THE RECORD
What changed
Communities grew through letters, missions and urban networks. The 313 agreement at Milan ended persecution and restored worship and property.
EVIDENCE
What remains
New Testament texts, inscriptions, papyri, house churches, catacombs and imperial laws record the change.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Its alliance with imperial institutions profoundly shaped cultures and politics across West Asia, Europe and Africa.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
313 did not make Christianity the state religion; recognition and conversion were complex, and early communities were diverse.