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Astral Codex Ten Podcast

Book Review: The Rise Of Christianity

Nov 28, 2024
Dive into the astonishing transformation of Christianity from a mere thousand followers in 40 AD to a staggering forty million by 400 AD. Explore the role of social dynamics over miracles in this rapid growth. Learn about the cultural clashes between Orthodox Jews and Gentiles that shaped early practices. Discover how declining Roman fertility and changing family roles contributed to the rise of Christianity. Finally, see how early martyrs and compassionate community acts during plagues fueled conversions and set the stage for a new religious era.
52:49

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Quick takeaways

  • Early Christianity's expansion from 1,000 to 40 million followers from 40 AD to 400 AD is attributed more to social dynamics than miracles.
  • The influence of Jewish communities in the Roman Empire provided a crucial foundation for early Christian outreach and conversion strategies.

Deep dives

The Exponential Growth of Early Christianity

Early Christianity experienced astonishing growth from around 1,000 adherents in 40 AD to approximately 40 million by 400 AD. This phenomenon challenges the traditional belief that mass conversions, often attributed to miracles, fueled this spread. Instead, scholar Rodney Stark argues for a model of steady exponential growth, suggesting a conversion rate of approximately 0.4 new adherents per existing Christian per decade. Historical comparisons with the growth of the Mormon Church further support the plausibility of this growth rate in the context of early Christian expansion.

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