Baptism of Rome Constantine the Great Wednesday, October 19, 11 Baptism of Rome Before Constantine, what was nature of Roman Empire at end of 3rd century? Diocletian was emperor at the beginning of the 4th century before Constantine became Emperor. Diocletian was a successful ruler bringing peace and stability but became a heartless persecutor. Why? Believed success due to prophecies of Druid priests. Surrounded himself with pagan priests & soothsayers who examined entrails. Saw himself as incarnation of Jupiter. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Diocletian 299 participated in failed sacrifice in Antioch Animal sacrificed - soothsayer took liver - did not find favorable indications. Slaughtered one after another. Created crisis - sacrifice at center of Roman peace. Presiding priest claimed - a “profane person” interrupted the rites. Who was this profane person and what did he do? Christian who made sign of Cross during the rites. Diocletian outraged - proclaimed all Christians be purged from his court. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Diocletian 303 first of four decrees of persecution issued. 1st prohibited Christian assemblies and called for raising of churches, burning of Scriptures, and expelling of Christians from high positions in government and army. 2nd ordered the arrest of clergymen 3rd issued offer of freedom if clergymen offered sacrifice to Roman gods. 4th in 304 demanded all citizens offer sacrifice on pain of imprisonment or death. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Diocletian Persecutions brutal bowels sliced open and “torn to bits from head sexual organs cut off; to foot with potsherds Soldiers killed every like claws”; citizen in Phrygia, “woman hung upside women and children. down naked”; Killed in groups of ten, torn in two - tied to twenty or hundreds. bent trees; Resembled sacrificial gouged out eyes; procedures - sharp reeds pounded remains burned and under fingernails; offered to gods. molten lead poured Culture of sacrifice. down backs; Wednesday, October 19, 11 Diocletian Why? Christians, had “abandoned religion of forefathers” and their “willful folly” led them to reject “ancient institutions” to make own laws. Had to be forced to return to right opinions. After death of Diocletian, 8 years later, Galerius rescinded the edict in 311 admitting that it had not worked. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Rise of Constantine Earlier, Diocletian split Empire into four regions and appointed rulers of each. Constantine’s father was one. Constantine’s father refused to comply in West with persecutions. His father dies and Constantine takes over his title and overturns the persecution edict in 306. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine Born in Naissus in 272 Spent early life in Eastern part of Empire Mother Helen was of humble origins - likely a concubine of father - Christian. He accompanied father in successful British conquests Father died in York and Constantine appointed successor in mid 306. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine 311 Diocletian died and alliances fell apart. Constantine consolidated power to rule entire Empire 324. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine Key step was victory over Maxentius who ruled Rome at the Milvian bridge. (Oct 312) Had dream with sign of cross in sky with voice saying “Conquer by this.” He then had the shield with Chi Rho. What was significance of this victory? Thought armies won by guidance of Gods. major shift. Rome had conquered through support of Christian God. Constantine shifted from pagan orientation to a Christian one - now seen as Christian Conqueror. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine From 312 on Constantine had both a personal calling and mission and inseparably a political program. Ceased persecutions and actively promoted the Church. Why did he promote the Church? Christian were only 10% - could not be glue to unify Empire. Believed: Called himself “fe#ow servant” of Christian God. Felt personal need to protect and promote the Church. Became serious student of Scriptures and spent long ours studying. (Eusebius) Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine 313 met Licinius at Milan Edict issued whereby all Christians “are to be permitted "eely and absolutely, to remain in it, and not to be disturbed in any ways, or molested.” Known as Edict of Milan Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine Licinius later threatened Christians of death if they failed to offer sacrifices to pagan gods. Constantine then engaged in war with Licinius to liberate Christians. In final battle Licinius prepared with offering of sacrifice to pagan gods Constantine offered prayers in field tabernacle. Before battle his troops kneeled in prayer carrying the Chi-Rho 324 He becomes the sole ruler of the Empire. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine His preference for Christians with tolerance for all religions showed up in many ways. Iconography, privileges granted to church and clergy, efforts to suppress aspects of paganism. By 320 all pagan images had disappeared from his coins. