Constantine and christianity

Emperor Constantine's relationship, views, and laws regarding Christianity

During the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great (306–337 AD), Christianity began to transition to the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. Historians remain uncertain about Constantine's reasons for favoring Christianity, and theologians and historians have often argued about which form of early Christianity he subscribed to. There is no consensus among scholars as to whether he adopted his mother Helena's Christianity in his youth, or, as claimed by Eusebius of Caesarea, encouraged her to convert to the faith he had adopted.

Constantine ruled the Roman Empire as sole emperor for much of his reign. Some scholars allege that his main objective was to gain unanimous approval and submission to his authority from all classes, and therefore he chose Christianity to conduct his political propaganda, believing that it was the most appropriate religion that could fit with the imperial cult. Regardless, under the Constantinian dynasty Christianity expanded throughout the empire, launching the era of the state church of the Roman Empire. Whether Constantine sincerely converted to Christianity or remained loyal to paganism is a matter of debate among historians. His formal conversion in 312 is almost universally acknowledged among historians, despite that it was claimed he was baptized only on his deathbed by the Arian bishop Eusebius of Nicomedia in 337; the real reasons behind it remain unknown and are debated also. According to Hans Pohlsander, professor emeritus of history at the State University of New York at Albany, Constantine's conversion was a matter of realpolitik, meant to serve his political interest in keeping the empire united under his control:

The prevailing spirit of Constantine's government was one

Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337

"Constantine I" redirects here. For the third king of the modern Greek state, see Constantine I of Greece. For other uses, see Constantine I (disambiguation).

Constantine I (Flavius Valerius Constantinus; 27 February c. 272 – 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a pivotal role in elevating the status of Christianity in Rome, decriminalizing Christian practice and ceasing Christian persecution. This was a turning point in the Christianization of the Roman Empire. He founded the city of Constantinople and made it the capital of the Empire, which it remained for over a millennium.

Born in Naissus, in Dardania within Moesia Superior (now Niš, Serbia), Constantine was the son of Flavius Constantius, a Roman army officer of Illyrian origin who would become one of the four emperors of the Tetrarchy. His mother, Helena, was a woman of low birth, probably from Asia Minor in modern Turkey. Later canonised as a saint, she is credited for the conversion of her son in some

One individual who had a significant impact on the church was not a pastor or theologian but rather a Roman emperor by the name of Constantine. The fact that he impacted the church has not been disputed; however, the nature of his contribution is hotly debated as I have heard people describe his influence on the church as being very positive while others have seen it as very negative. The mixed perception of his role on the church of the past (and thus the church of the present and the future) comes in part, because of some complexities within the individual himself. Therefore, in this post I want to highlight why he is so significant and also why he (and his legacy) is also complicated.

His Life and Times

One of the greatest persecutions of the Christian church by the Roman empire, under the emperor Diocletian (who reigned from 284-305), occurred just prior to Constantine’s rise to power. During the last few years of his reign, Diocletian commanded that churches be destroyed, sacred books confiscated and burned, clergy be imprisoned and made to offer sacrifice by torture, and Christians stripped of the privileges of citizenship and barred from holding public office or being in the army. Diocletian abdicated the throne in 305, but persecution continued under Galerius. While the aim of this intense persecution was to eradicate the church, this did not happen as Christians continued to testify to their faith to the watching world. In fact, public favor seems to have been much higher in favor of Christians than in previous times, so Galerius issued a moratorium on persecution in 311 that allowed Christianity to be tolerated.

Constantine rose to power after the death of Galerius. He was the son of the Roman ruler over Gaul, Spain, and Britannica (who had not been as adamant about persecuting Christians) and proclaimed emperor by his troops when his father died. He marched to Rome with his troops and attacked a rival, Maxentius, in an attempt to co