The Truth on Christianity in the Roman Empire

Indeed, from the time of Augustus forward, a giant part of the Roman religion revolved around reverence of the emperor.

During the Republic the Roman religion faced no severe ch everyenges from outside religions. The cult of Cybele and Bacchus were introduced but generally frowned upon because of their frenzied, exotic ceremonies. However, with the spreading of the Empire throughout the Mediterranean, Rome came into contact with a bulky variety of religions, often termed the Oriental religions. These were tolerated for the sake of unity within the Empire and, as Rome itself became increasingly involved with the tocopherol in trade, administration and communication, these cults were accepted and embraced by many. However, it is important to spirit that these new cults were accepted because they fit into the framework of the Roman State. They did not upset the dominant position of the state cult - that is, they were deemed politically and morally safe. In addition, they asseverateed the Roman a more aroused relig-ious outlet, a view of the afterlife, a more personal sacred experience than did the state religion.

If Rome was extraordinarily tolerant of extraterrestrial religions, why then did Roman attitudes turn against Christianity to the point of persecution? The affection lies in the fact that Christians, unlike the devotees of the Oriental cults, refused to do motor inn to the state gods and, in particular, to the emperor.

In this t

hey were not unlike their Jewish parent religion. Traditionally the Jews had been a problem for the Romans in their fierce exclusiveness, nationalism and religious beliefs. To incubate this race, Rome grated various concessions: civil and religious affairs were in the hands of the Jewish Council, and they coined their own money without the emperor's image. In this management the Empire was able to maintain an uneasy truce with the Jews; all Rome required was that the Jews furnish tribute and live in peace with their neighbors. Thus, the Roman government had a longstanding proportionateness with the Jewish race, a historical understanding.

of God and the things of man, we know that, where we

offer battle to the imperial enemy (Vogt 69).

Christianity had a new translation of life to offer, and its vitalizing message transformed old modes of theme and language (Barrow 187).

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