Christianity in the Time of Rome: Week 3 PDF

A CHANGE OF HEART: From Persecuted to Accepted What instances in your life you have experienced a change of heart? What makes a person change his or heart? The transition of Christianity from a persecuted cult to an established religion is represented by the emperor und...

A CHANGE OF HEART: From Persecuted to Accepted What instances in your life you have experienced a change of heart? What makes a person change his or heart? The transition of Christianity from a persecuted cult to an established religion is represented by the emperor under whom the last great persecution was carried out, Diocletian. The expansion of the empire of Rome brought forth negative impacts. One of these is the centralization or control of the places under the empire. There were usurpers of the throne, rebels, and barbarians challenging the Roman Empire. There is now Anarchy because there is no clear political institution in different regions. TETRARCHY It is a system of governance wherein the empire of Rome is divided into four regions, each ruled by a co-emperor: two senior emperors (Augustus) and junior emperors (Caesares). Diocletian’s plan aimed to protect the empire from the anarchy created by the constant assassination of emperors. The shrewd old emperor believed that the division of the imperial rule among four men—two “Augusti,” each with his slightly subordinate “Caesar”— would control the ambitions of his most likely rivals. For eighteen years Diocletian, although himself a convinced and practicing pagan, paid no attention to the growing Christian power. His court was full of Christian officials, and his wife Prisca and his daughter Valeria were considered Christians. Impressive church buildings appeared in the principal cities of the empire, the largest in his capital of Nicomedia. Then, suddenly, the old emperor ordered his army purged of Christians. Imperial edicts followed, commanding officials to destroy church buildings, prohibit Christian worship, and burn the Scriptures. Bishops were rounded up wholesale, imprisoned, tortured, and many put to death, while the power of the imperial throne was turned loose to wipe out the rest of the Christian community in blood. “Even the throne could no longer take the risk of continuing the torturing, maiming, and killing. So, in his last official act, Galerius, reluctantly, grudgingly, issued an edict of toleration,” and for all practical purposes, the last and worst persecution of Christians by Rome came to an end. Constantine adhered to the same premise as Diocletian concerning imperial rule and religion. He sought to establish a unified rule by making himself the sole Augustus. At one point at the beginning of 310, the empire had seven rival he sought to establish a unified rule by making himself the sole Augustus. At one point at the beginning of 310, the empire had seven rival. Constantine was born a pagan and only received Christian baptism on his deathbed, but from the beginning, he clearly favored Christianity as the new “glue” of the empire. Maxentius was a rival emperor who ruled in opposition to the Tetrarchy. He declared himself emperor in 306 AD, primarily controlling the western part of the Roman empire, particularly Italy and North Africa. He was the son of Maximian.  If the favor to the Christian was primarily because of politics, how come that the religious aspect of Christianity was intensified resulting to the declaration as the official religion of Rome? Upon the death of Galerius, a struggle for imperial power broke loose. In the spring of 312, Constantine, the son of Constantius Chlorus, advanced across the Alps to dislodge his rival Maxentius from Italy and to capture Rome. It was a daring gamble; and when he came upon his militarily superior enemy at the Milvian Bridge, just outside the walls of Rome, he found help in the God of the Christians. The ecclesiastical historian Eusebius reported the legend of Constantine’s dream before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (“in hoc signo vinces”) in 312 and the placing of the Christian chi rho (the first letters of “Christ” in Greek) on his soldier’s shields. From the year 312, he favored Christianity openly. He allowed Christian ministers to enjoy the same exemption from taxes as the pagan priests; he abolished executions by crucifixion; he called a halt to the battles of gladiators as a punishment for crimes; and in 321 he made Sunday a public holiday. Constantine and Licinius issued a decree of freedom of worship for the Christians in June 313, referring to an earlier mutual agreement at Milan in 312. Hence, this decree of toleration is called the Edict of Milan. Along with his new religion, Constantine provided the Roman world with a new capital city. He founded the “New Rome” in 330, which he named after himself: Constantinople. Exactly 1,600 years later, in 1930, the Turks changed its name to Istanbul. But for the greater part of its long history the place has been known as Constantine’s city, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine (or eastern Roman) Empire. Christians found special meaning in the fact that Jesus and his message appeared at the very hour when the Roman Empire provided the world with political, economic, and cultural unity. The advantages for the church were real enough, but there was a price to pay. Constantine ruled Christian bishops as he did his civil servants and demanded unconditional obedience to official pronouncements, even when they interfered with purely church matters. There is now the secularization and misuse of religion for political purposes.  Grand Dome: The massive dome of Hagia Sophia symbolizes the heavens and the divine authority of Christ. Its height and grandeur emphasize the spiritual realm and the emperor's role as God's representative on earth. Centralized Plan: The church's layout incorporates a centralized plan, which conveys the idea of Christ at the center of the universe, with the emperor as a key figure in that divine order. Emperor's Throne: The design includes an area for the emperor, often at the apse or in a special niche, reinforcing the idea that the emperor is a mediator between God and the people. Rich Decoration: The use of mosaics and decorative elements often depicted Christ in majesty and the emperor in submission, highlighting the hierarchical relationship. Lighting: The strategic placement of windows allows for dramatic lighting effects, creating an ethereal atmosphere that enhances the divine presence in the space. In the future, Constantinople would become a genuine rival to the old Rome, thriving especially when the old capital was weak and challenging the old Rome for primacy in every respect. If the first Rome was important because it was the seat of empire, then the new Rome must be at least equally important for the same reason. But if the old Rome based its religious importance on being the city of Peter and Paul, then Constantinople should be secondary  Christianity has found its power in the society. They were freed from persecution and abuse. But as time passes by, Christianity becomes abusive to its members.  Minsan kapag tayo na ang nakakaahon sa buhay, tayo na naman ang nagiging dahilan ng paghihirap ng iba.  Why do we continue to hurt others if we already know the feeling of being hurt?  Nagmahal Nasaktan Patuloy na magmamahal For where there is Love, there God is.