When Christianity Was a Choice (12-9-12)

What was Christianity like as it emerged from Roman occupation? Why were Gentiles attracted to it?  What did converts believe? On both Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, Dumbarton’s Michael Manson helped adult ed explore these questions. “Pagans at that time lived in a world dominated by luck,” said Manson.  “When they experienced misfortune, they went to the Oracles to learn which god they had offended.” One appeal of Christianity was its focus on personal responsibility in fighting sin. Bad behavior had predictable results. Another attraction to early converts was Christianity’s focus on compassion. According to Manson, nothing in the pagan tradition taught  those values. 

After Paul’s death around 67 A.C.E., Christianity spread rapidly through word-of-mouth. In the 2 ½ centuries between the death of Paul and the conversion of Constantine, Christians began to shift their focus from a “Jesus is coming” preoccupation to a personal, here-and-now faith aimed at perfection. They de-emphasized the value of sex and forbade adultery and divorce. “Taking up the cross” had a literal meaning, and martyrdom was considered the ultimate human perfection. Christians were frequently mistrusted for their tendency to isolate themselves. “They didn’t talk to others, though they weren’t political rebels,” said Manson.

As the early Christians  sought ways to define and organize themselves, they used three tools: creeds, a unifying Scriptural canon (the Old Testament), and a hierarchical model of authority. Unlike the years before Paul’s death, what mattered was what one believed, not how one acted.

--By Ginny Finch
   
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