3. The Church in the Christian Empire

Question 1

The Church in the Christian Empire

Answer 1

~7 million Christians in total population of 50 million. Mixed successes of evangelization meant uneven Christian population (Christians were not necessarily populous everywhere; some areas sparse, other Churches so strong they sent out missionaries). Note: Emperor is political leader and Caesar is military leader (Caesar is often later promoted to Emperor).

Question 2

From the 200s to the 300s, the Church moved from…

Answer 2

…from religious intolerance to toleration

Question 3

Relative Peace after Decian Persecution (249-251)

Answer 3

There were long periods of peace in the 3rd c, prior to the Decian persecution (249-251) and afterwards.

After the Decian persecution, there were many apostasies and this made the Church realize the need for attention to “conversion.”

In this period, the Catechumenal process (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; RCIA) was formalized

Question 4

Diocletian’s Persecution (East)

Answer 4

In the East, Christians had been able to profess faith publicly, build churches, preach, do missionary work in the early half of the 3rd C. However, nothing was guaranteed by law…

• anti-Christian polemic continued
• the harshest persecution under Diocletian
• in the West, Caesar Constantius did not carry out the persecutions with great gusto
• he destroyed some buildings in Gaul and Britain, but did not imprison or kill anyone
• non-aggressive enforcement of the Roman laws

There was still the expectation to participate in the Roman sacrifices, and if you did not, you had to buy your way out of each sacrifice. Jews were exempt, and Christians were exempt so long as they were still Jewish, which was the case until 67 CE.

Question 5

1 May 305

Answer 5

BIG DAY: both emperors abdicated; their caesars became new augusti…

Question 6

Diocletian Persecution cont. under Galerius (his former Caesar) in the East (303-311)…

Answer 6

Constantius’ son, Constantine, was expected to be named Caesar in the West, especially by fellow army officers.

He was a successful military office, and they celebrated his elevation in York (Britain), where he was stationed at the time, expecting he would be named Caesar. But he was passed over in favour of Severus.

Constantius and Severus continued policy of toleration
Galerius and Maximinus Daia continued persecution.

Question 7

306

Answer 7

Constantine Succeeded as Emperor when his father died (306).

Constantine was emperor of the West first Christian Emperor (306-311).

His Caesar: Maxentius (Maxentius and Constantine were like-minded on policy of toleration).

Question 8

Edict of Toleration (311)

Answer 8

Persecution finally abated when Galerius fell ill and relaxed it.

Galerius became ill and decided to stop the persecution, and he proclaimed the Edict of Toleration in 311 (found in Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History): rulers of the West were happy to proclaim it
Criticizing the Christians, but nevertheless is giving his reason for doing this.

Question 9

What happened when Galerius fell ill?

Answer 9

Edict of Toleration (311)

Question 10

Significance of the Edict of Toleration (311)

Answer 10

1. The Emperor (highest Roman authority) rescinds a policy in effect for 200 years (to tolerate Christians meant overturning past policies)
2. The first time Christians were expressly recognized in an imperial edict (before this, they were not even considered persons)
3. Christianity is put on the same foot as Judaism

Question 11

Background on Constantine

Answer 11

• Born to pagan parents Constantius and Helena in 285
• Helena was a native woman of the province
• Not legally married to Constantius
• A few years after Constantine’s birth, Constantius left her to contract a more socially acceptable marriage to move up political ladder
• Eusebius says that Constantius was probably a monotheist
• Would have led to his early toleration of Christians and this possibly influenced his son
• Helena probably became a Christian only later, due to the influence of Christianity on her son
• Constantine became a worshipper of the sun god
• He felt he had been entrusted with a mission by this god for the whole Empire
• The sun god was worshipped throughout the empire

Question 12

Constantine Seizes Power from his Caesar Maxentius

Answer 12

• In the East, Maximinus Daia became Emperor in the East and he initiated policies which undermined the Edict of Toleration.
• This put eastern part of the Empire in turmoil…
• Next, Constantine moved against Maxentius (caesar and master of Italy and Africa); he moved against his own Caesar, claiming he was a tyrant who plundered and oppressed his subjects
• Constantine said that Rome must be freed
• But Maxentius was not doing anything to persecute Christians, so this was just a power move from Constantine
• Battle of Milvian Bridge (312)

Question 13

Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312): 2 Versions of the Story

Answer 13

Both say that Constantine was outnumbered by Maxentius…

Version #1 (from historian Lactantius)
Claimed Constantine was told in a dream to put God’s heavenly sign on his soldiers’ shields before going into battle. This was known to Christians, as the chirho.

Version #2 (from Eusebius, who wrote 25 years after the fact)
Said Constantine wanted to wage battle under protection of his father’s protector-god and prayed for a sign on day before battle. Constantine saw the sign of the cross in the sky above the sun and near it, the words in Gk “in this sign conquer.” That night Christ appeared to him with the cross and told him to copy it and to carry it for protection.

