Why was Rome made the capital of Christianity Why not Jerusalem?

Answer 1

Rome is not the capital of Christianity. It is the headquarter (not the capital as religions are not states) of one branch of Christianity: Catholicism. Rome has no meaning to Orthodox Christians and Protestant Christians.

Christianity started as the faith of a small group of Christian Jews and spread around the Roman Empire. It developed into main two forms (there were also dissident forms which were persecuted): Eastern or Greek Christianity and Western or Latin Christianity. The former was the main form of Christianity in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. The latter was the main form of Christianity in the western part. Later they came to be called Catholic and Orthodox Christianity respectively.

The Catholic creed originated from theologians in the Roman Province of Africa (todays' Tunisia and eastern Algeria). Tertullian (c. 160 - c. 225 AD) was the first Christian author who produced an extensive body of Latin Christian literature. Tertullian is considered the father of Latin Christianity and the founder of its theology. He lived in Carthage (Tunisia) which was the second largest city in the western part of the Roman Empire

Latin Christianity spread to Rome and the Latin-speaking parts of the Roman Empire (the west). The Bishop of Rome (the pope) became it head.

Answer 2

AnswerWhile Christianity was moderately successful during the first three centuries in winning converts in the eastern empire, Rome was the only western city that really attracted many converts. By the time of Emperor Constantine, there were two or three Gaulish cities with enough Christians to warrant a bishop, but only scattered Christian communities in Britain, elsewhere in Italy, and elsewhere in Western Europe.

Constantine saw his role as the head of the Christian Church, at least in a secular sense, so, it also made sense for Rome to have an important role in the Church hierarchy. During his reign, Church Metropolitans were appointed in five main Christian centres, including Rome.

Later, the Western Schism saw the leadership of the western Church split, with other popes claiming authority from outside the ancient capital, but power soon returned to Rome.

Answer 3

Because Rome had become the centre when one of the Roman emperors converted to Christianity on his death bed making it the official religion of the Roman empire.