Gregory Aldrete

So if one of the best educated, most widely traveled guys really doesn't know much about them, that kind of suggests that not many people did at this point in time.

So if one of the best educated, most widely traveled guys really doesn't know much about them, that kind of suggests that not many people did at this point in time.

So if one of the best educated, most widely traveled guys really doesn't know much about them, that kind of suggests that not many people did at this point in time.

Hundreds of little mystery religions the Romans sort of thought of as, and these are religions that have some sort of revealed knowledge and that make more personal appeals to people. Now, stepping back from this in a broad way, I think you can say that Christianity really was different in some ways and had some things that maybe the Romans should rightfully have viewed as a threat.

Hundreds of little mystery religions the Romans sort of thought of as, and these are religions that have some sort of revealed knowledge and that make more personal appeals to people. Now, stepping back from this in a broad way, I think you can say that Christianity really was different in some ways and had some things that maybe the Romans should rightfully have viewed as a threat.

Hundreds of little mystery religions the Romans sort of thought of as, and these are religions that have some sort of revealed knowledge and that make more personal appeals to people. Now, stepping back from this in a broad way, I think you can say that Christianity really was different in some ways and had some things that maybe the Romans should rightfully have viewed as a threat.

I mean, the Romans are people very focused on this world. right? Citizenship, what you do. Christianity, in essence, has a focus on the next world. So this world isn't as important as what you're setting yourself up for.

I mean, the Romans are people very focused on this world. right? Citizenship, what you do. Christianity, in essence, has a focus on the next world. So this world isn't as important as what you're setting yourself up for.

I mean, the Romans are people very focused on this world. right? Citizenship, what you do. Christianity, in essence, has a focus on the next world. So this world isn't as important as what you're setting yourself up for.

And even worse, from a Roman perspective, I'm kind of saying, okay, if I were a Roman, Romans are all about making distinctions between people, citizen, non-citizen, man, woman, free, slave. Christianity comes along and says, in God's eyes, you're all equal. Now, that's a pretty problematic idea if you're deeply invested in Roman hierarchy.

And even worse, from a Roman perspective, I'm kind of saying, okay, if I were a Roman, Romans are all about making distinctions between people, citizen, non-citizen, man, woman, free, slave. Christianity comes along and says, in God's eyes, you're all equal. Now, that's a pretty problematic idea if you're deeply invested in Roman hierarchy.

And even worse, from a Roman perspective, I'm kind of saying, okay, if I were a Roman, Romans are all about making distinctions between people, citizen, non-citizen, man, woman, free, slave. Christianity comes along and says, in God's eyes, you're all equal. Now, that's a pretty problematic idea if you're deeply invested in Roman hierarchy.

And I think it is no surprise that among the earliest converts to Christianity are women and slaves, and in particular, female slaves. Now, who are they? They're the people at the rock bottom of the Roman hierarchy of status, right, which the Romans are obsessed with status. But here's a religion that says that doesn't matter.

And I think it is no surprise that among the earliest converts to Christianity are women and slaves, and in particular, female slaves. Now, who are they? They're the people at the rock bottom of the Roman hierarchy of status, right, which the Romans are obsessed with status. But here's a religion that says that doesn't matter.

And I think it is no surprise that among the earliest converts to Christianity are women and slaves, and in particular, female slaves. Now, who are they? They're the people at the rock bottom of the Roman hierarchy of status, right, which the Romans are obsessed with status. But here's a religion that says that doesn't matter.

And in that same letter to Pliny, Pliny says, okay, in this group of Christians I've heard about, their leaders are two female slaves they call deaconesses. Now, this is really early. This is before the church exists, right? There's no church structure yet. And who is leading the local congregation of Christians? Two slave women. Okay. So that's an interesting moment.

And in that same letter to Pliny, Pliny says, okay, in this group of Christians I've heard about, their leaders are two female slaves they call deaconesses. Now, this is really early. This is before the church exists, right? There's no church structure yet. And who is leading the local congregation of Christians? Two slave women. Okay. So that's an interesting moment.

And in that same letter to Pliny, Pliny says, okay, in this group of Christians I've heard about, their leaders are two female slaves they call deaconesses. Now, this is really early. This is before the church exists, right? There's no church structure yet. And who is leading the local congregation of Christians? Two slave women. Okay. So that's an interesting moment.

And that's not necessarily the image we get of early Christianity. But you can see how for people in this social structure, that would be very appealing to them. And in some ways, yeah, it is sort of a threat to the Roman system because they're challenging it. Now, the irony is, of course, 300 years after the life of Christ – the emperor converts to Christianity.

And that's not necessarily the image we get of early Christianity. But you can see how for people in this social structure, that would be very appealing to them. And in some ways, yeah, it is sort of a threat to the Roman system because they're challenging it. Now, the irony is, of course, 300 years after the life of Christ – the emperor converts to Christianity.