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p.1 Constantine’s Christianity The truth of history is often hidden by those who can revision it for their own purposes. Constantine’s vision Constantine won a battle that decided the empire in 312AD. The Roman Emperor Constantine accepted his own version of the Christian faith while he was preparing for another military campaign. The story claims he had a vision of the cross against the sun, accompanied by the words, "In this sign, conquer." “Constantine called on him (God) with earnest prayer to reveal to him who he was, and stretch forth his right hand to help him in his present difficulties. And while he was thus praying with fervent entreaty, a most extraordinary sign appeared to him from heaven – something which it might have been hard to believe had the story been told by any other person. But since the victorious emperor himself long afterwards declared it to the writer of this history, when he was honored with his acquaintance and society, and confirmed his statement by an oath, who could hesitate to believe it, especially since other testimonies have established its truth? He said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the sign of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, “By this symbol you will conquer.” He was struck with amazement by the sight, and his whole army witnessed the miracle. “He told his friend, Bishop Eusebius, the most eminent of early Church historians, that, after noon, as he was praying, he had a vision of a cross of light in the heavens bearing the inscription, .Conquer by this,. and that confirmation came in a dream in which God appeared to him with the same sign and commanded him to make a likeness of it and use it as a safeguard in all encounters with his enemies. How accurately Constantine remembered the experience we do not know, but Eusebius is usually discriminating in his evaluation of data, and he declares that he himself saw the standard which was made in response to the vision. a spear overlaid with gold, with a cross which was formed by a transverse bar and a wreath of gold and precious stones enclosing a monogram of the letters Chi and Rho for the name of Christ. The staff also had an embroidered cloth with the picture of Constantine and his children. Constantine was victor, the winning battle being at the Milvian Bridge, near Rome, and he therefore took possession of the capital. Presumably his faith in the efficacy of the Christian symbol was thus confirmed.” ( “A History of Christianity,” by Kenneth Scott Latourette Vol. 1, pp. 3-494) After this, He immediately called a halt to the persecution. He promised to restore the church’s property and offered to act as its sponsor and patron. The surviving Christians were ecstatic. “The Angel of the mighty council, the great Captain and Leader of the armies of God ... suddenly appeared,” wrote Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260-340) referring to Constantine. The Emperor constantly made use of this sign of salvation as a safeguard against every adverse and hostile power, and commanded that others similar to it should be carried at the head of all his armies. His vision of the cross, was then affixed to his soldiers' shields, 55Constantine credited Christ (who told his servants NOT to fight (Jn 18:36) by this victory he became emperor. When Constantine became the Emperor, fourteen years had already gone by since Emperor Galerius brought an end to the Christian persecutions. Many of the men who suffered for the name of Christ that survived the persecution were now representatives at the Council of Nicaea. Council of Nicaea was used by him as another step to Romes Christianity by Constantine. In 325 AD (June 19-Aug. 25) the Council of Nicæa was held (cf. Euseb. V. C. 3. 6, and notes), Constantine had nothing to do with their internal debates on christ. He did give the opening address and took an active part to approve its proceedings though he did not attend the debates. The Roman Emperor Constantine allowed the church bishops to decide their doctrine at the Nicean council. At first, He adhered to the many bishops decision to promote peace in the empire. Alexander of Alexandria, accompanied by Athanasius his young deacon at the time made the arguments clear what the Scripture teaches contrary to Arius and his supporters. They represented the view that Christ was of the same substance (Greek: homoousios) as the Father. That He eternally shared in the one essence that is God, being full deity, eternally existing and not a creature until he was born on earth though the virgin Mary. Eusibius eventually signed the formula approved at Nicæa, complying with Emperor Constantine who had convened the council for the new legal religion of Christianity. It is said Constantine made all religions legal, “We grant both to Christians and to all men freedom to follow whatever religion each one wishes, in order that whatever divinity there is in the seat of heaven may be appeased and made propitious towards us and towards all who have been set under our power. . . . And since these same Christians are known to have possessed not only the places in which they had the habit of assembling but other property too which belongs by right to their body. . . you will order all this property. . . to be given back without any equivocation or dispute to all those same Christians. (Quoted in Michael Walsh, The Triumph of the Meek: Why Early Christianity Succeeded (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1986), 248. He made Christianity the state religion. After this act, it began to be corrupted by man centered thinking, and Greek and pagan philosophy that was ‘Chistianized’ in efforts to reach pagans. In 313 AD came the Edict of Constantine and Licinius for the restoration of the Church. In Lact. De M. P. c. 48, and also in Euseb. H. E. 10. 5 (Op. Const. ed. Migne, 105-110). The second edict of toleration. The first edict (Euseb. 8. 17; Lact. De M. P. 34) can hardly be classed among the "writings" of Constantine. This famous second edict grants full religious liberty to the Christians and restoration of their property. Eusebius of Nicodemia around 315 he was elected bishop of Cæsarea, in Palestine, and found himself in the midst of a growing Arian controversy. It was Arius and his close ally, Eusebius, bishop of Nicodemia that held to Christ being literally begotten as the Son, a created being. He took the side of Arius, that Jesus was a creature. At the Council of Nicæa (325), Arius’ was challenge vigorously by Alexander the bishop in Alexandria, and his then young deacon Athanasius. Eusebius attempted to reconcile the opposing parties.