Question 14

The Kernel of Truth about the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312)

Answer 14

Constantine believed that somehow the cross had been revealed to him by the Christian God. His men marked themselves with the monogram of Christ. They won the battle. So he attributed his victory to Christ.

He then sent a letter to Maximinus calling for an end to the persecution and for the restoration of property to Christians in eastern parts of the empire . Maximinus refused both of these directions.

Use of a Christian Symbol; Constantine gives victory to the Christian God.

Question 15

What happened in 313? (Constantine and Licinius)

Answer 15

Constantine Meets Licinius (caesar of East) in Milan (February 313) and they set out terms for Edict of Milan

Licinius marries Constantine’s sister Constantia.

Licinius defeats and kills Maximinus in battle in Autumn 313, and becomes Emperor of East.

Question 16

The Edict of Milan (313)

Answer 16

Constantine met Licinius (caesar of East) in Milan in February 313 to discuss the new political situation, and they produced the Edict of Milan.
Christianity will not be the only religion tolerated, but all religions will be tolerated. Yet there were special ordinances regarding Christianity:
( 1 ) Everything confiscated returned to Christians
( 2 ) Congregations established as legal corporate entities

While there, Licinius married Constantine’s sister Constantia. Licinius assumed the title Emperor. The power struggle continued…

In Autumn 313, Licinius defeated Maximinus in battle. Maximinus died at Tarsus, and Licinius became emperor of East and enforced the edict.

Question 17

How did Christianity develop under Constantine as the Sole Emperor?

Answer 17

As a State Religion

Question 18

Constantine Gradually Favours Christians

Answer 18

Development of laws with Christian flavour, and giving Christianity more freedom
While Constantine and Licinius were joint emperors:
Legislation showed increasing regard for the dignity of the human person e.g., in 315, the branding of criminals on the face was forbidden

Question 19

3 Examples of how Constantine gradually favours Christians

Answer 19

1. Christians were legally allowed to free their slaves
2. Bishops were allowed to set up courts of arbitration for parties who requested them (lex Christian a had force of law)
3. Laws were passed that freed those unmarried and without children (i.e. ascetics) from certain obligations
4. Clerical privilege of immunity from State service was the norm (free to devote time to pious activity, including the liturgy). This was a privilege for pagan priests in the past, now given to Christian clerics.

Question 20

How did Constantine insert the Empire into Christian religion?

Answer 20

Christians in the East received restitution for assaults during the persecutions (Constantine had done this in the West even while he was a joint emperor).

Constantine undertook ambitious building projects which he oversaw as a contractor. His idea was to insert the Empire, which should be Christian, into the order created by God.

Instead of Roman nobles and officials, he surrounded himself with bishops.

At another celebration which coincided with the Council of Nicaea, he gathered bishops around him and the customary speech of congratulations was given by a bishop instead of a courtier.

These building projects included: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and two basilicas in Rome (St. Peter’s and St. John Lateran)
He gave up the title invinctus (“the invincible”) for the new title, “God’s vicar on earth”
Used the simpler “victor” but considered himself equal to Abraham and Moses!

Question 21

Significance of Constantine’s Laws

Answer 21

1. He abolished the equality of all religions.
2. He used the same rationale for persecuting pagans that the pagans used for persecuting Christinas.
3. A Christianized notion of the Empire developed (Empire was chosen and guided by God, with Emperor as God’s vicar/representative).
4. Freedom from persecution for Christians meant time for development of liturgy, literature and theology.

Question 22

Church of the Empire

Answer 22

refers to the extraordinary close union of Church and State as it developed over time

Question 23

When did Christianity become an official state religion?

Answer 23

By 380, under Emperor Theodosius (I) the Great (379-395), Christianity was considered the official religion of the State.

The union was not questioned, nor was any alternative known or understood in later years .

Question 24

Role of the State

Answer 24

• Proclaimed Christianity as the official religion of the Empire
• Gave Church numerous privileges and encouragement
• Supported Church’s social and charitable activity
• Exempted clergy from certain offices, military service and taxes
• Included bishops in State’s administration of justice
• Neither encouraged nor tolerated any other religions

Question 25

Role of the Church

Answer 25

• Basic approval of the “Imperium” (rule in the empire)
• Recognized independence of the State’s sphere of power
• Preached that the State’s power came from God and depended on God
• Prayed for the emperor during the liturgy → this gave him religious importance
• Church never directed criticism against State or imperial power, but only could criticize against the individual representatives of the State who interfered in the inner life of the Church
• In other words, you could criticize the Emperor but not the Empire (e.g., in Canada you could criticize the PM, but not the office of PM)

Question 26

Dangers of Church & State

Answer 26

The power of the State and Church were exposed to constant temptation to abuse. The Church’s credibility was compromised by privileges granted, and there were false conversions to obtain privileges.

