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id="toc-Paul_and_the_inclusion_of_Gentiles-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Split_with_Judaism" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Split_with_Judaism"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.3</span> <span>Split with Judaism</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Split_with_Judaism-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Ante-Nicene_period_(2nd-3rd_century)" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Ante-Nicene_period_(2nd-3rd_century)"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Ante-Nicene period (2nd-3rd century)</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Ante-Nicene_period_(2nd-3rd_century)-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle 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class="vector-toc-numb">4.4</span> <span>Aksum Empire (Eritrea and Ethiopia )</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Aksum_Empire_(Eritrea_and_Ethiopia_)-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Germanic_peoples" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Germanic_peoples"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.5</span> <span>Germanic peoples</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Germanic_peoples-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Goths" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Goths"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.5.1</span> <span>Goths</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Goths-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Franks_&_Alemanni" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-3"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Franks_&_Alemanni"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.5.2</span> <span>Franks & Alemanni</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Franks_&_Alemanni-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Outside_the_Roman_Empire" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Outside_the_Roman_Empire"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Outside the Roman Empire</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Outside_the_Roman_Empire-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Sources</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> 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rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle" style="background: #efefef">Part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Christianity" title="Category:Christianity">a series</a> on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="background: #efefef"><a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span class="mw-default-size notpageimage skin-invert" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/Christian_cross" title="Principal symbol of Christianity"><img alt="Principal symbol of Christianity" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Christian_cross.svg/60px-Christian_cross.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="70" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Christian_cross.svg/120px-Christian_cross.svg.png 1.5x" data-file-width="404" data-file-height="564" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background: #efefef;background:#efefef;text-align:center;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jesus_in_Christianity" title="Jesus in Christianity">Jesus</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Christ_(title)" title="Christ (title)">Christ</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus" title="Nativity of Jesus">Nativity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptism_of_Jesus" title="Baptism of Jesus">Baptism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ministry_of_Jesus" title="Ministry of Jesus">Ministry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus" title="Crucifixion of Jesus">Crucifixion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus" title="Resurrection of Jesus">Resurrection</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ascension_of_Jesus" title="Ascension of Jesus">Ascension</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background: #efefef;background:#efefef;text-align:center;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bible" title="Bible">Bible</a></li><li>Foundations</li></ul></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Old_Testament" title="Old Testament">Old Testament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gospel" title="Gospel">Gospel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Biblical_canon" title="Biblical canon">Canon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_Church" title="Christian Church">Church</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Creed" title="Creed">Creed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Covenant" title="New Covenant">New Covenant</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background: #efefef;background:#efefef;text-align:center;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Christian_theology" title="Christian theology">Theology</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/God_in_Christianity" title="God in Christianity">God</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trinity" title="Trinity">Trinity</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/God_the_Father_(Christianity)" class="mw-redirect" title="God the Father (Christianity)">Father</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Son_of_God_(Christianity)" title="Son of God (Christianity)">Son</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holy_Spirit_in_Christianity" title="Holy Spirit in Christianity">Holy Spirit</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_apologetics" title="Christian apologetics">Apologetics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptism" title="Baptism">Baptism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christology" title="Christology">Christology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_Christian_theology" title="History of Christian theology">History of theology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_mission" title="Christian mission">Mission</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Salvation_in_Christianity" title="Salvation in Christianity">Salvation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_universalism" title="Christian universalism">Universalism</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background: #efefef;background:#efefef;text-align:center;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/History_of_Christianity" title="History of Christianity">History</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_tradition" title="Christian tradition">Tradition</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Apostles_in_the_New_Testament" title="Apostles in the New Testament">Apostles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint_Peter" title="Saint Peter">Peter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle" title="Paul the Apostle">Paul</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mary,_mother_of_Jesus" title="Mary, mother of Jesus">Mary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Early_Christianity" title="Early Christianity">Early Christianity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Church_Fathers" title="Church Fathers">Church Fathers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constantine_the_Great" title="Constantine the Great">Constantine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ecumenical_council" title="Ecumenical council">Councils</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo" title="Augustine of Hippo">Augustine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch" title="Ignatius of Antioch">Ignatius</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism" title="East–West Schism">East–West Schism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crusades" title="Crusades">Crusades</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas" title="Thomas Aquinas">Aquinas</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reformation" title="Reformation">Reformation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Martin_Luther" title="Martin Luther">Luther</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content-with-subgroup"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background: #efefef;background:#efefef;text-align:center;;color: var(--color-base)"><div class="hlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_denomination" title="Christian denomination">Denominations</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations" title="List of Christian denominations">(full list)</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"><table class="sidebar-subgroup"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Nicene_Christianity" title="Nicene Christianity">Nicene</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="padding-top:0;"> <ul><li><b><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church" title="Catholic Church">Catholic</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Latin_Church" title="Latin Church">Latin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches" title="Eastern Catholic Churches">Eastern</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Catholic_Church" title="Old Catholic Church">Old Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Palmarian_Catholic_Church" title="Palmarian Catholic Church">Palmarian Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Catholicism" title="Independent Catholicism">Independent Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sedevacantism" title="Sedevacantism">Sedevacantism</a></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Orthodoxy" title="Eastern Orthodoxy">Eastern Orthodox</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Oriental_Orthodoxy" class="mw-redirect" title="Oriental Orthodoxy">Oriental Orthodox</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East" title="Church of the East">Church of the East</a></b></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Protestantism" title="Protestantism">Protestant</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adventism" title="Adventism">Adventist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anabaptism" title="Anabaptism">Anabaptist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anglicanism" title="Anglicanism">Anglican</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptists" title="Baptists">Baptist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Evangelicalism" title="Evangelicalism">Free Evangelical</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lutheranism" title="Lutheranism">Lutheran</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Methodism" title="Methodism">Methodist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moravian_Church" title="Moravian Church">Moravian [Hussite]</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pentecostalism" title="Pentecostalism">Pentecostal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Plymouth_Brethren" title="Plymouth Brethren">Plymouth Brethren</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quakers" title="Quakers">Quaker</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reformed_Christianity" title="Reformed Christianity">Reformed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_and_uniting_churches" title="United and uniting churches">United Protestant</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Waldensians" title="Waldensians">Waldensian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nondenominational_Christianity" class="mw-redirect" title="Nondenominational Christianity">Nondenominational Christianity</a></li></ul></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="padding-bottom:0;"> <a href="/wiki/Restorationism" title="Restorationism">Restorationist</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="padding-top:0;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christadelphians" title="Christadelphians">Christadelphians</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Iglesia_ni_Cristo" title="Iglesia ni Cristo">Iglesia ni Cristo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Apostolic_Church" title="Catholic Apostolic Church">Irvingians</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses" title="Jehovah's Witnesses">Jehovah's Witnesses</a></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Latter_Day_Saint_movement" title="Latter Day Saint movement">Latter Day Saints</a></b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints" title="The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Members_Church_of_God_International" title="Members Church of God International">Members Church of God International</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_New_Church_(Swedenborgian)" title="The New Church (Swedenborgian)">The New Church (Swedenborgian)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism" title="Unitarian Universalism">Unitarians and Universalists</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background: #efefef;background:#efefef;text-align:center;;color: var(--color-base)">Related topics</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Role_of_Christianity_in_civilization" title="Role of Christianity in civilization">Civilization</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Criticism_of_Christianity" title="Criticism of Christianity">Criticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_culture" title="Christian culture">Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ecumenism" title="Ecumenism">Ecumenism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_Christianity" title="Glossary of Christianity">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Index_of_Christianity-related_articles" title="Index of Christianity-related articles">Index</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_liturgy" title="Christian liturgy">Liturgy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_and_other_religions" title="Christianity and other religions">Other religions</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_prayer" title="Christian prayer">Prayer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sermon" title="Sermon">Sermon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_symbolism" title="Christian symbolism">Symbolism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_worship" title="Christian worship">Worship</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below hlist"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_Christianity" title="Glossary of Christianity">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Index_of_Christianity-related_articles" title="Index of Christianity-related articles">Index</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Outline_of_Christianity" title="Outline of Christianity">Outline</a></li></ul> <ul><li><span class="noviewer notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:P_christianity.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Christian cross"><img alt="Christian cross" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/P_christianity.svg/20px-P_christianity.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="18" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/P_christianity.svg/40px-P_christianity.svg.png 1.5x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="360" /></a></span> <a href="/wiki/Portal:Christianity" title="Portal:Christianity">Christianity portal</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Christianity_sidebar" title="Template:Christianity sidebar"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Christianity_sidebar" title="Template talk:Christianity sidebar"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Christianity_sidebar" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Christianity sidebar"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a> began as a <a href="/wiki/Second_Temple_Judaism" title="Second Temple Judaism">Second Temple Judaic</a> sect <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_1st_century" title="Christianity in the 1st century">in the 1st century</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman</a> province of <a href="/wiki/Judea_(Roman_province)" class="mw-redirect" title="Judea (Roman province)">Judea</a>, from where it spread throughout and beyond the <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman Empire</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origins">Origins</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Origins"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Historical_background_of_the_New_Testament" title="Historical background of the New Testament">Historical background of the New Testament</a>, <a href="/wiki/Second_Temple_Judaism" title="Second Temple Judaism">Second Temple Judaism</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hellenistic_Judaism" title="Hellenistic Judaism">Hellenistic Judaism</a>, <a href="/wiki/Jewish_eschatology" title="Jewish eschatology">Jewish eschatology</a>, <a href="/wiki/Covenant_(biblical)" title="Covenant (biblical)">Covenant (biblical)</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Messiah_in_Judaism" title="Messiah in Judaism">Messiah in Judaism</a></div> <p>Christianity "emerged as a sect of Judaism in Roman Judea"<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in the syncretistic Hellenistic world of the first century AD, which was dominated by Roman law and Greek culture.