Christianity in the roman empire.

[Theodosius the Great]

I strongly agree. The death of Hypathia is the obvious counter-example, but it must be noted that this was exceptional, and I am not sure whether the over-enthusiastic Alexandrian mob had orders from the Patriarch to follow the intelligent woman. Besides, I can not find a second example of a martyr for Paganism.

The impression I get from the whole episode was that the conflict was strictly political, one faction competing with another for power. She certainly wasn’t simply a private person quietly teaching philosophy. Had Hypathia not involved herself with the struggle I very much doubt she would have attracted attention to herself. As for her status as a martyr, I think this is an anachronism at best, created during the Enlightenment. It hardly fits with what little we know about the woman. She had favorable press from Christian sources, many of whom were her own devoted students. I’ve read that as many as half of her students may have been Christian. Most of our sources are either neutral or even favorable to her. The fact that they survive throws doubt over whether she really died for her paganism.

Pagan intellectuals had, since the second century, developed ideas that behind the multitudes of divinities was one single God, and in the fourth century, Christianity presented itself in this fashion too.

Right, the process of Hellenization of Christianity began with Christian scholars trained in Alexandria or Athens (e.g. Origen, Clement) in the late second century. By portraying the religion as a philosophy they enhanced its prestige among pagan academia.

That being said, I agree that Tim's remark was within what I consider, with what I know now, to be the limits of decent debate.

Frankly, I thought it was borderline. If he at least said it was his opinion that would have gone over better. Some people don’t know how to use “IMO” when needed. I think we can all remember this has caused misunderstandings in the past on this forum. At any rate, it would have been a profitless argument with respect to the thread’s question at hand, IMO.

One of the greatest surprises of the past half century of scholarship was, I think, the discovery that the Spanish Inquisition was never the ruthless organization that it had become in the eyes of Protestants and authors like Voltaire (recommended reading: Henri Kamen, The Spanish Inquisition).

Indeed. Yes, I second Kamen's book(s) on the subject. It would surprise most people to know that the Church was a moderating influence when it came to torture (which again was only practiced by the state and even then on a very limited scale).

Sorry to interfere gentlemen but I was just wondering if anyone else has any other ideas about when rome became majority christian?

I'm sorry this thread has gone astray for so long. Back to your question : Vortigern’s right to point out that we should look at Christianity on a regional basis. It’s well known that the Eastern half was much more Christian than the Western half for centuries. I’d guess the Eastern Empire was majority Christian by the end of the fourth century at the latest.

My guess of a good year for a christian majority...800 AD or so maybe.

But the empire at that point consisted of little more than modern Turkey, the southern Balkans, and southern Italy. It would have been thoroughly Christian at that point.

Up north I think there were alot less christians in Europe. After the fall of Rome christianity died down a bit everywhere except Rome, Egypt, Judea, and the Byzantine Empire I believe. This is due to the barbarian invasians into former Roman areas.

This was only true for Britain, IIRC. The Goths were already Christian before they even invaded Roman territory. The Franks and Vandals quickly converted after their invasions. Christianity was flourishing in Spain under the Visigoths. It was still possible to attain a classical education in Spain and Italy in the sixth century. Only Britain and parts of Gaul truly descended into a dark age.

I think it is fair to say he was anything but holy though? IIRC

Or Roman for that matter. Though he did mint nice imitation Roman coins : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Charl ... 12_814.jpg


~Theo