Outline: Eusebius, Sulpicius, and the Christian Roman Empire Richard
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1 Outline: Eusebius, Sulpicius, and the Christian Roman Empire Richard Goodrich I. Introduction A. Argument: 1. In Sulpicius Severus' Chronicon, the Gallic author challenged and rejected Eusebius' model of a Christian Roman Empire. This was driven by complex motivations: Gallic antipathy toward the Roman state, apocalyptic thought, and a desire to promote Martin. B. Premises (To demonstrate my argument, I will show): 1. That Eusebius proposed an innovative model for a Christian Roman Empire 2. Sulpicius was familiar with Eusebius' works/model 3. Sulpicius rejected this model and offered his own alternative 4. Sulpicius' model was driven by: a. A provincial distrust of imperial authority b. His apocalyptic thought c. A desire to promote Martin C. Significance: A study of Sulpicius' project will contribute to our understanding of: 1. How provincial elites viewed the weakening Roman empire 2. How Christian Roman authors used texts and traditional rhetoric to promote themselves and their subjects 3. The ongoing debate among Christian thinkers about the proper relationship between church and state II. Background: Eusebius' Christian Roman Empire (Prem. 1) A. Eusebian Excess 1. Three centuries of animosity toward Christians comes to an end 2. Eusebius wants to ensure Christianity's place going forward 3. Promotes a model of a Christian Roman Empire based on the career of Constantine a. Most prominently in his works: Hist Ecc, Vita Const, and Laus Const 4. This model became normative over the next century a. Foundational for the entire Byzantine Empire B. Unpacking the Model (Key Secondary Sources for this Section = Cameron & Hall (1999); Barnes (1981), Drake (1995, 2000); Dvornik (1966)) 1. The Emperor's Relationship to God a. A Christian actualization of Hellenistic King Theory/Extension of Roman Religion Model (1) One in which church and state are linked in the person of the emperor (2) The emperor is God's representative, the point man between heaven and earth 2 b. He was favored by God (1) Eus VC 1.6: God grants Const long life and prosperous rule because of C's devotion and piety c. And appointed by God (1) Eus VC 1.24: Constantine becomes emperor through God's will (2) Eus VC 2.28: Const declares himself to be God's chosen instrument to remove impiety from entire world and bring all to a proper observance of God's law d. He has a special relationship with God (1) Eus VC 1.47: God warns C of plots against him allowing him to nip them in the bud; gives C miraculous foreknowledge of events. (2) Eus VC 4.14-16: C's personal piety; C has coins minted with himself looking upward in gesture of prayer (15.1), and also in statues (15.2) (3) Eus VC 4.17: C's Bible study (4) Eus VC 4.48: C is blessed because in this life he rules the Empire and in the next he will rule alongside Christ; C rebukes the bishop who makes this claim and says that he should pray that the emperor will be found worthy to be Christ's slave in the next life. e. He acts to bring about God's Will (1) Eus VC 1.40: God, through Constantine, restores Rome to ancient splendor and liberty (2) Eus VC 2.28: C credits God for his military success (3) Eus VC 2.55: C claims to be acting on God's behalf to restore the Empire (4) Eus VC 2.28: C declares himself to be the instrument chosen by God to remove impiety from entire world and bring all to proper observance of God's law 2. The Emperor's Relationship to the Church a. He is set above the Church (1) Eus VC 1.46: On behalf of God C maintains an unwearied oversight over the church (2) Eus VC 4.8-14: C rejoices when he hears that Christianity is flourishing in Persia, and "as one who had general responsibility for them everywhere, there too he again took prudent measures on behalf of them all." So C is the leader of the church even outside the Roman borders. In a letter written to the Persian emperor, C offers some fascinating ideas about his own humility and submission to the divine (10); again the centrality of the idea of peace being the fruit of an empire/people in right relationship with God (12); this theme especially clear in 14.1. (3) Eus VC 4.24: at dinner with bishops he notes that he is the bishop to those outside the church; he exercises a bishop's supervision over all of his subjects, pressing them to lead godly lives b. He judges the Church (1) Donatism (a) Eus VC 1.45.1: ecclesiastical