Ed Stetzer Live The Weird and Compelling Formation of the Early Church
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May 24, 2025 
Nijay Gupta, a Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and author of 'Strange Religion,' discusses the intriguing oddities of early Christianity. He explains how the beliefs and practices of early Christians appeared bizarre to their Roman peers. The conversation touches on the transformative communal aspects of early church life, their radical equality movements, and how their faith posed a challenge to Roman authority. Gupta also highlights the spiritual power evident in early gatherings, offering modern insights into their impactful practices.
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Early Christians' Radical Religious Innovation
- Early Christians defied Roman religion norms by lacking temples, priests, and sacrifices.
- They practiced a religion radically different from all known ancient religions of their time.
Direct Access to God Innovation
- Christianity introduced a 'religious technology innovation' by offering direct, personal access to God anywhere.
- This broke the norm of needing temples or physical sacred spots to connect with divinity.
Jesus as Supreme Threatened Rome
- Romans tolerated many gods if subservient to Jupiter, but Christianity was dangerous by proclaiming Jesus as supreme.
- This claim threatened Roman social stability and the world order dependent on the Olympian gods.