From House Church to Tenement Church: Domestic Space and the Development of Early Urban Christianity--The Example of Ephesus

Apartment blocks, or insulae, likely served as early Christian meeting spaces in Greco-Roman cities, challenging the traditional view that house churches were the primary form of worship. This study applies social networking theory to analyze the social and physical dynamics of early urban Christianity (c. 50–150 CE), using Ephesus as a case study. While literary records mention house churches, archaeological evidence for large-scale purpose-built spaces is scarce until the third century. The research suggests that insulae provided both practical and social environments conducive to Christian gatherings, bridging gaps in our understanding of early Christian architecture and urban life.

Billings, B. S. (2011). From House Church to Tenement Church: Domestic Space and the Development of Early Urban Christianity--The Example of Ephesus. The Journal of Theological Studies, 62(2), 541–569. https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flr106