troublemakers who do not respond to reason are tolerated and placed in the hands of God; C does not take action against them. 3 (b) Eus VC 1.45.2-3: Donatist controversy: did not punish those who committed crimes in the controversy, claiming they were driven by demons and not responsible for their actions. (c) Eus VC 2.66: brief mention of the African controversy (Donatist Controversy) cf Barnes NE chapt 15 (2) Arianism (a) Eus VC. 1.44: convenes synods to resolve disputes and participates/oversees them/joins in the deliberations (b) Eus VC 2.61-65: Arian error begins corrupting laity, works among bishops, and ultimately requires Constantine to correct it (c) Eus VC 3.6: C convenes Council of Nicaea to sort these matters out (d) Eus VC 4.41: Council of Tyre; Interesting that in all of these theological disputes, it is Satan/Envy that are acting to disrupt the peace of the church/empire. C brings peace, Satan brings discord; 42.3 Dionysius, a man of consular rank sent to oversee the council; 42.4 any bishop ordered to attend who does not will be driven into exile (e) Eus VC 4.43-48: bishops at Tyre are then sent to Jerusalem (3) Other theological controversies (a) Eus VC 3.59-63: Continues to intervene to settle church dispute over Eustathius: the church in Antioch wanted to secure the services of Eusebius (b) Eus VC 3.63-66: C moves against the heretics; 65: forbids their meetings, confiscates their buildings; exhorts them to return to the Catholic faith (This all seems a bit inimical to presentation as a peace-maker) 66: this sparks a mass return of heretics and schismatics to the true faith c. Constantine's judgments intended to bring peace to the church (1) Eus VC 2.64-72: C's letter to Arius and Alexander; this letter characterized by request that Arius and Alexander agree to disagree, that they act like philosophers (71.2); that they not sacrifice peace for inconsequential/trivial quibbles (68.2; 68.3; 69.1; 71.1); best policy is don't ask, don't tell (69.2; 71.7); these matters lay beyond mind's comprehension (69.3); theological disagreement should not produce division (71.5); C refuses to meet with warring factions (72.2) (2) Eus VC 2.71.1: Greatest folly is to argue over inconsequential things; veiled threat that laity should not be under bishops who cannot coexist peacefully (3) Eus VC 3.13: dissension of bishops (1); overridden by the calm and patient interventions of C (2); C as unifier and peacemaker : important point seems to be that C is the center of the church, he pulls it together and brings peace among warring factions; SS seems to rebuff this interpretation with a model which sees emperors as dangerous injection of power on one side of a controversy or another that destabilizes affairs. (4) Eus VC 3.24.1: C composes many letters to instruct the bishops 4 d. He is a Patron of the Church and the bishops (1) Church: (a) Eus VC 1.42: funds the construction of many new churches (b) Eus VC 3.47-53 : Other church building projects: Constantinople; Nicomedia; Antioch; Mamre; chastises Palestinian bishops for idols at Mamre (c) Eus VC 4.58-60 : builds shrine to Apostles (2) Bishops (a) Eus VC 1.32.1: Summons bishops to court for first time to explain his vision; 32.3 bishops become his advisors (b) Eus VC 1.42: C showers gift upon the bishops, makes them dine with him, makes them his traveling companions (c) Eus VC 1.52: C receives bishops at court, Licinius expels them --- importance here is the Eusebius' model has emperor surrounded by bishops while ungodly ruler disdains their company (d) Eus VC 2.4.1: Priests in C's vanguard to support him with their prayers (e) Eus VC 3.14: C brings about a truce, claims that he had won a second victory over Satan by healing the breach; holds victory feast with bishops; VC 3.15.2 : not one bishop missing from imperial banquet; some reclined on couches around him, relaxing with him (f) Eus VC 3.16: C gives gifts to all bishops present, based upon their ranks 3. The Christian Roman State [See Fowden (1993)] a. The State is Being Christianized (1) Eus VC 2.44: C appointed new governors for the East who were mostly Christian (2) Eus VC 2.46: Satan driven out of Government by God and Constantine b. The Power of the State Expands Christianity (1) Eus VC 2.19: Christianity extended through C's victories in the East (2) Eus VC 4.37-39: cities are converted: Constantia c. Consequently Both Church and State will Flourish and Prosper C. Did Sulpicius know Eusebius' Works? (Prem.