O U BER4 JUL Y-AUGU T 197„ His ambition was to stamp out Christianity By Charles Ludwig Julian had had his way, Christianity the better. Because of this, he frequently sacrificed would have ended in A.D. 361—the year one hundred bulls in a single day; and he would he ascended the throne of the Roman repeat this sacrifice several times within a single Empire. And this was in spite of the fact twelve-hour period. Moreover, he often groped I that he had been brought up as a Chris- through the entrails with his own hand in order to tian, was ordained as a lector, and was a half- find a prophecy of the future. nephew of Constantine the Great—the one who Julian sacrificed so many of certain animals, lead- legalized Christianity! ers became alarmed that he would extinguish the Known in history as the Apostate, Flavius Clau- species. Nevertheless, no one could stop him. He dius Julianus—to give him his full name—was a rebuilt pagan temples, encouraged pagan priests, and rebel from the bottom of his royal toes to the top gently made it worthwhile for all to become pagan. of his royal head. "Soon after his entrance into the He dubbed Christians "Galileans," and ridiculed palace of Constantinople, he had occasion for the them whenever possible. Considering his pious service of a barber. An officer, magnificently dressed, background, it is difficult on first glance to under- immediately presented himself. The newly crowned stand how he could change so radically. The reasons, emperor eyed the man's splendid uniform with a however, become apparent when we study his up- cold eye. "It is a barber that I want," he chided, bringing. "and not a receiver-general of the finances." 1 Upon Constantine the Great had three sons and two inquiry, Julian learned that this man received a half brothers. One of these half brothers was Con- salary large enough to "support twenty servants." stantius—the father of Julian and Gallus. At the Indignant at what he had seen, 30-year-old Julian time of the death of Constantine, the empire was dismissed most of the barbers, cooks, and other ser- divided among his three sons: Constantine II, Con- vants. Having studied philosophy in Athens, he de- stan, and Constantius. This arrangement was bound cided to live the simple life; and in pursuit of this to fail. Within three years the sons were quarreling philosophy, he went to unbelievable extremes. over who would be supreme. Constan soon mur- Sometimes he wouldn't submit to a haircut for dered his brother Constantine II; and in turn Con- months; and frequently he "boasted on the length stan was killed by a barbarian who later committed of his nails, and the inky blackness of his hands." 2 suicide. This left the empire to Constantius. But the drive of his life was not to be physically The half brother Constantius was attacked and dirty. Oh, no. His great motivation was to stamp killed by a band of soldiers in 337. The assassins out Christianity—and to restore paganism. Being would also have killed Julian and Gallus; but Gallus well read and having a brilliant mind, he realized had a fatal disease and so they decided he would that he could not eliminate Christianity through die on his own. Likewise, Julian was spared because persecution. Other emperors had tried to do this, he was only 8. and he was painfully aware of the words of Ter- The Emperor Constantius—son of Constantine— tullian written in the second century: "The oftener then arranged for the education of Gallus and Julian. we are mowed down by you, the more in number we Unlike his father, he refused to tolerate paganism grow; the blood of Christians is seed." in any form. He decreed that anyone who made a With this knowledge, he eliminated the tool of pagan sacrifice was to be put to death. Likewise, he persecution. In its place, he decided to divide destroyed heathen temples and pressed much of the Christians and to make paganism so attractive they booty into the often unwilling hands of the church. would renounce Christ for the gods of the Greeks He insisted on doing this even though some of the and Romans. leading Christians objected. Confronting him, Hilary He ordered the cross and monogram of Christ re- cried out: "With the gold of the state thou burden- moved from all coins and flags and replaced with est the sanctuary of God. " pagan symbols. Also, he restored emperor worship Because of this policy, many pagans became and regular sacrifices to the gods. As for himself, Christians. But their Christianity was not of the he chose to worship Apollo—the god of light. And heart. It was merely a token faith designed to get so devoted was he, an admirer in his day bragged: them in with the ruling power. In addition, Con- "He received the rising sun with blood, and at- stantius threw his influence in favor of the Arians— tended him again with blood at his setting." Julian the ones who denied that Jesus was coeternal with also seemed convinced that the larger the sacrifice, God. Thus, the Chrisitanity he supported was in LIBERTY IS PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY BY THE REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, 6856 EASTERN AVE., NW., WASH., D.C. 20012. SECOND-CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT WASH., D.C. