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By Douglas Boin. Social change is supposed to happen by “conversion.” Think about what you read in high school history class about that time long ago when Christians literally had to resk their lives by “coming out” to their friends and neighbors. It took three centuries after Jesus’ death, but that’s when Christians finally won the right to practice their faith openly—no fear of being thrown to the lions anymore. A huge political triumph! So how did they do it? Did Christians really succeed in winning their new legal status by “converting” their friends and neighbors? That’s what most people still believe, buying into the Sunday-school version of history. Some scholars still think so, too. They’ve tried to argue that Christians made up more than 50% of the population within decades of their political victory. The assumption? In ancient Rome, once you were touched by a Christian, you turned into a Christian. It’s an absurd way to talk about anyone’s identity—gay, lesbian, Jewish, Muslim, black, Latino, or other. But that’s how generations of scholars and church historians have tried to explain the rise of Christianity. Sadly, it makes everyone in a toga sound like a school kid afraid of cooties. The stunning successes of the LGBT community, by contrast, suggest that not every political victory is dependent on someone else’s “conversion.” Much of time, social change depends on conversation. Remarkably, that’s what new research has showed about the history of the Christian church... Who was the founder of Christianity the religion? Christianity is a monotheistic religion founded by the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, a Jew, was born in about 7 B.C. and assumed his public life, probably after his 30th year, in Galilee. The New Testament Gospels describe Jesus as a teacher and miracle worker.