The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

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Scope Of Chapter XV. A.D.

• Importance of the Inquiry
• Its Difficulties
• Five Causes of the Growth of Christianity
  • I. THE FIRST CAUSE.
    • Zeal of the Jews
    • Its gradual Increase
    • Their Religion better suited to Defence than to Conquest
    • More liberal Zeal of Christianity
    • Obstinacy and Reasons of the believing Jews
    • The Nazarene Church of Jerusalem
    • The Ebionites
    • The Gnostics
    • Their Sects, Progress, and Influence
    • The Daemons considered as the Gods of Antiquity
    • Abhorrence of the Christians for Idolatry
    • Ceremonies
    • Arts
    • Festivals
    • Zeal for Christianity
  • II. THE SECOND CAUSE.
    • The Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul among the Philosophers
    • Among the Pagans of Greece and Rome
    • Among the Barbarians
    • Among the Jews
    • Among the Christians
    • Approaching End of the World
    • Doctrine of the Millennium
    • Conflagration of Rome and of the World
    • The Pagans devoted to Eternal Punishment
  • III. THE THIRD CAUSE.
    • Miraculous Powers of the Primitive Church
    • Their Truth contested
    • Our Perplexity in defining the Miraculous Period
    • Use of the primitive Miracles
  • IV. THE FOURTH CAUSE.
    • Virtues of the first Christians
    • Effects of their Repentance
    • Care of their Reputation
    • Morality of the Fathers
    • Principles of Human Nature
    • The primitive Christians condemn Pleasure and Luxury
    • Their Sentiments concerning Marriage and Chastity
    • Their Aversion to the Business of War and Government
  • V. THE FIFTH CAUSE.
    • The Christians active in the Government of the Church
    • Its primitive Freedom and Equality
    • Institution of Bishops as Presidents of the College of Presbyters
    • Provincial Councils
    • Union of the Church
    • Progress of Episcopal Authority
    • Pre-eminence of the Metropolitan Churches
    • Ambition of the Roman Pontiff
    • Laity and Clergy
    • Oblations and Revenue of the Church
    • Distribution of the Revenue
    • Excommunication
    • Public Penance
    • The Dignity of Episcopal Government
• Recapitulation of the Five Causes
• Weakness of Polytheism
• The Scepticism of the Pagan World proved favourable to the new Religion
• As well as the Peace and Union of the Roman Empire
• Historical View of the Progress of Christianity
  • In the East
  • The Church of Antioch
  • In Egypt
  • In Rome
  • In Africa and the Western Provinces
  • Beyond the Limits of the Roman Empire
• General Proportion of Christians and Pagans
• Whether the first Christians were mean and ignorant
• Some Exceptions with regard to Learning
• Some Exceptions with regard to Rank and Fortune
• Christianity most favourably received by the Poor and Simple
• Rejected by some eminent Men of the first and second Centuries
• Their Neglect of Prophecy
• Their Neglect of Miracles
• General Silence concerning the Darkness of the Passion

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