The default train of thought in regards to today’s religion is that of monotheism, and that is a difficult thing to grasp due to the wide range of varying beliefs in the world. Even today there are cultures that still believe in a polytheistic religion, for example, Hinduism and Buddhism, which rank fourth and fifth respectively, are two large polytheistic religions thriving in the world today. We live in a world that is far more connected and understanding of different cultures than the Romans did in 3rd c. CE. That is why I think it was a valid fear of the Romans to be concerned with the Christians who practiced faith in a different way.
The Roman polytheistic religion, as stated in “Voyages Ch. 7,” had many gods that the citizens were encouraged to worship, from Jupiter to Mars as well as others that were public obligations. The demand for public worship and belief of these gods is that it created things for the government. Also stated in “Voyages” is the fact that officials would spend government money on public cults for these gods. A strong following of these different gods would provide the government with an escape on mistakes made, like losing a battle could be placed on a lack of worship to Mars, which could then fall back on the citizens. The government was given the power to strike fear into its citizens with the use of the divine figures, which then gave the ability to govern the people with less backlash.
The spark of Christianity gave the Romans fear. It was something new, something different, and in human nature they did not respond well. The Romans knew that they would miss out on the opportunity to completely control the Christians, because they saw similar repercussions from the Jews, as read in “Voyages.” When the Romans seized control of Judaea they were faced with confrontation and challenges from the Jews in the area. The difference in religion creates a barrier between civilizations, and often leaves one viewed as “barbaric” or “uncivilized” due to their difference of thinking. This barrier for the Romans created fear, and caused them to oppress Jews and Christians.
This difference leads to an “immoral” view of the Christian’s actions. The reason for this immorality is strictly due to the difference between the religions. Cultures get used to a certain way of thinking and path of life, and the Christians challenged that. It can be compared to having children out of wedlock in today’s society, where many people with strong religious beliefs view it as wrong, but it’s just another way of life for some. Similarly, Christians did not agree with the polytheistic religion, so they embarked on their separate journey. No one is right or wrong, but it did scare the Romans, and understandably so.
Word Count: 471
http://www.pewforum.org/2017/04/05/the-changing-global-religious-landscape/
“Voyages” book in weekly readings
The West in the Pre-Modern World 