Rise in Christianity

The Edict of Milan, which allowed
 Christians to worship as they pleased.

   The rise of Christianity furthered the decline of the Roman Empire. As an example, Some historians claim that Christianity made Romans into pacifists. Having a high population of people who oppose war would make defending the large empire rather difficult. (Ten Reasons for the Fall of Rome). As the church grew, it attracted leaders and funds that the empire sorely needed (Ten Reasons for the Fall of Rome). Qualified people would flock to the church, robbing the already weak government of strong leaders. If that weren't enough, the construction of monasteries and churches left less money for the government. Most importantly, perhaps, was the effect Christianity had on the government. "Christianity displaced the polytheistic Roman religion, which viewed the emperor as having a divine status, and also shifted focus away from the glory of the state and onto a sole deity" (Andrews). Before Christianity, emperors were seen as living gods, and changing such a view dramatically reduced the power of the emperors. To add to the governmental dysfunction, religious leaders, especially the pope, gained political power and further complicated the failing government (Andrews). The effects of Christianity led to the fall of Rome.