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Is Christianity a religion of political resistance or a religion of cultural assimilation?

During its existence, Christianity has been confronted with a plethora of obstacles, many

of which have originated from inside and outside the faith. One of the major obstacles that

religion has faced is figuring out how to align its practices and doctrines with the cultural and

political forces that were prevalent at the time. Even though there is solid proof of both political

resistance and cultural assimilation within Christianity, it can be asserted that the general

trajectory of the religion is one of assimilation.

One of the earliest instances of political resistance within Christianity may be found in

Ignatius' writings to the Romans. Ignatius, a bishop in the early Christian Church, wrote a letter

to the Romans in which he exhorted them to persevere in their faith despite the challenges

presented by the pagan culture that was prevalent in their midst (Ignatius of Antioch). He

beseeched them to disregard the Romans' authority and put their attention instead on their love

for Christ rather than on the Romans. Therefore, this might be considered an example of political

resistance within Christianity since Ignatius was pressing his followers to reject the prevailing

cultural and political forces of the day.

However, other sources show that the Christian emphasis was on cultural assimilation

rather than political resistance. An early Christian apologist named Athenagoras defended the

faith in a letter to the Roman government. He said that Christians should not be seen as enemies

of the state or society but rather as agents of moral change (Athenagoras of Athens). He
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advocated better knowledge and tolerance of Christian traditions while stressing the

compatibility of Christian ideas with the ideals of the Roman Empire.

In a similar manner, Eusebius extols the Roman Emperor Constantine in his oration titled

"Oration in Honor of Constantine" for the part he played in assimilating Christianity into Roman

society as a whole. In Eusebius' view, Constantine's conversion to Christianity was a watershed

moment that prepared the way for the religion to be accepted by the general populace. This

might be seen as a sign of cultural assimilation since Christianity was gradually assimilated into

the period's preeminent political and cultural frameworks.

The pagan onslaught on Christianity, which is recorded in Minucius Felix's Octavius,

also serves as proof of the cultural assimilation that has taken place inside Christianity. Caecilius,

a pagan character in the texts, tries to make the case that Christians should be persecuted because

they threaten Roman culture (Felix). Yet, the Christian figure Octavius disproves this assertion

by showing how Christianity is consistent with Roman values. To Octavius, Christianity poses

no danger to the established order but rather is a force for good that may elevate all of

humankind.

Lastly, in her piece "What Does It Take to Assimilate" in America?, Laila Lalami

discusses the difficulties Muslim immigrants experience in the United States. Although Lalami's

piece isn't directly about Christianity, it sheds light on the problem of cultural assimilation in

general. According to Lalami, one must be open to adopting the norms and values of the

dominant culture to successfully assimilate (Lalami). As Christianity has often adapted to the

cultural and political forces that have been prevalent at any given time, this is congruent with the

notion of cultural assimilation within the faith.

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In conclusion, Christian political resistance is an exception rather than the norm, and

Christianity's historical trend has been one of cultural assimilation. Christianity has spread all

over the world because it is strong and flexible. It can fit into the social, political, and cultural

structures of the places where it grows. Evidence for this may be found in Athenagoras and

Eusebius and the claims made in Minucius Felix's Octavius.

Works Cited

Ignatius of Antioch. "Letter to the Romans."

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Athenagoras of Athens. "A Plea for the Christians."

Eusebius of Caesarea. "Oration in Praise of Constantine."

Felix, Minucius. "The Octavius of Minucius Felix."

Lalami, Laila. "What Does It Take to 'Assimilate' in America?" The New York Times Magazine,

15 Aug. 2018, http://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/15/magazine/what-does-it-take-to-

assimilate-in-america.html.