When reviewing the histories of the religions of Christianity and Buddhism, you can not help but come across the names of Ashoka and Constantine the Great. Even though Ashoka and Constantine aided in the spread of their empires and respective religions they had different reasons for doing so. Constantine, the son of a Roman Army officer was trained as a solider early on in his life. While he was growing up the role of emperor changed hands many times. Until and Roman general name Diocletian seized the throne…
The development of christianity under the empire undoubtedly changed the relation between the political and spiritual spheres in following centuries. In fact, this transpires in how often emperors and empresses played dominant roles in the Eastern church after Constantine I's reign. In many instances, the Christian religion turned out to be a valuable political tool, and overall it was a major factor in spreading Byzantine cultural influence. The respective reigns of Emperors Constantine I, Theodosius I, Justinian/Theodora, Heraclius, Leo III, Irene, Basil I and Basil II illustrate this idea.…
Some historians have considered St. Constantine’s “conversion” a purely political maneuver. For example, it was Constantine who set aside the first day of the week, Sunday, as a sacred day of worship. He wanted to make this day a day of rest and worship, because St. Constantine was once a "sun worshiper." Even after he claimed to be a Christian he still seemed to carry these "sun god" ideas with him. For instance, from 312-320 A.D. one side of his coins, Usurper Magnentius, had the letters of the name of Christ and the other side had the figure of the sun god, possibly indicating that he never understood the theology of Christianity. Whether he still honored the sun god or whether he just wanted to please those in his kingdom who worshiped…
As people converted and struggles ensued one form of Christianity would become dominant and as it gained momentum, it would declare itself orthodox. The other weaker groups would then be considered heretical. Political influences at the time were a significant factor in the development of orthodox Christianity as government leaders sanctioned religious sects. This can be seen when Emperor Constantine sanctioned Christianity as the religion as the Roman Empire. All Romans were to abide by the Nicaean Creed in order to follow what was considered the “true faith”.…
Under the rule of Constantine the empire became increasingly bound together by the spread of Christianity throughout its people and its rulers. Constantine not only tolerated Christians, but embraced them and became one. Under Constantine’s leadership, the Roman Empire was transformed from Pagan to Christian and transposed from West to East. The issue of whether Constantine had indeed "seen the light" or if he simply saw Christianity as a political tool gain control of the empire is still a matter of debate. Regardless of his motives there was a fundamental change in church-state relations under Constantine. Where previous Emperors would persecute Christians, Constantine sat among bishops and talked theology with them. It is important…
Now Christianity would spread throughout the empire more rapidly than ever. In 395, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Romans changed their frame of mind too and they started to consider their emperor as a god. Christians again did not believe that their emperor was a god, which again put the emperor in a vulnerable and weakened position. This was just the first domino to fall knocking others down with it.…
In 312 AD, before Constantine’s army marched against Maxentius whose army was much larger than his, Constantine had a vision. It is said Constantine saw a cross in the sky with the message “you will conquer”. He later had a dream that he should put the letters XP on the soldier's shields and so he did; he won the battle against Maxentius outside Rome. Believing that he only won this battle with the help of Christ, he met with an Emperor in Milan and wrote up the edict of Milan. This made Christianity legal and allowed for Christians to worship…
The Romans were ruling and the Jews wanted everything to be different. A Messiah, Jesus comes to save and teach them God's will. The Romans are against this and do something to prevent it. - - Romans are against Christianity and start taking some measures about it. Emperor Constantine acknowledged Christianity as a religion. - -…
After the persecution and death of Jesus, a Jew from Nazareth, the new religion of Christianity was sparked and Christians started to pop up all over Rome. Early Christians suffered lots of persecution, but eventually the persecution died down. Early Christians made an impact that first spread through the social aspect of Rome, but soon through the political aspect as well. People with high levels of political power were impacted, one of which being Emperor Constantine. Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan which made it to where Rome allowed all religious worship of all religions.…
Constantine is considered as a gift for Christianity as he provided “imperium” through Christianity that aroused the idea of common belonging and solidarity within the Empire. It shows that Constantine gave all the people of the Empire a new focus in life, a means to rally their passions and create new…
Constantine the Great is known for two major achievements that he accomplished in his time as emperor of Rome. Firstly, he accepted the religion and curtailed the persecution of Christians across the empire (“Constantine the Great Rules”). Constantine’s motivations for converting and terminating the persecution of Christians are discovered when he battled Maxentius in A.D. 312, before a battle Constantine witnessed a vision of a cross is the sky that contained words of wisdom; he would be victorious. Consequently, the triumph guided Constantine to become a Christian and ultimately ended all persecution of Christians. In the years that followed, Constantine aided in the writing of the Nicaea Creed and encouraged support for Christian Churches.…
Today that pagan is called (by some) Saint Constantine 1st for it was he who having succeeded Emperor Diocletian lifted all injunctions and restrictions against Christians and declared Christianity, in all but name, the official religion of Rome. Many people believe that Constantine was just a nominal Christian and it is true that paganism remained buoyant throughout Rome for many generations, and it is equally true that Constantine was baptized at the very last minute on his death-bed. However it was Constantine who paved the way for Christianity to be accepted and adopted across the Roman Empire and it all started when he issued the iconic and epochal Edict of Milan. You just have to love and admire this Edict of Milan and here it is in…
One of the major turning points in Christianity’s history comes during the rule of the Roman Emperor Constantine I. To better understand how this came about, we need to look back at how Constantine I, rose to power, converted to Christianity, and established a new government. Constantine I, was recognized for establishing a Christian state and becoming one of the first Christian emperor of Rome.…
It is believed that he was converted to Christianity in the year 312. There are arguments that his Christian conversion wasn’t truly sincere. There are two separate views of Constantine and his faith. On one hand some people believe his conversion was the result of the working out of the kingdom of God on earth. Others believe that his conversion was sincere but he could display all “true” Christian characteristics because of his political and military positions. In a dream Constantine saw an entity tell to paint a Christian symbol on his army’s shields and battle standards. Many believe this had much to do with his…
Bhagavad Gita, Analects, One Thousand and One Nights all have a theme that encases the idea of Dharma. Dharma is the ethical duty and purpose of why someone does something. Bhagavad Gita shows this theme through the idea Krishna is called to be this warrior in the war that has put family against family. In the Analects, many are written with the theme of Dharma. For instance, in the Analects that states “He who by revising the old knows the new, is fit to be a teacher”.…