Channel logo

The Triumph of Christianity

Season 1
In The Triumph of Christianity, trace the story of Christianity from its origins in a Jewish outpost of the Roman Empire to its spread throughout the entire Western world. Taught by Dr. Bart. D. Ehrman, these 24 investigative episodes provide new insights into one of the most compelling stories ever recorded.
202124 episodes13+
Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy

Terms apply

Prime membership required

Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - The Christian Conquest of Rome
    November 4, 2021
    24min
    TV-PG
    Your series begins with a broad view of the Christian world. Delve into the scope of Christianity today, and reflect on how it spread from the earliest followers of Jesus to the largest religion in the world. Preview a few theories for Christianity's success, which you will unpack in the coming episodes. #Music, Philosophy & Religion
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  2. S1 E2 - Pagan Religions in the Roman World
    November 4, 2021
    32min
    TV-PG
    To understand the spread of Christianity, you first must understand the world it grew out of. The majority of Romans were "pagan," a slippery term that generally refers to the many polytheistic religions of the ancient world. Explore the nature of religion and religious practices in the pre-Christian Roman world.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  3. S1 E3 - Judaism in the Roman World
    November 4, 2021
    35min
    TV-PG
    Not everyone in ancient Rome was a pagan, of course. The Christian faith began as a sect within Judaism. Jesus himself and his early followers were all Jews; so to properly understand Christianity, we must understand Judaism in the Roman world. Delve into ancient Israel to review the beliefs and practices of Jesus's contemporaries.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  4. S1 E4 - Christianity in the Roman World: An Overview
    November 4, 2021
    29min
    TV-PG
    Christianity's success stems from its similarities to and differences from other religious practices. Survey the doctrines that separated Christianity from Judaism, including a sense of exclusivity-the belief that one must belong to the Christian community to the exclusion of other religions and cultic practices.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  5. S1 E5 - The Life and Teachings of Jesus
    November 4, 2021
    30min
    TV-PG
    Go back to the very beginning of Christianity to explore the life of the historical Jesus. Here, you will analyze not only the man and what he preached, but also the Gospels and other sources of information that have transmitted the life of Jesus to us today. Find out what historians can tell us about the real facts of his life.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  6. S1 E6 - The Beginning of Christianity
    November 4, 2021
    30min
    TV-PG
    Jesus is the wellspring of Christianity, but the Christian religion is built on more than the life of one man. Meet the disciples and discover how their views shifted from an apocalyptic belief that they were in the end times to an understanding of salvation because of Jesus's sacrifice. Witness the transition from Christ to a Christian movement.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  7. S1 E7 - The Earliest Christian Missions
    November 4, 2021
    29min
    TV-PG
    Take a deep dive into the Book of Acts, which is one of the most important texts recounting the spread of Christianity. And meet Paul, who, next to Jesus himself, is arguably the most important figure in the history of Christianity.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  8. S1 E8 - The Conversion of Paul
    November 4, 2021
    31min
    TV-PG
    Continue your study of the Apostle Paul and reflect on his importance to the early Christian movement. After recounting the story of Paul's conversion, you will review what the historical evidence tells us about the life of Paul. Bart then walks you through Paul's conclusions about Christianity.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  9. S1 E9 - Paul: The Apostle of the Gentiles
    November 4, 2021
    30min
    TV-PG
    In this third episode on the Apostle Paul, you will discover how Paul took his message to the gentiles, whose conversions were instrumental in the triumph of Christianity. Review Paul's theology as recounted in many of his New Testament letters, including his letters to the Corinthians and the Romans.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  10. S1 E10 - The Christian Mission to the Jews
    November 4, 2021
    30min
    TV-PG
    If Jesus was a Jew, why didn't most Jews accept him as the Messiah? Instead, why did so many pagans convert? In this episode, you will dive into the Jewish perspective on Christianity and the Messiah. Consider the nuance between the Jewish and Christian understanding of Jesus.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  11. S1 E11 - Early Christianities
    November 4, 2021
    27min
    TV-PG
    When Christianity spread like wildfire through the Roman world in the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the Common Era, numerous groups considered themselves true followers of Jesus. From "Jewish Christians" to Marcionites to Gnostics, examine the variety of Christian religions in the centuries after Jesus.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  12. S1 E12 - Reasons for Christianity's Success
    November 4, 2021
    29min
    TV-PG
    How did a group of 20 or so illiterate disciples grow into the largest religion in the Roman world? Two reasons you will explore here are "exclusivity" and "evangelism." Because one must be a Christian to find salvation, Christians believed it was important to convert as many as possible, and once a person converted, they had to abandon their other religious practices.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  13. S1 E13 - Miraculous Incentives for Conversion
