Part 3: Empire of the Son

Under Constantine, Christianity was freed from persecution and the sect once branded a motley collection of atheists, traitors and gullible fools became the sole religion of the empire and its creed a statement of loyalty. But at what cost and what betrayal of the Yeshua Movement from Galilee did it come?

 At the beginning of the 4 th Century, the Roman Empire faced collapse. There had been 22 Emperors on 50 years, of which 20 had died violently.  Diocletian had created two Emperors- Augusti- of the East and West with a Caesar under each. This had led to instability, rather than the hoped for stability.  312 CE Constantine, Caesar of the West, marches across Europe from York to challenge the Emperor and take control of the Empire.

 Before the decisive battle of Milvan bridge which made him Emperor of the West, Constantine claimed to have had a vision of the Cross in the Sun and heard the words: “You are to conquer in this sign”.  In 313 Constantine issues the Edict of Milan which proclaims tolerance of Christianity throughout the Empire.  In 321 Constantine insists that the Christian Sabbath be changed to Sunday- (the sun god Sol’s day).  324 Constantine defeats Lycinius, Emperor of the East to reunite the Empire and has a Christian ceremony to celebrate the re-unification of the Empire.

 It is unclear as to whether Constantine’s choice of Christianity was a personal conversion or a shrewd political move.  Constantine continued to retain pagan practices and show some deference to Sol the sun god. He was only baptised a Christian on his deathbed in 337.  In 325 Constantine summoned the bishops of the whole church, to Nicea to agree to a date for Easter and create a definitive statement of faith for all Christians.

 The Council of Nicea attempted to define the nature of Christ- and of God as Trinity, opening up a huge debate. This attempt to have one belief in Christ led to divisions which exist to the present day.  Constantine ordered the production of 30 huge Bibles, which led to the fixing of the Canon of Scripture, which had been quite fluid before this time. Athanasius in 367 first listed the 27 books which came to be the canon of the New Testament.

 In 330 CE Constantine moved the capital of the Empire form Rome to ancient Byzantium, which became Constantinople.  In 380 CE Christianity became the religion of the Empire. The Christian Creed became an oath of allegiance to church and state.  Through the influence of the still pagan Constantine, there was now one empire, one emperor, one God, one Christ, one Creed, one bible, one faith.  But at what cost to the original Yeshua movement in the hills of Galilee?

 The council of Constantinople in 381 CE completed and confirmed the faith of the Nicean Creed of 324. But the bishops of the East could not accept two statements: one about the Nature of Christ and one about the Holy Spirit.  Heretical beliefs about the nature of Christ continued, despite suppression and to this day these alternate beliefs exist in Christianity.  In 476 CE, Emperor Augustus abdicated and the Roman Empire came to an end. But the Christian Empire remained to pick up the pieces.. The Empire of the Sun replaced by the Empire of the Son.