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMack1995_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMack1995-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It started with the ministry of Jesus, who proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom of God.<sup id="cite_ref-Alister16_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Alister16-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-EB.Sanders.Pelikan.Jesus_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-EB.Sanders.Pelikan.Jesus-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After <a href="/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus" title="Crucifixion of Jesus">his death by crucifixion</a>, some of his followers are said to have seen Jesus, and proclaimed him to be alive and resurrected by God.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGrant1977176_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGrant1977176-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMaier19755_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMaier19755-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVan_Daalen197241_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVan_Daalen197241-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKremer197749–50_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKremer197749–50-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The resurrection of Jesus "signalled for earliest believers that the days of eschatological fulfillment were at hand,"<sup id="cite_ref-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and gave the impetus in certain Christian sects to the <a href="/wiki/Session_of_Christ" title="Session of Christ">exaltation of Jesus</a> to the status of divine Son and Lord of <a href="/wiki/God%27s_Kingdom" class="mw-redirect" title="God's Kingdom">God's Kingdom</a><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014109–10_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014109–10-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the resumption of their missionary activity.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKoester200064–65_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKoester200064–65-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVermes2008a151–52_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVermes2008a151–52-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Apostolic_Age">Apostolic Age</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Apostolic Age"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG/220px-Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="330" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG/330px-Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG/440px-Jerusalem_Cenacle_BW_5.JPG 2x" data-file-width="2358" data-file-height="3534" /></a><figcaption>The <a href="/wiki/Cenacle" title="Cenacle">Cenacle</a> on <a href="/wiki/Mount_Zion" title="Mount Zion">Mount Zion</a>, claimed to be the location of the <a href="/wiki/Last_Supper" title="Last Supper">Last Supper</a> and <a href="/wiki/Pentecost" title="Pentecost">Pentecost</a>. <a href="/wiki/Bargil_Pixner" title="Bargil Pixner">Bargil Pixner</a><sup id="cite_ref-Pixner_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Pixner-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> claims the original Church of the Apostles is located under the current structure.</figcaption></figure> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Acts_of_the_Apostles" title="Acts of the Apostles">Acts of the Apostles</a> and <a href="/wiki/Historical_reliability_of_the_Acts_of_the_Apostles" title="Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles">Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles</a></div> <p>Traditionally, the years following Jesus until the death of the last of the <a href="/wiki/Twelve_Apostles" class="mw-redirect" title="Twelve Apostles">Twelve Apostles</a> is called the <a href="/wiki/Apostolic_Age" class="mw-redirect" title="Apostolic Age">Apostolic Age</a>, after the <a href="/wiki/Christian_mission" title="Christian mission">missionary activities</a> of the apostles.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to the <a href="/wiki/Acts_of_the_Apostles" title="Acts of the Apostles">Acts of the Apostles</a> (the <a href="/wiki/Historical_reliability_of_the_Acts_of_the_Apostles" title="Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles">historical reliability of which</a> is disputed), the <a href="/wiki/First_Christian_church" class="mw-redirect" title="First Christian church">Jerusalem church</a> began at <a href="/wiki/Pentecost" title="Pentecost">Pentecost</a> with some 120 believers,<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> in an "upper room," believed by some to be the <a href="/wiki/Cenacle" title="Cenacle">Cenacle</a>, where the apostles received the <a href="/wiki/Holy_Spirit" title="Holy Spirit">Holy Spirit</a> and emerged from hiding following the death and resurrection of Jesus to preach and spread his message.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Schreck130_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Schreck130-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Christian Testament writings depict what orthodox Christian churches call the <a href="/wiki/Great_Commission" title="Great Commission">Great Commission</a>, an event where they describe the <a href="/wiki/Resurrection_appearances_of_Jesus" class="mw-redirect" title="Resurrection appearances of Jesus">resurrected Jesus Christ</a> instructing his <a href="/wiki/Disciple_(Christianity)" title="Disciple (Christianity)">disciples</a> to spread <a href="/wiki/The_gospel" title="The gospel">his eschatological message</a> of the coming of the Kingdom of God to all the <a href="/wiki/Nation" title="Nation">nations</a> of the world. The most famous version of the Great Commission is in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Matthew%2028:16–20&version=nrsv">Matthew 28:16–20</a>, where on a mountain in <a href="/wiki/Galilee" title="Galilee">Galilee</a> Jesus calls on his followers to make disciples of and <a href="/wiki/Baptize" class="mw-redirect" title="Baptize">baptize</a> all nations in the name of the <a href="/wiki/God_the_Father" title="God the Father">Father</a>, the <a href="/wiki/God_the_Son" title="God the Son">Son</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/Holy_Spirit_(Christianity)" class="mw-redirect" title="Holy Spirit (Christianity)">Holy Spirit</a>. </p><p>Paul's <a href="/wiki/Conversion_of_Paul_the_Apostle" title="Conversion of Paul the Apostle">conversion on the Road to Damascus</a> is first recorded in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Acts%209:13–16&version=nrsv">Acts 9:13–16</a>. Peter <a href="/wiki/Baptize" class="mw-redirect" title="Baptize">baptized</a> the Roman <a href="/wiki/Cornelius_the_Centurion" title="Cornelius the Centurion">centurion Cornelius</a>, traditionally considered the first Gentile convert to Christianity, in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Acts%2010&version=nrsv">Acts 10</a>. Based on this, the <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity#Antioch" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">Antioch church</a> was founded. It is also believed that it was there that the term <a href="/wiki/Christians" title="Christians">Christian</a> was coined.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Missionary_activity">Missionary activity</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Missionary activity"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Jewish_Christian" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish Christian">Jewish Christian</a></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Early_Christianity" title="Early Christianity">Early Christianity</a> and <a href="/wiki/Biblical_law_in_Christianity" class="mw-redirect" title="Biblical law in Christianity">Biblical law in Christianity</a></div> <p>After the death of Jesus, Christianity first emerged as a sect of Judaism as practiced in the <a href="/wiki/Judea_(Roman_province)" class="mw-redirect" title="Judea (Roman province)">Roman province of Judea</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The first Christians were all <a href="/wiki/Jews" title="Jews">Jews</a>, who constituted a <a href="/wiki/Second_Temple_Judaism" title="Second Temple Judaism">Second Temple</a> Jewish sect with an <a href="/wiki/Apocalypticism" title="Apocalypticism">apocalyptic</a> <a href="/wiki/Eschatology" title="Eschatology">eschatology</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcGrath2006174_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcGrath2006174-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECohen1987167–68_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECohen1987167–68-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Jerusalem community consisted of "Hebrews," Jews speaking both <a href="/wiki/Aramaic" title="Aramaic">Aramaic</a> and Greek, and "Hellenists," Jews speaking only Greek, possibly diaspora Jews who had resettled in Jerusalem.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009246–47_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009246–47-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> With the start of their missionary activity, early Jewish Christians also started to attract <a href="/wiki/Proselyte" title="Proselyte">proselytes</a>, Gentiles who were fully or partly <a href="/wiki/Conversion_to_Judaism" title="Conversion to Judaism">converted to Judaism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-proselyte_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-proselyte-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to <a href="/wiki/James_Dunn_(theologian)" title="James Dunn (theologian)">James Dunn</a>, Paul's initial persecution of Christians probably was directed against these Greek-speaking "Hellenists" due to their anti-Temple attitude.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Within the early Jewish Christian community, this also set them apart from the "Hebrews" and their <a href="/wiki/Tabernacle" title="Tabernacle">Tabernacle</a> observance.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277_25-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Christian_mission" title="Christian mission">Christian missionary</a> activity spread "the Christian Way" and slowly created <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">early centers of Christianity</a> with Gentile adherents in the <a href="/wiki/Greek_primacy" class="mw-redirect" title="Greek primacy">predominantly</a> <a href="/wiki/Greek_language" title="Greek language">Greek</a>-speaking <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity#Eastern_Roman_Empire" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">eastern half of the Roman Empire</a>, and then throughout the <a href="/wiki/Hellenistic" class="mw-redirect" title="Hellenistic">Hellenistic</a> world and beyond the <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman Empire</a> in <a href="/wiki/Assyria" title="Assyria">Assyria</a>, <a href="/wiki/Mesopotamia" title="Mesopotamia">Mesopotamia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Armenia" title="Armenia">Armenia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Georgia_(country)" title="Georgia (country)">Georgia</a> and <a href="/wiki/Persia" class="mw-redirect" title="Persia">Persia</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Hitchcock_281_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Hitchcock_281-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-bokenkotter18_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bokenkotter18-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Early Christian beliefs were proclaimed in <i><a href="/wiki/Kerygma" title="Kerygma">kerygma</a></i> (preaching), some of which are preserved in <a href="/wiki/Christian_Testament" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian Testament">Christian Testament</a> scripture. The early Gospel message spread <a href="/wiki/Oral_gospel_traditions" title="Oral gospel traditions">orally</a>, probably originally in <a href="/wiki/Aramaic_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Aramaic language">Aramaic</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEhrman201287–90_31-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEEhrman201287–90-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but almost immediately also in <a href="/wiki/Koine_Greek" title="Koine Greek">Greek</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The scope of the Jewish-Christian mission expanded over time. While Jesus limited his message to a Jewish audience in Galilea and Judea, after his death his followers extended their outreach to all of Israel, and eventually the whole Jewish diaspora, believing that the Second Coming would only happen when all Jews had received the Gospel.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Apostles and preachers <a href="/wiki/Dispersion_of_the_Apostles" title="Dispersion of the Apostles">traveled</a> to <a href="/wiki/Jewish_Diaspora" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish Diaspora">Jewish communities</a> around the <a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea" title="Mediterranean Sea">Mediterranean Sea</a>, and initially attracted Jewish converts.<sup id="cite_ref-bokenkotter18_27-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bokenkotter18-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Within 10 years of the death of Jesus, apostles had attracted enthusiasts for "the Christian Way" from <a href="/wiki/First_Christian_church" class="mw-redirect" title="First Christian church">Jerusalem</a> to <a href="/wiki/Antioch" title="Antioch">Antioch</a>, <a href="/wiki/Edessa" title="Edessa">Edessa</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ephesus" title="Ephesus">Ephesus</a>, <a href="/wiki/Corinth" title="Corinth">Corinth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Thessalonica" class="mw-redirect" title="Thessalonica">Thessalonica</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cyprus" title="Cyprus">Cyprus</a>, <a href="/wiki/Crete" title="Crete">Crete</a>, <a href="/wiki/Alexandria" title="Alexandria">Alexandria</a> and Rome.<sup id="cite_ref-duffy3_34-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-duffy3-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20_17-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Hitchcock_281_26-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Hitchcock_281-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Bokenkotter18_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bokenkotter18-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Over 40 churches were established by 100,<sup id="cite_ref-Hitchcock_281_26-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Hitchcock_281-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Bokenkotter18_35-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bokenkotter18-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> most in <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity#Anatolia" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">Asia Minor</a> and <a href="/wiki/Upper_Mesopotamia" title="Upper Mesopotamia">Upper Mesopotamia</a>, such as the <a href="/wiki/Seven_churches_of_Asia" title="Seven churches of Asia">seven churches of Asia</a>, and some in Greece and Italy. </p><p>According to Fredriksen, when missionary early Christians broadened their missionary efforts, they also came into contact with Gentiles attracted to the Jewish religion. Eventually, the Gentiles came to be included in the missionary effort of Hellenised Jews, bringing "all nations" into the house of Christianity’s God.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018_33-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The "Hellenists," Greek-speaking diaspora Jews belonging to the early Jerusalem Jesus-movement, played an important role in reaching a Gentile, Greek audience, notably at Antioch, which had a large Jewish community and significant numbers of Gentile "God-fearers."<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297_23-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> From Antioch, the mission to the Gentiles started, including Paul's, which would fundamentally change the character of the early Christian movement, eventually turning it into a new, Gentile religion.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009302_36-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009302-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to Dunn, within ten years after Jesus' death, "the new messianic movement focused on Jesus began to modulate into something different ... it was at Antioch that we can begin to speak of the new movement as 'Christianity'."<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009308_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009308-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Paul_and_the_inclusion_of_Gentiles">Paul and the inclusion of Gentiles</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Paul and the inclusion of Gentiles"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:St._Paul,_by_El_Greco.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/St._Paul%2C_by_El_Greco.jpg/250px-St._Paul%2C_by_El_Greco.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="286" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/St._Paul%2C_by_El_Greco.jpg/330px-St._Paul%2C_by_El_Greco.