Abstract |
The development of Christianity in the first century did not occur in a vacuum, but was shaped by previously existing political, religious, and social conditions found in every city throughout the Roman Empire. To demonstrate the importance of these influences on Christianity’s development, I have conducted a comparative study of the political, religious, and social backgrounds and the first century Christian communities found in three different cities: Antioch, Corinth, and Ephesus. By placing three distinct spaces side by side, I will show that each environment produced a Christianity that differed in some ways from other “Christianities” found in the other two cities.
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Dorvan Byler is a pre-med history major who is delighted to be graduating in May. He will be attending the Ohio University Heritage College of Medicine, Dublin campus, starting in July. He thinks the study of history is the best puzzle in the world, because you have to discover the pieces before you can put them together.