Before Christianity faced the great persecutions of the Roman Empire, it had to exist within a world very different from our own.

In this episode, we step into the world of the first Christians: the Roman Empire, first-century Judaism, Greek culture, and the religious practices that shaped everyday life.

Christianity did not begin as a completely separate religion. It emerged from within Judaism, proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, and gradually spread throughout the wider Roman world. But as Gentiles joined the movement, Christians developed practices and beliefs that increasingly distinguished them from both Jewish and Roman society.

Why did Christians refuse to participate in traditional sacrifices? Why did their gatherings sometimes appear secretive to outsiders? Why were they accused of strange and even immoral practices? And  ...