# Spread of Christianity **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 21, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492 "2016-07-21T14:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/1 "2016-07-21T14:05:54Z")
After Paul of Tarsus, would Constantine I be the next most import person in the spread of Christianity? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/2 "2016-07-21T14:19:40Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/3 "2016-07-21T16:02:25Z")
Paul of Tarsus? Is that like Muhammad Clay? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/4 "2016-07-21T16:04:44Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Yes. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/5 "2016-07-21T16:15:41Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Paul of Tarsus? Is that like Muhammad Clay? I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/6 "2016-07-21T16:18:21Z")
Another vote for Constantine in second place. Other contenders would be Augustine, Pope Gregory, and Theodosius. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/7 "2016-07-21T16:30:26Z")
Wasn’t it already pretty widely spread when Constantine made it the religion of the state? Altthough of course he’s hugely important in keeping it that way. More important figures in the actual spread of Christianity though than that Emperor would be the missionaries who later converted the Germanic and Gothic tribes that overran the Empire. But for their work we could all be worshipping Odin! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/8 "2016-07-21T16:38:09Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Wasn’t it already pretty widely spread when Constantine made it the religion of the state? Constantine didn’t make Christianity the state religion. He legalized Christianity and showed it personal favoritism. It was Theodosius who made Christianity the state religion of the Empire. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/9 "2016-07-21T16:38:37Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > I don’t get it. I believe the point is that he was originally known as Saul of Tarsus, later as Paul the Apostle. You’ve combined the first and last parts of two different names, like taking Muhammad from “Muhammad Ali” and Clay from “Cassius Clay”. ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/10 "2016-07-21T16:44:39Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Paul of Tarsus? Is that like Muhammad Clay? > [@Doyle](#): > > I don’t get it. I think **Doug K.** is alluding to Paul’s name change as a result of religious conversion. Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali after he converted to the Nation of Islam; Saul of Tarsus, a Jewish Pharisee, changed his name to Paul after Jesus appeared to him and he was converted to Christianity. So referring to “Paul of Tarsus” is conflating the pre-conversion name with the post-conversion name, in much the same manner as would calling the boxer, “Muhammad Clay.” ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/11 "2016-07-21T16:46:42Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I believe the point is that he was originally known as Saul of Tarsus, later as Paul the Apostle. You’ve combined the first and last parts of two different names, like taking Muhammad from “Muhammad Ali” and Clay from “Cassius Clay”. You beat me to posting while I was typing, dang it! (I’m a really slow typist with a tendency to multitask) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/12 "2016-07-21T16:49:43Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I believe the point is that he was originally known as Saul of Tarsus, later as Paul the Apostle. You’ve combined the first and last parts of two different names, like taking Muhammad from “Muhammad Ali” and Clay from “Cassius Clay”. Yeah, it came to me later on. A bit of a stretch for a joke. Paul of Tarsus is perfectly acceptable as a reference to _Paul the Apostle_. ---
**Author:** ![dreamregent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6f9a4e/32.png) [@dreamregent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamregent)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/13 "2016-07-21T17:24:00Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Wasn’t it already pretty widely spread when Constantine made it the religion of the state? I agree (except for the making it the religion of the state part)…his function was one of legitimization and influence on its administration rather than evangelism. Further, he had a permissive attitude toward many religions, not just Christianity. While he lent legitimization to this religion, he was not the first emperor to order an end to Christian persecution (Galerius, before him), nor did he make Christianity the state religion…that happened under a later emperor, Theodosius I. There are varying claims Constantine converted to Christianity at some point in his life (or on his deathbed), but there is no good evidence this ever actually happened. If you’re looking for people who spread it geographically after Paul, I would consider the **[early church theologians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathers)**. Although, I think their writings traveled more extensively than they actually did themselves. You might also look into the Sator Square. Personally, I think the evidence is pretty good that was likely a Christian symbol and it spread far and wide during the period Christians were persecuted. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/14 "2016-07-21T19:09:47Z")
Let’s not forget Constantine’s mother Helena. By all accounts she was a major influence in his conversion. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/15 "2016-07-21T20:37:42Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Wasn’t it already pretty widely spread when Constantine made it the religion of the state? Altthough of course he’s hugely important in keeping it that way. More important figures in the actual spread of Christianity though than that Emperor would be the missionaries who later converted the Germanic and Gothic tribes that overran the Empire. But for their work we could all be worshipping Odin! Not I! Thanks, St Pat. There probably really _was_ a Patrick–although many legends have overlain the man. He wasn’t the only missionary to the Irish–or even the first. In turn, the Irish missionized many of the heathen Germans. And even some of the Saxons on That Other Island… ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/16 "2016-07-21T20:51:51Z")
Does God even make it in the top ten? ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/17 "2016-07-21T21:06:31Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Not I! > > Thanks, St Pat. There probably really _was_ a Patrick–although many legends have overlain the man. He wasn’t the only missionary to the Irish–or even the first. In turn, the Irish missionized many of the heathen Germans. And even some of the Saxons on That Other Island… Spoken like a true Irishwoman. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/18 "2016-07-21T21:09:09Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Does God even make it in the top ten? Not on a list of the most important people. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/19 "2016-07-21T22:48:56Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Not on a list of the most important people. He should if you believe in the sanctioned Trinitarian doctrine. God the Son is fully human and fully God. No Jesus, no spread of His teachings. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492/20 "2016-07-22T00:53:02Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Wasn’t it already pretty widely spread when Constantine made it the religion of the state? It was, which was a big factor in his decision to cosy up to it. On the other hand, his cosying-up did give it a big boost, and was undoubtedly a factor in Christianity becoming signficantly _more_ widespread than it already was. > [@aldiboronti](#): > > More important figures in the actual spread of Christianity though than that Emperor would be the missionaries who later converted the Germanic and Gothic tribes that overran the Empire. But for their work we could all be worshipping Odin! Yes, but I think the OP is looking for individuals. The missionary spirit inherent in Christianity, and expressed both by individuals and by organisations, is undoubtedly a bigger factor than Constantine. But Constantine is a person. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spread-of-christianity/760492.md?page=2)