CONSTANTINE AND CHRISTIANITY
I. EARLY
CHRISTIANITY:
social
traits: cosmopolitan, egalitarian, communal
A. Church Organization --
Bishops:
head of local Christian
community
presbyters (Greek term = elders), later called priests
deacons:
laymen active in church charitable
works
catechumens: those preparing for Baptism through catechism
B. Christianity on nature of man, salvation
and history
(Paul)
original sin: corruption of human
nature/intellect/will
need for redemption through divine grace (vs Jewish
law)
Christ's Incarnation and Crucifixion= source of grace,
break in historical time, salvation now possible
C. Eschatology = study of
things pertaining to last days;
Gospels: idea
of Second Coming of Christ, along with
rejection of material world:
"My Kingdom is not of this world"
Asceticism::
fasting, celibacy, suspicion of sex
D. Rome as center of Christianity:
site of martyrdom of Peter & Paul:
pilgrimage site
doctrine of Apostolic
succession: scriptural basis Matt
l6:l8:
"Thou art Peter & upon
this rock (petrus) I will build my Church"
Bishop
of Rome: "primus inter pares" (first among equals);
takes Roman
title = pontifex maximus = POPE
60-302 period
of toleration of Christianity, followed
by
302-312 renewed persecutions at end of
Diocletian's reign (284-305)
martyrdom:
reverence for bodies of dead; cult of saints, relics
E.. Christian attitude
to classical culture 2cd - 4th C: evolution in
EPISTEMOLOGY = study of principles by which man
knows
1. early Christian rejection of Greek
philosophy as "only
human"
Tertullian (155-222) "Credo quia absurdum / I believe
because
it
is absurd" = FIDEISM: faith as superior to reason
2. new attitude: Origen of Alexandria (l85-254)
Greek
learning & "Pax Romana" for spread of Gospel
II. EMPEROR CONSTANTINE 306-337 (son of former Ceasar Constantius)
Conversion during military struggle with rival Emperor Maxentius
312 BATTLE OF MILVIAN
BRIDGE -- Sees cross inscribed on sun;
hears voice "In hoc signo vince/In this sign you shall
win."
313 EDICT OF
MILAN: freedom of worship for all religions (incl Xtianity)
324 conquest of Eastern Empire (vs
Licinius)- power consolidated
330
Roman religion suppressed; public sacrifices prohibited
Constantinople as "new Rome" and "capital of
Christianity":
330
capital moved to Byzantium/Constantinople -- religious,
military &
administrative reasons, capital until l453
380 Xtianity = official religion of Empire
under Emp. Theodosius I 378-395
ARIAN
HERESY (CHRISTOLOGY = study of the nature of Christ)
Arius of Alexandria 250-336, priest and
theologian
318
theory that Christ is subordinate to God the Father
popular spread due
to "common sense" aspect of Arianism
COUNCIL OF NICEA, 325 condemns Arianism as heresy;
NICENE CREED =
orthodox statement on Trinity