Emperor Constantine - a mixed blessing

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We tend to think of Emperor Constantine(272-337) as the 'bad boy' of Christian history. Either we swallow the Dan Brown mythology that the newly converted emperor invented much of Christianity in 325 at the Council of Nicaea OR we believe that he created stuffy old 'Christendom' with all its witch hunts, power playing bishops and Spanish Inquisitions. Either way in the liberal/secular worldview and the theology of Mission-Shaped Church Constantine is bad. But, could it all be more complicated?  Perhaps Constantine is not the bete-noire of liberal Christianity but a mixed blessing and at one point a champion of a sort of mish-mash religious plurality?

This is what ACTUALLY happened. Constantine was never baptised until his death bed in 337 and then it was by Arian clergy rather than orthodox ones. Constantine called the Christian Church in a grand council in 325 in Nicaea to resolve the Arian/orthodox conflict. Arius, a charismatic bishop held that Jesus was a created being and not really the Son of God, co-eternal with the Father.  He was from all accounts very persuasive. The emperor sided with Arius. This was probably because Arian Christianity  had a simpler take on God. Like Judaism it did not make any claims to God being three-in-one.  As the Council proceeded the orthodox majority won the day and anathematised Arius. (Saint Nicholas allegedly even punch him.) This enraged Constantine who had called the whole show to get some kind of 'good disagreement' between the bishops. Instead, here were the bishops excommunicating a good portion of his empire. 

Of course, if you buy into the whole liberal post-Enlightenment project Constantine can now be seen as a frustrated noble figure who tried to bring people together while those nasty little dogmatists prevented progress. What's more had Constantine succeeded high Christology would have been dead as a door mouse and centuries later religious leaders like Mohammed would not have had to rail against those who believe that God is 'three'. (Qur'an, sura 5 (Al-Ma'ida), ayat 72-75.) It would have been all so much more simpler!  Mohammed would have found an empire full of people who also believed that Jesus Christ was just one of God's creatures, a great teacher and prophet. So those nasty orthodox believers set us up for a religious conflict which has gone on and on, causing crusades and misunderstandings.  If it were not for them rejecting the call to live in 'good disagreement' we could all be living happily ever after.  There are a few movies which push this line,  Kingdom of God (2005) and King Arthur (2004) are a yawn-a-minute politicised version of 'orthodox Christians' equals 'boring narrow-minded bad guys'. If only we could live in harmony. I can feel Helen Carpenter coming on.

Constantine did not invent a new dogmatic version Christianity. The rise of Christian civilisation was inevitable because good and heroic men and women were the last left who knew how to run things. By the time Constantine came along a good portion of the Empire was Christian even if they did not have any buildings to worship in. Many bishops were magistrates because they were reliable. Even in the Roman army there was a growing sense of Christianity as noble and godly. 

So, personally, I am grateful for those who stood up to Constantine and who kept the Faith. They have set an example for us that is deeply ironic. 




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