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/St._Paul%2C_by_El_Greco.jpg/500px-St._Paul%2C_by_El_Greco.jpg 2x" data-file-width="633" data-file-height="823" /></a><figcaption><i><a href="/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle" title="Paul the Apostle">Saint Paul</a></i>, by <a href="/wiki/El_Greco" title="El Greco">El Greco</a></figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png/250px-Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="107" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png/330px-Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png/500px-Broad_overview_of_geography_relevant_to_paul_of_tarsus.png 2x" data-file-width="1569" data-file-height="764" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_Basin" class="mw-redirect" title="Mediterranean Basin">Mediterranean Basin</a> geography relevant to Paul's life, stretching from <a href="/wiki/First_Christian_church" class="mw-redirect" title="First Christian church">Jerusalem</a> in the lower right to <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity#Rome" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">Rome</a> in the upper left</figcaption></figure> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle" title="Paul the Apostle">Paul the Apostle</a>, <a href="/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle_and_Judaism" class="mw-redirect" title="Paul the Apostle and Judaism">Paul the Apostle and Judaism</a>, <a href="/wiki/New_Perspective_on_Paul" title="New Perspective on Paul">New Perspective on Paul</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Pauline_Christianity" title="Pauline Christianity">Pauline Christianity</a></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Circumcision_in_the_Bible" class="mw-redirect" title="Circumcision in the Bible">Circumcision in the Bible</a></div> <p>Paul was responsible for bringing Christianity to <a href="/wiki/Ephesus" title="Ephesus">Ephesus</a>, <a href="/wiki/Corinth" title="Corinth">Corinth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Philippi" title="Philippi">Philippi</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Thessalonica" class="mw-redirect" title="Thessalonica">Thessalonica</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051243–45_38-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051243–45-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template noprint noexcerpt Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:NOTRS" class="mw-redirect" title="Wikipedia:NOTRS"><span title="This claim needs references to better sources. (February 2020)">better source needed</span></a></i>]</sup> According to <a href="/wiki/Larry_Hurtado" title="Larry Hurtado">Larry Hurtado</a>, "Paul saw Jesus' resurrection as ushering in the eschatological time foretold by biblical prophets in which the pagan 'Gentile' nations would turn from their idols and embrace the one true God of Israel (e.g., <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Zechariah%208:20–23&version=nrsv">Zechariah 8:20–23</a>), and Paul saw himself as specially called by God to declare God's eschatological acceptance of the Gentiles and summon them to turn to God."<sup id="cite_ref-Hurtado2017.Paul_39-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Hurtado2017.Paul-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to <a href="/wiki/Krister_Stendahl" title="Krister Stendahl">Krister Stendahl</a>, the main concern of Paul's writings on Jesus' role and salvation by faith is not the individual conscience of human sinners and their doubts about being chosen by God or not, but the main concern is the problem of the inclusion of Gentile (Greek) Torah-observers into God's covenant.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEStendahl1963_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStendahl1963-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn1982n.49_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn1982n.49-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFinlan20042_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFinlan20042-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Westerholm.2015_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Westerholm.2015-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "Hebrew" Jewish Christians opposed Paul's interpretations,<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051244_44-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051244-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as exemplified by the <a href="/wiki/Ebionites" title="Ebionites">Ebionites</a>. The relaxing of requirements in Pauline Christianity opened the way for a much larger Christian Church, extending far beyond the Jewish community. The inclusion of Gentiles is reflected in <a href="/wiki/Luke-Acts" class="mw-redirect" title="Luke-Acts">Luke-Acts</a>, which is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah of the Jews came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church; the answer it provides, and its central theme, is that the message of Christ was sent to the Gentiles because many <a href="/wiki/Rejection_of_Jesus" title="Rejection of Jesus">Jews rejected it</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBurkett2002263_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurkett2002263-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Split_with_Judaism">Split with Judaism</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Split with Judaism"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Split_of_early_Christianity_and_Judaism" class="mw-redirect" title="Split of early Christianity and Judaism">Split of early Christianity and Judaism</a></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Schisms_among_the_Jews" class="mw-redirect" title="Schisms among the Jews">Schisms among the Jews</a> and <a href="/wiki/List_of_events_in_early_Christianity" class="mw-redirect" title="List of events in early Christianity">List of events in early Christianity</a></div> <p>There was a slowly growing chasm between Gentile Christians, and Jews and Jewish Christians, rather than a sudden split. Even though it is commonly thought that Paul established a Gentile church, it took centuries for a complete break to manifest. Growing tensions led to a starker separation that was virtually complete by the time Jewish Christians refused to join in the <a href="/wiki/Bar_Kokhba_revolt" title="Bar Kokhba revolt">Bar Kokhba Jewish revolt of 132</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Certain events are perceived as pivotal in the growing rift between Christianity and Judaism. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Ante-Nicene_period_(2nd-3rd_century)"><span id="Ante-Nicene_period_.282nd-3rd_century.29"></span>Ante-Nicene period (2nd-3rd century)</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Ante-Nicene period (2nd-3rd century)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Roman_Empire">Roman Empire</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Roman Empire"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png/250px-Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png" decoding="async" width="250" height="185" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png/375px-Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png/500px-Spread_of_Christianity_to_AD_600_-_Atlas_of_World_History.png 2x" data-file-width="2187" data-file-height="1619" /></a><figcaption> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r981673959">.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}</style><div class="legend"><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:#1F63A7; color:white;-webkit-print-color-adjust: exact; print-color-adjust: exact;"> </span> Spread of Christianity to AD 325</div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r981673959" /><div class="legend"><span class="legend-color mw-no-invert" style="background-color:#6AB4FF; color:black;-webkit-print-color-adjust: exact; print-color-adjust: exact;"> </span> Spread of Christianity to <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_6th_century" title="Christianity in the 6th century">AD 600</a></div></figcaption></figure> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Spread">Spread</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Spread"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">Early centers of Christianity</a>, <a href="/wiki/Constantine_the_Great_and_Christianity" title="Constantine the Great and Christianity">Constantine the Great and Christianity</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Decline_of_Greco-Roman_polytheism" class="mw-redirect" title="Decline of Greco-Roman polytheism">Decline of Greco-Roman polytheism</a></div> <p>Christianity spread to <a href="/wiki/Aramaic" title="Aramaic">Aramaic</a>-speaking peoples along the <a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_coast" class="mw-redirect" title="Mediterranean coast">Mediterranean coast</a> and also to the inland parts of the <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman Empire</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and beyond that into the <a href="/wiki/Parthian_Empire" title="Parthian Empire">Parthian Empire</a> and the later <a href="/wiki/Sasanian_Empire" title="Sasanian Empire">Sasanian Empire</a>, including <a href="/wiki/Assyria" title="Assyria">Assyria</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mesopotamia" title="Mesopotamia">Mesopotamia</a>, which was dominated at different times and to varying extents by these empires. In AD 301, the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Armenia_(antiquity)" title="Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)">Kingdom of Armenia</a> became the first state to declare Christianity as its state religion, following the conversion of the <a href="/wiki/Arsacid_dynasty_of_Armenia" title="Arsacid dynasty of Armenia">Royal House of the Arsacids</a> in Armenia, although the <a href="/wiki/Neo-Assyrian" class="mw-redirect" title="Neo-Assyrian">Neo-Assyrian</a> kingdom of <a href="/wiki/Osroene" title="Osroene">Osroene</a> became Christian earlier. With Christianity the dominant faith in some urban centers, Christians accounted for approximately 10% of the Roman population by 300, according to some estimates.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Christianity then rapidly grew in the 4th century, accounting for 56.5% of the Roman population by 350.<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>By the latter half of the second century, Christianity had spread east throughout <a href="/wiki/Medes" title="Medes">Media</a>, Persia, <a href="/wiki/Parthia" title="Parthia">Parthia</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Bactria" title="Bactria">Bactria</a>. The twenty bishops and many presbyters were more of the order of itinerant missionaries, passing from place to place as Paul did and supplying their needs with such occupations as merchant or craftsman. </p><p>Various theories attempt to explain how Christianity managed to spread so successfully prior to the <a href="/wiki/Edict_of_Milan" title="Edict of Milan">Edict of Milan</a> (313). In <i><a href="/wiki/The_Rise_of_Christianity" title="The Rise of Christianity">The Rise of Christianity</a></i>, <a href="/wiki/Rodney_Stark" title="Rodney Stark">Rodney Stark</a> argues that Christianity replaced <a href="/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">paganism</a> chiefly because it improved the lives of its adherents in various ways.<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Dag Øistein Endsjø argues that Christianity was helped by its promise of a general <a href="/wiki/Resurrection_of_the_dead" class="mw-redirect" title="Resurrection of the dead">resurrection of the dead</a> at the <a href="/wiki/Eschatology" title="Eschatology">end of the world</a> which was compatible with the <a href="/wiki/Resurrection#Ancient_Greek_religion" title="Resurrection">traditional Greek belief</a> that true <a href="/wiki/Eternal_life_(Christianity)" title="Eternal life (Christianity)">immortality</a> depended on the survival of the body.<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to <a href="/wiki/Will_Durant" title="Will Durant">Will Durant</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Christian_Church" title="Christian Church">Christian Church</a> prevailed over <a href="/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">paganism</a> because it offered a much more attractive doctrine, and because the church leaders addressed human needs better than their rivals.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDurant2011_52-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDurant2011-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><a href="/wiki/Bart_D._Ehrman" title="Bart D. Ehrman">Bart D. Ehrman</a> attributes the rapid spread of Christianity to five factors: (1) the promise of salvation and eternal life for everyone was an attractive alternative to Roman religions; (2) stories of miracles and healings purportedly showed that the one Christian God was more powerful than the many Roman gods; (3) Christianity began as a grassroots movement providing hope of a better future in the next life for the lower classes; (4) Christianity took worshipers away from other religions since converts were expected to give up the worship of other gods, unusual in antiquity where worship of many gods was common; (5) in the Roman world, converting one person often meant converting the whole household—if the head of the household was converted, he decided the religion of his wife, children and slaves.<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Persecutions_and_legalisation">Persecutions and legalisation</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Persecutions and legalisation"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Anti-Christian_policies_in_the_Roman_Empire" class="mw-redirect" title="Anti-Christian policies in the Roman Empire">Anti-Christian policies in the Roman Empire</a> and <a href="/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire" title="Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire">Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire</a></div> <p>There was no empire-wide persecution of Christians until the reign of <a href="/wiki/Decius" title="Decius">Decius</a> in the third century.<sup id="cite_ref-martin_54-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-martin-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As the <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman Empire</a> experienced the <a href="/wiki/Crisis_of_the_Third_Century" title="Crisis of the Third Century">Crisis of the Third Century</a>, the emperor <a href="/wiki/Decius" title="Decius">Decius</a> enacted measures intended to restore stability and unity, including a requirement that <a href="/wiki/Roman_citizens" class="mw-redirect" title="Roman citizens">Roman citizens</a> affirm their loyalty through <a href="/wiki/Religion_in_ancient_Rome" title="Religion in ancient Rome">religious ceremonies</a> pertaining to <a href="/wiki/Imperial_cult_(ancient_Rome)" class="mw-redirect" title="Imperial cult (ancient Rome)">Imperial cult</a>. In 212, <a href="/wiki/Constitutio_Antoniniana" title="Constitutio Antoniniana">universal citizenship</a> had been granted to all freeborn inhabitants of the empire, and with the edict of Decius enforcing religious conformity in 250, Christian citizens faced an intractable conflict: any citizen who refused to participate in the empire-wide <i><a href="/wiki/Supplicatio" title="Supplicatio">supplicatio</a></i> was subject to the death penalty.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Although lasting only a year,<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the <a href="/wiki/Decian_persecution" title="Decian persecution">Decian persecution</a> was a severe departure from previous imperial policy that Christians were not to be sought out and prosecuted as inherently disloyal.<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Even under Decius, orthodox Christians were subject to arrest only for their refusal to participate in Roman civic religion, and were not prohibited from assembling for worship. <a href="/wiki/Gnostics" class="mw-redirect" title="Gnostics">Gnostics</a> seem not to have been persecuted.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Christianity flourished during the four decades known as the "<a href="/wiki/Little_Peace_of_the_Church" title="Little Peace of the Church">Little Peace of the Church</a>", beginning with the reign of <a href="/wiki/Gallienus" title="Gallienus">Gallienus</a> (253–268), who issued the first official edict of <a href="/wiki/Religious_tolerance" title="Religious tolerance">tolerance</a> regarding Christianity.<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The era of coexistence ended when <a href="/wiki/Diocletian" title="Diocletian">Diocletian</a> launched the final and <a href="/wiki/Diocletianic_Persecution" title="Diocletianic Persecution">"Great" Persecution</a> in 303. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Edict_of_Serdica" title="Edict of Serdica">Edict of Serdica</a> was issued in 311 by the Roman emperor <a href="/wiki/Galerius" title="Galerius">Galerius</a>, officially ending the <a href="/wiki/Diocletianic_persecution" class="mw-redirect" title="Diocletianic persecution">Diocletianic persecution</a> of <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a> in the East. With the passage in AD 313 of the <a href="/wiki/Edict_of_Milan" title="Edict of Milan">Edict of Milan</a>, in which the <a href="/wiki/Roman_Emperor" class="mw-redirect" title="Roman Emperor">Roman Emperors</a> <a href="/wiki/Constantine_the_Great" title="Constantine the Great">Constantine the Great</a> and <a href="/wiki/Licinius" title="Licinius">Licinius</a> legalised the Christian religion, persecution of Christians by the Roman state ceased.