How did Christianity flourish under a state religion supposedly hostile to its existence?
In short: Richard Payne examines the surprising expansion of Christian institutions within the Iranian Empire. Despite the ruling class being committed Zoroastrians, Christianity thrived across a vast territory, challenging the assumption that the two faiths were inherently incompatible during this era.
Between 226 and 636 CE, the Iranian Empire witnessed a remarkable growth of Christian influence. Far from being suppressed, the religion saw its bishoprics multiply and monasteries appear rapidly across regions stretching from Eastern Arabia to Bactria. This period also fostered the development of complex Christian literary traditions in both Syriac and Middle Persian.
The lecture investigates the mechanisms behind this growth, specifically how Christian organizations managed to build significant social and economic capital within a political framework dominated by Zoroastrianism. By analyzing this coexistence, the study offers a nuanced look at religious integration in the ancient world.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Richard Payne | The Rise of Christianity in Iran
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