The Romans and Christianity

Then and now religions shared common dimensions that provide society with a doctrine, narrative, ethics, ritual, experience and a social institution. These six dimensions that Ninian Smart derived spell out the framework for comparative study of religions1. The six dimensions hold true when comparing the daily routine Roman religious thought to modern Christianity. Interwoven into the core of both cultures is a strong unifying spirit that built a strong communal bond for its people.

For the Romans, their religion was the religion of the state. It is referred to as s a state religion because for the Romans their “state religion” had “ensured and could continue to ensure the preservation and prosperity of their state.2” Because of Rome’s centuries long military domination and military expansion, the state religion was almost self perpetuating within Roman culture. As a function of the state, the religion was protected and woven into the core of Roman daily life. As such, the vast majority of the state officials were part of the state religion’s priesthood.

Modern Christianity however is different in this regard. While the United States of America bases the majority of its legal principles on Judeo-Christian Law, the Constitution of the United States ensures that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” 3 so there are no functional “state religions”, Christianity is still the dominant religion in the United States. Christianity’s reach in American society is solely based on its gospel and the teachings of the Bible.

Rome’s state religion was polytheistic. The average Roman believed in multiple gods such as the “Deities of the Environment.” The best known of all this multitude of god known as the Olymp...

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...tures derived from their religions is astounding. The communal bond brings Christian and Roman communities together during festivals, mass and other community activities. While both Christians and Romans shared very similar core framework for their cultures, their religious practices are clearly distinct. It is these practices from multiple deity worship and separation of church and state we see that these two cultures contrasts put them on a collision course. While we know which religion ultimately usurps the other, it is still interesting to analyze these cultures differences.

Works Cited

1 Ninian Smart, The Religious Experience of Mankind (New York, 1969)

2 Jo-Ann Shelton, As the Romans Did, page 359

3 United States Constitution, First Amendment (Philidelphia, 1787)

4 Jo-Ann Shelton, As the Romans Did, page 361

5 Jo-Ann Shelton, As the Romans Did, page 391