In the space of a few hundred years, a small, often brutally persecuted cult rose to become the dominant religion of the West. The story of Christianity's rise to power is remarkable, but the traditional story of its progression from a small, persecuted religion to the established religion of the medieval West must be stripped to the ground. As the Roman Empire weakened and collapsed, a new force – Christianity – grew within it (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 thanks to the efficiency of the Roman Empire, and despite its growing popularity, the tenets of Christianity were sometimes misunderstood and joining the sect could be dangerous (PBS.org). Widely criticized after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, Emperor Nero attempted to distract from his own failures by offering an easy scapegoat: Christians (Heinrich). Through difficulties, over time, Christianity became powerful and more organized than the ancient Roman culture and eventually became the new Rome. Christianity was one of the fastest spreading religions of its time. From the first century, Christians 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 dedicated their lives, minds, hearts, and souls to God and, in doing so, were often persecuted. After the death of Jesus, Christianity began to grow rapidly. Christianity stood out from other religions because anyone could become a Christian. Christianity offered a message...... middle of paper ......s. Civilizations of the world, volume 1: until 1700, sixth edition. Boston: Wadsworth, 2008. Print.Guericke, Henry E.F. Handbook of Church History. New York: Wiley and Halsted, 1857. Google Books. Internet. November 16, 2013PBS.org. “The Roman Empire in the First Century: The Early Christians.” PBS. 2006. Web November 16, 2013 Trueman, Chris. “Rome and Christianity”. History learning site. Internet. November 16, 2013. Ushistory.org. “The Fall of the Roman Empire.” Online textbook on ancient civilizations. Usitory. Internet. 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 Academic Research. Internet. November 14. 2013.