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>early Christianity was an urban religion, its importance in any particular city was in direct proportion to the size of the urban community.
>It is highly unlikely that an organized congregational religion religion, such as early Christianity became, could have developed as it did apart from the community life of the city. The specific qualities of Christianity as an ethical religion of salvation and as personal piety found their real nature in the urban environment; and it is there that they constantly set in motion new stimuli.
>As a rule, the class of warrior nobles, and indeed feudal powers generally, have not readily become carriers of a rationalistic religious ethic.
>The life pattern of a warrior has very little affinity with the notion of a beneficent providence, or with a the systematic ethical demands of a transcendental god. Concepts like sin, salvation and religious humility have not only seemed remote from all elite political classes, particularly the warrior nobles, but have indeed appeared reprehensible to its sense of honor.
>To accept a religion that works with such conceptions to genuflect before the prophet or priest would appear plebian and dishonorable to any martial hero or noble person.