The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World is a book by American New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman. Published on February 13, 2018, by Simon & Schuster, it presents a narrative and analysis of how Christianity expanded from a small Jewish movement to the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. The book emphasizes cumulative conversion through social networks, the roles of Paul and Constantine, and the interaction between Christian claims, Roman religious life, and imperial policy, written for a general audience drawing on current scholarship.[1] A UK and Commonwealth edition appeared with the subtitle How a Small Band of Outcasts Conquered an Empire from Oneworld Publications in 2018.[2]
The introduction frames the historical question of Christian expansion and outlines an evidence-based approach taken in the book.[3][4][5]
Chapter
Summary
1
Analyzes Constantine's conversion and its consequences for Christian institutions and public religion.
2
Returns to the first century to assess Paul's conversion and missionary strategy as a scale model for networked growth.
3
Profiles Roman paganism as the conversion environment, including local cult, sacrifice, divination, and civic religious identity.
4
Enumerates mechanisms for Christian success such as exclusivity, community care, and organized teaching.
5
Treats miracle claims as incentives deployed in ancient religious competition.
6
Models numerical growth and transmission through households and associations.
7
Evaluates persecution, martyrdom, and Christian self-defense in context rather than as a constant empire-wide policy.
8
Studies the first Christian emperor's policies and patronage.
9
Details post-Constantinian coercion, legal change, and the formation of a Christian empire.
Publication
Simon & Schuster published the US hardcover on February 13, 2018.[6] The trade paperback followed on March 5, 2019.[3] An unabridged audiobook, narrated by George Newbern, was released in February 2018. The UK and Commonwealth edition was issued by Oneworld Publications with the subtitle How a Small Band of Outcasts Conquered an Empire in May 2018.[7]
Reception
Tom Bissell, in his review of The Triumph of Christianity for The New York Times, commended both it and Ehrman's prior book The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture for showcasing Ehrman's "steadfast humanizing impulse".[8] Bob Duffy of the Washington Independent Review of Books wrote that The Triumph of Christianity "remains solidly grounded in first-rate scholarship. And although a few loony emperors do lurk about and the (very) occasional persecution arises, the reader in search of the dramatic, the sentimental, or the miraculous is likely to find scant fulfillment here."[9]
Paul W. Gleason, reviewing the book for Newsday, wrote that "Ehrman's conclusions are debatable, as he knows perfectly well. Like a good college lecture class, his book offers both a wealth of historical information and, to make sense of it all, a few plausible theories - including his own. He doesn't tell us what to think. He gives us a lot to think about."[10]
The Wall Street Journal's Douglas Boin called The Triumph of Christianity "a chipper but superficial retelling of the rise of Christianity."[11]
Additional trade reviews described the book's synthesis and accessibility. Publishers Weekly called it "well worth reading for those wishing to dispel myths around the early Christian churches" and noted its careful synthesis of existing scholarship.[12]Kirkus Reviews judged it "accessible and intriguing" while "not groundbreaking" and summarized its account of growth through everyday social networks, word of mouth, and imperial adoption.[13]Booklist highlighted Ehrman's "ability to synthesize complex material and distill it into highly readable prose".[14]
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