Pivotal Incident Explanation of Christianity Between Jesus Exit of the Roman Empire
Pivotal Incident: Explain what you think is a pivotal event in the emergence of Christianity between Jesus' exit from the scene and the end of the Roman Empire. Perhaps the pivotal incident in the history of early Christianity, and its enforced acceptance by the great majority of the Western world as the one true religion, as opposed to a persecuted cult, is the vision of the Emperor Constantine. "The emperor Constantine has rightly been called the most important emperor of Late Antiquity. His powerful personality laid the foundations of post-classical European civilization; his reign was eventful and highly dramatic. His victory at the Milvian Bridge counts among the most decisive moments in world history, while his legal
The dream consisted of either, early accounts suggest, that he must place the sign of Christ on the shields of his soldiers, or, according to later and perhaps less reliable accounts, he saw a cross heralding that by "this sign" he should conquer his enemy. He died wearing the robes of a Christian neophyte, as he was only baptized before his death. Had Constantine not won the battle of Milvian Bridge and Maxentius had triumphed, because Maxentius was hostile to Christianity, this man would likely have marginalized adherents of Christianity and made the imperial cult once again the religion of the empire. The creation of Christianity as a formal institution perhaps cumulated in the Council of Constantinople and its creation of Nicene Creed, which finally resolved many of the doctrinal controversies about heresy brewing at this time (Pohlsander, 1999). ization and support of Christianity and his foundation of a 'New Rome' at Byzantium rank among the most momentous decisions ever made by a European ruler" (Pohlsander, 1999). With the emperor's legal validation, Christianity was able to consolidate its doctrines and became formalized as an institution. After the last pagan emperor Diocletian died, there was a scramble for power between the general Constantine, who had distinguished himself in Britain, and Maxentius, who like Constantine was the son of one of the former emperor's three main administrators. People made legally and politically as well as religiously motivated conversions, swelling the ranks of Christians in the empire. This was even though at the time Constantine's "personal devotions" were "offered first to Mars and then increasingly to Apollo, reverenced as Sol Invictus," perhaps a kind of fusion of paganism and Christianity (Pohlsander, 1999). However, over the course of his reign, Christianity moved for a marginalized religion to the dominant faith of the empire. But "upon coming to power Constantine unilaterally ended all persecution in his territories, even providing for restitution for Christians (Pohlsander, 1999). True, Constantine's status as a Christian upon his ascent to the throne was less secure than one might assume at first. Before Constantine won at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, making Constantine ruler of the Western Roman Empire, Constantine had a dream before the battle (the ancient Romans placed great faith in dreams).
Common topics in this essay:
Christianity Pohlsander,
Empire Constantine,
True Constantine's,
Roman Empire,
Rome' Byzantium,
Milvian Bridge,
Late Antiquity,
Bridge Maxentius,
Christians Pohlsander,
Nicene Creed,
pohlsander 1999,
milvian bridge,
battle milvian bridge,
roman empire,
constantine won,
power constantine,
emperor constantine,
battle milvian,
won battle,
pivotal incident,
constantine won battle,
won battle milvian,
|
Acceptance Essays
