ABSTRACT
According to Christian tradition, after Jesus ascended into heaven, the apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and this event set up the missionary work that spread the message of Jesus throughout the cities of the east. This chapter follows the missionary work – particularly of Paul – to the urban centers of the Roman Empire. It explores the reception of the message from the point of view of urban dwellers, what was attractive about the message, and what controversies appeared. It develops the central importance of community joined together by charismatic gifts and an expectation of an imminent Second Coming of Christ.
