Constantine Impact On Society

When we think of religion and how it has helped mould our society, we might think of moral values. However, religion has affected much more than that. It has changed the way we live our lives, even from our early history. An example of this is the conversion of Constantine. The emperor Constantine has been called the most important emperor of the late antiquity. The many great events of his reign laid foundations that would affect the future of Europe and Western Civilization for centuries to come. His recognition and support of Christianity was one of the most important moments in world history. Moving the government of the Roman Empire to Constantinople and founding “New Rome” was one of the most significant decisions ever made by a Roman

ruler. Of Constantine’s major accomplishments, the most important was his recognition of Christianity. In 311 CE, he ordered the end of the persecution of Christians. In this essay, the extent to which religion has played a role in the evolution of the nation-state over time will be explored through The Conversion of Constantine, with reference to political theory and religious theology.
The first recorded official persecution of Christians on behalf of the Roman Empire was in the year 64, when Emperor Nero attempted to blame Christians for the Great Fire of Rome. According to Church tradition, it was during the reign of Nero that Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome. Christians suffered from erratic and localized persecutions over a period of two and a half centuries. Their refusal to participate in Imperial cult was considered an act of treason and was thus punishable by execution. The most widespread official persecution was carried out by Diocletian. During the Great Persecution, which occurred between 303 and 311, the emperor ordered Christian buildings and the homes of Christians torn down and their sacred books collected and burned. Christians were arrested, tortured, mutilated, burned, starved, and condemned to gladiatorial contests to amuse spectators. After the death of his father, the previous emperor, Constantine fought to take power of Rome. On October 28, 312, Constantine faced one of his greatest battles as he tried to consolidate his power. He was greatly outnumbered by the forces of Maxentius, who also wanted to be emperor. In a dream the night before the battle, Constantine saw the initials for the name of Christ as well as the cross and was told, “By this sign you will.” conquer The next morning, he had the initials painted on his helmet and ordered them to be painted on the shields of all his soldiers. Constantine’s forces won the day and he credited the Christian God with the victory. This was a turning point for Christianity as it was then that the religion began to expand.
While Roman Catholics present Constantine as laying the foundation for the Papacy, Protestants see him as the one responsible for leading the early Church away from the simplicity of the pure gospel and turning it into an institutional Church.

However, “blaming Constantine for the fall of the Church is a double-edged sword that cuts in both directions. If Protestants accuse Constantine of tampering with the Church, how do they know that Constantine did not tamper with the Bible?” (Robert Arakaki, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America). Constantine's legacy can be seen in Christianity's transformation from a private sect into a public church that encompassed the whole of society. He put it on an institutional footing, which enabled the Church to be the leading cultural force in the ancient world. Constantine's support for the early Church laid the foundation for the doctrine of Symphonia—the ideal of political and religious leaders working in harmony to realize God's will here on earth. This ideal is rooted in the Lord's Prayer: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Symphonia avoids two extremes: the separation of Church from State on the one hand, and the fusion of Church and State on the other. Despite his active participation in the Ecumenical Council, Constantine did not view himself as one of the bishops, but rather as "bishop of those outside." This ideal found concrete expression in the Byzantine Empire, which lasted for a thousand years. Under Constantine's rule began the transformation of Roman culture. Execution by crucifixion ceased and gladiatorial battles as punishment ended. Constantine’s rule was not only a turning point for Christianity but for Roman politics and the entire way of living of the Roman

people.