A History of Western Society: Printed Page 190

A History of Western Society, Value Edition: Printed Page 178

A History of Western Society, Concise Edition: Printed Page 190

The Growth of the Christian Church FOCUS QUESTION How did the Christian Church become a major force in the Mediterranean and Europe?

Page 190

As the emperors changed their policies about Christianity from persecution to promotion, the church grew, gradually becoming the most important institution in the Mediterranean and Europe. The able administrators and creative thinkers of the church developed permanent institutions and complex philosophical concepts that drew on the Greco-Roman tradition, which attracted learned Romans.