Constantine Gods Gift to Christianity - 1168 Words

Christians have been persecuted around the world for their faith during varying periods of time since the birth of the religion. Even today there are stories of Christians being killed or beaten severely at the hands of Hindu extremists in India or in places like China and North Korea. Yet Christianity thrives as the world’s largest religion. Persecution of Christians was especially brutal and widespread during the fourth century in the Roman Empire. Christians were tortured until they denied Christ or killed if they refused, their possessions, houses and buildings were confiscated and they were forced to observe pagan sacrificial traditions. Constantine the Great’s rise to power brought about tremendous change in Roman attitudes and laws from absolutely destroying Christians to accepting, protecting and even supporting the furthering of Christianity. Before Constantine became the sole ruler of the entire Rome Emperor â€Å"by the defeat of Licinius [in] 324†, he was the â€Å"sole Emperor of the West† (Ayers 277). Constantine’s predecessors, Diocletian in the West and Maximinus and in the East, were known for their brutality towards Christians. Under Maximinus, Christians were â€Å"burned at the stake, maimed, crucified, subjected to eye-gouging†¦ [and their] corpses were left lying in the streets for the dogs and vultures† (Johnson 163). Besides bring threatened with the loss of their own lives, Christians were also forced to watch as their possessions were confiscated. Eusebius sharesShow MoreRelatedIs Sunday the Sabbath? Essay980 Words   |  4 PagesGod changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Sunday keeping was actually created by the man by the name Constantine. He was the first Roman Emperor to adopt Christianity. He changed the day of worship from God’s holy Sabbath day, Saturday, to Sunday. Constantine became a â€Å"Christian† after claiming to see in broad daylight a vision of a cros s above the sun. He wanted to unite Christianity and paganism in an effort to strengthen his disintegrating empire. He knew that pagans throughout the empireRead MoreReligion Of The World Essays1431 Words   |  6 Pagessinging, chanting, and sharing certain foods. The rituals bring the believers of any given religion together. I believe on Christianity. Christianity is the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It began in the Palestine and was proclaimed the fulfillment of Jewish teaching regarding the coming of the Messiah, promised by God to redeem man from sin. Christianity has been not only a religious force, but also a social and political one. Often it has been imposed by military power thatRead MoreChristianity Vs. Muslim Religion1993 Words   |  8 Pages Christianity VS Muslim Religion By: Ayanna John Word count: Ayanna John Professor Mangie WOH 1012 April 18, 2016 Christianity Vs Muslim Many people do not realize how much Christianity (Christian) and Islam (Muslim) religion have in common, both religions are considered to be monotheistic Abrahamic religions because their common origin being Abraham. Also, Jesus Christ is considered to be the most important figure in both religions. Although these two particular religions have much in commonRead MoreWho Is Man? : God s Word1574 Words   |  7 PagesWho is man? Yet what is man? That one can think so highly of himself to be the oracle of God’s word. To justify or to exempt the truths of the Word that manifested Him in the flesh to dwell among all men of the earth. (1 Tim. 3:16, John 1:1-14 KJV) It is true that God’s way of thinking is not the way a man thinks. For His thoughts are above His own creation, not to be misconstrued as a King without mercy however, it is within the mercy and grace of The King to grant such wisdom to be penned for theRead MoreThe Rise Of The Church1332 Words   |  6 PagesTo understand the rise of the Church in Rome it is imperative to recall that the center of the Christianity had been destroyed in AD 70, when the army of Titus destroyed Jerusalem. Looking for leadership, the Christians would have immediately sought out those in Rome as it was the center of power and capitol of the Empire. In the first and second centuries, all roads did indeed lead to Rome. The second reason that Christians looked to Rome for leadership is because they believed that the church wouldRead MoreThe Religion Of The Roman Empire Essay1834 Words   |  8 Pagesreligious beliefs. Religion was an instrumental part of culture, it shaped traditions and forged the identity of different societies. The Roman Empire experienced a transcendental cultural shift through the acceptance and subsequent endorsement of Christianity. Although first seen as a threat, it eventually became the official religion of the Roman Empire. This religion of salvation is one of the most practiced faith s around the world today; Christianity’s prevalence to this day is proof of the strongRead MoreIslam : The Rise Of Islam1335 Words   |  6 PagesSimilar to the religion of Christianity, Islam is difficult to generalize. When one brings up the word in conversation, they could be speaking of the religion and its systematic belief system or they could simply be talking about the approximately one and a half billion people who have flourished and who currently live under the influence of said religion. Extending from Indonesia to Morocco and from Kazakhstan to Senegal, the ideals and mission of Islam were created in the seventh century underRead More The Pagan Origins of Christianity Essay4088 Words   |  17 Pagestheir characteristics and connections first with Judaism and later with Christianity will be more deeply discussed. In the second part it will be shown that the mystery-religions helped to clear the pathway for the Christianization of the Greco-Roman world by men su ch as Paul the Apostle. Finally, the Emperor Constantine’s role in this story will be mentioned, during whose reign the mystery-religions declined and Christianity became the major religion of Europe and the near east. The paper will concludeRead MoreLife of Jesus2142 Words   |  9 Pagesteaching surrounding the birth of Jesus is the Christmas Story. Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas time is a time of Giving in the same way as the time when Jesus was born, where the three wise men from the East brought gifts to the baby Jesus 4. Why would Jesus not be well received by the Sadducees and the Jewish patriots? The Sadducees thought Jesus was a problem because he might have lead a rebellion against the Roman empire, and the Jewish patriots might have feltRead MoreParadigm Shifts of Church History1486 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay is to discuss the six paradigm’s shifts as highlighted by Bosch. The six paradigms are; primitive Christianity; the patristic period; the Middle Ages; the Reformation; the Enlightenment; and the Ecumenical era[1]. Bosch’s title for the book is ‘Transforming Mission’. As described by Bosch in his foreword he talks about the title as ambiguous. â€Å"Transforming† can be an adjective used to describe â€Å"mission†. Mission can be understood as not the enterprise that transforms reality, but something