroad group of people turn into a world-dominating religion? Ancient Rome became the place where this small group would become the state religion. Not long before becoming the state religion, Christians were stoned to death, were pitted against wild animals in the Coliseum, and became martyrs quite often. Once becoming the state religion, it took over the entire Roman empire, and soon the entire world. In becoming a world force, it is clear to us that Christianity did triumph over the Roman Empire, but there are several reasons why. This change, going from hating and murdering Christians to worshipping the same God as them, happened in a few different phases. The simplicity of the beginning of Christianity begins, also, the triumph. The teachings taught by Christianity brought with them a way for Romans to live a higher law than what they had been living, thereby creating a greater diversity in Rome which allowed a “moral restart” for Roman citizens, and ensured that the needs of Roman citizens were fulfilled, as Christianity provided a haven of help for any underlying problems that citizens had.

Beginning in ancient Rome, a small movement formed among a small group of people who followed a teacher, attracting groups of people wherever he went. This man and his small band of disciples were followed as he taught, as he healed, and as he established “his Father’s” gospel. He earned a level of respect among those who followed him, unrivaled by even the greatest emperors, philosophers, and warriors of the time. Simultaneously, as he earns the respect and admiration of those who follow him, he is deemed a threat to the social order throughout the culture. Those who don’t understand him fear his power and his large following. As he enters Jerusalem, he is flooded with a Triumphal Entry. A crowd of people turns out waving palm leaves to honor the man they revere and believe is come to save them (see Figure 1). Because of the fear surrounding what may happen if he is alive, he is sentenced to death by crucifixion, a fate designed in the pre-mortal existence. This is the first stage of the overall triumph of Christianity. What begins as a small movement rapidly turns into a way of life, eventually to become a religion to dominate the rest of the world. The teachings taught by this man triumphed because they taught people a higher way of living and showed that there was a Savior. These teachings have now dominated world culture for thousands of years, and they are still around today, which shows us that they continue to triumph.

            In the 4^th century, long after Christ’s death, Emperor Constantine became possibly the most surprising hero to the Christian world. He was an extremely successful general in the Roma army, who was fighting at the time to see who would end up at the top of the Roman government. Constantine, in his strategical preparations for this fight, has a vision. In this vision, he sees the Chi Rho (see Figure 2). These are the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, and commonly represent the crucifixion (Tulasiewicz 1). Constantine was commanded to “make a likeness of the symbol he had seen and to use it as a safeguard in all engagements with his enemies.” When Constantine had defeated his enemies, he declared Christianity as the state religion for the entire Roman Empire. This marked the end of an era where the Romans attempted to beat Christianity into submission, as they clearly recognized the rise of Christianity would mean the downfall of the Roman Empire. The addition of Christianity as the state religion also created a diverse culture. No longer was every citizen Pagan, and no longer did all Romans hold the same values. Christianity clearly triumphed over Rome for this reason as well, as there was no longer a completely united culture. This diversity helped unite Rome in a way, as there were no longer scapegoats for the Romans to use as excuses for their failure. No longer would Christians be martyrs at the Coliseum, and no longer would the Romans turn to Christians as the reason for problems. This created a “moral restart” in the Roman empire. An extreme reversal had occurred, beginning with the execution of Jesus Christ and ending with the Roman Empire worshipping the man they had crucified.

            As Romans gradually came to accept Christianity as the state religion, they soon realized that Christianity provided a solution to several issues. They became a place people could go to get married, to get education, to get protection, to ensure entry into heaven in the afterlife. In addition, if one was sick, poor, or in any type of need, Christianity had an answer for it because of the simplistic teachings that had been taught them by the Savior. As Romans realized that Christianity slowly but suddenly began to gain control over several lands in the world and believe that they have control over the fate of humanity in the next world to come, they were motivated to join the movement that was Christianity, providing a further triumph over the Roman Empire.

            In conclusion, we can see that the different phases of the rolling out of Christianity provided a means whereby it was able to triumph over the Roman empire. Because they provided a simplistic set of teachings that encouraged people to develop greater qualities, forced Rome into greater diversity, and gave citizens an answer for all the issues in life, including being the one place where people could go to find answers, they were able to overtake the Roman empire, which is a main reason that the Roman empire is no longer in existence today, but we still find Christianity all over the earth. For these reasons, it is safe to say that Christianity experienced a great triumph.

Figure 2. "Chi Rho" 123rf.org

              

Figure 1: "Triumphal Entry" lds.org

Works Cited

Bissell, Tom. “Why Did Christianity Prevail?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13

Feb. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/books/review/bart-d-ehrman-the-triumph-of-

christianity.html.

Kosloski, Philip. “The Miraculous Story behind the Chi-Rho Symbol.” Aleteia, Aleteia, 28 July

2017, aleteia.org/2017/07/28/the-miraculous-story-behind-the-chi-rho-symbol/.

PBS, Public Broadcasting Service,

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/legitimization.html.