acts. The scope and amount of these acts varied according to the donor. On
the other hand, charity was, in effect, an institutionalized policy of Chris-
tianity from its beginning. Christians had an organized and efficient mutual
support network. They looked after one another in times of crisis, and their
efforts toward outsiders may have attracted some new members to the
group. The pooled efforts of Christians likely resulted in a healthier-than-
average group, and over time their numbers would increase significantly.
While this situation was not the sole reason for the group’s growth, it was
a significant factor. Thus, though Christian charity was not a totally new
“product” in the religious marketplace of the Greco-Roman world, it was
likely mass-marketed by Christians and easily available to others.
“Look How They Love One Another” 231