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Influence of Christianity on Western Civilization Influence of Christianity on Western Civilization It is my (SIG Coordinator, LDP) conviction that the
prosperity, freedom, and intellectual advances of Western Civilization owes much
to the influence of Christianity. This may be controversial to some, especially
non-Christians, but I don't think the spread of Christianity in the West, and the spread of
prosperity, freedom, knowledge, and the arts in the West is a coincidence. In fact, the
modern missionary movement would tend to indicate that it is not a coincidence.
Reference Books Below are listed a few good books as background
material for this topic: Brown, Peter, The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200 - 1000, 2nd edition, Blackwell Publishing, 2003. Fox, Robin Lane, Pagans and Christians, Alfred A. Knopf, 1987. Grant, Robert, Augustus to Constantine: The Rise and Triumph of Christianity in the Roman World, Westminster John Knox Press, 2004. Schmidt, Alvin J., Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed Civilization, Zondervan, 2001. Stark, Rodney, The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries, HarperSanFrancisco, 1997. Stark, Rodney, The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success, Random House, 2005. The Spread of the Roman Empire The Roman Empire provided a near ideal environment in which the spread of Christianity could take place. It provided relative peace, a somewhat common language, roads, safe sea travel, etc. To illustrate the Roman Republic/Empire versus time, click here for a map from 510 B.C. to 530 A.D. Note that in New Testament times the Roman Empire had already extended to England.
The Spread of Christianity To illustrate the spread of Christianity versus time, click here for a map from the beginning to 2015 A.D. Note that once started, the video can be stopped and then manually moved by clicking and dragging on the time line for a more careful look at the map. Note that Christianity was in Britain by 100 A.D. Note also that by the time of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, most all of Europe had been evangelized, leaving the Church, with its monasteries, schools, hospitals, and orphanages the dominante social force throughout Europe. After the Protestant Reformation, and the movement of Christianity west into the new world, most of the Christian influence in South and Central America was Roman Catholic, and that in North America was Protestant.
The Influence of Modern Missions As can be seen from the map of the spread of
Christianity, the Church of Jesus Christ has been a missionary movement
from the very beginning of the Church, being obedient to the great commission
of Jesus Christ: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) A recent publication, "The Missionary Roots of Liberal Democracy," by Robert D. Woodberry, American Political Science Review, May 2012, demonstrates historically and statistically that Protestant Christianity has heavily influenced the rise and spread of democracy around the world. It has brought about religious liberty, education, freedom of the press, and political reforms. For a copy of this paper, click here.
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