The rise of Christianity and your studies of the Roman Empire
Christianity grew up within the Roman World of the Pax Romana. Think back over your studies of the rise of Christianity and your studies of the Roman Empire, as well as your own studied in the Book of Acts. Then, create a forum post about how the Roman Empire contributed to the spread of Christianity. Roman contributions may have been unintentional, as in the earlier Empire, or intentionally, as in the later Empire when the Roman government actively supported Christianity. Can you see the sovereignty of God working in history to create political, linguistic, or legal circumstances that helped Christianity expand from Jerusalem into the world?
Sample Answer
Pax Romana: A Fertile Ground for the Early Church
Standing on the shoulders of giants, and peering through the lens of history, the influence of the Roman Empire on the spread of Christianity becomes undeniable. While not always intentional, the Pax Romana, the period of relative peace and stability within the vast Roman domain, offered fertile ground for the early Christian message to flourish. Let’s delve into the various ways the Roman Empire, unwittingly or otherwise, contributed to the rise of Christianity.