An Aspiring ChristianityAn Aspiring Christianityand a Respiring Roman and a Respiring Roman

EmpireEmpire

Christianity and the Roman EmpireChristianity and the Roman Empire

How did Christianity become dominantA. Conversions and Believers

Martyrs, Message, and Accomodating PhilosophiesB. Seeking Relief from Invaders

State of the Empire by the turn of the 5th Century

Patronage of Emperors—Constantine and Theodosius

Orthodoxy and HeresyA. “You say begotten … and I say created”

The Arianism ControversyB. “the sin that dwells in me”: Revelations of AugustineC. Imitating Christ and the ascetic life

Spread of Christianity by 4th Spread of Christianity by 4th centurycentury

<10,000 by A.D. 100

200,000 by A.D. 200

Still only.3% of total popin Roman Empireof 60 million

How did Christianity become How did Christianity become dominant in the Roman Empire?dominant in the Roman Empire?

•Context of the Emperors and their Empire

•Christianity’s appeal to Gentiles—compassion, classlessness, appeal to women, and personal salvation

“There is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)

•Appeal to Women: “There is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)

Diocletian’s reform of the EmpireDiocletian’s reform of the Empire

Diocletian (284-305) and the Tetrarchy

2 AugustiDiocletianMaximian

2 CaesarsConstantiusGalerius

Civil war reigns by 305

Constantine triumphant in Constantine triumphant in 312, his personal conversion312, his personal conversion

Ascendant Christianity

Constantine (303–337)

313: Edict of Milan—toleration of Christianity (not made state religion), return of church property

321: Sunday as Lord’s Day

Building of Churches (St. Peters’, first St. Sophia)

Theodosius (379–395)

391 Christianity becomes state religion, all others forbidden

391 Pagan Worship Banned

Basilica of Constantineca. 307

Influence of Public baths

Old St. Peters’ begun as early as 319

From a 1619 sketch copying earlier drawings

Built directly over grave of Peter

Spread of ChristianitySpread of Christianity

Orthodoxy and Heresy

A. “You say begotten … and I say created”

The Arianism Controversy

B. “the sin that dwells in me”: Revelations of Augustine (354-430)

C. Imitating Christ and the Ascetic Route

D. The validity of the Sacraments

Donatism and the Sacred Books

The Problems of Organizing the ChurchOrthodoxy and Heresy

What is the controversy?

•Arius, Libyan priest (250-336)

•“There was a time when He was not”

•“the Son had a beginning, but God is without beginning”

•For Arius, only God the Father was eternal

Arian BeliefsArian Beliefs•“There was a time when He was not”

•“The Son had a beginning, but God is without beginning”

•For Arius, only God the Father was eternal

•Why is this a problem?Christological controversiesProblem of Christ’s divinity and humanityIssue of polytheism

What was Heard on the street:What was Heard on the street:

“…when you ask for your change from a shopkeeper, he harangues you about the begotten and the unbegotten. If you inquire how much bread costs, the reply is that ‘the Father is superior and the Son inferior.”

Constantine calls the Council of Nicaea in 325

Establishes role of the Church to decide orthodoxy

Supremacy of bishops (episcopacy)

What is the solution?What is the solution?

Creed of Nicaea (325)Creed of Nicaea (325)

Establishing OrthodoxyEstablishing Orthodoxy

Augustine (354-430)

•Church Fathers: patristic writers•After the sack of Rome

City of God (413-426)Proper role of Secular Authority

•The first tell-all book: Augustine’sConfessions

Augustine’s Augustine’s ConfessionsConfessions

What are the solutions for What are the solutions for Augustine?Augustine?

After the Vandals sack Rome in

410, he writes City of God

•Try to attain spiritual purity

•Secular law required because

humans imperfect.

•Be obedient to authority

•Divine purpose only known to

God

Augustine’s CraftsmanAugustine’s Craftsman“To be truthful, I myself fail to understand why God created mice and frogs, flies and worms. Nevertheless I recognize that each of these creatures is beautiful in its own way. For when I contemplate the body and limbs of any living creature, where do I not find proportion, number, and order exhibiting the unity of concord? Where one discovers proportion, number and order, one should look for the craftsman.”

Ascetics and the Monastic Ascetics and the Monastic LifeLife

•Monk: Greek for “single, solitary”•Asceticism not new but Christians make it popular•Life of denial imitating Christ’s sufferings

•Imitatio Christi•A new ‘martyrdom’•Develops into living communities

•Two types: hermits and communal

St. Antony as model for ascetics

Life of St. Antony

Who is St. Antony?Biography written by Athanasius, bishop

of Alexandria. One of the first saint’s lives.Why does he become a monk?

What words inspire him to become a monk?

What does he then do?

Life of St. Antony

St. Antony-

St. Antony

“The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed to us.” (Rom 8:18)

The RewardThe Reward

Spread of ChristianitySpread of Christianity