There is little evidence of orthodox mission into barbarian territories. Even when the Roman Christians found themselves captured and confined outside the empire, the church was slow to send pastoral assistance. Christianity was planted among the barbarians, but it was carried by captives and traders, or through barbarians who served in Constantine's army, rather than through missionaries. ...Yet this needs to be qualified in two ways. Barbarians did convert, but they converted not because missionaries were sent to them but because they migrated into the empire. ...
p. 289. Defending Constantine, Peter J. Leithart
