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Spread of Christianity

Definition

The spread of Christianity refers to the expansion of the Christian faith across different continents, cultures, and societies since its inception. This process involved missionaries, trade, colonization, and other forms of contact.

Analogy

Think about a viral video on social media. It starts with one person or group (like the early Christians), then it gets shared and reshared until it reaches people all over the world in various cultures and societies. That's how Christianity spread - through sharing the message from person to person until it reached global proportions.

Related terms

Missionaries: These are individuals who leave their homes to spread a religious message or convert others to their faith. In this case, Christian missionaries played a significant role in spreading Christianity.

Colonization: This is when one country takes control over another area with the intent to establish settlements and exploit resources. Colonization often involved spreading religion as well, including Christianity.

Cultural Diffusion: This is the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another. The mixing of world cultures through different ethnicities, religions, and nationalities has increased with advanced communication, transportation, and technology.