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Lecture 4:Historical Developments 312 - 604Dr. Ann T. Orlando

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Introduction

Review of Third Century Importance of Constantine Church-State Relations:

Emperor Theodosius and St. Ambrose; Empress Eudoxia and St. John Chrysostom

Early Church Councils Barbarian Invasions Irish Christianity Historical Situation at Beginning of 7th C Review Readings

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Review of Third Century

Increased pressure on Rome from Persia and northern barbarians

Political instability; murder and succession of generals as emperors

Empire-wide persecution of Christians Martyrs Apologists Lapsed

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Political Situation at Beginning of Fourth Century Diocletian becomes emperor in 284.

Very strong ruler Decides that best way to protect Empire is to divide it between two Augusti (East

and West) supported by two Caesars (Augusti in waiting) Unleashes worst persecution of all Manages to retire and force his co-Augutus, Maximian, to retire with him(305)

A few problems with Diocletian’s plan: Both Augusti and both Caesars headed their own armies and areas of influence Except for Diocletian himself, the three other members of this tetrarchy saw this

scheme as a way to take over the Empire when Diocletian died When Diocletian retires, political intrigues and battles break about among

the successors: Constantius, Augustus, controlled England and Gaul, father of Constantine Severus, Caesar, ruled Rome Maximius, Caesar in Greece Galerius, Augustus, in East

When Constantius dies, his troops proclaim his son, Constantine, Augustus

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Map of Roman Empire During Reign of Diocletian www.biblestudy.org/maps/romandio.html

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Constantine the Great: Political Power Key to Constantine’s take-over of entire Empire was

battle of Milvian bridge over Tiber in Rome against Maxentius, son of Maximian in 312. Constantine credits his victory to a vision he had in which

he was told to go into battle with the Christian symbol Troops carry chi-rho on their shields

By 313 Constantine has captured all of the Empire and officially declared that Christianity was to be tolerated (Edict of Milan)

‘Gives’ most of Rome to the Catholic Church (Vatican, St. Paul outside the Walls, Lateran)

Establishes Constantinople (on site of ancient Byzantium) as his new capital

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Constantine the Great: Ecclesial Power Builds Churches, with his mother Helen, in Holy Land (Church of

Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Church of Nativity in Bethlehem) Moves against the Donatists in North Africa Calls Council of Nicea to decide between Athanasius and Arius

on relation between Father and Son; Council supports Athanasius and Son as ‘one in being with the Father’: The Nicene Creed

Dies in 337 (after murdering his wife and eldest son); baptized by (an Arian) bishop shortly before he dies

Reaction of Church: Eusebius of Caesarea: the Christian kingdom has arrived Also some concern about people entering Church for political, not

spiritual, reasons

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Major Social Changes in 4th C Due to Constantine Christian clergy given tax relief Churches could receive legacies Sunday as a day of rest Bishops could act as judges in their diocese (Roman

administrative province) Christian could not charge another Christian interest

on a loan (sin of usury) Crucifixion prohibited No branding of prisoners because mars image of

God

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Key Historical Events in 4th Century after Constantine Constantine’s Empire gets divided among his

sons; but this only leads to civil war and a weakened Empire

After Constantine, all Emperors except Julian the Apostate (361-363) were Christians Julian was a Christian, but returned to paganism Julian tries to revive paganism Planned to rebuild Jewish Temple Killed in battle against the Persians

Some of Constantine's successors in 4th C were Arians; sent missionaries to Goths north of Danube (Arian missionary and bishop Wulfila)

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Theodosius the Great (379-393) and St. Ambrose of Milan (374-397)

Theodosius Becomes Emperor after Emperor Valens (an Arian) is killed at Battle

of Adrianople against Goths Strong ruler who reunites the Empire Orthodox Catholic ruler; makes Christianity the State religion

Ambrose Prefect in Milan (Western Capital) Baptized, Ordained Priest, Bishop in same week Opposed Arians, in power in West Politically more important than Pope (Siricius) because Milan more

important than Rome Confrontations, in both Ambrose is successful

Burning of Jewish synagogue in Mesopotamia Massacre in Thessalonica

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Empress Eudoxia (398-404) and St. John Chrysostom (396-407) Eudoxia married to Theodosius’ son,

Emperor Arcadius (other son, Honorius, Emperor in West)

John Chrysostom (Golden Mouth) Patriarch of Constantinople, One of greatest theologians of period, extensive

commentary on Scripture in Antiochene tradition Preaches vehemently against courtly excess,

especially targeting Eudoxia John is exiled from Constantinople (twice)

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The Ecumenical Councils

Nicea I, 325, called by Constantine the Great Condemned Arianism Son of one substance with the Father Nicene Creed

Constantinople I, 381, Called by Theodosius the Great Affirmed divinity of Holy Spirit Modified Creed; what we have now