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantinople Inspired by a dream builds a new capital of the Empire Constantinople dedicated in 330 A Christian civic space - no idols Embellished with memorials to martyrs or altars for pagan sacrificial rites. Filled city with Christian symbols. Built many churches including Church of Apostles and first version of Hagia Sophia. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine Exempted clergy from taxes, closed notorious temples, removed cult items and removed idolatrous images. Constantine essentially eliminated the practice of blood sacrifices to pagan gods. He prohibited provincial governors from offering sacrifice at official functions, opening up civil offices to Christians. - by 350 practice of sacrifice was rare. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine Mother Helen makes pilgrimage to Jerusalem and finds site of death and resurrection of Christ encrusted with paganism. Site was ordered cleared of all paganism by Constantine and excavations undertaken. Cave of his tomb discovered and the discovery of the True Cross. Large Church of Holy Sepulcher was constructed. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Constantine In principle treated religion as mater of choice and conscience but also saw this freedom as a time of conversion. Made no pretense of being neutral supporting work of religion he regarded as true. Sought unity in the Church - did not come easily Conflict between bishop Alexander of Alexandria and a popular presbyter Arius. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Did you ever wonder how Christ could be begotten of the Father and exist for all time? Question goes to heart of nature of Christ as fully God. What Arian Controversy is about. Arius (Ἄρειος, AD 250 or 256 – 336) Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt of Libyan origins. Student at exegetical school in Antioch & strict monotheist. Elderly man of personal ascetic achievement, pure morals. Arius ignited controversy when St. Alexander of Alexandria gave a sermon on similarity of Son to Father. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Condemned his sermon and argued: "if the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence: and "om this it is evident, that there was a time when the Son was not. It therefore necessarily fo$ows, that he %the Son& had his substance "om nothing." What theological implication of this? Before Christ was begotten He did not exist. He was born as an instrument of God, wholly distinct from the Father. Possibility of Man’s salvation at stake. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Saw both the Logos and the Son to refer to a created being. Arius claimed: “The Logos...is only ca$ed Logos conceptua$y, and is not Son of God by nature and in truth, but is merely ca$ed Son, he too, by adoption, is a creature. Even if he is ca$ed God, He is not God truly, but by participation in grace.... He is god in name only. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Christ was mutable in nature and remains good only by his free will. He became pioneer of salvation by enduring in his own name and then enabling those who followed him to do likewise. By his care and self-discipline he had triumphed of his mutable nature. Man was left to his own efforts to follow his example. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Was Jesus truly God - Son of God? Did this violate oneness of God? Was He of same essence as the Father? The Trinity was one of earliest teachings of Chruch. In the New Testament Jesus of Nazareth appears as Son of God a name He took to Himself (Matthew 11:27; John 10:36), Fourth Gospel declares Him to be Word (Logos), Who in the beginning was with God and was God, by Whom all things were made. Similar doctrine by St. Paul, in Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. Reiterated in Letters of Ignatius, & accounts that Christians in their assemblies chanted a hymn to Christ as God. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict Arius was teaching a new interpretation. He approached question as a philosopher using logic. His teaching was a rationalization. Alexander allowed the controversy to continue, fed by intellectual class. Called a local council of 100 bishops. 80 decided against Arius excommunicated him and supporters. Fled to Palestine By time Bishop Alexander finally acted, Arius's doctrine spread far beyond his own see Became topic of discussion—and violence—for entire Church. Wednesday, October 19, 11 Arian Conflict What should Constantine do? Sent 67 yr old Hosius, bishop of Córdoba to investigate & resolve controversy if possible. Debate continued to rage despite Hosius' efforts. Bishops began drafting creed for Bishops. Constantine in AD 325 called a council in Nicaea to be composed of church prelates from all parts of empire to resolve issue, probably at Hosius' recommendation. Wednesday, October 19, 11 First Council Holy Fathers present were survivors of the persecutions of Diocletian and Galarius Many had been severely tortured. Some had eyes gouged out by red-hot irons, Some had stumps where limbs had been chopped off.