Ah, another Sunday, and the topic is . . . religion, what else?
There is more than a little controversy surrounding Roman emperor Constantine and Christianity. (No! Tell me it isn't so!)
His conversion involves a miraculous vision appearing to Constantine. This was reported on by no fewer than four people in positions to report what Constantine claimed. Now, the fact that these are four wildly different accounts when they should all be very similar tells us that Constantine was a storyteller, or bullshit artist, whatever.
Historians aren't doing much better. For example, according to Bart Ehrman, Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 CE (The Triumph of Christianity, pg. 13 of the hardbound version). Wikipedia, on the other hand, states "Just before his death in May 337 CE, it is claimed that Constantine was baptized into Christianity. Up until this time he had been a catechumen for most of his adult life. He believed that if he waited to get baptized on his death bed he was in less danger of polluting his soul with sin and not getting to heaven."
Wikipedia goes on to say "Although Constantine lived much of his life as a pagan and later as a catechumen, he began to favor Christianity beginning in 312, finally becoming a Christian and being baptized by either Eusebius of Nicomedia, an Arian bishop, as attested by many notable Arian historical figures, or Pope Sylvester I, which is maintained by the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church."
Constantine has historically been referred to as the "First Christian Emperor" and he did favor the Christian Church. While some modern scholars debate his beliefs and even his comprehension of Christianity, he is venerated as a saint in Eastern Christianity, and he did much for pushing Christianity towards the mainstream of Roman culture.
Now I am always leery of deathbed conversions reported by churchmen. So many have been claimed to have been converted on death's door, which later have been proven to be false, including Charles Darwin, most prominent atheists, etc. If Constantine wanted to die a Christian, and the excuse not to be baptized/converted sooner concocted by Constantine or apologists is that he didn't want his soul sullied before he died, is brilliant if cockamamie, one does have to wonder why Constantine made sure all of the steps were taken to deify himself after his death as was the practice of Roman Emperors. How much could Constantine have believed in the One True God
if he wanted to make sure he became a god after he died?
One historian argues that Constantine supported Christianity because many of his soldiers had converted and it was a way to bolster his position with his armies. Soldiers were closer to the bottom of Roman culture than the top and Christianity appealed to the downtrodden, so it makes some sense. And the Roman practice for centuries was to fold into its pantheon the gods of conquered peoples, so showing some respect wasn't hard to do.
Another historian claimed that Constantine or his advisors admired the control Bishops had over their "flocks." I assume the Council of Nicaea disabused them of that admiration as the bishops bickered like school children.
So, was Constantine the First Christian Emperor? About as much as he was the messiah and other claims. Such labels are the work of Christian Historians shaping history to their own likings. And, basically they are meaningless. Having a perfect description of his role in the growth of Christianity would prove nothing, and the churchmen wouldn't like it, as they prefer things to be fuzzy, so their professional spin doctors, uh apologists, can "interpret" the situations more to the church's liking.
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