Summary of Rodney Stark's The Triumph of Christianity

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#1 The Romans were not the only ones to adopt a polytheistic religion. The Jews in the West and the Zoroastrians in the East rejected these ideas about the gods, and instead adopted a morally demanding monotheism.

#2 Despite worshiping many gods, societies were not religiously diverse. The primary mission of pagan temples was to ensure that the gods favored the state and its ruling elite, and they served a clientele rather than a membership.

#3 The Jews and the Zoroastrians were the first major groups of monotheists. They both faced the challenge of explaining the existence of evil. Judaism postulated the existence of Satan, while Zoroastrianism taught that Ahura Mazdā was engaged in a battle with the inferior Angra Mianyu.

#4 The Romans were far more religious than the Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, or other pagans of their era. The Romans had a very free marketplace, and no state religion. Instead, they had many different faiths that were supported by voluntary contributions.

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eBook: 21 maja 2022