The Rise of Christianity
by Rodney Stark · first published 1996
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The idea that Christianity started as a clandestine movement among the poor is a widely accepted notion. Yet it is one of many myths that must be discarded if we are to understand just how a tiny messianic movement on the edge of the Roman Empire became the dominant faith of Western civilization. In a fast-paced, highly readable book that addresses beliefs as well as historical facts, Rodney Stark brings a sociologist's perspective to bear on the puzzle behind the success of early Christianity. He comes equipped not only with the logic and methods of social science but also with insights gath
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Another great book on this topic is Rodney Stark's The Rise of Christianity https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Christianity-Marginal-Religious-... Stark is mostly interested in the period of time between Jesus and Constantine and brings a ton of historical and sociological evidence…
on “How an obscure cult grew to become the dominant religion of the Western world” ↗…in comparative analysis find out it's an interesting tool when applied to something I'm interested in, and I imagine if you were the other way around you'd enjoy the book too. I found out about "The Rise of Christianity" from a Catholic friend of mine, and now it's one of my favorite books, despite not being a Christian. The author took a pretty dry topic (the early history of Christianity) and made it interesting by…
on “O’Reilly Media Has Lost Its Soul” ↗…fights with the other Church founders about this, and was treated very harshly by the Jewish authorities who would beat him and kick him out of their towns. Here is an excerpt from the well regarded 'The Rise of Christianity' by WHC Freund[0] (page 110): "By 64, however, the new religious movement had taken root. Without detracting from the work of Peter, John, and the other disciples in the decade following the crucifixion,…
on “Catholic Group Spends Millions on Dating App Data to Out Gay Priests” ↗