<sup id="cite_ref-ReligionFacts_60-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReligionFacts-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>web 6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="India">India</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: India"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_India" title="Christianity in India">Christianity in India</a> and <a href="/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Christians" title="Saint Thomas Christians">Saint Thomas Christians</a></div> <p>According to Indian Christian traditional legends, following previous migration by Jews,<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Christianity arrived along the southern <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_India" title="Christianity in India">Indian</a> <a href="/wiki/Malabar_Coast" title="Malabar Coast">Malabar Coast</a> via <a href="/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle" title="Thomas the Apostle">Thomas the Apostle</a> in 52 AD<sup id="cite_ref-AFM_62-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-AFM-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and from this came <a href="/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Christian_tradition" class="mw-redirect" title="Saint Thomas Christian tradition">Thomasine Christianity</a>. But there is no contemporary evidence for this. According to the third century <a href="/wiki/Acts_of_Thomas" title="Acts of Thomas">Acts of Thomas</a>, Thomas visited only the realm of <a href="/wiki/Gondophares" title="Gondophares">Gondophares</a> in Northwest India (which is now <a href="/wiki/Pakistan" title="Pakistan">Pakistan</a>). Although little is known of the immediate growth of the church, <a href="/wiki/Bardesanes" class="mw-redirect" title="Bardesanes">Bar-Daisan</a> (AD 154–223) reports that in his time there were Christian tribes in Northwest India, which claimed to have been converted by Thomas and to have books and relics to prove it.<sup id="cite_ref-AFM2_63-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-AFM2-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Certainly by the time of the establishment of the <a href="/wiki/Sassanid_Empire" class="mw-redirect" title="Sassanid Empire">Sassanid Empire</a> (AD 226), there were bishops of the <a href="/wiki/Assyrian_Church_of_the_East" title="Assyrian Church of the East">Assyrian Church of the East</a> in northwest India, <a href="/wiki/Afghanistan" title="Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a> and <a href="/wiki/Balochistan_(region)" class="mw-redirect" title="Balochistan (region)">Baluchistan</a>, with laymen and clergy alike engaging in missionary activity.<sup id="cite_ref-AFM_62-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-AFM-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Late_Antiquity_(313-476)"><span id="Late_Antiquity_.28313-476.29"></span>Late Antiquity (313-476)</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Late Antiquity (313-476)"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_late_antiquity" title="Christianity in late antiquity">Christianity in late antiquity</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Legalisation_and_Roman_state_religion">Legalisation and Roman state religion</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Legalisation and Roman state religion"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg/200px-Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg" decoding="async" width="200" height="319" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg/300px-Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg/400px-Constantine_Musei_Capitolini.jpg 2x" data-file-width="538" data-file-height="858" /></a><figcaption>Head of Constantine's colossal statue at <a href="/wiki/Musei_Capitolini" class="mw-redirect" title="Musei Capitolini">Musei Capitolini</a></figcaption></figure> <p>In 313, Constantine and <a href="/wiki/Licinius" title="Licinius">Licinius</a> issued the <a href="/wiki/Edict_of_Milan" title="Edict of Milan">Edict of Milan</a>, officially legalizing Christian worship. In 316, Constantine acted as a judge in a North African dispute concerning the <a href="/wiki/Donatism" title="Donatism">Donatist</a> controversy. More significantly, in 325 he summoned the <a href="/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea" title="First Council of Nicaea">Council of Nicaea</a>, effectively the first <a href="/wiki/Ecumenical_Council" class="mw-redirect" title="Ecumenical Council">Ecumenical Council</a> (unless the <a href="/wiki/Council_of_Jerusalem" title="Council of Jerusalem">Council of Jerusalem</a> is so classified), to deal mostly with the <a href="/wiki/Arianism" title="Arianism">Arian</a> controversy, but which also issued the <a href="/wiki/Nicene_Creed" title="Nicene Creed">Nicene Creed</a>, which among other things professed a belief in <i>One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church</i>, the start of <a href="/wiki/Christendom" title="Christendom">Christendom</a>. </p><p>On <a href="/wiki/Edict_of_Thessalonica" title="Edict of Thessalonica">February 27, 380</a>, the Roman Empire officially adopted <a href="/wiki/Trinitarianism" class="mw-redirect" title="Trinitarianism">Trinitarian</a> <a href="/wiki/Nicene_Christianity" title="Nicene Christianity">Nicene Christianity</a> as its <a href="/wiki/State_religion" title="State religion">state religion</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Prior to this date, <a href="/wiki/Constantius_II#Christianity_under_Constantius" title="Constantius II">Constantius II</a> (337-361) and <a href="/wiki/Valens#Struggles_with_the_religious_nature_of_the_Empire" title="Valens">Valens</a> (364-378) had personally favored Arian or <a href="/wiki/Semi-Arianism" title="Semi-Arianism">Semi-Arianism</a> forms of Christianity, but Valens' successor <a href="/wiki/Theodosius_I" title="Theodosius I">Theodosius I</a> supported the Trinitarian doctrine as expounded in the <a href="/wiki/Nicene_Creed" title="Nicene Creed">Nicene Creed</a>. </p><p>In the several centuries of state-sponsored Christianity that followed, <a href="/wiki/Paganism" title="Paganism">pagans</a> and heretical Christians were routinely persecuted by the Empire and the many kingdoms and countries that later occupied the place of the Empire,<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but some <a href="/wiki/Germanic_peoples" title="Germanic peoples">Germanic tribes</a> remained Arian well into the <a href="/wiki/Middle_Ages" title="Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Church_of_the_East">Church of the East</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Church of the East"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Historically, the most widespread Christian church in Asia was the <a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East" title="Church of the East">Church of the East</a> (now the <a href="/wiki/Assyrian_Church_of_the_East" title="Assyrian Church of the East">Assyrian Church of the East</a>), the Christian church of <a href="/wiki/Sasanian_Empire" title="Sasanian Empire">Sasanian</a>. This church is often known as the Nestorian Church, due to its later adoption of the doctrine of <a href="/wiki/Nestorianism" title="Nestorianism">Nestorianism</a>, which emphasized the disunity of the divine and human natures of Christ. It has also been known as the Persia Church, the East Syrian Church, the Assyrian Church, and, in China, as the "Luminous Religion". </p><p>The Church of the East developed almost wholly apart from the <a href="/wiki/Early_centers_of_Christianity" class="mw-redirect" title="Early centers of Christianity">Greek and Roman churches</a>. In the 5th century, it endorsed the doctrine of <a href="/wiki/Nestorius" title="Nestorius">Nestorius</a>, <a href="/wiki/Patriarch_of_Constantinople" class="mw-redirect" title="Patriarch of Constantinople">Patriarch of Constantinople</a> from 428 to 431, especially following the <a href="/wiki/Nestorian_Schism" class="mw-redirect" title="Nestorian Schism">Nestorian Schism</a> after the condemnation of Nestorius for <a href="/wiki/Heresy" title="Heresy">heresy</a> at the <a href="/wiki/First_Council_of_Ephesus" class="mw-redirect" title="First Council of Ephesus">First Council of Ephesus</a>. For at least 1,200 years, the Church of the East was noted for its missionary zeal, its high degree of <a href="/wiki/Laity" title="Laity">lay</a> participation, its superior educational standards and cultural contributions in less developed countries, and its fortitude in the face of persecution. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Persian_Empires">Persian Empires</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Persian Empires"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_Iran" title="Christianity in Iran">Christianity in Iran</a></div> <p>The Church of the East had its inception at a very early date in the buffer zone between the <a href="/wiki/Parthian_Empire" title="Parthian Empire">Parthian</a> and Roman Empires in Assyria, and <a href="/wiki/Edessa,_Mesopotamia" class="mw-redirect" title="Edessa, Mesopotamia">Edessa</a> (now <a href="/wiki/%C5%9Eanl%C4%B1urfa" class="mw-redirect" title="Şanlıurfa">Şanlıurfa</a>) in northwestern Mesopotamia was from apostolic times the principal center of <a href="/wiki/Syriac_language" title="Syriac language">Syriac</a>-speaking Christianity. When early Christians were scattered abroad because of persecution, some found refuge at Edessa. The missionary movement in the East began which gradually spread throughout <a href="/wiki/Mesopotamia" title="Mesopotamia">Mesopotamia</a> and <a href="/wiki/Persia" class="mw-redirect" title="Persia">Persia</a> and by AD 280. While the rulers of the Second Persian Empire (227-640) also followed a policy of religious toleration, to begin with, they later gave the largely Assyrian Christians the same status as a subject race. These rulers encouraged the revival of the ancient Persian dualistic faith of <a href="/wiki/Zoroastrianism" title="Zoroastrianism">Zoroastrianism</a> and established it as the state religion, with the result that the Christians were increasingly subjected to repressive measures. Nevertheless, it was not until Christianity became the state religion in the West that enmity toward Rome was focused on the Eastern Christians. </p><p>The metropolis of <a href="/wiki/Seleucia" title="Seleucia">Seleucia</a> assumed the title of "Catholicos", (Patriarch) and in AD 424 a council of the church at Seleucia elected the first patriarch to have jurisdiction over the whole church of the East, including India and <a href="/wiki/Ceylon" class="mw-redirect" title="Ceylon">Ceylon</a> (Sri Lanka). The establishment of an independent patriarchate with nine subordinate metropolises contributed to a more favorable attitude by the Persian government, which no longer had to fear an ecclesiastical alliance with the common enemy, Rome. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Fourth-century_persecution">Fourth-century persecution</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Fourth-century persecution"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>When Constantine converted to Christianity, and the Roman Empire which was previously violently anti-Christian became pro-Christian, the Persian Empire, suspecting a new "enemy within", became violently anti-Christian. The great persecution fell upon the Christians in Persia about the year 340. Though the religious motives were never unrelated, the primary cause of the persecution was political. </p><p>It was about 315 that an ill-advised letter from the Christian emperor Constantine to his Persian counterpart <a href="/wiki/Shapur_II" title="Shapur II">Shapur II</a> probably triggered the beginnings of an ominous change in the Persian attitude toward Christians. Constantine believed he was writing to help his fellow believers in Persia but succeeded only in exposing them. He wrote to the young shah: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>I rejoice to hear that the fairest provinces of Persia are adorned with...Christians...Since you are so powerful and pious, I commend them to your care, and leave them in your protection<sup class="plainlinks nourlexpansion citation" id="ref_AFM"><a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Christianity#endnote_AFM">[1]</a></sup>". It was enough to make any Persian ruler conditioned by 300 years of war with Rome suspicious of the emergence of a fifth column. Any lingering doubts must have been dispelled when about twenty years later when Constantine began to gather his forces for war in the East. Eusebius records that Roman bishops were prepared to accompany their emperor to "battle with him and for him by prayers to God whom all victory proceeds".<sup class="plainlinks nourlexpansion citation" id="ref_AFM"><a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Christianity#endnote_AFM">[2]</a></sup> And across the border in Persian territory the forthright Persian preacher Aphrahat recklessly predicted on the basis of his reading of Old Testament prophecy that Rome would defeat Persia.<sup class="plainlinks nourlexpansion citation" id="ref_AFM"><a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Christianity#endnote_AFM">[3]</a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>It is little wonder then, that when the persecutions began shortly thereafter, the first accusation brought against the Christians was that they were aiding the Roman enemy. Shah Shapur II's response was to order double taxation on Christians and to hold the bishop responsible for collecting it. He knew they were poor and that the bishop would be hard-pressed to find the money. Bishop Simon refused to be intimidated. He branded the tax as unjust and declared, "<i>I am no tax collector but a shepherd of the Lord's flock</i>." Then the killings began. </p><p>A second decree ordered the destruction of churches and the execution of clergy who refused to participate in the national worship of the sun. Bishop Simon was seized and brought before the shah and was offered gifts to make a token obeisance to the sun, and when he refused, they cunningly tempted him with the promise that if he alone would apostatize his people would not be harmed, but that if he refused he would be condemning not just the church leaders but all Christians to destruction. At that, the Christians themselves rose up and refused to accept such deliverance as shameful. So according to the tradition in the year 344, he was led outside the city of Susa along with a large number of Christian clergy. Five bishops and one hundred priests were beheaded before his eyes, and last of all he himself was put to death.<sup class="plainlinks nourlexpansion citation" id="ref_AFM"><a class="external autonumber" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Christianity#endnote_AFM">[4]</a></sup> </p><p>For the next two decades and more, Christians were tracked down and hunted from one end of the empire to the other. At times the pattern was a general massacre. More often, as Shapur decreed, it was intensively organized elimination of the leadership of the church, the clergy. The third category of suppression was the search for that part of the Christian community that was most vulnerable to persecution, Persians who had been converted from the national religion, Zoroastrianism. As we have already seen, the faith had spread first among non-Persian elements in the population, Jews and Syrians. But by the beginning of the 4th century, Iranians in increasing numbers were attracted to the Christian faith. For such converts, church membership could mean the loss of everything – family, property rights, and life itself. Converts from the "national faith" had no rights and, in the darker years of the persecution, were often put to death. Sometime before the death of <a href="/wiki/Shapur_II" title="Shapur II">Shapur II</a> in 379, the intensity of the persecution slackened. Tradition calls it forty-year persecution, lasting from 339 to 379 and ending only with Shapur's death. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Caucasus">Caucasus</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Caucasus"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Arsacid_dynasty_of_Armenia#Christianization" title="Arsacid dynasty of Armenia">Arsacid_dynasty_of_Armenia § Christianization</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Christianization_of_Iberia" title="Christianization of Iberia">Christianization of Iberia</a></div> <p>Christianity became the official religion of <a href="/wiki/Armenia" title="Armenia">Armenia</a> in 301 or 314,<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> when Christianity was still illegal in the Roman Empire. Some<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch"><span title="The material near this tag possibly uses too-vague attribution or weasel words. (March 2011)">who?</span></a></i>]</sup> claim the <a href="/wiki/Armenian_Apostolic_Church" title="Armenian Apostolic Church">Armenian Apostolic Church</a> was founded by <a href="/wiki/Gregory_the_Illuminator" title="Gregory the Illuminator">Gregory the Illuminator</a> of the late third – early fourth centuries while they trace their origins to the missions of <a href="/wiki/Bartholomew_the_Apostle" title="Bartholomew the Apostle">Bartholomew the Apostle</a> and Thaddeus (<a href="/wiki/Jude_the_Apostle" title="Jude the Apostle">Jude the Apostle</a>) in the 1st century. </p><p>Christianity in <a href="/wiki/Georgia_(country)" title="Georgia (country)">Georgia</a> (ancient <a href="/wiki/Caucasian_Iberia" class="mw-redirect" title="Caucasian Iberia">Iberia</a>) extends back to the <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_4th_century" title="Christianity in the 4th century">4th century</a>, if not earlier.