rodney stark the triumph of christianity

In the meantime, voluntary martyrdom, especially a generation after the death of Christ, reinforced the commitment of the Christian rank and file. Amidst the epidemics, fires, and other disasters that beleaguered Greco-Roman cities, Christian communities were a stronghold of mutual aid, which resulted in a survival rate far greater than that of the pagans. Stark points out, too, the role played by selflessness and faith. The oversupply of women in Christian communities-due partly to the respect and protection they received-led to intermarriages with pagans, hence more conversions, and to a high fertility rate. Because it offered a new perspective on familiar concepts and was not linked to ethnicity, Christianity had a large following among persons seeking to assimilate into the dominant culture, mainly Hellenized Jews. An unusual number of Christian converts, for example, came from the educated, cosmopolitan classes.

By the time of Constantine, Christianity had become a considerable force, with growth patterns very similar to those of modern-day successful religious movements. The author plots the most plausible curve of Christian growth from the year 40 to 300.

He digs deep into the historical evidence on many issues-such as the social background of converts, the mission to the Jews, the status of women in the church, the role of martyrdom-to provide a vivid and unconventional account of early Christianity. He comes equipped not only with the logic and methods of social science but also with insights gathered firsthand into why people convert and how new religious groups recruit members. In a fast-paced, highly readable book that addresses beliefs as well as historical facts, Rodney Stark brings a sociologist's perspective to bear on the puzzle behind the success of early Christianity.

Yet it is one of many myths that must be discarded if we are to understand just how a tiny messianic movement on the edge of the Roman Empire became the dominant faith of Western civilization.

The idea that Christianity started as a clandestine movement among the poor is a widely accepted notion.

Rodney stark the triumph of christianity