Christianity and Rome’s Impending Doom
-Pepe Tanuvasa
Seeing through the eyes of the Roman Empire, the spreading of a foreign religion would understandably raise suspicion and cause a close eye to be put on its followers. As individuals we each identify with unique things that divide our loyalty, religion being an essential aspect of this loyalty. When introduced to any new religion, it is easy to question how that will change the loyalty of those people, especially when such horrific tales about this religion were passed.
A main difference between the Roman theology and this new Christian religion was the singularity of the Christian God and how He was viewed. Unlike Romans, who believed that their gods and goddesses expressed human qualities and were subject to making mistakes, Christians believed in one God who was Almighty and perfect. The difference in the way that they view deity causes a lack of understanding, as the Romans were unable to comprehend one omnipotent being, who confusingly is also three different beings. In a debate at Mongke’s court regarding the number and supremacy of God or gods, William of Rubruck argued “’It is not God who created evil. Everything that exists is good.’ All the tuins were amazed at this statement and recorded it in writing as something erroneous and impossible…” (The Mongols and Their Successors 307). Seeing how this council reacted, it is easy to see the parallel to the reactions in Rome.
Along with this new religion came their practices, which when misconstrued, sound devious. In the words of a Roman governor Pliny the Younger to Emperor Trajan, “They had met regularly before dawn on a fixed day to chant verses alternately among themselves in honor of Christ, as if to a god” (Rome and Christianity 147).” Hearing of this news along with regards to what Christians referred to as ‘communion,’ where bread and wine was turned into the flesh and blood of their God, paints Christians as an inhumane cult. If those rumors weren’t enough to make a person wary, then hearing of a Christian baptism, where they died and then were reborn, would do just that.
All in all, the Roman public was understandably concerned with the rumors that surpassed the Christians, and were validated in its persecution of those followers. They were righto fear this foreign religion and their hostility towards its people is admissible, as it was for the good of their Empire.
Word Count: 409
The West in the Pre-Modern World 
I agree with your stance Pepe. I also wrote that the reason for the Roman’s reluctance came from the fact that there was a stark change from polytheism to monotheism. A point that you made that I did not catch was that there is an argument to be made on why the Roman’s believed that Christianity looked like a cult. I see how the Christian tradition of consuming the body and blood of Christ could be seen as something extremely cult like. If I had no idea what Christianity looked like, or what that entailed, I would have the same fear as the Romans. Also, the fact that the Roman’s had trouble in believing that one God could stand as three different beings shows how much of a difference there was between Christianity and Roman religion. All in all, I agree with you, and I believe that the fear the Roman’s had was justified.
WC: 154
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