Constantine The Great And Christianity Essay

The Essence of Constantine’s Christianity In the era of the Roman Empire, many historical events occurred. One of which involved Constantine the Great and his pronouncement to make Christianity the nations religion. The documents “Eusebius, The Vision and Victory of Constantine I, 312CE” and “Excerpt from The Gospel According to Matthew,” discuss the reasoning behind this modification. Constantine embraced Christianity due to the Roman Empire’s instability, the spiritual concept of God’s powers, and the ethical concept regarding the Lord’s prayer and the Golden Rule.
Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, was the first Christian Roman Emperor to begin the Christianity religion among his own establishment, Constantinople,
as well as spread it to neighboring cities. In 324, as Constantine became a sole emperor, he moved his capitol from Rome to Byzantium with worries that it will divide the kingdoms. The kingdoms were not pleased about the transition so to resolve its internal disputes, Constantine legalized Christianity conjointly making himself leader of the Christian Church. Arius, an Egyptian Christian Priest had different views on Christianity; he preached that “since God had created Christ, God the father was older and superior to God the son.” His teachings left the Christian Church divided and was later called the Arian Hershey; it threatened to produce a schism which would divide the church into separate churches.
Constantine was confounded by Arius’s insights that he urged to settle the controversy by calling an ecumenical, a council of Christian bishops and theologians, in 325 in the city of Nicaea near Constantinople with Constantine himself presiding. He intended to enforce unity within the Church he sympathized but did not belong to. With his presence in Nicaea, he established himself as leader. Constantine shaped the councils’ findings to satisfy most of the bishops. These bishops and theologians created the Nicaea Creed, this Creed stated that Christ was “of the same being” as God the father. A couple of delegates, including Arius, refused to sign the creed; for this refusal, they were expelled from the Council and exiled by Constantine. Soon after, the rules in Constantinople embraced the religion of Christianity and made the Byzantine concept of caesaropapism – a single person being the spiritual figure and authority figure –.
These rulers embraced Constantine in serving as both the caesar and the pope. Constantine infused this concept with new faith, he made it work and laid the foundations of Byzantine governance. As to why Constantine decided to adopt Christianity, Eusebius – a Christian historian – wrote of Constantine’s decision to adopt Christianity and his vision. Eusebius believed that Earth reflected heaven, God created both the Roman empire and the Christian church. In his writing “Eusebius, The Vision and Victory of Constantine I, 312 CE” he states, “While, therefore, he regarded the entire world as one immense body … the city of Roman empire, was bowed down by the weight of a tyrannous oppression … Being convinces, however, that he needed some more powerful aid than his military … he sought Divine assistance … God he might rely for protection and assistance.” Constantine believed that the Roman Empire was not becoming the best it can because it was weighted down by cruel treatment. He believed that to make it better, it would take much more than a military; he chooses to turn to God to assist and
protect.
Nevertheless, apart from wanting God to protect and assist him; Constantine was rather motivated by the ethical and spiritual concerns expressed by Jesus in an excerpt called “Excerpt from The Gospel According to Matthew.” This excerpt holds teachings including the Lord’s Prayer, the Golden Rule, and some from the Ten Commandments. Constantine’s felt that witching to Christianity will pave the way for a more rejoiceful and organized life. Spiritual wise, he shadowed the God’s principles that if you worship to one man, then what you ask from him is what you will get. In his Vision Constantine stated that worshipping several gods will lead to inefficiency and misperception of the spiritual principle that each person should understand. Ethical wise, Constantine shadowed this rule, “In everything therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you,” if you are good then you shall obtain good in return. Subsequently the Roman Empire was occupied with oppression, he sought to make it healthier. In doing so he believed that it will soon become an improved place than it was when worshipping numerous Gods.
Constantine’s decision to change the religion to Christianity was not because he wanted a new way of life but for a new way of life that is virtuous. He embraced this religion of spiritual and ethical concepts that bring an individual further towards God. God himself – to Constantine – was the key to not live in oppression but to live everyday with happiness and faith. This religion has carried on today with individuals making their statements towards God, knowing that they would be answered.