The triumph of Christianity / Bart D. Ehrman.

Includes bibliographical references.

The beginning of the end: the conversion of Constantine -- Back to the beginning: the conversion and mission of Paul -- The religious world of conversion: Roman paganism -- Reasons for the Christian success -- Miraculous incentives for conversion -- The growth of the church -- Christians under assault: persecution, martyrdom, and self-defense -- The first Christian emperor -- Conversion and coercion: the beginnings of a Christian empire -- Afterword: Gains and losses.

"Christianity didn't have to become the dominant religion in the West. It could easily have remained a sect of Judaism fated to have the historical importance of the Sadducees or the Essenes. So how did a religion whose first believers were twenty or so illiterate day laborers in a remote part of the empire become the official religion of Rome, converting some thirty million people in just four centuries? In The Triumph of Christianity, New York Times bestselling authority on early Christian history Bart D. Ehrman weaves meticulous research into an eye-opening, immensely readable narrative. He shows how a handful of charismatic characters used a brilliant social strategy and an irresistible message to win over hearts and minds one at a time. In so doing, Ehrman upends the way we think about the single most important cultural transformation our world has ever seen--one that revolutionized art, music, literature, philosophy, ethics, economics, and law."--Publisher's description.