Posted on 10/26/2012 8:59:15 AM PDT by marshmallow
On the anniversary of Constantine’s conversion, we should consider why the West seems to be converting back to paganism.
On October 28, 312, Emperor Constantine met Emperor Maxentius in battle just outside the city of Rome at the Milvian Bridge, spanning the Tiber. This battle—occurring exactly 1,700 years ago—is one of the most important events in the history of Christendom, since it was through Constantine’s victory that Christendom began. It is a battle well worth reflecting upon.
As is well known, the previous day Constantine experienced a vision of a cross of light in the sky, with the words “By this sign you shall conquer” (in Greek, not Latin, by the way). That night, so we are told, Constantine had a dream wherein he was told to paint the cross on the shields of his soldiers.
He did. And so it happened, as the vision said.
The next day, October 28, 312, Constantine defeated Maxentius. Interestingly enough, Maxentius could have stayed within the walls of Rome. He was plentifully stocked to endure a siege. Inexplicably, he decided to go out and engage Constantine. His troops were defeated, and Maxentius himself drowned in the Tiber trying to escape.
Such was the beginning of Constantine’s embrace of Christianity, and such was the beginning of the transformation of the Roman Empire from paganism to Christianity.
It is, again, a well-known story, and unfortunately, as with other well-known stories, it is not well-known enough, or at least, not thought about deeply enough.
There are, for example, those who take Constantine’s conversion as the beginning of the end of real Christianity. Christianity, they argue, is the Christianity of the early Church, the Church before it became favored and hence entangled with the empire, the pure Church, the Church before Constantine, the Church of the martyrs.
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicworldreport.com ...
Poor Constantine! The whipping boy of every group that practices a deviant form of Christianity!
“It was that evil Constantine who changed Christianity by(fill in the blank)!”
When Christianity leaves the Biblical teachings, it is nothing more than a social/political organization, building grand edifices on sinking sand.
As the Bible says, when Jesus returns on Judgment Day, only a remnant will be found faithful to His teachings. All the rest will be condemned for their apostasy: “He who remains faithful to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)
The article began to lose me in the first paragraph: “This battle—occurring exactly 1,700 years ago—is one of the most important events in the history of Christendom, since it was through Constantine’s victory that Christendom began.”
I am sure Dr. Wiker knows more about history than I ever will. However, his grasp of Christianity is tenuous. It wouldn’t be the first time such a thing happened.
I would rather celebrate a leader that allowed his subjects to choose their religion for themselves rather than endorse and enforce a state issued one. The ends does not justify the means.
I believe he is making a distinction between Christianity and Christendom. Through Constantine’s conversion, Christinity began to assume a political and territorial aspect, ie “Christendom”.
IMHO, I feel this “one Nation, under God” IS returning to paganism, as stated.
We are heading in the same direction, as the Jews did in Biblical days, unless we seek a true renewal of our hearts toward God.
We are here to be used by Him, or cast aside as chaff.
I, for one, passed this on.
Thank you.
Yes, of course he is making that distinction. Christendom in this sense reflects the political/religious understanding of the Middle Ages that has been carried forward into our times in the thinking of many churchmen (who will remained unnamed) in nearly all denominations (who will remain equally undesignated). This is, to be sure, what we see shrinking all around us as the tide of paganism rises. But Christendom in this sense is a false construct, useful for historians, sociologists, geopolitical analysts, etc., but not at all to be seen as identical to Christendom (Christianity) in the full sense of the term. After all, did not Jesus say, “My kingdom is not of this world”?
Christianity was living and growing before the time of Constantine - however terrible the persecutions were - and it will be living and growing till the end of time, no matter what happens to the religio-political construct “Christendom.”
Christendom was indeed founded by Constantine in 312. And Henry VIII destroyed it to serve the carnal appetites of loins and his treasury in 1534.
Actually, Constantine didn’t “technically” convert to Christianity until his death bed many years later (25 years later in 337 AD). He did issue the Edict of Milan in 313 AD (a year after this battle) in which it stated “tolerance of all religions” which of course was what permitted Christianity to flourish within the Empire without further persecution! He also moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium (later to be renamed Constantinople and now modern day Istanbul). It was Constantinople where the eastern Orthodox Christian Church started and the Church that started in Rome (later became the Catholic Church) was the last standing “Roman” institution to remain after the fall of the Western portion of the Roman Empire in 476 AD!
not sure what religion Bob’s ancestors would have chosen, but Christianity would not have reached England without Christendom ... and if Christendom were not Christian, they could not have withstood the Moors ... and the French, Germans and Italians would be Muslim today.
Celebrate Constantine the Murderer. Whata guy!
“Christendom was indeed founded by Constantine in 312. And Henry VIII destroyed it to serve the carnal appetites of loins and his treasury in 1534.”
Ah, yes, poor old Henry. Named “defensor fidelis” one year and destroyer of Christendom another. What a weak foundation this Christendom stood upon.
Well, jackterrier, I think you made my point for me better than I could have made it myself. Thanks.
Can we assume that Catholic publications hoping to spread the faith and provide their views don’t mind if we don’t excerpt their articles? Or am I wrong about that?
Henry VIII was given the title “Defender of the Faith” in 1521 for writing, along with Sir Thomas More, the “Declaration of the Seven Sacraments Against Martin Luther”. For showing himself a loyal son of the Roman Catholic Church in denouncing Luther, Pope Leo X bestowed the title.
Henry later divorced Catherine (daughter of Isabel, who chased the Mussalman out of Spain), had the state murder two of his wives, and then murdered his ‘friend’ St. Thomas More, among many others. Only a lunatic fails to update his assessment of the nature of people and things when the facts change like they did in this case. Sounds like you are in that group.
Christendom was weak because it was formed by men. No has ever claimed anything different. Catholicism will endure to the end of the world because it is guarenteed by Christ. It will endure, Belteshazzar, long after you and your merry mob of myth-makers have turned to dust up there in your mountain retreat.
“seek first the Kingdom”
“love Yehovah, with all your might, your strength and your soul”
One of His primary messages was, and has always been, _against_ traditions of men, which bind His people and pollute His way.
will you stop picking fights. this is really the wrong time for that stuff.
—— One of His primary messages was, and has always been, _against_ traditions of men, -—
Traditions of men, like Luther’s novel doctrine of Sola Scriptura, must be distinguished from the traditions passed down from the Apostles:
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”
—2 Thessalonians 2:15
Yes, they kept the same traditions that Yeshua did, especially those that are commandments of Him: who was, who is, who shall be.
Keeping none which added to, or took away from.
“And bow before it shall all who are dwelling upon the land, whose names have not been written in the scroll of the life
of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;”
Revelation 13:8
“and he beheld Jesus walking, and saith, Lo! the lamb of God.”
John 1:36
Constantine didn’t “endorse and enforce” a state religion, though. He himself wasn’t baptized until he was on his deathbed, and even then (we think) he was baptized by an Arian priest, not a Catholic one. It was Theodosius the Great, 70 years after Constantine, who made Catholic Christianity the state religion of the Empire.
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