The Rise of Christianity (subtitled either A Sociologist Reconsiders History or How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries, depending on the edition), is a book by the sociologist Rodney Stark, which examines the rise of Christianity, from a small movement in Galilee and Judea at the time of Jesus to the majority religion of the Roman Empire a few centuries later.

It is a marvelous exercise in the sociological imagination and a warning to those who like simple explanations--such as that Constantine was ultimately responsible for the success of Christianity when he made it the official religion of the Roman Empire" (Andrew M. Greeley, National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago).

[3] "For years, biblical scholars and church historians have used sociological jargon to promote ideological views.

This brilliant and highly provocative book will revolutionize the way people think about both biblical studies and church history.

Love it or hate it, Rodney Stark's The Rise of Christianity is a book nobody interested in the study of religion can ignore" (Irving Hexham, University of Calgary).