Mime In The Early Church

The following article outlines the role of mime in the church and society during the first centuries after Christ. In this period, as in others, mime was a significant medium of instruction and communication for believers and nonbelievers alike. Mime was performed in the middle of the period of controversy and social change that riddled both the falling Roman Empire and the young church struggling to establish an identity. By the end of the fourth century, mime was on its way to virtual extinction, but not before it had been used in the church as a medium of evangelism and ministry. To understand the history of mime in the church, we must understand the place and history of secular mime in Rome before the birth of Christianity. Mime in the Roman Empire The popularity of mime and pantomime grew with the population explosion of the Roman Empire. The Empire grew from 1, 200, 000 to 120, 000, 000 in the span of 300 years. It absorbed dozens of nations and became a vast polyglot societ…