The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal, Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force ....

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 272 pages
• Published by: HarperOne; 1st HarperCollins Pbk. Ed edition May 9, 1997
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0060677015
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0060677015
• Book Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Weighs: 1.6 ounces

-- The Christian Century
"This book raises, simply and brilliantly, just the kinds of questions anyone concerned with early Christianity should ask."

Library Journal
"Compelling readinghighly recommended."

Reader Reviews
A good friend of mine suggested this book, and when I read it the first time, I did it in a day. It is very readable and very intelligent. As a life-long Christian, I had never paused to think about how a new religion on one end of the Mediterranean Sea spread to the whole of the Roman world in as little as 300 years. Stark makes some very credible arguments about how this was done. The mechanisms described do not require "magic", however that does not make the result any less miraculous. Church leaders and theologians would do well to read this book and ponder for themselves. For the thinking person who is open to arguments that actually use numbers in an intelligent way (no Bible Code here!), this is a book that offers insight into the mechanisms of church growth, the practical consequences of sexual immorality, and the positive effect of having a high value on women. Comment | | (Report this)