<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA1_68-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA1-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Iberian king, <a href="/wiki/Mirian_III_of_Iberia" class="mw-redirect" title="Mirian III of Iberia">Mirian III</a>, converted to Christianity, probably in 326.<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA1_68-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA1-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Aksum_Empire_(Eritrea_and_Ethiopia_)"><span id="Aksum_Empire_.28Eritrea_and_Ethiopia_.29"></span>Aksum Empire (Eritrea and Ethiopia )</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Aksum Empire (Eritrea and Ethiopia )"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to the fourth-century Western historian <a href="/wiki/Tyrannius_Rufinus" title="Tyrannius Rufinus">Rufinius</a>, it was <a href="/wiki/Saint_Frumentius" class="mw-redirect" title="Saint Frumentius">Frumentius</a> who brought Christianity to Ethiopia (the city of <a href="/wiki/Axum" title="Axum">Axum</a>) and served as its first bishop, probably shortly after 325.<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Germanic_peoples">Germanic peoples</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Germanic peoples"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Christianisation_of_the_Germanic_peoples" title="Christianisation of the Germanic peoples">Christianisation of the Germanic peoples</a></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Christian_states_495_AD_(en).png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Christian_states_495_AD_%28en%29.png/260px-Christian_states_495_AD_%28en%29.png" decoding="async" width="260" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Christian_states_495_AD_%28en%29.png/390px-Christian_states_495_AD_%28en%29.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Christian_states_495_AD_%28en%29.png/520px-Christian_states_495_AD_%28en%29.png 2x" data-file-width="2436" data-file-height="1372" /></a><figcaption>Christian states in 495 AD</figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Germanic_people" class="mw-redirect" title="Germanic people">Germanic people</a> underwent gradual <a href="/wiki/Christianization" title="Christianization">Christianization</a> from <a href="/wiki/Late_Antiquity" class="mw-redirect" title="Late Antiquity">Late Antiquity</a>. In the 4th century, the early process of <a href="/wiki/Christianization" title="Christianization">Christianization</a> of the various <a href="/wiki/Germanic_peoples" title="Germanic peoples">Germanic people</a> was partly facilitated by the prestige of the Christian <a href="/wiki/Roman_Empire" title="Roman Empire">Roman Empire</a> amongst European pagans. Until the <a href="/wiki/Decline_of_the_Roman_Empire" class="mw-redirect" title="Decline of the Roman Empire">decline of the Roman Empire</a>, the Germanic <a href="/wiki/Tribe" title="Tribe">tribes</a> who had migrated there (with the exceptions of the <a href="/wiki/Saxons" title="Saxons">Saxons</a>, <a href="/wiki/Franks" title="Franks">Franks</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Lombards" title="Lombards">Lombards</a>, see below) had converted to Christianity.<sup id="cite_ref-Padberg_1998,_26_70-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Padberg_1998,_26-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Many of them, notably the <a href="/wiki/Goths" title="Goths">Goths</a> and <a href="/wiki/Vandals" title="Vandals">Vandals</a>, adopted <a href="/wiki/Arianism" title="Arianism">Arianism</a> instead of the <a href="/wiki/Trinity" title="Trinity">Trinitarian</a> (a.k.a. <a href="/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicea" class="mw-redirect" title="First Council of Nicea">Nicene</a> or <i>orthodox</i>) beliefs that were dogmatically defined by the <a href="/wiki/Church_Fathers" title="Church Fathers">Church Fathers</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Nicene_Creed" title="Nicene Creed">Nicene Creed</a> and <a href="/wiki/Council_of_Chalcedon" title="Council of Chalcedon">Council of Chalcedon</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Padberg_1998,_26_70-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Padberg_1998,_26-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The gradual rise of Germanic Christianity was, at times, voluntary, particularly amongst groups associated with the Roman Empire. </p><p>From the 6th century AD, Germanic tribes were converted (and re-converted) by <a href="/wiki/Missionary" title="Missionary">missionaries</a> of the Catholic Church.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2011)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>Many Goths converted to Christianity as individuals outside the Roman Empire. Most members of other tribes converted to Christianity when their respective tribes settled within the Empire, and most Franks and Anglo-Saxons converted a few generations later. During the later centuries following the <a href="/wiki/Fall_of_Rome" class="mw-redirect" title="Fall of Rome">Fall of Rome</a>, as <a href="/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism" title="East–West Schism">schism</a> between the <a href="/wiki/Diocese" title="Diocese">dioceses</a> loyal to the <a href="/wiki/Pope" title="Pope">Pope of Rome</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church" title="Catholic Church">West</a> and those loyal to the other <a href="/wiki/Patriarch" title="Patriarch">Patriarchs</a> in the <a href="/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church" title="Eastern Orthodox Church">East</a>, most of the Germanic peoples (excepting the <a href="/wiki/Crimean_Goths" title="Crimean Goths">Crimean Goths</a> and a few other eastern groups) would gradually become strongly allied with the Catholic Church in the West, particularly as a result of the reign of <a href="/wiki/Charlemagne" title="Charlemagne">Charlemagne</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Goths">Goths</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Goths"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Gothic_Christianity" title="Gothic Christianity">Gothic Christianity</a></div> <p>In the 3rd century, East-Germanic peoples migrated into Scythia. Gothic culture and identity emerged from various East-Germanic, local, and Roman influences. In the same period, Gothic raiders took captives among the Romans, including many Christians, (and Roman-supported raiders took captives among the Goths). </p><p>Wulfila or <a href="/wiki/Ulfilas" title="Ulfilas">Ulfilas</a> was the son or grandson of Christian captives from Sadagolthina in Cappadocia. In 337 or 341, Wulfila became the first bishop of the (Christian) Goths. By 348, one of the (Pagan) Gothic kings (reikos) began persecuting the Christian Goths, and Wulfila and many other Christian Goths fled to <a href="/wiki/Moesia_Secunda" class="mw-redirect" title="Moesia Secunda">Moesia Secunda</a> (in modern <a href="/wiki/Bulgaria" title="Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a>) in the Roman Empire.<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA2_71-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA2-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Other Christians, including <a href="/wiki/Wereka_and_Batwin" class="mw-redirect" title="Wereka and Batwin">Wereka, Batwin</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Sabbas_the_Goth" title="Sabbas the Goth">Saba</a>, died in later persecutions. </p><p>Between 348 and 383, Wulfila translated the Bible into the <a href="/wiki/Gothic_language" title="Gothic language">Gothic language</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA2_71-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA2-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Thus some Arian Christians in the west used the vernacular languages, in this case including Gothic and Latin, for services, as did Christians in the eastern Roman provinces, while most Christians in the western provinces used Latin. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Franks_&_Alemanni"><span id="Franks_.26_Alemanni"></span>Franks & Alemanni</h4><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Franks & Alemanni"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Christogramvormig_beslag_in_brons,_375_tot_450_NC,_vindplaats-_Neerharen-Rekem,_1982,_Germaanse_nederzetting,_afvalkuil_7,_collectie_Gallo-Romeins_Museum_Tongeren,_81.NE.023.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Christogramvormig_beslag_in_brons%2C_375_tot_450_NC%2C_vindplaats-_Neerharen-Rekem%2C_1982%2C_Germaanse_nederzetting%2C_afvalkuil_7%2C_collectie_Gallo-Romeins_Museum_Tongeren%2C_81.NE.023.jpg/250px-thumbnail.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="184" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Christogramvormig_beslag_in_brons%2C_375_tot_450_NC%2C_vindplaats-_Neerharen-Rekem%2C_1982%2C_Germaanse_nederzetting%2C_afvalkuil_7%2C_collectie_Gallo-Romeins_Museum_Tongeren%2C_81.NE.023.jpg/330px-thumbnail.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Christogramvormig_beslag_in_brons%2C_375_tot_450_NC%2C_vindplaats-_Neerharen-Rekem%2C_1982%2C_Germaanse_nederzetting%2C_afvalkuil_7%2C_collectie_Gallo-Romeins_Museum_Tongeren%2C_81.NE.023.jpg/500px-thumbnail.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4809" data-file-height="4033" /></a><figcaption>Roman <a href="/wiki/Chi_Rho" title="Chi Rho">Chi Rho</a> applique in bronze found in a Germanic settlement in Neerharen (Belgium), 375-450 CE, <a href="/wiki/Gallo-Roman_Museum,_Tongeren" title="Gallo-Roman Museum, Tongeren">Gallo-Roman Museum (Tongeren)</a></figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Franks" title="Franks">Franks</a> and their ruling <a href="/wiki/Merovingian_dynasty" title="Merovingian dynasty">Merovingian dynasty</a>, that had migrated to <a href="/wiki/Gaul" title="Gaul">Gaul</a> from the 3rd century had remained pagan at first. On Christmas 496,<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> however, <a href="/wiki/Clovis_I" title="Clovis I">Clovis I</a> following his victory at the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Tolbiac" title="Battle of Tolbiac">Battle of Tolbiac</a> converted to the <i>orthodox</i> faith of the <a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church" title="Catholic Church">Catholic Church</a> and let himself be baptised at <a href="/wiki/Rheims" class="mw-redirect" title="Rheims">Rheims</a>. The details of this event have been passed down by <a href="/wiki/Gregory_of_Tours" title="Gregory of Tours">Gregory of Tours</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Outside_the_Roman_Empire">Outside the Roman Empire</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Outside the Roman Empire"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951" /><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East" title="Church of the East">Church of the East</a>, <a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_Ethiopia" title="Christianity in Ethiopia">Christianity in Ethiopia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East_in_China" title="Church of the East in China">Church of the East in China</a>, <a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East_in_India" title="Church of the East in India">Church of the East in India</a>, <a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East_in_Sichuan" title="Church of the East in Sichuan">Church of the East in Sichuan</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Christianity_among_the_Mongols" title="Christianity among the Mongols">Christianity among the Mongols</a></div> <p>Christianity spread to other great pre-modern states, including the <a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_Aksum" title="Kingdom of Aksum">Kingdom of Aksum</a> where as in the Roman Empire, in Armenia, and in Georgia, it became the <a href="/wiki/State_religion" title="State religion">state religion</a>; in these areas it thrives to the present day. In others, such as the <a href="/wiki/Sasanian_Empire" title="Sasanian Empire">Sasanian Empire</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Tang_dynasty" title="Tang dynasty">Tang dynasty</a> in China, the <a href="/wiki/Mongol_Empire" title="Mongol Empire">Mongol Empire</a>, and in many other areas, despite widespread success, it never became the state religion and is now practiced by small minorities. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-proselyte-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-proselyte_24-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12481c.htm">Catholic Encyclopedia: Proselyte</a>: "The English term "proselyte" occurs only in the Christian Testament where it signifies a convert to the Jewish religion (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.usccb.org/bible/Matthew/23?15">Matthew 23:15</a>; <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.usccb.org/bible/Acts/2?11">Acts 2:11</a>; <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.usccb.org/bible/Acts/6?5">6:5</a>; etc.), though the same Greek word is commonly used in the <a href="/wiki/Septuagint" title="Septuagint">Septuagint</a> to designate a foreigner living in <a href="/wiki/Judea" title="Judea">Judea</a>. The term seems to have passed from an original local and chiefly political sense, in which it was used as early as 300 BC, to a technical and religious meaning in the Judaism of the Christian Testament epoch."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ecclesiastical historian <a href="/wiki/Henry_Hart_Milman" title="Henry Hart Milman">Henry Hart Milman</a> writes that in much of the first three centuries, even in the Latin-dominated western empire: "the Church of Rome, and most, if not all the Churches of the West, were, if we may so speak, Greek religious colonies [see <a href="/wiki/Greek_colonies" class="mw-redirect" title="Greek colonies">Greek colonies</a> for the background]. Their language was Greek, their organization Greek, their writers Greek, their scriptures Greek; and many vestiges and traditions show that their ritual, their Liturgy, was Greek."<sup id="cite_ref-Greek_Orthodox_Christianity_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Greek_Orthodox_Christianity-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_mission" title="Christian mission">Christian mission</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626" /><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 35em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBurkett20023_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBurkett2002">Burkett 2002</a>, p. 3.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMack1995-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMack1995_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMack1995">Mack 1995</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Alister16-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Alister16_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Christianity: an introduction</i> by Alister E. McGrath 2006 <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4051-0901-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4051-0901-7">978-1-4051-0901-7</a> pp. 16–22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEGrant1977176-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGrant1977176_5-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFGrant1977">Grant 1977</a>, p. 176.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMaier19755-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMaier19755_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMaier1975">Maier 1975</a>, p. 5.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEVan_Daalen197241-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVan_Daalen197241_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFVan_Daalen1972">Van Daalen 1972</a>, p. 41.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKremer197749–50-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKremer197749–50_8-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKremer1977">Kremer 1977</a>, pp. 49–50.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEhrman2014">Ehrman 2014</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014109–10-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEhrman2014109–10_11-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEhrman2014">Ehrman 2014</a>, pp. 109–10.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKoester200064–65-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKoester200064–65_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKoester2000">Koester 2000</a>, pp. 64–65.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEVermes2008a151–52-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVermes2008a151–52_13-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFVermes2008a">Vermes 2008a</a>, pp. 151–52.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Pixner-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Pixner_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Bargil Pixner, <i>The Church of the Apostles found on Mount Zion</i>, <a href="/wiki/Biblical_Archaeology_Review" title="Biblical Archaeology Review">Biblical Archaeology Review</a> 16.3 May/June 1990, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.centuryone.org/apostles.html">centuryone.org</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180309011150/http://www.centuryone.org/apostles.html">Archived</a> 2018-03-09 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">August Franzen, <i>Kirchengeschichte</i>, Freiburg, 1988: 20</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.biblica.com/bible/?osis=niv:Acts%201:13–15">Acts 1:13–15</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20_17-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20_17-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVidmar200519–20_17-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFVidmar2005">Vidmar 2005</a>, pp. 19–20.