Constantine+and+Christianity

 THE GREAT ROMAN CHRISTIAN EMPEROR BRIEF HISTORY OF CONSTANTINE

>Constantine was born in Naissius on February 27, 285 A.D.

>His birth name was Flavius Valerius Constantinus.

>His Father was an officer in the Roman Army.

>First Christian Roman Emperor.

>His reign as emperor 306 - 337

>He was baptized shortly before his death.

>He died May 22, 337 in Nicomedia.

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THE BATTLE OF THE MILVIAN BRIDGE

Constatntine wasn't brought up as a Christian, but he gradually converted to Chrisianity because of events in his life. In 312, He had a vision of the cross before the Battle of Milvian Bridge."While Constantine was praying about noon, a remarkable sign appeared in the heavens above the sun, the trophy of a cross with a message "By this conquer" The empereor's entire army witnessed the sight and shared in his amazement" (Nicholson, p.310) Constantine believed that his vision was from God and it helped have a victory over Maxentius.

THE EDICT OF MILAN 313 A.D.​ Christianity was not the "official" religion in Rome. Rome seemed be a society of pagans. Christians were persecuted just for being Christians. In 313 Constantine along wiith Licinius made Christianity legal in Rome, with the Edict of Milan. "Therefore your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now anyone of these who wishes to observe the Christian Religion may do so freely and openly without molestation."( Fordham University) The Edict of Milan aslo required that any property taken from the Christian Church was to be returned to them.

THE COUNCIL OF NICEA The Council of Nicea was to settlefirst version of the now famous creed proclaiming that the Son was "one in being with the Father" by use of the word God. July 25,325 Constantine called for the Council of Nicea and 200 -300 Christian Bishops attended the council. Some topics that the council discussed were the issue of Easter what day it should be celebrated on and the Arian controversy. "The problem began in Alexandria, it started as a debate between the bishop Alexander and the presbyter (pastor, or priest) Arius. Arius proposed that if the Father begat the Son, the latter must have had a beginning, that there was a time whttp://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/sbrandt/nicea.htmhen he was not, and that his substance was from nothing like the rest of creation. The Council of Nicea, gathering similar to the one described in [|Acts 15:4-22], condemned the beliefs of Arius and wrote the reek word "homoousius" (Columbia University)

The Nicene Creed was a result of the Council of Nicea. The Nicene Creed is used by Chrisitians to confess their faith. The Nicene Creed is still used today: "We believe in one only God, Father Almighty, Creator of things visible and invisible; and in the Lord Jesus Christ, for he is the Word of God, God of God, Light of Light, life of life, his only Son, the first- born of all creatures, begotten of the Father before all time, by whom also everything was created, who became flesh for our redemption, who lived and suffered amongst men, rose again the third day, returned to the Father, and will come again one day in his glory to judge the quick and the dead. We believe also in the Holy Ghost We believe that each of these three is and subsists; the Father truly as Father, the Son truly as Son, the Holy Ghost truly as Holy Ghost; as our Lord also said, when he sent his disciples to preach: Go and teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."(Fordham University)

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