Ephesus, 431, called by Valentinian III Condemned Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople Jesus was not two separate persons, but one person both human and divine Mary as ‘Theotokos’ Mother of God

Chalcedon, 450, called by Empress Pulcheria (saint) at request of Pope St. Leo I (the Great) Condemned monophysites: single nature Christ has two natures: human and divine (Leo’s Tome)

Note: Both Nestorianism and Monophysitism are still present in a few Eastern churches; consider themselves ‘orthodox’ because they subscribe to Nicene Council

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Key Historical Events 5th Century Increasingly West was under pressure from northern tribes (Goths,

Visigoths, Vandals) who in turn under pressure from Huns Some of those Goths led by Alaric sacked Rome in 410 Effect of Julian’s apostasy and sack of Rome caused Christian

theologians to rethink the initial triumphal historical view of Constantine: Augustine The City of God

Augustine dies in 430 as Hippos is besieged by Vandals Center of power in Empire is only in Constantinople Attila the Hun reaches Rome in 452, persuaded by Pope St. Leo the

Great not to sack Rome (probably because there was nothing of value to sack)

Last Roman emperor in West abdicated in 476 Pope Gelasius writes to Emperor Anastasius saying that spiritual

power superior to temporal, 494 Note Emperor Justinian tries but fails to reunite West and East in

early 6th C

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5th Century Invasions

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Irish Church

Parallel development of Catholic Christianity for two centuries Ireland never part of Roman Empire; not affected by 5th, 6th C barbarian invasions

St. Patrick (d. 490) returned to Ireland from England after having been a slave in Ireland to preach Christianity Organizes parishes around monasteries Makes Latin the scholarly language in Ireland

Irish monasteries are cutoff from Roman world due to barbarian invasions, develop different customs Different calculation for Easter Discipline (penance, private confession) Organization: abbots rather than bishops

In early Sixth Century Irish monks led by St. Columba establish a monastery at Iona, Scotland

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6th Century Missionary Activities in Western Europe Parallel, independent missionary activities from Rome and Ireland

(Iona) Irish monks in 6th Century go to France, Germany, Holland to preach

Christianity St. Columban(us) travels extensively through Europe establishing

Irish style monasteries, including one in Northern Italy (d. 615) Meanwhile, missionaries from Rome are also trying to convert Arian

and Pagan Germanic tribes Conversion of Chlodwech (Clovis) 496 Pope St. Gregory the Great sends Augustine to England 597

Differences between Irish and Roman Churches resolved at Synod of Whitby, 664, in favor or Roman customs

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Historical Situation in Early 7th Cin West City of Rome is a desolate ruin with poor sanitation and filled with

very poor people; under direct authority of Pope Pope St. Gregory the Great rebuilds sanitation and water supply Feeds the hungry

Bishops are often the only real source of learning, administration and civil justice

Irish and Roman missionaries have some success in converting pagan and Arian tribes

Visigoths rule Spain; Vandals rule North Africa; Lombards rule northern Italy; Byzantine control of Southern Italy and Sicily, Franks rule Western France; Anglo-Saxons in England; Alamani in Germany

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Historical Situation in Early 7th Cin East Unified Eastern Empire firmly under control of

Byzantine Emperor from Egypt to Danube Primary contact between East and West is

through the Pope Ecclesial authorities are subordinate to civil Eastern Empire will see itself as the

continuation of ancient Roman Empire until the fall of Constantinople in 1453

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So When Did Rome (Western Roman Empire) Fall? When Constantine founded Constantinople as New Rome, c.

330? When Western capitol moved to Milan in c. 375? When Alaric sacked Rome in 410? When the last Roman Emperor of West abdicated in 476? When Clovis crowned was King of Franks by Catholic bishop in

Rheims in 496? With the failure of Eastern Emperor Justinian to recapture West

in early 6th C? Arguably this lecture covered the greatest historical and social

changes in history of West Conversion of Constantine Sunset of Roman Empire in West and Rise of Europe

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Review Readings

Vidmar, 46 -86 Edict (Rescript) of Milan, all of it Eusebius, Conversion of Constantine, Chapters XXVII – XXXII Augustine, The City of God,

Not easy reading; try to follow his arguments Great treatise exploring Church and history, i.e., God’s plan The relation between the Church and civil society Immediate reason why Augustine write the CoG

Explain why this devastation (sack of Rome) now that Rome is Christian

Remember that invaders were Arian Christians Book I: Preface, 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27,

28, 29, 33, 34, 35 Book V: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

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Readings

Pope Gelasius, all of it The basis for ‘church-state’ relations for the next

1300 years in the West St. Columban, Boat Song, all CCC 1886-1889

The Church’s current understanding of conversion and society