Christianity; Most Influential Religion in History

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to get more notoriety within the church, due in part to Jesus’s mother Mary. “It elevated a female figure to a prominent place in the official Church for the first time, and it thereby celebrated virtues associated with femininity: motherhood, healing, nourishment, mercy, and kindness.” (WC, pg. 301) Their success didn’t come without its challenges. The women of the church were constantly subjected to scrutiny and exclusion under the Roman patriarch. Even through all of the challenges they faced in a world that revolved around men, the women were able to take steps towards a freedom that Christianity was able to afford them that no other religion or thing was able to give them. Monasteries were built for both men and women but women truly flourished under these monastic foundations. It allowed them to grow into a political power that they would have never dreamed of. “Within the monastery, women had more control over their own mind and bodies.” (WC, pg. 234)

Christianity emphasized the personal relationship between God and people, slowly spread through the Roman Empire until ultimately dominating the western culture. It appealed to men, women, and every class you can come to think of and many factors that allowed it to spread so quickly. Some of these factors include the central beliefs and values that Christians held in Jesus who was ethical and encouraged followers to practice the same so they could have immortal life. There were also prominent rulers like Constantine which converted to Christianity and ended the persecution of Christians, Moreover, Christianity appealed to women, and offered them freedom and equality. All of these factors help aid the growth of Christianity and made it the religion it is today.