    November 4, 2021
    28min
    TV-PG
    How did the early Christians succeed with their evangelism? How did they convince so many people that not only was their faith true, but that others should abandon their religions? Walk through several possibilities, including the multitude of alleged conversion-producing miracles.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  14. S1 E14 - The Exponential Growth of the Church
    November 4, 2021
    26min
    TV-PG
    One of the most vexing questions for the rise of Christianity was how quickly it happened. Crunch the numbers to see an exponential explosion of growth over 300 years, in which several million people converted to Christianity. Then consider the political implications of this rapid growth.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  15. S1 E15 - Early Opposition to the Christian Message
    November 4, 2021
    28min
    TV-PG
    We have numerous stories of Christian persecution by the Roman Empire, but these stories are rife with misunderstandings and misinformation. Here, you will reflect on the political context of Christianity within the Roman world. Using the Book of Acts and other historical texts as your guide, see what it was like to be an early Christian.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  16. S1 E16 - Imperial Persecution of the Early Christians
    November 4, 2021
    26min
    TV-PG
    While there were no empire-wide persecutions of Christians in the 1st and 2nd centuries, Christianity had grown enough by the middle of the 3rd century that it posed an occasional threat to imperial Rome. From Nero to Pliny the Younger, examine the relationship between Roman politics and the growth of Christianity.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  17. S1 E17 - Early Christian Apologists
    November 4, 2021
    26min
    TV-PG
    Shift your attention from physical persecutions of Christians to the verbal jousting that led to popular animosity in the first place. Review some of the intellectual charges against early Christian beliefs, and then learn about the defense of those charges ("apologetics"). Along the way, you will sharpen your understanding of Christian theology.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  18. S1 E18 - Major Imperial Persecutions of Christians
    November 4, 2021
    28min
    TV-PG
    Following the rapid growth of Christianity, major state-sponsored persecutions against Christians began in the middle of the 3rd century, when pagans began converting in droves. Explore Rome's Crisis of the Third Century, a very bad time indeed, and see how the empire's troubles played out against the Christians.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  19. S1 E19 - The Conversion of Constantine
    November 4, 2021
    26min
    TV-PG
    Beyond the work of Paul, the conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine is one of the most significant moments in the history of Christianity. Recount the story of the emperor's life and what led him to become a committed Christian. Examine several differing accounts of what happened.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  20. S1 E20 - Did Constantine Really Convert?
    November 4, 2021
    28min
    TV-PG
    Though Constantine is widely recognized as the first Christian emperor of Rome, the famous story of his conversion nevertheless has its skeptics among historians today. Did he actually convert, or did he merely adopt the Christian religion as a savvy political move? Take a look at what the historical evidence says about Constantine's sincerity.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  21. S1 E21 - Constantine's Interactions with the Church
    November 4, 2021
    28min
    TV-PG
    Round out your study of the Roman emperor Constantine, here with a detailed look at his relationship with the church. Find out about the Edict of Milan, which declared Christianity a legal religion, and then examine other controversies of church and state within the Roman Empire.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  22. S1 E22 - Imperial Christianity after Constantine
    November 4, 2021
    26min
    TV-PG
    Although Constantine did not make Christianity the official state religion, the church nonetheless grew exponentially in the years following his conversion. Trace the last gasps of paganism under the emperor Julian the Apostate, a short-lived ruler whose death cleared the way for Christianity to grow unimpeded.
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  23. S1 E23 - The Beginnings of a Christian Roman Empire
    November 4, 2021
    26min
    TV-PG
    Following the death of Julian the Apostate, every Roman emperor was Christian. Here, you will find out about the rule of Theodosius and the ongoing battles between Christian apologists and their persecutors. Consider the nature of the state and its relationship to religion. How and when can the state compel its subjects?
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
  24. S1 E24 - The Triumph of Christianity: Gains and Losses
    November 4, 2021
    29min
    TV-PG
    In this final episode, you will analyze the winners and losers of Christianity's triumph, which is not always a triumphalist narrative. What are some of the cultural impacts of Christianity? How did it affect social views and practices? How do historians weigh the victory of Christianity over the Western world?
    Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy

Details

More info

Content advisory
Nudityviolence
Subtitles
None available
Producers
The Great Courses
Cast
Bart D. Ehrman
Studio
The Great Courses
By clicking play, you agree to our Terms of Use.