The Rise of Christianity

1. Christianity's Growth Was Achievable Through Normal Conversion Processes

Thus we know that the numerical goals Christianity needed to achieve are entirely in keeping with modern experience, and we are not forced to seek exceptional explanations.

Growth Rate. The rise of Christianity, often attributed to miracles and mass conversions, could plausibly have occurred through a steady growth rate of approximately 40% per decade, or 3.42% per year. This rate aligns with the historical growth of the Mormon Church, demonstrating that such expansion is achievable through ordinary social processes. This challenges the notion that extraordinary events were necessary for Christianity's success.

Exponential Growth. While the rate of growth remained consistent, the absolute numbers of Christians increased dramatically in the latter half of the third century. This "sudden spurt" in numbers, often perceived as miraculous, is a natural consequence of exponential growth. By the year 300, Christians may have comprised 10.5% of the population, a significant increase from earlier centuries.

Historical Validation. Projections of Christian membership align with independent estimates and historical perceptions. Archaeological findings, such as the remodeling of a house church in Dura-Europos, support the view of rapid growth during the third century. These projections also correspond with the lack of archaeological evidence from earlier periods, given the smaller Christian population at that time.

2. Interpersonal Attachments Drove Conversion

Conversion to new, deviant religious groups occurs when, other things being equal, people have or develop stronger attachments to members of the group than they have to nonmembers.

Social Networks. Conversion to Christianity, like conversion to other new religious movements, was primarily driven by interpersonal attachments within social networks. People were more likely to convert when their relationships with Christians outweighed their connections to non-Christians. This challenges the idea that doctrinal appeal alone was the primary driver of conversion.

Control Theory. The network proposition is an application of control theory, which posits that people conform to the norms of those to whom they are attached. Becoming a Christian in the first century was an act of deviance, but it was also an act of conformity for those whose closest relationships were with Christians. This highlights the importance of social context in understanding religious conversion.

Open Networks. Successful conversionist movements maintain open networks, constantly forming new attachments to outsiders. This allows them to sustain exponential growth over long periods. Understanding how early Christians maintained open networks is crucial for explaining their success.

3. Early Christianity Thrived Among the Privileged

If the early church was like all the other cult movements for which good data exist, it was not a proletarian movement but was based on the more privileged classes.

Cult Movements. Unlike sect movements, which originate within existing religious bodies and appeal to the lower classes, cult movements are new faiths that often attract the more privileged. This is because embracing a new faith requires a degree of sophistication, education, and openness to new ideas. The early church, as a new religious movement, likely followed this pattern.

Class and Commitment. While the lower classes may be more inclined to accept religious compensators for earthly deprivations, the more privileged classes are more likely to control religious organizations and benefit from the rewards they offer. Moreover, the privileged are more likely to experience religious skepticism and seek new options when conventional faiths become too worldly.

Contemporary Evidence. Data from modern new religious movements, such as Mormonism, Christian Science, and various Hindu faiths, show that converts are overwhelmingly from relatively irreligious backgrounds and often have higher levels of education and income. This supports the proposition that new religious movements tend to draw their converts from the ranks of the religiously inactive and discontented, and those affiliated with the most accommodated religious communities.

4. The Mission to the Jews Likely Succeeded Significantly

I shall show that because there was extensive similarity between the situation of the Hellenized Jews of New Testament times and that of nineteenth-century emancipated Jews, we can expect something analogous to the Reform movement to have attracted the Hellenized Jews.

Hellenized Jews. Contrary to the common belief that the mission to the Jews failed, it is plausible that large numbers of Hellenized Jews in the diaspora converted to Christianity. These Jews, who outnumbered those in Palestine, were often socially marginal and seeking a way to reconcile their Jewish identity with their integration into Greco-Roman society. Christianity offered a solution by retaining much of Jewish tradition while removing the ethnic burdens of the Law.

Cultural Continuity. Christianity provided a bridge between Jewish and Greco-Roman cultures, making it more appealing to Hellenized Jews than to Gentiles. It built upon Jewish foundations while incorporating elements of Greek philosophy and thought. This cultural continuity minimized the cost of conversion and made Christianity a more attractive option.

Network Growth. The early Christian missionaries likely focused their efforts on the major communities of Hellenized Jews, who were accustomed to receiving teachers from Jerusalem. These communities provided a network of interpersonal attachments through which the Christian message could spread. The Marcion affair and the persistence of "Judaizing" tendencies within Christianity suggest that Jewish influence remained significant for centuries.

5. Epidemics Boosted Christian Growth by Highlighting Christian Virtues

Another advantage Christians enjoyed over pagans was that the teaching of their faith made life meaningful even amid sudden and surprising death.

