Rise of Christianity (eBook)

A Sociologist Reconsiders History

Rodney Stark (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF | EPUB

2020
256 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-0-691-21429-0 (ISBN)

Infos

A landmark reinterpretation of why Christianity became the dominant faith of the WestThe idea that Christianity started as a clandestine movement among the poor is a widely accepted notion. 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. 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. 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. 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.The author plots the most plausible curve of Christian growth from the year 40 to 300. By the time of Constantine, Christianity had become a considerable force, with growth patterns very similar to those of modern-day successful religious movements. An unusual number of Christian converts, for example, came from the educated, cosmopolitan classes. 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. 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. Stark points out, too, the role played by selflessness and faith. 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. In the meantime, voluntary martyrdom, especially a generation after the death of Christ, reinforced the commitment of the Christian rank and file. What Stark ultimately offers is a multifaceted portrait of early Christianity, one that appeals to practical reasoning, historical curiosity, and personal reflection.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 23.6.2020
• Zusatzinfo: 10 b/w illus. 10 tables.
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Allgemeine Geschichte
• Themenwelt: Geschichte ► Teilgebiete der Geschichte ► Religionsgeschichte
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Sozialpsychologie
• Themenwelt: Religion / Theologie ► Christentum ► Kirchengeschichte
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie
• Schlagworte: Abortion • Alexandria • American Society of Church History • annals • Apostolic Constitutions • Asceticism • Athens • attempt • Baptists • British Empire • Brown, Peter • Caesarea Maritima • Carcopino, Jerome • Chamber pot • Christian • Christian burial • Christian Ethics • Christian Identity • Christianity • Christianity and Judaism • Christianity in Egypt • christianization • Christian martyrs • Christian Mission • Christian monasticism • Christian Science • Christian scripture • Christian theology • Christian Values • Church Fathers • Church Growth • Clement of Alexandria • Clergy • congregational church • Constantine the Great and Christianity • Consummation • Conversion • Conversion of the Jews • conversion to Christianity • Conversion to Judaism • Council of Chalcedon • Council of Jerusalem • credibility • crucifixion of Jesus • deacon • deaconess • deity • Diaspora • Didache • Dio Cassius • divine law • Doctrine • Early Christianity • Edict of Toleration (Hawaii) • Edward Gibbon • enthusiasm • Ephesus • Epidemics • Episcopal Church (United States) • Epistle to the Romans • Eternal life (Christianity) • Eusebius • fall of the western roman empire • fertility • Frend, W.H.C. • Galen • gentile • Gnosticism • God-Fearers • Greco-Roman World • Harnack, Adolf • hatred • Heresy • Heresy in Christianity • Hinduism • Hock, Ronald • House church • Household • Ignatius • Ignatius of Antioch • infanticide • inference • Isis • I Wish (manhwa) • jaroslav pelikan • Jehovah's Witnesses • Jesus • Jesus Movement • Jewish Christian • Jewish Culture • Jews • John Chrysostom • John the Baptist • Judaism • Judeo-Christian • Julian • Justification (theology) • Kabbalah • Literature • livy • L. Michael White • London • Lutheranism • Marcion of Sinope • martyr • Martyrs • Meeks, Wayne • Methodism • Minister (Christianity) • Missionary • Missionary (LDS Church) • Mithraism • Monasticism • Monotheism • mormonism • mormons • mortality rate • Networks, social • New Religious Movement • New Testament • Old Testament • Origen • origins of Christianity • Paganism • Pagans • Paul • Pauline Christianity • Paul the Apostle • Persecution • Persecution of Christians • Peter and Paul • Philosopher • Physician • piety • Plumbing • pluralism • Pomponia Graecina • Population decline • Prediction • Presbyter • Prophecy • Protestantism • puberty • Public bathing • Ramsay MacMullen • Rate of natural increase • Rational Choice Theory • Religion • Religious Community • Religious Conversion • Religious Organization • Religious Studies • religious text • Revitalization movements • Roman Empire • Roman law • Saint Peter • Salamis • Sanitary sewer • Sanitation • Scientology • second coming • sect • Servant of God • Seventh-Day Adventist Church • Sex Ratio • Smallpox • Social Class • Social Science • Society of Biblical Literature • Sociocultural evolution • Sociology • Sociology of Religion • Spiritualist Church • Spread of Christianity • Suggestion • Survival rate • Synagogue • Tenement • Tertullian • The Christian Community • the gospel • Theology • Theophrastus • The Other Hand • the rise of Christianity • Total Fertility Rate • Trajan • Triumphalism • Unitarianism • United Church of Christ • University of California Press • Valentina • White, L. Michael
• ISBN-10: 0-691-21429-8 / 0691214298
• ISBN-13: 978-0-691-21429-0 / 9780691214290