Christian Roman Empire: The People Making History Church History Christian Roman Empire: The People Making History by Stephen Curto for Home Church January 31, 2016

Outline The State of Rome After Constantine The People

The State of Rome After Constantine East and West Empires West- “Rome” Weakened economically Attacks from Barbarians Visigoths 410 Atilla the Hun 452 Vandals 455 Germanic tribes 476

The State of Rome After Constantine East and West Empires West East- “Constantinople” Continues for 1000 more years Becomes “Byzantine Empire” Limps along through the middle ages

The State of Rome After Constantine Rise of Monasticism Started as “Hermits” Anthony: the first monk (251-356) Centered around self-denial and self discipline … Benedict of Nursia (480-542) Benedictine order in Monte Cassino Benedictine life 7 services a day The “vigil” 2am service Made own clothes, wine, furniture, etc.

The People Athanasius The Three Capadocians Gregory, Gregory, and Basil Julian the Apostate (emperor) Ambrose Theodosius (emperor) John Chrysostome Jerome Augustine Leo I (Leo the Great)

Athanasius (297-373) Athanasian Creed Very influential against Arianism and defending Trinity Bishop of Alexandria (reluctantly) “Athanasius against the world”

The Three Cappadocians Basil the Great (329-379) Pompous, arrogant orator Humbled by his older brother’s death Championed Greek monastic life Older brother of Gregory of Nyssa Gregory of Nyssa (335-395) soft-spoken Preferred anonymity Took a wife early on but became a monk when she died On Virginity Died in obscurity Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) Friend of Basil True monk at heart Co-championed Greek monastic life

Julian the Apostate (emperor) 331-363 (reigned from 355-363) Nephew of Constantine Won back the empire from Constantine’s 3 sons Wanted to return Roman Paganism to power

Ambrose 340-397 The great western orator Helped convert Augustine Bishop of Milan 373 Confronted Theodosius’s zeal Influential against arianism

Theodosius (emperor) 347-395 (reigned 379-395) Honest but overzealous Christian Made Christianity mandatory in 380 killed 7,000 rioters Ambrose stopped him from taking communion until he repented

John Chrysostome 349-407 Bishop of Constantinople 398 “the golden mouth” Over-protective mother The great eastern orator Banished by eastern emperors “In all things, Glory to God. Amen” A truly humble man

Jerome 347-420 Brash, outspoken, proud Loved the pagan philosophers and hated that he did so Learned Hebrew to avoid sexual sin Translated the Bible into Latin the Vulgate Defended against pelagianism

Augustine 354-430 Early Life Search for truth Sex addict Manichaeism for 9 years Had son with a concubine

Augustine Conversion Heard Ambrose “Take it and read it” Rom 13:13-14 “How long, Lord, How long? Will it be tomorrow and always tomorrow? Why does my uncleanliness not end this very moment?” “Take it and read it” Rom 13:13-14

Augustine THE most influential theologian of all time… for better or for worse City of God and Confessions The last writer before the middle ages

Leo the Great 400-461 Meeting with Attila (452) Meeting with Geiseric (455) “Leo shouldered the responsibility of defending the holy city from others. He took the title Pontifex Maximus for himself. Peter had come to Rome.” First to put in writing the supremacy of Roman Bishop