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Schreck130-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Schreck130_18-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Schreck, <i>The Essential Catholic Catechism</i> (1999), p. 130</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Acts%2011:26&version=nrsv">Acts 11:26</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMcGrath2006174-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMcGrath2006174_20-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMcGrath2006">McGrath 2006</a>, p. 174.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECohen1987167–68-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECohen1987167–68_21-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCohen1987">Cohen 1987</a>, pp. 167–68.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009246–47-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009246–47_22-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDunn2009">Dunn 2009</a>, pp. 246–47.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297_23-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009297_23-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDunn2009">Dunn 2009</a>, p. 297.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277_25-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009277_25-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDunn2009">Dunn 2009</a>, p. 277.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Hitchcock_281-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Hitchcock_281_26-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hitchcock_281_26-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hitchcock_281_26-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Hitchcock, <i>Geography of Religion</i> (2004), p. 281</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-bokenkotter18-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-bokenkotter18_27-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-bokenkotter18_27-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bokenkotter, p. 18.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-28">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Franzen 29</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Greek_Orthodox_Christianity-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Greek_Orthodox_Christianity_29-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-orthodox-history.asp">"Greek Orthodoxy – From Apostolic Times to the Present Day"</a>. <i>ellopos.net</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=ellopos.net&rft.atitle=Greek+Orthodoxy+%E2%80%93+From+Apostolic+Times+to+the+Present+Day&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ellopos.net%2Felpenor%2Fgreek-orthodox-history.asp&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEEhrman201287–90-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEEhrman201287–90_31-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFEhrman2012">Ehrman 2012</a>, pp. 87–90.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFJaeger1961" class="citation book cs1">Jaeger, Werner (1961). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=kYfAUnFMhPMC&pg=PA108"><i>Early Christianity and Greek Paideia</i></a>. Harvard University Press. pp. 6, <span class="nowrap">108–</span>09. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0674220522" title="Special:BookSources/978-0674220522"><bdi>978-0674220522</bdi></a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">26 February</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Early+Christianity+and+Greek+Paideia&rft.pages=6%2C+%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E108-%3C%2Fspan%3E09&rft.pub=Harvard+University+Press&rft.date=1961&rft.isbn=978-0674220522&rft.aulast=Jaeger&rft.aufirst=Werner&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DkYfAUnFMhPMC%26pg%3DPA108&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018_33-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFredriksen2018_33-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFFredriksen2018">Fredriksen 2018</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-duffy3-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-duffy3_34-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Duffy, p. 3.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bokenkotter18-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Bokenkotter18_35-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Bokenkotter18_35-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bokenkotter, <i>A Concise History of the Catholic Church</i> (2004), p. 18</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009302-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009302_36-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDunn2009">Dunn 2009</a>, p. 302.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn2009308-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn2009308_37-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDunn2009">Dunn 2009</a>, p. 308.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051243–45-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051243–45_38-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCrossLivingstone2005">Cross & Livingstone 2005</a>, pp. 1243–45.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEStendahl1963-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEStendahl1963_40-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFStendahl1963">Stendahl 1963</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEDunn1982n.49-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDunn1982n.49_41-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFDunn1982">Dunn 1982</a>, p. n.49.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEFinlan20042-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFinlan20042_42-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFFinlan2004">Finlan 2004</a>, p. 2.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051244-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone20051244_44-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFCrossLivingstone2005">Cross & Livingstone 2005</a>, p. 1244.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBurkett2002263-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBurkett2002263_45-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBurkett2002">Burkett 2002</a>, p. 263.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Davidson, p. 146</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Michael Whitby, et al. eds. <i> Christian Persecution, Martyrdom and Orthodoxy</i> (2006) <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.questia.com/read/115080283?title=Christian%20Persecution%2c%20Martyrdom%2c%20and%20Orthodoxy">online edition</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-48">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Hopkins(1998), p. 191</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-49">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFStark1996" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Rodney_Stark" title="Rodney Stark">Stark, Rodney</a> (13 May 1996). <i>The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History</i>. 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(29 March 2018). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.history.com/news/inside-the-conversion-tactics-of-the-early-christian-church">"Inside the Conversion Tactics of the Early Christian Church"</a>. <i>History</i>. A+E Networks<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">5 April</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=History&rft.atitle=Inside+the+Conversion+Tactics+of+the+Early+Christian+Church&rft.date=2018-03-29&rft.aulast=Ehrman&rft.aufirst=Bart+D.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.history.com%2Fnews%2Finside-the-conversion-tactics-of-the-early-christian-church&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-55">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Allen Brent, <i>Cyprian and Roman Carthage</i> (Cambridge University Press, 2010), p. 193ff. <i>et passim</i>; G.E.M. de Ste. Croix, <i>Christian Persecution, Martyrdom, and Orthodoxy,</i> edited by Michael Whitby and Joseph Streeter (Oxford University Press, 2006), p. 59.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-56">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ste. Croix, <i>Christian Persecution, Martyrdom, and Orthodoxy,</i> p. 107.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-57">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ste. Croix, <i>Christian Persecution, Martyrdom, and Orthodoxy,</i> p. 40.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-58">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Ste. Croix, <i>Christian Persecution, Martyrdom, and Orthodoxy,</i> pp. 139–140</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Françoise Monfrin, entry on "Milan," p. 986, and <a href="/wiki/Charles_Pietri" title="Charles Pietri">Charles Pietri</a>, the entry on "Persecutions," p. 1156, in <i>The Papacy: An Encyclopedia,</i> edited by Philippe Levillain (Routledge, 2002, originally published in French 1994), vol. 2; Kevin Butcher, <i>Roman Syria and the Near East</i> (Getty Publications, 2003), p. 378.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-61">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFYisrael1995" class="citation book cs1">Yisrael, Muzeon (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=qhKGPprbQaYC&q=St.+Thomas"><i>The Jews of India: A Story of Three Communities</i></a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-9652781796" title="Special:BookSources/978-9652781796"><bdi>978-9652781796</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Jews+of+India%3A+A+Story+of+Three+Communities&rft.date=1995&rft.isbn=978-9652781796&rft.aulast=Yisrael&rft.aufirst=Muzeon&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DqhKGPprbQaYC%26q%3DSt.%2BThomas&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-AFM-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-AFM_62-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-AFM_62-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">A.E. Medlycott, <i>India and The Apostle Thomas</i>, pp. 1–71, 213–97; M.R. James, <i>Apocryphal New Testament</i>, pp. 364–436; Eusebius, <i>History</i>, chapter 4:30; J.N. Farquhar, <i>The Apostle Thomas in North India</i>, chapter 4:30; V.A. Smith, <i>Early History of India</i>, p. 235; L.W. Brown, <i>The Indian Christians of St. Thomas</i>, pp. 49–59</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-AFM2-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-AFM2_63-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">A. E. Medlycott, <i>India and The Apostle Thomas</i>, pp.18–71; M. R. James, <i>Apocryphal New Testament</i>, pp.364–436; A. E. Medlycott, <i>India and The Apostle Thomas</i>, pp.1–17, 213–97; Eusebius, <i>History</i>, chapter 4:30; <a href="/wiki/J._N._Farquhar" title="J. N. Farquhar">J. N. Farquhar</a>, <i>The Apostle Thomas in North India</i>, chapter 4:30; V. A. Smith, <i>Early History of India</i>, p.235; <a href="#CITEREFBrown1956">Brown 1956</a>, pp. 49–59</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-64">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFEhlerMorrall1967" class="citation book cs1">Ehler, Sidney Zdeneck; Morrall, John B (1967). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=2WuMyEzani8C&pg=PA6"><i>Church and State Through the Centuries: A Collection of Historic Documents with Commentaries</i></a>. Biblo & Tannen Publishers. p. 6. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780819601896" title="Special:BookSources/9780819601896"><bdi>9780819601896</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Church+and+State+Through+the+Centuries%3A+A+Collection+of+Historic+Documents+with+Commentaries&rft.pages=6&rft.pub=Biblo+%26+Tannen+Publishers&rft.date=1967&rft.isbn=9780819601896&rft.aulast=Ehler&rft.aufirst=Sidney+Zdeneck&rft.au=Morrall%2C+John+B&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D2WuMyEzani8C%26pg%3DPA6&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-65">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Ramsay_MacMullen" title="Ramsay MacMullen">Ramsay MacMullen</a>, <i>Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries</i>, Yale University Press, September 23, 1997</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-66">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-67441/Christianity">"Christianity Missions and monasticism"</a>, <i>Encyclopædia Britannica Online</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-67"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-67">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030214123721/http://www.armenianhistory.info/christianity.htm">Armenian History, Chapter III</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ReferenceA1-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA1_68-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA1_68-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">"Georgia, Church of." Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford dictionary of the Christian church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-69">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05566a.htm">"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Ethiopia"</a>. <i>www.newadvent.org</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.newadvent.org&rft.atitle=CATHOLIC+ENCYCLOPEDIA%3A+Ethiopia&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newadvent.org%2Fcathen%2F05566a.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Padberg_1998,_26-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Padberg_1998,_26_70-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Padberg_1998,_26_70-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Padberg 1998, 26</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ReferenceA2-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA2_71-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA2_71-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Philostorgius" title="Philostorgius">Philostorgius</a> via Photius, <i>Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius</i>, book 2, chapter 5.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-72">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Auxentius_of_Durostorum" title="Auxentius of Durostorum">Auxentius of Durostorum</a>, <i>Letter of Auxentius</i>, quoted in Heather and Matthews, <i>Goths in the Fourth Century</i>, pp. 141-142.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-73">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Auxentius_of_Durostorum" title="Auxentius of Durostorum">Auxentius of Durostorum</a>, <i>Letter of Auxentius</i>, quoted in Heather and Matthews, <i>Goths in the Fourth Century</i>, p. 140.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-74">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">497 or 499 are also possible; Padberg 1998: 53</span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Sources">Sources</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <dl><dt>Published sources</dt></dl> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239549316">.mw-parser-output .refbegin{margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%}}</style><div class="refbegin" style=""> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBrown1956" class="citation book cs1">Brown, Leslie W. (1956). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=20EvQwAACAAJ"><i>The Indian Christians of St Thomas, an Account of the Ancient Syrian Church of Malabar</i></a>. Cambridge: University Press.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Indian+Christians+of+St+Thomas%2C+an+Account+of+the+Ancient+Syrian+Church+of+Malabar&rft.place=Cambridge&rft.pub=University+Press&rft.date=1956&rft.aulast=Brown&rft.aufirst=Leslie+W.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D20EvQwAACAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBurkett2002" class="citation cs2">Burkett, Delbert (2002), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=EcsQknxV-xQC&q=%2213+The+Gospel+of+Luke%22&pg=PA195"><i>An Introduction to the New Testament and the Origins of Christianity</i></a>, Cambridge University Press, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-00720-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-521-00720-7"><bdi>978-0-521-00720-7</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=An+Introduction+to+the+New+Testament+and+the+Origins+of+Christianity&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=978-0-521-00720-7&rft.aulast=Burkett&rft.aufirst=Delbert&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DEcsQknxV-xQC%26q%3D%252213%2BThe%2BGospel%2Bof%2BLuke%2522%26pg%3DPA195&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFCohen1987" class="citation cs2">Cohen, Shaye J.D. (1987), <i>From the Maccabees to the Mishnah</i>, The Westminster Press, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-664-25017-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-664-25017-3"><bdi>0-664-25017-3</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=From+the+Maccabees+to+the+Mishnah&rft.pub=The+Westminster+Press&rft.date=1987&rft.isbn=0-664-25017-3&rft.aulast=Cohen&rft.aufirst=Shaye+J.D.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFCrossLivingstone2005" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/F._L._Cross" title="F. L. Cross">Cross, F. L.