224:"Stark has produced a provocative, insightful, challenging account of the rise of Christianity. The thesis—that Christianity was a success because it provided those who joined it with a more appealing, more assuring, happier, and perhaps longer life—may anger many readers and force all readers to stop and think. It is a marvelous exercise in the sociological imagination and a warning to those who like simple explanations--such as that Constantine was ultimately responsible for the success of Christianity when he made it the official religion of the Roman Empire" (
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cohesion and mutual help made them able to better cope with the disasters, leaving them with fewer casualties than the general population. This would also be attractive to outsiders, who would want to convert. Lastly, the epidemics left many non-Christians with a reduced number of interpersonal bonds, making the forming of new ones both necessary and easier.
239:"For years, biblical scholars and church historians have used sociological jargon to promote ideological views. Now an established sociologist has entered the fray with devastating results. This brilliant and highly provocative book will revolutionize the way people think about both biblical studies and church history. Love it or hate it, Rodney Stark's
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In a time of two epidemics (165 CE and 251 CE) which killed up to a third of the whole population of the Roman Empire each time, the
Christian message of redemption through sacrifice offered a more satisfactory explanation of why bad things happen to innocent people. Further, the tighter social
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Stark argues that contrary to popular belief, Christianity was not a movement of the lower classes and the oppressed but instead of the upper and middle classes in the cities and of
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Stark's basic thesis is that, ultimately, Christianity triumphed over paganism because it improved the quality of life of its adherents at that time.
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To the same effect: Women were valued higher and allowed to participate in worship leading to a high rate of female converts.
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Christians did not fight against their persecutors by open violence or guerrilla warfare but willingly went to their
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How the
Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries
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While others fled cities, Christians stayed in urban areas during plague, ministering and
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while praying for their captors, which added credibility to their evangelism.
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357:. San Francisco: Princeton University Press & Harper. back cover.
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is a book nobody interested in the study of religion can ignore" (
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Stark points to a number of advantages that
Christianity had over
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Christian populations grew faster because of the prohibition of
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This book prominently featured within the storyline of
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at the time of Jesus to the majority religion of the
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271:afterword
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160:Summary
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
