Socio-cultural Impact of Christianity to Roman Civilization

I. Introduction
The introduction of Christianity to the Roman Empire had a significant impact on
the development and evolution of Roman civilization. Prior to the spread of Christianity,
the Roman Empire was primarily polytheistic, with a pantheon of gods and goddesses
who were believed to control various aspects of life and the natural world. The
introduction of Christianity brought with it a monotheistic belief system that challenged
the traditional Roman religious beliefs and practices.
The fact that Christianity was a missionary religion with followers eager to
convert others to their faith enabled its spread. As more people became Christians,
Christianity gained political and social power. This was especially true as the Roman
elite, including emperors and other government officials, converted to Christianity.

1.1 Problem and Background

The religion of the Roman Empire was primarily polytheistic, and the conversion of
their religion to monotheistic posed a significant challenge to their adjustment in beliefs
and practices. One of the most significant influences on Roman civilization was the
transformation of the empire's social and cultural values. Prior to the arrival of
Christianity, the Roman Empire was concerned with material wealth and power.
However, Christian teachings encouraged people to prioritize spiritual values and
helping others. The spread of Christianity contributed to the decline of the Roman
Empire. As the empire became more Christian, it became increasingly isolated from the
rest of the world, making it more vulnerable to outside invasions. It is not correct to say
that Christianity was a problem for Roman civilization. In fact, Christianity eventually
became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire, and it played an important role in
its cultural and social development. While Christians were initially persecuted by Roman
authorities, this eventually ended, and Christianity was tolerated and eventually
accepted within Roman society. The spread of Christianity throughout the Roman
Empire had a significant impact on the culture and society of the time, but it is not fair to
say that it was a problem for the civilization as a whole.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Major Question
What are the impacts of Romans adopting Christianity as their religion?
Specific Question
1. What became the status of people in the Roman Empire when they converted
into Christianity?
2. What are the changes happened in the government of the Roman Empire when
they were converted to Christianity?
3. What are the ways and means of Government to solve the issue?
4. How did Christianity become dominant religion in the Roman Empire?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
 The purpose of the study is to understand on how the Romans became
Christian;
 To make the people aware of the possibilities in changing the religion of a
particular country or people;
 To establish a depth knowledge about the influence of Christianity in the
Roman Empire.

1.4 Definition of Terms

Christianity – faith tradition that focuses on the figure of Jesus Christ
Missionary – a ministering agent selected by the God and His Church to communicate
the gospel message across any and all cultural boundaries for the purpose of leading
people to Christ.
Roman Empire – a stage of Roman civilization during which power fell mainly on the
figure of an emperor.
Persecute – to treat continually in a way to be cruel or harmful to people, especially
because of their ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, or sexual orientation.
Polytheistic – believing in or worshiping multiple gods
Monotheistic - relating to, or characterized by the doctrine or belief that there is only
one God
II. Presentation of Data

III. Result
a. Summary of Findings

This section summarizes the main research findings of the study. The major
question is: What are the impacts of Romans adopting Christianity as their
religion? The study sought to provide answers to this basic question by
answering the following sub-questions:

1. What became the status of people in the Roman Empire when they
converted into Christianity?

When people in the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, their status

varied depending on the time period and the specific circumstances of their
conversion. During the period of Roman persecution of Christians in the early
days of Christianity, converts were frequently considered outsiders and faced
persecution, imprisonment, and even execution for their beliefs. This changed
under Emperor Constantine I, who issued the Edict of Milan in 313 CE,
granting Christians legal rights and protection.

2. What are the changes happened in the government of the Roman

Empire when they were converted to Christianity?

Conversion to Christianity had a significant impact on the Roman Empire's

government, both in terms of organizational structure and ideologies. The rise
of the Christian Church as a powerful institution within the empire was one of
the most important changes. As Christianity gained popularity, the Church
began to play a larger role in empire governance. Bishops and other church
leaders became influential in their communities, and the Church gained
significant authority in imperial policy. Another massive change was the ruling
elite's adoption of Christian values and beliefs. As more members of the
imperial elite converted to Christianity, the empire's traditional pagan beliefs
and practices began to be replaced by Christian ones. This change in
ideology had a significant impact on the empire's laws, values, and
 institutions. Laws began to be based on Christian principles of justice and
morality, and the empire's political and social institutions began to reflect
Christian values.

3. What are the ways and means of Roman Government to solve the
challenges of adopting Christianity as their religion?

Legal means: One of the first steps taken by the Roman government was to
grant Christians legal rights and protection. This was accomplished through
Emperor Constantine's Edict of Milan in 313 CE, which ended Christian
persecution and made Christianity a legal religion.

Imperial decree: The Roman government also used imperial decrees to

address the difficulties associated with converting to Christianity. In the late
fourth century CE, Emperor Theodosius I, for example, issued a series of
decrees making Christianity the official state religion of the empire and
abolishing traditional pagan practices.

Councils and synods: The Roman government used councils and synods to
resolve theological disagreements and shape the development of Christianity.
In 325 CE, Constantine assembled the Council of Nicaea, the first
Ecumenical Council in Christian history, which defined the doctrine of the
Nicene Creed, which is still used as a statement of faith by many Christian
denominations today.

Coercion was also used by the Roman government to force people to convert
to Christianity. For those who refused to convert, this included a variety of
measures such as fines, imprisonment, and execution.

The Roman government also supported the spread of Christianity through

missionary work, patronizing Christian communities and assisting in the
propagation of the faith among the population through the construction of
churches, cathedrals, and monasteries.

4. How did Christianity become dominant religion in the Roman Empire?

Christianity's message of hope, salvation, and eternal life resonated with

many people, particularly the poor, enslaved, and marginalized. Christianity
also had a strong sense of community, which drew many people seeking
social support and a sense of belonging. Christianity also received significant
political support, particularly from Emperor Constantine the Great, who issued
the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, which granted Christians legal rights and
 protection. This assistance aided in legitimizing Christianity and protecting it
from persecution. Later, Emperor Theodosius I made Christianity the empire's
official state religion and outlawed traditional pagan practices through laws
and decrees.

b. Conclusion
Due to the spread of Christianity in Roman Empire before, there’s a change
happened in the lives of Romans especially how it affects the beliefs of Romans. Not
only that but also how it affects the socio-cultural values of Romans, how they
opposed on the beliefs of Roman and how it causes a conflict. Christianity plays a
significant role in the development and evolution of Roman Empire and how they
contributed to the changes whether it is for good or not. Even though there’s a
declination and fall of Roman Empire, it cannot be denied that the Christianity is still
dominant up until now.
c. Recommendation
In accordance with the study, Christianity played a significant role in changing
Roman Civilization in terms of culture, beliefs, social values, and politics. On this
basis, future researchers should analyze how Christianity works in order to broaden
and emphasize the impacts of converting to Christianity.