</a>; <a href="/wiki/Elizabeth_Livingstone" title="Elizabeth Livingstone">Livingstone, E. A.</a>, eds. (2005), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=fUqcAQAAQBAJ"><i>The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church</i></a> (3rd Revised ed.), <a href="/wiki/Oxford" title="Oxford">Oxford</a>: <a href="/wiki/Oxford_University_Press" title="Oxford University Press">Oxford University Press</a>, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1093%2Facref%2F9780192802903.001.0001">10.1093/acref/9780192802903.001.0001</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-280290-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-19-280290-3"><bdi>978-0-19-280290-3</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Oxford+Dictionary+of+the+Christian+Church&rft.place=Oxford&rft.edition=3rd+Revised&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2005&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1093%2Facref%2F9780192802903.001.0001&rft.isbn=978-0-19-280290-3&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DfUqcAQAAQBAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFVan_Daalen1972" class="citation cs2">Van Daalen, D. H. (1972), <i>The Real Resurrection</i>, London: Collins</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Real+Resurrection&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Collins&rft.date=1972&rft.aulast=Van+Daalen&rft.aufirst=D.+H.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFDunn1982" class="citation cs2">Dunn, James D. G. (1982), <i>The New Perspective on Paul. Manson Memorial Lecture, 4 november 1982</i></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+New+Perspective+on+Paul.+Manson+Memorial+Lecture%2C+4+november+1982&rft.date=1982&rft.aulast=Dunn&rft.aufirst=James+D.+G.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFDunn2009" class="citation cs2">Dunn, James D. G. (2009), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=A_NgbeCRrIwC"><i>Christianity in the Making: Beginning from Jerusalem</i></a>, vol. 2, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8028-3932-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-8028-3932-9"><bdi>978-0-8028-3932-9</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Christianity+in+the+Making%3A+Beginning+from+Jerusalem&rft.pub=Wm.+B.+Eerdmans+Publishing&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-0-8028-3932-9&rft.aulast=Dunn&rft.aufirst=James+D.+G.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DA_NgbeCRrIwC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFDurant2011" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Will_Durant" title="Will Durant">Durant, Will</a> (2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=JztghD__8ksC"><i>Caesar and Christ: The Story of Civilization</i></a>. Simon and Schuster. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4516-4760-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4516-4760-0"><bdi>978-1-4516-4760-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Caesar+and+Christ%3A+The+Story+of+Civilization&rft.pub=Simon+and+Schuster&rft.date=2011&rft.isbn=978-1-4516-4760-0&rft.aulast=Durant&rft.aufirst=Will&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DJztghD__8ksC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFEhrman2012" class="citation cs2">Ehrman, Bart (2012), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=hf5Rj8EtsPkC"><i>Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth</i></a>, Harper Collins, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-06-208994-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-06-208994-6"><bdi>978-0-06-208994-6</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Did+Jesus+Exist%3F%3A+The+Historical+Argument+for+Jesus+of+Nazareth&rft.pub=Harper+Collins&rft.date=2012&rft.isbn=978-0-06-208994-6&rft.aulast=Ehrman&rft.aufirst=Bart&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3Dhf5Rj8EtsPkC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFEhrman2014" class="citation cs2">Ehrman, Bart (2014), <i>How Jesus became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee</i>, Harper Collins</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=How+Jesus+became+God%3A+The+Exaltation+of+a+Jewish+Preacher+from+Galilee&rft.pub=Harper+Collins&rft.date=2014&rft.aulast=Ehrman&rft.aufirst=Bart&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFFinlan2004" class="citation cs2">Finlan, Stephen (2004), <i>The Background and Content of Paul's Cultic Atonement Metaphors</i>, Society of Biblical Literature</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Background+and+Content+of+Paul%27s+Cultic+Atonement+Metaphors&rft.pub=Society+of+Biblical+Literature&rft.date=2004&rft.aulast=Finlan&rft.aufirst=Stephen&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFFredriksen2018" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Paula_Fredriksen" title="Paula Fredriksen">Fredriksen, Paula</a> (2018), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=NW9yDwAAQBAJ"><i>When Christians Were Jews: The First Generation</i></a>, <a href="/wiki/New_Haven,_Connecticut" title="New Haven, Connecticut">New Haven</a> and <a href="/wiki/London" title="London">London</a>: <a href="/wiki/Yale_University_Press" title="Yale University Press">Yale University Press</a>, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-300-19051-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-300-19051-9"><bdi>978-0-300-19051-9</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=When+Christians+Were+Jews%3A+The+First+Generation&rft.place=New+Haven+and+London&rft.pub=Yale+University+Press&rft.date=2018&rft.isbn=978-0-300-19051-9&rft.aulast=Fredriksen&rft.aufirst=Paula&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DNW9yDwAAQBAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFGrant1977" class="citation cs2">Grant, M. (1977), <i>Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels</i>, New York: Scribner's</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Jesus%3A+An+Historian%27s+Review+of+the+Gospels&rft.place=New+York&rft.pub=Scribner%27s&rft.date=1977&rft.aulast=Grant&rft.aufirst=M.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKoester2000" class="citation cs2">Koester, Helmut (2000), <i>Introduction to the New Testament, Vol. 2: History and Literature of Early Christianity</i>, Walter de Gruyter</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Introduction+to+the+New+Testament%2C+Vol.+2%3A+History+and+Literature+of+Early+Christianity&rft.pub=Walter+de+Gruyter&rft.date=2000&rft.aulast=Koester&rft.aufirst=Helmut&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKremer1977" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Kremer, Jakob (1977), <i>Die Osterevangelien – Geschichten um Geschichte</i> (in German), Stuttgart: Katholisches Bibelwerk</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Die+Osterevangelien+%26ndash%3B%26%2332%3BGeschichten+um+Geschichte&rft.place=Stuttgart&rft.pub=Katholisches+Bibelwerk&rft.date=1977&rft.aulast=Kremer&rft.aufirst=Jakob&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFMack1995" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Burton_L._Mack" title="Burton L. Mack">Mack, Burton L.</a> (1995), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/whowrotenewtesta00mack_0"><i>Who wrote the New Testament? The making of the Christian myth</i></a>, Harper San Francisco, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-06-065517-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-06-065517-4"><bdi>978-0-06-065517-4</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Who+wrote+the+New+Testament%3F+The+making+of+the+Christian+myth&rft.pub=Harper+San+Francisco&rft.date=1995&rft.isbn=978-0-06-065517-4&rft.aulast=Mack&rft.aufirst=Burton+L.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fwhowrotenewtesta00mack_0&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFMaier1975" class="citation cs2">Maier, P. L. (1975), "The Empty Tomb as History", <i>Christianity Today</i></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Christianity+Today&rft.atitle=The+Empty+Tomb+as+History&rft.date=1975&rft.aulast=Maier&rft.aufirst=P.+L.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFMcGrath2006" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Alister_McGrath" title="Alister McGrath">McGrath, Alister E.</a> (2006), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=v26doW8jIyYC"><i>Christianity: An Introduction</i></a>, Wiley-Blackwell, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-4051-0899-1" title="Special:BookSources/1-4051-0899-1"><bdi>1-4051-0899-1</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Christianity%3A+An+Introduction&rft.pub=Wiley-Blackwell&rft.date=2006&rft.isbn=1-4051-0899-1&rft.aulast=McGrath&rft.aufirst=Alister+E.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3Dv26doW8jIyYC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFStendahl1963" class="citation journal cs1"><a href="/wiki/Krister_Stendahl" title="Krister Stendahl">Stendahl, Krister</a> (July 1963). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.scotthahn.com/s/01Stendahl.pdf">"The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i><a href="/wiki/Harvard_Theological_Review" title="Harvard Theological Review">Harvard Theological Review</a></i>. <b>56</b> (3). <a href="/wiki/Cambridge" title="Cambridge">Cambridge</a>: <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_University_Press" title="Cambridge University Press">Cambridge University Press</a> on behalf of the <a href="/wiki/Harvard_Divinity_School" title="Harvard Divinity School">Harvard Divinity School</a>: <span class="nowrap">199–</span>215. <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0017816000024779">10.1017/S0017816000024779</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1475-4517">1475-4517</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1508631">1508631</a>. <a href="/wiki/LCCN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="LCCN (identifier)">LCCN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lccn.loc.gov/09003793">09003793</a>. <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:170331485">170331485</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211224045859/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/569543b4bfe87360795306d6/t/5a4d41fa085229a032376713/1515012617149/01Stendahl.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on 24 December 2021<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">12 February</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Harvard+Theological+Review&rft.atitle=The+Apostle+Paul+and+the+Introspective+Conscience+of+the+West&rft.volume=56&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E199-%3C%2Fspan%3E215&rft.date=1963-07&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F1508631%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1017%2FS0017816000024779&rft.issn=1475-4517&rft_id=info%3Alccn%2F09003793&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A170331485%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft.aulast=Stendahl&rft.aufirst=Krister&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scotthahn.com%2Fs%2F01Stendahl.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFVermes2008a" class="citation cs2">Vermes, Geza (2008a), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=1PYcnn9WxVcC"><i>The Resurrection</i></a>, London: Penguin, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780141912639" title="Special:BookSources/9780141912639"><bdi>9780141912639</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Resurrection&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Penguin&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=9780141912639&rft.aulast=Vermes&rft.aufirst=Geza&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D1PYcnn9WxVcC&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFVidmar2005" class="citation cs2">Vidmar (2005), <i>The Catholic Church Through the Ages</i></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Catholic+Church+Through+the+Ages&rft.date=2005&rft.au=Vidmar&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> </div> <dl><dt>Web-sources</dt></dl> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626" /><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-EB.Sanders.Pelikan.Jesus-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-EB.Sanders.Pelikan.Jesus_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">E.P. Sanders, Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jesus/The-context-of-Jesus-career"><i>Jesus</i></a>, Encyclopedia Britannica</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hurtado.2018.Fredriksen_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Larry Hurtado (December 4, 2018), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://larryhurtado.wordpress.com/2018/12/04/when-christians-were-jews-paula-fredriksen-on-the-first-generation/">"When Christians were Jews": Paula Fredriksen on "The First Generation"</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Hurtado2017.Paul-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Hurtado2017.Paul_39-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">[Larry Hurtado (August 17, 2017 ), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://larryhurtado.wordpress.com/2017/08/17/paul-the-pagans-apostle/"><i>"Paul, the Pagans' Apostle"</i></a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Westerholm.2015-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Westerholm.2015_43-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Stephen Westerholm (2015), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.directionjournal.org/44/1/new-perspective-on-paul-in-review.html"><i>The New Perspective on Paul in Review</i></a>, Direction, Spring 2015 · Vol. 44 No. 1 · pp. 4–15</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-martin-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-martin_54-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Martin, D. 2010. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Bh_SAEU90">"The 'Afterlife' of the New Testament and Postmodern Interpretation"</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160608093412/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Bh_SAEU90">Archived</a> 2016-06-08 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> (<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://cosmolearning.org/video-lectures/the-afterlife-of-the-new-testament-and-postmodern-interpretation-6819/">lecture transcript</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160812141627/https://cosmolearning.org/video-lectures/the-afterlife-of-the-new-testament-and-postmodern-interpretation-6819/">Archived</a> 2016-08-12 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>). Yale University.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ReligionFacts-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-ReligionFacts_60-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/history/persecution.htm">"Persecution in the Early Church"</a>. Religion Facts<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2014-03-26</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Persecution+in+the+Early+Church&rft.pub=Religion+Facts&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.religionfacts.com%2Fchristianity%2Fhistory%2Fpersecution.