how come Christians don't really know who Constantine is?

Question

when i ask christian their take on constantine,they dont know who he is or was,not all,but alot,i think if it was not for consatine the christian religion might not still be a big religion in the world and would most likley fall like the gnostics,and peagen religions,and one more question,if constantine did not call all the bishops in the land to discuss who jesus was(flesh or spirit)would we still be debating this today.

thank you to all answers so far,i was beginning to think you cant ask a question (especialy religuis)without getting some fool telling people foolish things......a hand to all answers,and for getting along......thank you.....and goodnight.....

Answer 1

Most people, including Christians, do not know world history. Christians seem to be just as oblivious to the history of their church as most people are oblivious to world history. Most Christians do not know that the four gospels were written in four different cities, each one 20 years after the other, the first being written 20 years after Jesus' crucifixion, so it took more than 80 years for the Gospels to be written. Each gospel reflects the time in which it was written - if it looked like Israel was about to be wiped out by the Roman Empire (the destruction of the temple, etc.) the Gospel was apocalyptic, but if it was written later during the Pax Romana, it is more optimistic. Most Christians don't know that early Christianity was actually a subdivision of Judaism, as Jesus was Hebrew. Most Christians also don't know (or will deny) that Jesus wasn't worshipped as God for quite a long time after he... "disappeared from planet Earth". There was an excellent program on PBS about the history of the early Christian church. It was under Constantine that history recognizes that followers of Jesus no longer considered themselves Jews, instead identifying themselves as the new faith, "Christians".

Answer 2

Perhaps some don't know. But so what? That doesn't make them any less Christian because they don't know all the history. I do know about Constantine. I spent years researching the early Church and I disagree with your premise that were it not for Constantine, the Christian religion would no longer exist as it does today. On Pentecost, Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and His Church to be with us until the end of time. True the early Christians were martyred and persecuted and Constantine put an end to this but , ultimately, God's Will would be accomplished with or without the Emperor Constantine.

Answer 3

mac,
Most Protestant Christians think Constantine started a curse on the Earth. They don't like him.

He instituted a State Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and mixed idolatry with Christianity, Easter, Christmas, etc.

So I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to, but he caused so much harm.

Why do you think that there is a Separation of Church and State in the USA? Because of the atrocities that Constantine began unwittingly, and the Anglican Church of England, which also was a State Church.

So it's not about prayer in school, by the individuals who decide to, or showing religious symbols in public places, but about the recognition of this government of a church that would have authority over people not a part of that church.

Some would say that it still is happening with current politics. I would say that they were just exibiting sour grapes. The things that ae political are supposed to be fought in the political arena. And as far as I know, they are. So the Lib's just need to win politically. Then we can worry about their liberal agenda becoming a religion! lol

Answer 4

Actually no, Christianity was already fairly wide spread and Constantine while he allowed the legality of it within the Roman Empire did little for the expanision, within it, since it was already popular in those areas and in operation even ifit was illegal. Often Christianity has spead better when fought against, trying and proving the real christains.

And of Course the power of Rome as a world power was short lived after that and Christianity would have expanded as Rome declined anyway.

And it had little effect on the move of Christianity in the East, where at that time, it was a much larger group.

I beleive way to much credit or too much blame is given to him.

Answer 5

Are you talking about the Emperor Constantine who in 324 AD declared Christianism as the only official religion of the Roman Empire? The same Constantine who also sack the Oracle of Apollo in the same year and tortured the pagan priests to death? He also evicted all the Gentiles from Mt. Athos and destroyed all the local Hellenic Temples. In 330 AD, this same Constantine who stole the treasures and statues of the Pagan Temples of Greece to decorate Nova Roma, (which is today Constantinople), the new capital of his empire. In 335 AD, the same Constantine who sacks many of the pagan Temples of Minor Asia and Palestine and orders the execution by crucifixion of "all magicians and soothsayers".

That same Emperor Constantine who started a legacy of torture and execution of anyone who was not Christian that was taken up by Emperor Flavius Julius Constantius. Sorry, but that is not a religious foundation that I would be grateful of.


www.wcer.org/members/europe/Greece/persec.htm

Answer 6

Constantine played a great unifying role in the early days of Christianity. He is also credited with the convening of meeting to decide on the Gospels. Out of more than 200 or so Gospels prevalent four Gospels were chosen as in the present day new testament.

Answer 7

Constantine originally worshipped Mithra! That flies in the face to all Christrians.

Mithra wa an old-Iranian god of light, contracts and friendship. He also maintains the cosmic order. Sometimes mentioned as the son of Ahura Mazda, he assists him in his struggle against the forces of evil, represented by Angra Mainyu. Mithra was born from a rock (or a cave). He fought with the sun and managed to capture the divine bull and slayed it before he ascended to heaven. From the blood of the bull came forth all the plants and animals beneficial to humanity.

Answer 8

The symbol, labarum, consisting of an x with a p running through it, is chi rho a pagan symbol.
Most symbols of the Roman Catholic church are pagan. So I take it that you must be speaking of the Catholic Christians, and not the Protestant Christians. The Catholics probably would not know, because the church usually keeps the truths of their pagan origin hidden.

Answer 9

constantine and over 300 bishops precided over a meeting to discuss the scriptures and formulate the christian belief inorder to unite all christians under a single belief system.

Answer 10

He is why sunday worship came to the church. Paganism helped the church grow in away, but the true christians would've bearly got killed off either way.