Did the Roman Empire use the Church to extend it's reign?

Question

I read a very dreadful book recently where the plot was that Tiberius faked Jesus's ressurection to create Christianity because he planned on using this faith to consolidate support and keep a crumbling Empire together.

Leaving all the faking and conspiracy aside, isn't that what ended up happening in a way. European history was certainly guided, if not ruled, by the Catholic Church for a thousand years after Romes fall. It was still, and is still, centered in Rome and weilded vast power over essentially the same geographic area.

Just thoughts on this.

I'm not even touching the "Catholics aren't Christians" thing.

While persecution did take place in some points in Rome's history, by the time the Empire fell, it was the official religion.

Wow! Is the issue I brought up the actual contention in the Catholics are/are not Christian thing? I seriously had no clue. I was just wondering if some insight could be drawn even out of a horrible book propounding an idiotic theory.

Man, religious people are weird. And they never seem to taper off with their weirdness. It just keeps going.

Answer 1

I think the theory is ridiculous, personally - it just doesn't fit known history.

As for whether or not it turned out that way, I would say 'sort of.' Christianity underwent a radical change in the 11th century with the election (or forced appointment) of a Frankish pope, and the removal of the papacy to southern France. Far from the Catholic Church reigning for 1000 years, it struggled against Frankish supremacy for centuries, was finally overcome, and then was cut-off from the other historic Sees and used as a tool to subject the Romans to the Germanic monarchy. It was only under the Holy Roman Empire that Catholicism reigned in any real sense, and even then it was only over western Europe (which represented only a small fragment of the Christian Church as a whole).

Christianity manifested temporal power during the reign of Theodosius, but at that time strict rules of Episcopal succession maintained a balance of power by forcing the indenpendence of individual bishops.

Answer 2

I feel the church used the Romans to help spread Christianity. The church used the Romans to kill off it's rivals in the beginning. (Gnostic's and the writers of several lost gospels)

What your saying is interesting in the idea that Rome lives on through the church. So the end of time prophesies stating that Rome would rise again could be referring the church rising to power again.

Answer 3

Let me simplify this. Catholicism is not christianity. The Roman Empire did basically create catholicism which is why it is loaded with so many pagan traditions. True christianity was started by Jesus Christ and not religions.

www.loveyouJesus.com

Answer 4

The pagan Roman Empire persecuted the Christian Church from the beginning, and did all in their power to try to exterminate it.

Answer 5

Well classic rome fell around the 400's. The "Roman Catholic" Church used it, but that's not exaclty a Christian church.

Answer 6

Definitely not till Constantine's time. You could make a case for it there. In hoc signo vinces.
Gibbons implies that lack of it caused it's fall.
Somebody is really stretching to make a silly point. I am sorry I read the rest of your question.

Answer 7

I do believe so, yes. Religion can be used by rulers (and presidents) to incite the masses to do what they want them to do. Witness the presidential candidates right now, all of them hiring consultants to help them reach out to the religious people, citing their religion in speeches.

Constantine wanted to be able to control people and what better way to do it than with religion. Hitler did it, too.