When our world became Christian

Amid recurring scandals in the Catholic Church at the beginning of this century, Paul Veyne conducts an in-depth study of the incredible expansion of Christianity. The historian and archaeologist explains how the Christian faith was able to spread throughout the West in just one century, between the years 300 and 400. "When Our World Became Christian" presents the reasons and consequences of this rapid spread, which changed the course of history. By analyzing the progress of Christianity, the author refutes the belief that Constantine, one of the four Roman emperors of the time, saw in the new religion a chance to unite and stabilize the Empire. To this end, he presents an interesting reflection on the historical passage that describes the ruler's embrace of Christianity: the leader was at war with Maxentius, who unduly dominated Italy and Rome. To reclaim these lands, Constantine, who also ruled Gaul, England, and Spain, went to war. The night before the decisive battle, the ruler dreamed that he would be victorious if he embraced Christianity. He did so and regained his stolen domains. The author asserts that Constantine did not intend to use religion as an instrument of legitimization for his political regime. He shows how Christianity's origins are rooted in orality and collectivity and highlights the Emperor's avant-garde vision, which recognized the legitimacy of the movement, which until then had few adherents, and therefore worthy of his throne. Paul Veyne highlights the importance of Constantine's act, considered a landmark in Western history, which gave rise to the Christian Era. "In 324, the Christian religion assumed a 'worldwide' dimension in a single stroke, and Constantine would be elevated to historical stature. (...) From then on, Christianity possessed this immense empire that was the center of the world and considered itself to be the same extent as civilization," concludes Veyne. The historian analyzes the evolution of Christianity throughout the fourth century and its coexistence with paganism, which throughout this period had a large number of adherents. Veyne shows how the Christian faith evolved from a sect to a religion due to the growth of bishoprics in certain regions of the Empire, such as northern Italy. They were responsible for spreading the new religion among the peasantry. The author continues his analysis by reflecting on the influence of Christianity on European history.