In the space of a few hundred years, a small, often brutally persecuted cult became the dominant religion of the West. The story of Christianity's rise to prominence is remarkable, but the traditional story of its progression from a tiny, persecuted religion to an established religion in the medieval West must be dismantled. As the Roman Empire weakened and collapsed, a new force developed within it: Christianity (Adler 138). One of the many factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire was the rise of this new religion. The spread of Christianity was made much easier by the efficiency of the Roman Empire, and despite its growing popularity, the tenets of Christianity were sometimes misunderstood and membership in the sect could be dangerous (PBS.org). Widely criticized after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, Emperor Nero tried to divert attention from his own failures by providing an easy scapegoat: the Christians (Henry). Through hardship, over time Christianity became powerful and more organized than ancient Roman culture and eventually became the new Rome. Christianity was one of the fastest-spreading religions of its time. Since the first century, Christians have claimed that the world was uniquely prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ and the birth of Christianity. Being a Christian during the time of the fall of the Roman Empire would not be a pleasant time to live in. Christians have dedicated their lives, minds, hearts, and souls to God, and in doing so have often been persecuted. After the death of Jesus is when Christianity began to grow rapidly. Christianity was distinguished from other religions because everyone could be Christian. Christianity offered a message... middle of paper... s. World Civilizations, Volume 1: To 1700, Sixth Edition. Boston: Wadsworth, 2008. Print.Guericke, Henry EF Handbook of Church History. New York: Wiley and Halsted, 1857. Google Books. Network. November 16, 2013PBS.org. "The Roman Empire in the First Century: The Early Christians". PBS. 2006. Web November 16, 2013Trueman, Chris. “Rome and Christianity”. History learning site. Network. November 16, 2013.Ushistory.org. “The fall of the Roman Empire”. Online textbook on ancient civilizations. Ushitory. Network. November 17, 2013.Verheyden, Joseph. "Religious Rivalries in the Early Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity". Biblical Literature Review 9.(2007): 334-336. Premier of academic research. Network. November 14. 2013.