After the Nicene council made the decision drafting their beliefs,
Constantine issued an imperial order for the execution of all those who were
concealing books authored by the heretic Arius who denied Christ being God
calling him a creature. He was won to side with Arius by Eusebius of Nicodemia, his friend. Constantine then recalled Arius from exile sending him back to Alexandria. Constantine received Eusebius of Nicomedia on his deathbed, and was baptized in Arius’ doctrine that he once made illegal. That Jesus was not God in the flesh but only flesh, creature. Now supporting Arius' view, he rejected the Trinitarian view of the hundreds of bishops that met at Nicea, and Constantine then disposed Athanasius and his followers. He betrayed the Christian church who made the decision. The Trinity that was once a settled issue in the early church at Nicea, was no longer promoted by the Church in Rome. It was actually rejected by the very man all the ANTI- TRINITARIANS point to as the source of inventing it. It is the exact opposite in true history, Constantine was supporting Arius' view of Jesus being a creature, and rejected the Trinitarian view of Jesus being God. The Nicene council unfortunately did not permanently settle the issue, as the Arians kept active and were antagonistic in promoting their view, ignoring the agreement of the churches. So the Trinity and Christ being God were no longer accepted, instead, it was rejected by ROME. The visible legal Church was now came under one man, the pontiff. Constantine and those he later appointed. 330AD Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium, which he had captured in 328AD and renamed it Constantinople. Eusebius of Nicodemia later became the bishop of Constantinople the year after Constantine's death 339 AD and the Arians then quickly came into control of the most important areas of the Church, excluding Rome and Alexandria. From Rome to Istanbul in Turkey (where the 7 churches are that Jesus personally addressed by John in the book of Revelation.) The main centre of the Roman Church was moved to Constantinople, it was here that the tradition of the relation of the Roman Catholic Church and the Roman Empire had been solidified by Constantine. It went on to grow on and was strengthened. Constantinople was the capital from which the Roman Empire carried on its Christianity and became what is commonly called the Byzantine Empire. The emperor of Rome was first called the "Vicar of Christ,"a title inherited by the popes when the pagan Roman Empire merged with Christian religion. Constantine's title of Pontifex Maximus as leader of the pagan priesthood was also inherited by the popes. Constantine's son Constantius, had banished Athanasius from Alexandria in 339 A.D. Eusebius of Nicomedia who denied Christ’s deity as an Arian was made Bishop of Constantinople. Arius was on his way to visit Eusibius in Constantinople when he died. Athanasius then went to Rome where he was received by bishop Julius, who held to the Nicene orthodoxy that was first settled upon. A council was called, in which the charges against him were examined. He was then declared innocent and orthodox, and was ordered by the bishop to be reinstated. The Council of Antioch in 341 A.D (which was the headquarters of the Gentile church), had decided on the creed that would bring peace and compromised with both sides. They stated that they were three hypostases that are united in one will. This was the middle of both views, that was neither Arian nor Biblically Orthodox; Trinitarian. Constans, who ruled the Western Empire put pressure on Constantius in Constantinople, that eventually Athanasius was able to return to Alexandria in 346 A.D., but he was not able to enjoy any peace. Constans died in 350 A.D., and Constantius called together three synods in the course of several years. In 353 A.D. Constantius then became the ruler over the whole empire, being a pro Arian sympathizer like his father and in 356 A.D. Athanasius was then attacked during his Church service by Arians who brought along with them 5,000 Roman troops. He escaped with His life, and spent the next 6 years in exile with monks in the surrounding area. What is the truth of history? The truth is that there was no Roman Catholic Church with a Pope ruling Christianity before Constantine introduced it hundreds of years after the apostles, because Christianity was an illegal religion and an underground practice, being persecuted by Rome, until Constantine merged Christ with Rome’s state. Exactly How Constantine do this? By another vision. Dream concerning the Founding of Constantinople. “As Constantine was sleeping in this city [Byzantium], he imagined that there stood before him an old woman whose forehead was furrowed with age; but that presently, clad in an imperial robe, she became transformed into a beautiful girl, and so fascinated his eyes by the elegance of her youthful charms that he could not refrain from kissing her; that Helena, his mother, being present, then said, ‘She shall be yours forever; nor shall she die till the end of time.’ The solution of this dream, when he awoke, the emperor extorted from heaven, by fasting and alms-giving. And behold, within eight days, being cast again into a deep sleep, he thought he saw Pope Silvester, who died some little time before, regarding his convert with complacency, and saying, ‘You have acted with your customary prudence in waiting for a solution from God of that enigma which was beyond the comprehension of man. The old woman you saw is this city, worn down by age, whose time-struck walls, menacing approaching ruin, require a restorer. But you, renewing its walls, and its affluence, shall signalize it also with your name; and here shall the imperial progeny reign forever’” (William of Malmesbury, Chronicle, tr. English. Lond. 1847, p. 372–3. The final section, which instructs Constantine how to lay out the city, is omitted). NPNF2-01. Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine) Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–c. 340) is known as the “father of church history.”
Eusebius of Caesarea was born in Palestine, (once called Judea until Rome
purposely changed the name) little is known of his early life and
conversion. In Palestine, Eusebius was influenced by Pamphilus, who was a
student of Origen who was one of the first to allegorize the Word).
Pamphilus had amassed a large library of Origen’s writings, copies of
Scripture, and commentaries. The theology of Eusebius is problematic being
sympathetic to the Arian position, though he did not embrace. Eusebius felt
that the condemnation of Arius was too strong. He was present at the Council
of Nicaea and signed the Nicene Creed, possibly to please Emperor
Constantine. Eusebius had fled the persecution of Christians in Palestine
and eventually made his way to Egypt where he witnessed Christian martyrdom
firsthand. He was also imprisoned for a short time. In 313 or 314, Eusebius
was made bishop of Caesarea in his native Palestine. Was UNDER Constantine’s leadership delegated to write a “comprehensive” history of the early church, bishops and apologists teachings that debated against the paganism of the era. This is where we get many of the quotes that the Roman church uses to prove itself as being the original church and what they believe. Eusebius seems to have taken his historical sources at face value and is not considered a critical historian. He did not use discernment because he had none. Since Eusebius was an admirer of Constantine, being under his jurisdiction to record church history, he was more than willing to please the emperor. His recording of history as being accurate as he is credited by the Roman church today should be questioned. Certainly there was dome truth recorded among the error. Eusebius of Caesarea wrote several major works. In Preparation for the Gospel (15 books), he refutes paganism, using extensive quotes from pagan authors. In Demonstration of the Gospel (20 books), he examines how Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. His most famous work, he is known for is Ecclesiastical History (10 books), Eusebius provides a history of the church from those bishops after apostolic times to the early church fathers through the death of Constantine. M It contains many quotations from what is said are primary sources. It records the succession of bishops and teachers in major sees from apostolic times. It highlights the battles against heresy and the internal struggle to understand and formulate a biblical doctrine of the Trinity among the bishops. It gives details on persecutions and martyrdoms. It preserves traditions about the New Testament writers and their view of the canon. By the time of Eusebius wrote, most of the New Testament was accepted as canonical. James, Hebrews, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Revelation were the only books not fully accepted everywhere, still being debated. Eusebius provides an account of the conversion of Constantine, the details of which he received from Constantine as the two became close friends. Despite THE RECORDs handed down, Historians have disputed whether Constantine's conversion to Christianity was genuine, regardless his promotion to build churches. We are told not to adopt the ways of the world or other religions. This was a major issue as the early gentile believers from Constantine on who incorporated pagan practices, disregarding the Word. For example the resurrection was called Easter instead of being kept in its Jewish Hebrew framework purposely because he intentionally separated the Jews and the Gentile believers of Christ among them from the newly formed christianized Roman church. Constantine introduced idolatrous imagery into Christianity, religious statues of saints, appeasing the pagans whom he coerced into joining this Roman religion of Christianity. This started the concept that is still found in the Roman church about traditions. Pt. 2The Roman catholic churches influence on history and Gods people |
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