Edict Of Milan Analysis
In 313 AD, the Edict of Milan was established. This edict was the outcome of a political argument between the roman emperors Constantine and Linicius. It established toleration for Christianity in the Roman Empire permanently. The Edict of Milan granted freedom to everyone to worship whatever god they pleased. It allowed Christians legal rights including the right to organize churches, and directed the rapid return of confiscated property to Christians. After years of Christians being persecuted, the emperor is now a Christian and Christianity becomes the civil religion of Rome. Constantine’s conversion to Christianity was most likely just a political strategy. Pecknold states, “By uniting the church with the empire, Constantine sought to use
…show more content…
He is using the church as a stabilizing influence in the empire. Constantine has political interest in maintaining unity of the church. This was damaging for the church. We can see that this decision has problematic long term effect in the separation of the Roman Empire. In 325, the ecumenical council consolidated the agreement of the whole church around central articles of the orthodox Christian faith. Now Christianity was viewed as a part of the government by Constantine and Christianity was unified in the central office. Constantine believed that the church should wield civil authority and be subject to it. In some cases, this can be viewed as persecution to the church instead of to Christians. The emperor now thinks he is above the church and politics in general are above the church. Basically he thinks he is the pope – pontifex maximus. In 380 AD, Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire. Pecknold states, “While some Christians wanted to argue that this was God’s providential way of spreading the gospel with the help of the political order, others feared that this new arrangement meant that the church was sacrificing her true identity,” (Pecknold 2010, 32-33). The church is struggling to get independence from the
He is using the church as a stabilizing influence in the empire. Constantine has political interest in maintaining unity of the church. This was damaging for the church. We can see that this decision has problematic long term effect in the separation of the Roman Empire. In 325, the ecumenical council consolidated the agreement of the whole church around central articles of the orthodox Christian faith. Now Christianity was viewed as a part of the government by Constantine and Christianity was unified in the central office. Constantine believed that the church should wield civil authority and be subject to it. In some cases, this can be viewed as persecution to the church instead of to Christians. The emperor now thinks he is above the church and politics in general are above the church. Basically he thinks he is the pope – pontifex maximus. In 380 AD, Christianity becomes the official religion of the Roman Empire. Pecknold states, “While some Christians wanted to argue that this was God’s providential way of spreading the gospel with the help of the political order, others feared that this new arrangement meant that the church was sacrificing her true identity,” (Pecknold 2010, 32-33). The church is struggling to get independence from the