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $3.00 PER YEAR. VOL. 70, NO. 4, JULY-AUGUST, 1975. POSTMASTER: SEND FORM 3579 TO SAME ADDRESS. reality a pseudo-Christianity. Commenting on this ship of the immortal gods, and instead of them broad period, Will Durant wrote: "While Christianity worshipped dead men's bones." converted the world, the world converted Christian- Sometimes he ordered antagonistic bishops to ity." 3 debate a doctrinal difference in his presence. Then, With the intrigues of the empire and this power- as the dispute grew in intensity, he would egg them less Christianity influencing his young life, Julian on for his own amusement. He liked to say, "no decided to play the hypocrite. He listened politely wild beasts are so fierce and irreconcilable as the to the Arian bishop Eusebius who had been entrusted Galilean sectarians." with his education. He also prayed—and fasted. He tried to get the schoolteachers to study books But at the same time he secretly made sacrifices to about the gods. But he agreed that they could "go to Jupiter, Apollo, and other gods. Later in life, he the churches of the Galileans, and expound Matthew confessed that he had turned his back on Christ in and Luke, in obedience to whom ye are bidden to his twentieth year. abstain from holy rites. None that desire to As Julian waited to occupy the throne, he im- attend lectures are debarred. Fools are better mersed himself in Greek culture, and made elaborate taught than punished." 4 plans to return the empire to paganism. In his efforts to divide the nonpagans, Julian came Following the death of his cousin, Emperor Con- up with a clever idea. He announced that the Jews stantius, Julian became the new emperor. Imme- could all return to their homeland; and, in addition, diately he set out to establish the new paganism. he promised great sums of money to help them re- And just as Christianity had in previous generations build their Temple on Mount Moriah! Overjoyed, the borrowed from paganism, he decided that the new Jews returned to Jerusalem by the thousands. Un- paganism would borrow from Christianity! Chris- doubtedly Julian believed that the restoration of the tian-type choirs were established in the temples; old Jewish sacrifices would undermine Christianity pagan priests donned hats similar to those worn by with its firm belief in the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Christian bishops; and, in addition, they were re- Concerning this, Edward Gibbon wrote: "The res- quired to preach sermons each week. Also, he toration of the Jewish temple was secretly con- established monasteries, orphanages, hospitals— nected with the ruin of the Christian church." 5 and even convents. These institutions were managed The Jews tried to rebuild the Temple, but they by pagan priests, and were subsidized out of the were hindered at every turn. There were unex- public treasury. pected earthquakes, sudden eruptions, and even But when the new apparatus was all set up, Julian whirlwinds. Some Christian writers claim that a discovered that it just would not work. Christians luminous cross appeared in the heavens. Although were willing to sacrifice for their hospitals and biased against Christianity, Edward Gibbon admitted: other institutions, but the pagans were not. Julian, "An earthquake, a whirlwind, and a fiery eruption, however, did not give up. If one method didn't are attested, with some variations, by contempo- work, he would try another. rary and respectful evidence." e Normally among non-Christian emperors, the sol- Our last glimpse of Julian the Apostate is at Anti- diers were required to burn incense to the emperor's och where he had been living. Admiring Alexander statue. Julian decided to carry this process one step the Great, Julian wanted to be like him. Hoping to further. He had images of the gods placed by his invade Persia as Alexander had done, Julian led an own image so that the soldiers were forced to wor- army of 65,000. He reached the Tigris in June and ship the pagan gods as well as himself! He also tried to take the city of Ctesiphon. But unable to decreed that all magistrates had to be pagan. scale the walls, he returned.