New and Different

By MIDN 3/C Ionatan Soule

While the Judeo-Christian model of monotheism is common in our modern western culture, this was not always the case.  The birth and death of Jesus Christ, beginning what became known collectively as the religion of Christianity, introduced something new into a relatively peaceful time—the Pax Romana.  Under Caesar Augusta, the Pax Romana was a time of growth, abundance, and peace for the Roman Empire.  Like a pebble thrown into a glass pond, the establishment of Christianity sent ripples that disrupted the established peace.  To the Romans, the spread of Christianity posed a distinct and unique threat to the Empire simply because it was new and, more importantly, different.

In the beginning, Christianity posed no threat to the Empire simply because it had not reached the necessary critical mass.  This soon changed, however, as it grew to acquire more and more followers.  Its rapid expansion and growing popularity rightly caused worry among the Roman polytheists because Christianity believed in a monotheistic model. Immediately an issue can be seen: poly- versus mono-theist.  But, there was more to it than just this disagreement.  As laid out in “Voyages,” Roman gods played an integral part in Roman life.  They were worshipped during religious sacrifices and looked upon to bring prosperity to the Roman Empire.  Each god represented a different aspect of life and each was prayed to individually depending on the nature of the prayer.  The fact that Christians refused to partake in these ceremonies insulted other Romans and raised many suspicions.  Additionally, since Romans believed that the gods were actively protecting the Roman Empire, the Christian’s refusals to participate threatened the Empire and the Pax Romana.

Another and possibly more serious issue was the semi-divinity of the Roman Emperors.  Christians, believing in only one god, refused outright to give the Emperor the respect and treatment he demanded from the Roman people.  Their refusal to follow the Emperor and acknowledge his divine status was the most threatening aspect of the Judeo-Christian model.  They simply were not buying into the Roman system.  In Roman’s eyes, the threat compounded when Christian preachers began voicing their ideas, teaching in the street things that directly opposed Roman’s religious and governmental status quo.

The early Christians posed a threat to the Roman Empire simply because they were different.  Though they may have posed no physical threat, their new ideas opposed the Roman ideals that were sustaining the Pax Romana.

Word count: 400

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/christianityromanempire_article_01.shtml