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpread+of+Christianity" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spread_of_Christianity&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Bart Ehrman (2018), <i>The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World</i></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output 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href="/wiki/Lists_of_Christians" title="Lists of Christians">Lists of Christians</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_by_country" title="Christianity by country">By country</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Bible" title="Bible">Bible</a><br /><a href="/wiki/List_of_religious_texts#Christianity" title="List of religious texts">(Scriptures)</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Biblical_canon" title="Biblical canon">Canon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Testament" title="Old Testament">Old Testament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Foundations</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Church_(congregation)" title="Church (congregation)">Church</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Creed" title="Creed">Creed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/The_gospel" title="The gospel">Gospel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Covenant" title="New Covenant">New Covenant</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_tradition" title="Christian tradition">Christian tradition</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_worship" title="Christian worship">Worship</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/History_of_Christianity" title="History of Christianity">History</a><br />(<a href="/wiki/Timeline_of_Christianity" title="Timeline of Christianity">timeline</a>)<br />(<a class="mw-selflink selflink">spread</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Early_Christianity" title="Early Christianity">Early<br />Christianity</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jesus" title="Jesus">Jesus</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jesus_in_Christianity" title="Jesus in Christianity">in Christianity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chronology_of_Jesus" title="Chronology of Jesus">Chronology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus" title="Nativity of Jesus">Nativity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptism_of_Jesus" title="Baptism of Jesus">Baptism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ministry_of_Jesus" title="Ministry of Jesus">Ministry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sermon_on_the_Mount" title="Sermon on the Mount">Sermon on the Mount</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parables_of_Jesus" title="Parables of Jesus">Parables</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Miracles_of_Jesus" title="Miracles of Jesus">Miracles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Commandment" title="Great Commandment">Great Commandment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus" title="Crucifixion of Jesus">Crucifixion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus" title="Resurrection of Jesus">Resurrection</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Commission" title="Great Commission">Great Commission</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Apostles_in_the_New_Testament" title="Apostles in the New Testament">Apostles</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Church_Fathers" title="Church Fathers">Church fathers</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Apostolic_Fathers" title="Apostolic Fathers">Apostolic fathers</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Great_Church" title="Great Church">Great Church</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_ante-Nicene_period" title="Christianity in the ante-Nicene period">Ante-Nicene period</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_late_antiquity" title="Christianity in late antiquity">Late antiquity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constantine_the_Great_and_Christianity" title="Constantine the Great and Christianity">Constantine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_seven_ecumenical_councils" title="First seven ecumenical councils">First seven ecumenical councils</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea" title="First Council of Nicaea">Nicaea I</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Council_of_Chalcedon" title="Council of Chalcedon">Chalcedon</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_as_the_Roman_state_religion" title="Christianity as the Roman state religion">State church of the Roman Empire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_biblical_canon" class="mw-redirect" title="Christian biblical canon">Christian biblical canon</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_Middle_Ages" title="Christianity in the Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_monasticism" title="Christian monasticism">Monasticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Papal_States" title="Papal States">Papal States</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism" title="East–West Schism">East–West Schism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Investiture_Controversy" title="Investiture Controversy">Investiture Controversy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crusades" title="Crusades">Crusades</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church_and_the_Age_of_Discovery" title="Catholic Church and the Age of Discovery">Age of Discovery</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christianity_in_the_modern_era" title="Christianity in the modern era">Modern era</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Auto-da-f%C3%A9" title="Auto-da-fé">Auto-da-fé</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reformation" title="Reformation">Protestant Reformation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Counter-Reformation" title="Counter-Reformation">Catholic Reformation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thirty_Years%27_War" title="Thirty Years' War">Thirty Years' War</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenment" title="Age of Enlightenment">Enlightenment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dechristianization_of_France_during_the_French_Revolution" title="Dechristianization of France during the French Revolution">French Revolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_and_Islam" title="Christianity and Islam">Relations with Islam</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_influences_on_the_Islamic_world" title="Christian influences on the Islamic world">Influences</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christian_denomination" title="Christian denomination">Denominations</a><br />(<a href="/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations" title="List of Christian denominations">list</a>, <a href="/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_by_number_of_members" title="List of Christian denominations by number of members">members</a>)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Western_Christianity" title="Western Christianity">Western</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Catholic_Church" title="Catholic Church">Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Old_Catholic_Church" title="Old Catholic Church">Old Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independent_Catholicism" title="Independent Catholicism">Independent Catholic</a> (<a href="/wiki/Palmarian_Catholic_Church" title="Palmarian Catholic Church">Palmarian</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Protestantism" title="Protestantism">Protestant</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adventism" title="Adventism">Adventist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anabaptism" title="Anabaptism">Anabaptist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anglicanism" title="Anglicanism">Anglican</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Baptists" title="Baptists">Baptist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charismatic_Christianity" title="Charismatic Christianity">Charismatic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Evangelicalism" title="Evangelicalism">Evangelical</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holiness_movement" title="Holiness movement">Holiness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lutheranism" title="Lutheranism">Lutheran</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Methodism" title="Methodism">Methodist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pentecostalism" title="Pentecostalism">Pentecostal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quakers" title="Quakers">Quakers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reformed_Christianity" title="Reformed Christianity">Reformed</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Rite_Orthodoxy" title="Western Rite Orthodoxy">Western Rite Orthodoxy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Christianity" title="Eastern Christianity">Eastern</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Orthodoxy" title="Eastern Orthodoxy">Eastern Orthodox</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church" title="Eastern Orthodox Church">Church</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oriental_Orthodox_Churches" title="Oriental Orthodox Churches">Oriental Orthodox (Miaphysite)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Church_of_the_East" title="Church of the East">Church of the East (Nestorian)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_Churches" title="Eastern Catholic Churches">Eastern Catholic</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Restorationism" title="Restorationism">Restorationist</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses" title="Jehovah's Witnesses">Jehovah's Witnesses</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Latter_Day_Saint_movement" title="Latter Day Saint movement">Latter Day Saint movement</a></li> <li><span title="Tagalog-language text"><span lang="tl" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="/wiki/Iglesia_ni_Cristo" title="Iglesia ni Cristo">Iglesia ni Cristo</a></span></span></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christian_theology" title="Christian theology">Theology</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ablution_in_Christianity" title="Ablution in Christianity">Ablution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Angels_in_Christianity" title="Angels in Christianity">Angel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Born_again" title="Born again">Born again</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christology" title="Christology">Christology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Divine_apathy" title="Divine apathy">Divine apathy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ecclesiology" title="Ecclesiology">Ecclesiology</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Four_Marks_of_the_Church" title="Four Marks of the Church">Four marks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Body_of_Christ" title="Body of Christ">Body of Christ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/One_true_church" title="One true church">One true church</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/People_of_God" title="People of God">People of God</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canon_law" title="Canon law">Canon law</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Faith_in_Christianity" title="Faith in Christianity">Faith</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fall_of_man" title="Fall of man">Fall of man</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Forbidden_fruit" title="Forbidden fruit">Forbidden fruit</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Garden_of_Eden" title="Garden of Eden">Garden of Eden</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Last_Judgement" class="mw-redirect" title="Last Judgement">Final Judgement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/God_in_Christianity" title="God in Christianity">God</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Trinity" title="Trinity">Trinity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/God_the_Father" title="God the Father">Father</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Son_of_God_(Christianity)" title="Son of God (Christianity)">Son</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holy_Spirit_in_Christianity" title="Holy Spirit in Christianity">Holy Spirit</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Good_works" title="Good works">Good works</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Heaven_in_Christianity" title="Heaven in Christianity">Heaven</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hell_in_Christianity" title="Hell in Christianity">Hell</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holy_water" title="Holy water">Holy water</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hygiene_in_Christianity" title="Hygiene in Christianity">Hygiene</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kingdom_of_God_(Christianity)" title="Kingdom of God (Christianity)">Kingdom of God</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_liturgy" title="Christian liturgy">Liturgy</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Catholic_liturgy" title="Catholic liturgy">Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Catholic_liturgy" title="Eastern Catholic liturgy">Eastern Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_worship" title="Eastern Orthodox worship">Eastern Orthodox</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Protestant_liturgy" title="Protestant liturgy">Protestant</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Love" title="Love">Love</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Love_of_Christ" title="Love of Christ">of Christ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Love_of_God" title="Love of God">of God</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mariology" title="Mariology">Mariology</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Theotokos" title="Theotokos">Theotokos</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_mission" title="Christian mission">Mission</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_monasticism" title="Christian monasticism">Monasticism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mortification_(theology)" title="Mortification (theology)">Mortification</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mortification_in_Catholic_theology" title="Mortification in Catholic theology">Catholic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mortification_of_the_flesh" title="Mortification of the flesh">Of the flesh</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/New_Covenant" title="New Covenant">New Covenant</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nicene_Creed" title="Nicene Creed">Nicene Creed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mosaic_covenant" title="Mosaic covenant">Old Covenant</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Christian_views_on_the_Old_Covenant" title="Christian views on the Old Covenant">Views</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Original_sin" title="Original sin">Original sin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Penance" title="Penance">Penance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_prayer" title="Christian prayer">Prayer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Repentance" title="Repentance">Repentance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sacrament" title="Sacrament">Sacraments</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Baptism" title="Baptism">Baptism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eucharist" title="Eucharist">Eucharist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_views_on_marriage" title="Christian views on marriage">Marriage</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Confirmation" title="Confirmation">Confirmation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Penance" title="Penance">Penance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anointing_of_the_sick" title="Anointing of the sick">Anointing of the Sick</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holy_orders" title="Holy orders">Holy orders</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Saint" title="Saint">Saints</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Salvation_in_Christianity" title="Salvation in Christianity">Salvation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Satan" title="Satan">Satan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_views_on_sin" title="Christian views on sin">Sin</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eternal_sin" title="Eternal sin">Eternal sin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mortal_sin" title="Mortal sin">Mortal sin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sins_that_cry_to_Heaven_for_Vengeance" title="Sins that cry to Heaven for Vengeance">Sins that cry to Heaven for Vengeance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Seven_deadly_sins" title="Seven deadly sins">Seven deadly sins</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Venial_sin" title="Venial sin">Venial sin</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sacred_tradition" title="Sacred tradition">Tradition</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_values" title="Christian values">Values</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vice" title="Vice">Vice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Works_of_mercy" title="Works of mercy">Works of mercy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_worship" title="Christian worship">Worship</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christian_philosophy" title="Christian philosophy">Philosophy</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Natural_law" title="Natural law">Natural law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_ethics" title="Christian ethics">Ethics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_and_science" title="Christianity and science">Science</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rejection_of_evolution_by_religious_groups" title="Rejection of evolution by religious groups">Evolution</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christianity_and_politics" title="Christianity and politics">Politics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Social_mortgage" title="Social mortgage">Social mortgage</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Universal_destination_of_goods" title="Universal destination of goods">Universal destination of goods</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_views_on_poverty_and_wealth" title="Christian views on poverty and wealth">Views on poverty and wealth</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Option_for_the_poor" title="Option for the poor">Option for the poor</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Christian_worldview" title="Christian worldview">Worldview</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other<br />features</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Christian_culture" title="Christian 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cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive" id="ca-addsection-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="addsection-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-speechBubbleAdd-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-speechBubbleAdd-progressive"></span> <span>Add topic</span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-header-icon-end"> <div class="vector-user-links"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mw-portlet mw-portlet-dock-bottom emptyPortlet" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul> </ul> </div> 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