Why did Christianity succeed in becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire?
Christianity was able to gain so many followers for various reasons. One of the most important was the account of Constantine, who claimed that the Lord had appeared to him on a cross, and proclaimed the faith. It also provided the Romans with a reward/salvation deal, so that death wasn’t all for naught. It gave them a purpose in life. It was also monotheistic, so there weren’t countless gods and patrons that were set apart from the masses. Christianity offered a personal relationship with God. It also glamorized being a martyr – plus you get to go to heaven after you die. And possibly most important was that the Christian faith did not discriminate based on class or sex. It offered equal entry to women, slaves, and members of the lower class. What opportunities did Christianity provide women? At least early on, women could become deacons and priests. Women could also be martyrs, and they could have a much larger role in Christian society than they could in Roman society. Was Paganism
