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Constantine and the rise of Christianity

Constantine and the rise of Christianity. Week Six. p ara = alongside. parallel. paralegal. parenthesis. j ect /jet = throw. projectile. eject. jettison. Constantine and the rise of Christianity. Week Six. I. A bride’s t rousseau.

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Constantine and the rise of Christianity

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  1. Constantine and the rise of Christianity Week Six

  2. para = alongside parallel paralegal parenthesis

  3. ject/jet = throw projectile eject jettison

  4. Constantine and the rise of Christianity Week Six

  5. I. A bride’s trousseau The trousseau from the marriage of Secundus and Projecta combines pagan and Christian symbolism.

  6. I. A bride’s trousseau • Constantine integrated Christianity with a pagan empire

  7. Jerusalem Temple

  8. II. The Jesus Movement A. Judaism • Toleration by Romans: No accommodation toward polytheistic cults, but Romans tried not to antagonize them • Pharisees: Stringent Jewish sect that resisted Roman culture, but did not advocate revolt • Zealots: Armed rebellion; Rome responds with severe repression

  9. Masada

  10. II. The Jesus Movement B. Jewish Origins of Christianity 1. Jesus of Nazareth • Message: a kingdom of peace and love • Crucifixion: Jesus, savior of the world, dies a scandalous death • New theology • New practices: ritual meals, feet-washing, baptism

  11. II. The Jesus Movement 2. Spreading the Faith • Paul of Tarsus: planted churches in Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy • Persecution • Attractive Christianity

  12. Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity • Question: How did a tiny and obscure messianic movement dislodge classical paganism and become the dominant faith of Western civilization? • Thesis: The central doctrines of Christianity prompted and sustained attractive, liberating, and effective social relations and organizations.

  13. Questions for discussion, part I • Chapter One • Describe the network theory of conversion. • Chapters Four and Seven • What made Christian faith so attractive? Push and pull.

  14. biblio/libri = book bibliography Bible library

  15. corp/carn = body corpse corporal corpulent

  16. Questions for discussion, part II • Chapter Five: Stark argues that Christianity was especially attractive to women. How so? • Chapter Eight: Stark argues that martyrs were not clinically crazy or masochistic. Why not? • Chapter Ten: In the end, what is the revolutionary message of the early Christians to the Roman world?

  17. III. Constantine—Christianity with an Advantage A. Empire on the Defensive • Over-extension of imperial boundaries • Archaic economic system • Barbarian menace The Empire under Diocletian

  18. B. Triumph of Christianity • Rise of Constantine • Conversion of Constantine • Official religion of Rome • Suppression of pagan cults • Growth of Christianity

  19. Constantine I

  20. Constantine II

  21. IV. Imperialism—Christianity of Violence A. Theological debates 1. Nature of Christ • Monarchians • Gnostics • Arians • Origen and the Council of Nicea 2. Nature of Salvation • Donatists • Pelagians • Augustine of Hippo

  22. IV. Imperialism—Christianity of Violence B. Coercion • Emperor Theodosius • Case of Gaza • The Big Question

  23. The Spread of Christianity

  24. Critiques of the Constantinian Shift • Tertullian: “It is no part of religion to compel religion” • Lactantius: “There is no occasion for violence and injury, for religion cannot be compelled by force . . . We teach, we prove, we show.” • Augustine: “Christ-followers” had turned into “depraved persons who in mobs fill the churches in a bodily sense only.” • Jesus: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lauds those who are gentle, poor in spirit, peacemakers, and persecuted.

  25. Epilogue #1 • Stanley Hauerwas, Shane Claiborne, Greg Boyd, and American civil religion

  26. Boyd on Constantine

  27. Epilogue #2 • The Trousseau

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