Crises of Faith. The devastating epidemics that swept through the Roman Empire created crises of faith, as traditional pagan beliefs failed to provide satisfactory explanations or solutions. In contrast, Christianity offered a coherent account of suffering and death, as well as a hopeful vision of the future. This made Christianity more appealing during times of crisis.

Christian Benevolence. Christians distinguished themselves by their acts of love and charity, ministering to the sick and burying the dead, even at great personal risk. This contrasted sharply with the behavior of many pagans, who fled from the sick and abandoned their loved ones. Christian benevolence not only saved lives but also demonstrated the power of their faith.

Control Theory. The epidemics disrupted social networks and left many people without the interpersonal attachments that bound them to the conventional moral order. The superior survival rates of Christian social networks provided pagans with a greater probability of replacing their lost attachments with new ones to Christians, leading to conversions.

6. Favorable Sex Ratios Enhanced Women's Status in Christianity

If Guttentag and Secord's theory is correct, then we would have to predict that the status of Christian women in the Greco-Roman world would more closely approximate that of Spartan women than that of women in Athens.

Sex Ratio Imbalance. In the Greco-Roman world, men greatly outnumbered women due to practices like female infanticide and abortion. However, Christianity, by prohibiting these practices and attracting more women than men, created a more balanced sex ratio within its communities. This imbalance gave Christian women more power and status.

Guttentag-Secord Theory. The Guttentag-Secord theory posits that when women are scarce, they are treated as "scarce goods" and subjected to repressive sex roles. Conversely, when women are more numerous, they enjoy greater power and freedom. This theory helps explain the higher status of women in Christian communities compared to pagan society.

Christian Women's Status. Christian women enjoyed greater marital security, later marriage ages, and more control over their property compared to pagan women. They also held positions of leadership within the church, such as deaconesses. This elevated status made Christianity more attractive to women and contributed to its growth.

7. Urban Misery Created Opportunities for Christian Growth

In this chapter I shall depict these cities, paying special attention to Antioch, in order to set the stage for theses to be developed in the concluding chapters-that these conditions gave Christianity the opportunity to exploit fully its immense competitive advantages vis-à-vis paganism and other religious movements of the day as a solution to these problems.

Urban Disorder. Greco-Roman cities were characterized by high population densities, narrow streets, inadequate sanitation, and frequent fires and earthquakes. These conditions created a constant state of misery and fear for many residents. This created a need for solutions that traditional paganism could not provide.

Social Dislocation. Cities were filled with newcomers and strangers, leading to social disorganization and high crime rates. Ethnic divisions further fragmented urban society. This lack of social cohesion created a sense of alienation and a desire for community.

Christian Solutions. Christianity offered solutions to these urban problems by providing charity, community, and a sense of belonging. It also offered a moral vision that condemned cruelty and promoted compassion. This made Christianity an attractive alternative to the chaos and misery of urban life.

8. Christianity's Exclusive Nature Fostered Strong Community Bonds

By demanding higher levels of stigma and sacrifice, religious groups induce higher average levels of member commitment and participation.

Religious Economies. The concept of religious economies helps explain the dynamics of religious competition and growth. A key factor is whether religious firms demand exclusive commitment or allow multiple religious involvements. Exclusive firms, like early Christianity, are better able to foster strong community bonds and mobilize resources.

Client Cults. Paganism, with its diverse array of gods and cults, was characterized by nonexclusive religious firms. These "client cults" offered privately produced religious commodities and lacked the capacity to generate strong commitment or collective action. This made them less effective in meeting the needs of their followers.

Sacrifice and Stigma. Christianity's costly demands, such as prohibitions against certain behaviors and requirements for service and charity, created a barrier to entry and mitigated free-rider problems. This resulted in a highly committed membership and a strong sense of community. Martyrdom, in particular, served as a powerful signal of the value of the faith.

9. Christian Doctrines Promoted Socially Beneficial Behaviors

Central doctrines of Christianity prompted and sustained attractive, liberating, and effective social relations and organizations.

Love and Charity. Christianity's core doctrines of love, mercy, and charity promoted socially beneficial behaviors that addressed the needs of the urban population. These doctrines contrasted sharply with pagan values, which often emphasized self-interest and indifference to the suffering of others. The emphasis on love and charity created a culture of care and compassion within Christian communities.

Moral Code. Christianity's strict moral code, which condemned promiscuity, abortion, and infanticide, contributed to greater marital security, higher fertility rates, and a more balanced sex ratio. These factors strengthened Christian families and communities. The emphasis on morality and ethical behavior created a sense of order and stability in a chaotic world.

Humanity. Christianity offered a new conception of humanity, emphasizing the inherent worth and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their social status or ethnicity. This message of equality and inclusion resonated with many people who felt marginalized or excluded by pagan society. The emphasis on humanity and compassion created a more just and equitable social order within Christian communities.

Last updated: March 13, 2025