The Roman emperor Constantine (306-337), by supposedly helping Christians, did the most to change their historical direction. He was a pagan when he came into power. Despite determined persecutions, Christians were filling his empire. He had a dream and won a battle that he interpreted as signals to favor Christianity. He and his co-emperor issued the Edict of Milan (313), giving people freedom of religious choice—perhaps a first in history. He gave special benefits to Christians. He placed them in high office, exempted church leaders from taxes, financed church buildings, and encouraged citizens to endorse Christianity. He even moved his capital to Byzantium, renamed Constantinople, to escape Rome’s pagan traditions. (Constantinople is now called Istanbul.)
NICAEA: 1ST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
Constantine, though not yet baptized, took a direct hand in church leadership. For a long time, the church had been troubled by Gnosticism. Following Greek thought, Gnostics believed spirit to be good and flesh to be bad, which contradicted the Gospel’s message that God the Son became flesh (John 1:1, 14, 34; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7; 1 Timothy 6:20). Such philosophies stirred debates among Christians. Arius of Alexandria denied taught doctrines that threatened to divide the church. Concerned about the unity of his empire, Constantine called for and chaired the first “ecumenical council.” It took place at Nicaea near Constantinople in 325. One result was the Creed of Nicaea which aimed to clarify the Son’s relationship with the Father. (That raises the question, “How can humans clarify that which God has already revealed as clearly as He desires?”) Constantine banished Arius, had his books burned, and ordered the death penalty for unrepentant Arians. Such actions set Roman ‘Christianity’ on a course of using force against its enemies, the exact opposite of the example and teaching of Christ (Matthew 5:3-12, 39-45; John 18:36; Romans 12:18-21; 1 Peter 2:23).