Christianity

ligion

Galerius, the ruler in the East, published an edict which perImitted the Christians to rebuild their churches and worship undisturbed. It remained for the em- becomes a peror Constantine to take the next significant tolerated restep. In 313 A.D. Constantine and his colleague, Licinius, issued the Edict of Milan, which proclaimed for the first time in history the noble principle of religious toleration. It gave absolute freedom to every man to choose and follow the religion which he deemed best suited to his needs. This edict placed the Christian faith on an equality with paganism.

R

-DOODOD

THE LABARUM

The conversion of Constantine is one of the most important events in ancient history. A Roman emperor, him- Constantine's self a god to the subjects of conversion Rome, became the worshiper of a crucified. provincial of his empire. Constantine favored the Christians throughout his reign. He surrounded himself with Christian bishops, freed the clergy from taxation, and spent large sums in building churches. One of his laws abolished the use of the cross as an instrument of punishment. Another enactment required that magistrates, city people, and artisans were to rest on Sunday. This was the first "Sunday law." 1

The sacred military standard of the early Christian Roman emperors. First adopted by Constantine. It consisted of a staff or lance with a purple banner on a cross-bar. The two Greek letters XP (CHR) make a monogram of the word Christ (Greek Christos).

Significant of the emperor's attitude toward Christianity was his action in summoning all the bishops in the different provinces to a gathering at Nicæa in Asia Minor. Church CounIt was the first general council of the Church. cil at Nicæa, The principal work of the Council of Nicæa was the settlement of a great dispute which had arisen over the nature of Christ. Some theologians headed by Arius, a priest

325 A.D.

1 It is highly doubtful, however, whether this legislation had any reference to Christianity. More probably, Constantine was only adding the day of the Sun, the worship of which was then firmly established in the empire (see page 229, note 1) to the other holy days of the Roman calendar.

of Alexandria, maintained that Christ the Son, having been created by God the Father, was necessarily inferior to him. Athanasius, another Alexandrian priest, opposed this view and held that Christ was not a created being, but was in all ways equal to God. The Council accepted the arguments of Athanasius, condemned Arius as a heretic, and framed the Nicene Creed,

Erected at Rome in 315 A.D. to commemorate the victory of Constantine over Maxentius. The monument consists of a central gateway, and two smaller arches flanked by detached columns in the Corinthian style. The arch is decorated with four large statues in front of the upper story and also with numerous sculptures in relief.

which is still the accepted summary of Christian doctrine. Though thrust out of the Church, Arianism lived to flourish anew among the Germanic tribes, of which the majority were converted to Christianity by Arian missionaries.

The recognition given to Christianity by Constantine helped immensely to spread the new faith. The emperor Theodosius,

Christianity becomes the state religion under Theo

whose services to the church won him the title of "the Great," made Christianity the state religion. Sacrifices to the pagan gods were forbidden, the temples were closed, and their property was taken away. Those strongholds of the old paganism, the Delphic oracle, the Olympian games, and the Eleusinian mys

dosius, 379395 A.D.

teries, were abolished. Even the private worship of the household Lares and Penates was prohibited. Though paganism lingered for a century or more in the country districts, it became extinct as a state religion by the end of the fourth century.

81. Christian Influence on Society

ings of Christianity

The new religion certainly helped to soften and refine manners by the stress which it laid upon such "Christian" virtues as humility, tenderness, and gentleness. Moral teachBy dwelling on the sanctity of human life, Christianity did its best to repress the very common practice of suicide as well as the frightful evil of infanticide.? It set its face sternly against the obscenities of the theater and the cruelties of the gladiatorial shows. In these and other respects Christianity had much to do with the improvement of ancient morals.

Perhaps even more original contributions of Christianity to civilization lay in its social teachings. The belief in the fatherhood of God implied a corresponding belief in the Social teachbrotherhood of man. This doctrine of the equality ings of Christianity of men had been expressed before by ancient philosophers, but Christianity translated the precept into practice. In this way it helped to improve the condition of slaves and, by favoring emancipation, even tended to decrease slavery.4 Christianity also laid much emphasis on the virtue of charity and the duty of supporting all institutions which aimed to relieve the lot of the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden.

At the close of the fourth century the Germanic tribes living nearest the frontiers had been visited by missionaries and had become converts to Christianity. The fact that both Romans and Germans were Christians tended to lessen the terrors of the invasions and to bring about a peaceful fusion of the conquerors and the conquered.

Christianity and the Germans

1 See page 146. *

2 See page 253.

See page 267.

See page 270.

Studies

1. On an outline map indicate the territories of the Roman Empire and their division, 395 A.D. 2. What is the date of the accession of the emperor Commodus? of the accession of Diocletian? of the death of Theodosius? of the Edict of Milan? of the Council of Nicæa? 3. What elements of weakness in the imperial system had been disclosed during the century 180-284 A.D.? 4. Explain Diocletian's plan of "partnership emperors." 5. Define the terms absolutism and centralization. Give an example of a European country under a centralized administration; of a European country under an absolute government. 6. What are the advantages of local self-government over a centralized government? 7. "The emperor of the first century was a Prince, that is, 'first citizen'; the emperor of the fourth century was a Sultan." Comment on this statement. 8. What arguments might have been made for and against the removal of the capital to Constantinople? 9. Enumerate the causes of the decline of population in imperial times. 10. Show how an unwise system of taxation may work great economic injury. 11. Give reasons for the decline of Greek and Roman paganism. 12. Why should Mithraism have proved "the most formidable foe which Christianity had to overcome"? any of the ancient religions missionary faiths? 14. When and where was Jesus born? Who was king of Judea at the time? Were the Jews independent of Rome during the lifetime of Jesus? 15. Locate on the map, facing page 230, the three divisions of Palestine at the time of Christ. 16. To what cities of Asia Minor did Paul write his epistles, or letters? To what other cities in the Roman Empire? 17. What was the original meaning of the words "presbyter," "bishop," and "deacon"? 18. What is meant by calling the Church an episcopal organization? 19. How can you explain the persecution of the Christians by an emperor so great and good as Marcus Aurelius? 20. What is the meaning of the word "martyr"? 21. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." Explain. 22. Describe the Labarum (illustration, page 235). 23. What reasons suggest themselves as helping to explain the conversion of the civilized world to Christianity?

13. Were