10 dates in church history 313 ad: the edict of milan

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10 Dates in Church 10 Dates in Church History History 313 AD: 313 AD: The Edict of Milan The Edict of Milan

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Page 1: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

10 Dates in Church 10 Dates in Church HistoryHistory

313 AD:313 AD:

The Edict of MilanThe Edict of Milan

Page 2: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

The persecution of Christians began The persecution of Christians began around the First Century but were around the First Century but were sporadic, localized, and regionalsporadic, localized, and regional

Around 303 AD, Diocletian unleashes an Around 303 AD, Diocletian unleashes an empire-wide persecution of Christians.empire-wide persecution of Christians.

All citizens must worship Roman gods.All citizens must worship Roman gods. Roman Empire had become so huge that Roman Empire had become so huge that

Diocletian divided the empire into an Diocletian divided the empire into an Eastern Empire and a Western Empire, Eastern Empire and a Western Empire, each with its own co-emperor answerable each with its own co-emperor answerable to Diocletian.to Diocletian.

Page 3: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Emperor ConstantineEmperor Constantine

Son of a co-emperor father (most likely Son of a co-emperor father (most likely pagan) and a mother who was a Christian pagan) and a mother who was a Christian convert (later, St. Helen) which can convert (later, St. Helen) which can explain his tolerance for Christiansexplain his tolerance for Christians

Ambitious and capable of both kindness Ambitious and capable of both kindness and cruelty.and cruelty.

Adopted Christian practices but did not Adopted Christian practices but did not publicly declare himself Christianpublicly declare himself Christian

306 AD—proclaimed by Diocletian as the 306 AD—proclaimed by Diocletian as the Western EmperorWestern Emperor

Page 4: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Emperor Constantine (cont’d)Emperor Constantine (cont’d)

Once Diocletian died, Constantine Once Diocletian died, Constantine and his brother-in-law Maxentius and his brother-in-law Maxentius battle for the throne of the emperor.battle for the throne of the emperor.

At the Battle for Milvian Bridge, on At the Battle for Milvian Bridge, on the Tiber River, Constantine sees a the Tiber River, Constantine sees a vision of a cross on the sky with the vision of a cross on the sky with the words “By this sign, conquer.” words “By this sign, conquer.” Constantine was victorious (312 AD)Constantine was victorious (312 AD)

Page 5: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

The Edict of MilanThe Edict of Milan

In 313 AD, Constantine and another In 313 AD, Constantine and another brother-in-law Licinius (Eastern brother-in-law Licinius (Eastern emperor) announced that all emperor) announced that all Christians may freely practice their Christians may freely practice their without fear of persecution.without fear of persecution.

Edict was met with expectation and Edict was met with expectation and skepticism.skepticism.

Edict became a charter of liberation Edict became a charter of liberation for Christians.for Christians.

Page 6: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Results of the Edict of MilanResults of the Edict of Milan Constantine ordered the building of churchesConstantine ordered the building of churches Sunday declared a day of rest Sunday declared a day of rest Crucifixion was abolishedCrucifixion was abolished Constantine also encouraged Christian Constantine also encouraged Christian

customs and festivalscustoms and festivals The edict did not stop Licinius from The edict did not stop Licinius from

persecuting Christians in the Eastern Empire.persecuting Christians in the Eastern Empire. Constantine, while practicing some Christian Constantine, while practicing some Christian

virtues, was still ruthless, killing and virtues, was still ruthless, killing and torturing political opponents including torturing political opponents including Licinius among many others.Licinius among many others.

Page 7: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Results of the Edict of Milan Results of the Edict of Milan (Cont’d)(Cont’d)

In 325 AD, Constantine encourage the In 325 AD, Constantine encourage the bishops to convene the Council of Nicaea bishops to convene the Council of Nicaea to combat the Arian heresy and proclaim to combat the Arian heresy and proclaim the Nicene Creed with Christ as the only the Nicene Creed with Christ as the only begotten Son of Godbegotten Son of God

Constantine decides to move the capital of Constantine decides to move the capital of the empire to Byzantium, a Greek trading the empire to Byzantium, a Greek trading town, for a number of reasons…town, for a number of reasons…

Byzantium was later named Byzantium was later named ConstantinopleConstantinople

Page 8: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Consequences of the Move to Consequences of the Move to ConstantinopleConstantinople

The Eastern Church became more The Eastern Church became more hellenized. Meanwhile, the Western hellenized. Meanwhile, the Western Church remained Roman (Latin) in Church remained Roman (Latin) in practice. The rift contributed to the East-practice. The rift contributed to the East-West Schism (about 1092 AD)West Schism (about 1092 AD)

Eastern emperors started to meddle into Eastern emperors started to meddle into Church affairs and began to dominate over Church affairs and began to dominate over them (caesaropapism)them (caesaropapism)

As a consequence of imperial meddling, As a consequence of imperial meddling, many heresies came about from the many heresies came about from the Eastern Church (iconoclasts)Eastern Church (iconoclasts)

Page 9: 10 Dates in Church History 313 AD: The Edict of Milan

Consequences of the Move to Consequences of the Move to Constantinople (Cont’d)Constantinople (Cont’d)

Moving the capital to Byzantium isolated Moving the capital to Byzantium isolated Rome which eventually fell to the barbarians Rome which eventually fell to the barbarians in the 5in the 5thth century (the Dark Ages). After century (the Dark Ages). After Rome fell, the Eastern Church continued to Rome fell, the Eastern Church continued to thrive for another thousand years. thrive for another thousand years.

In the course of the Dark Ages, kingdoms In the course of the Dark Ages, kingdoms allied to the papacy in and around the allied to the papacy in and around the peninsula of Italy became known as the peninsula of Italy became known as the Papal States which served as a ‘buffer zone’ Papal States which served as a ‘buffer zone’ against invasion from other ‘barbarian’ against invasion from other ‘barbarian’ kingdoms.kingdoms.