Institutional Development before Constantine

Lecture 11

H

istory is not merely a matter of great men and the struggle of big
ideas. It involves social structures and social dynamics. We have
already seen that the 2nd and 3rd centuries were when Christianity
became a more definite and visible institution. In this lecture, we’ll focus
on the development of such social structures and dynamics during the
same period. In particular, we’ll take a closer look at three dimensions of
Christianity’s institutional development: its growth in space and numbers, its
elaboration of worship and leadership, and its hierarchical structure.

Growth in Territory and Numbers
• In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, abundant evidence attests to the
expansion of Christianity in terms of territory and numbers.

•    On the evidence of the extant literature, we know that Christianity

extended itself well beyond the places documented in the

New Testament.

o In Palestine, churches were located both in Galilee and

Samaria; after the Roman conquest of Jerusalem, Christian

bishops were found in that city, as well.

o In Syria, Christians moved eastward from Antioch toward

Edessa (Osroëne). In the 1930s, an international archaeological

team excavated in a Christian house church built before 250 at

Dura-Europos on the Euphrates River. Christians also appear

east of the Tigris River in Adiabene. Some Syrian Christians

made their way to Persia.

o More territories in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey)—from

the start, an area particularly populous with Christians—added

such cities as Nicaea and Byzantium to their numbers.