Question 27

Inferences of Church & State

Answer 27

St. Ambrose of Milan…

Positive Inference
1. Emperor Theodosius II proclaimed Church as official state and ordered random killings of innocent people because there had been an uprising, and an imperial official was killed during the uprising.
St. Ambrose insisted that Emperor Theodosius do public penance. St. Ambrose stayed away from Milan until Emperor Theodosius did his public penance. Without St. Ambrose, no sacraments.

Negative Inference
2. Christians destroyed a synagogue
They wanted to build a Church, so they destroyed a synagogue. While it was the law that Judaism was not tolerated, it was not a good action for Christians, and Theodosius ordered them to rebuild the synagogue. Theodosius came to Church one day, and Ambrose would not let him in because of this incident (he thought that the synagogue did not need to be rebuilt; he thought Theodosius was undermining Christianity). St. Ambrose was being zealous for the independence of the the Church; this is the power of the Church against the State.

Question 28

Expansion of the Church Outside the Empire

West vs. East

Answer 28

WEST was not mission-minded: The Western part of the Empire identified the Church with the Empire (the Church of the Empire).

EAST took advantage of various opportunities: There was no great missionary thrust, but most often people took advantage of fortuitous opportunities.

Question 29

Languages Developed to Aid the Evangelization

EXAMPLE?

Answer 29

Conversions often meant development of local languages, since many people still had only oral languages.

In order to pass on Scripture and celebrate the liturgy, local dialects needed to be written. Alphabets developed so translations could be made from Greek into the local languages.

So language developed to aid the Evangelization

Example: Nino in Armenia

Question 30

Nino in Armenia

Developed language to aid in evangelization

Answer 30

In 330, a slave named Nino carried off by the Romans had great influence since a miracle occurred due to his prayers.

Led to the conversion of the local Georgians of the Caucasus

As a result King Minian asked Constantine for priests, and Georgian became a written language.

Question 31

Christian Prisoners Influenced their Captors

EXAMPLE

Answer 31

Christians taken prisoner were often highly regarded for their wisdom

Example: Frumentius in Ethiopia

Question 32

Frumentius in Ethiopia

Christian Prisoner who influenced his captor

Answer 32

In 350, a young student from Alexandria named Frumentius was on a trip to study philosophy in Ethiopia.

Frumentius and his friend were imprisoned when their teacher was killed and they became known for their learning and wisdom, leading to Frumentius being named a high official.

He began to ask if there were Christians in the region, and built oratories in various districts for Christians to meet and pray. He attracted attention of the king who sent him back to Alexandria to ask for a bishop to serve them.

The new bishop there, Athanasius, ordained Frumentius a priest and sent him back to continue his work of evangelization among the Ethiopians and, in so doing, developed the local language of Ge´ez.

Question 33

Spread of Heretical Sects of Christians

Answer 33

There was a fallout from controversies about Jesus. In the 4th century, arguments arose over developing theology about Jesus.

1. Arianism
2. Nestorianism
3. Monophysitism

Question 34

Who are the Fathers of the Church?

Answer 34

Ancient Christian writers who are distinguished by the brilliance of their teaching, lived in the first seven centuries.

The last Father of the Church died in 750, and any great writer after the fathers would have been titled a doctor of the Church.

Examples: Ignatius, Tertullian, Justin Martyr, Clement, Eusebius, Augustine, Ambrose, Polycarp

Question 35

Patristics

Answer 35

The branch of theology of the Fathers of the Church.

Patristics is the common term for the study of the Fathers in general, but specifically the term refers to their theological thought.

The what of the study; what they said, what they wrote, what they thought.

Sometimes called “Patrology” or a “patrology” could be a textbook on the subject .

Question 36

Three Contributions of the Fathers of the Church

Answer 36

( 1 ) A Source of Doctrine
The Fathers of the Church are a primary source of doctrine and dogma.

( 2 ) The Canon of Scripture
The important things for a book to be a part of the canon is that it had to be quoted by the fathers.

( 3 ) Unite Mind and Heart in Theology
Their theology was more than an intellectual pursuit. Many Church Fathers were also priests and preachers. Their intent was to help people know and understand Jesus better.

Question 37

Summary: How is the papacy studied/viewed/analyzed?

4 ways

Answer 37

The development of the papacy, or papal office, can be viewed (studied, analyzed) in four ways:

( 1 ) The history of an idea based on Jesus’ commision to Peter to lead the Church

( 2 ) Papal history is a series of 266 biographies (of the Popes), each with his own character

( 3 ) The papacy is an institution within an institution (the office is bigger than the man)

( 4 ) The study of the papacy is a microcosm of Western civilization

(Thomas FX Noble)