David S Anthony

Christian Conversions David S Anthony

Christianity is a Universal Religion. From its earliest days, missionaries spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Near East, Africa, and the Mediterranean. The first Christians protected their secret rites against the oppressive power of the Romans, only allowing new members to participate in the sharing of bread and wine after a personal conversion and a lengthy catechesis. As Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, conversion became compulsory, and the practice of other faiths was eventually outlawed, with a few exceptions. Moving through Europe and eventually to the New World, the processes of conversion adapted to new political and cultural landscapes. Challenges to Christian hegemony in the north arose among the Franks, Saxons, and Scandinavians. Southern Europe faced incursion and occupation from Islamic forces, and eventually brought the Cross, and the Sword, to the world of the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. Christian Conversions: A History looks at the processes and consequences of religious expansion from the time of Jesus through the 16th century. From this perspective, the changing political and ecclesiastical structures carry significance for Christians and scholars looking to the challenges of the 21st Century and beyond.