July 12, 2025 • 13 mins
What happens when the church gains political power? In this episode, we explore how Constantine's conversion changed Christianity—from underground movement to imperial religion. We trace the benefits, the compromises, and the lasting impact on church authority, worship, and unity. The seeds of today’s divisions were planted here.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(Music)
Welcome to the Ready for Eternity
podcast, a podcast and blog dedicated to
inquisitive Bible students exploring
biblical truths that might not be fully
explored in typical
sermons or Bible studies.
(00:20):
My name is Eddie Lawrence.
In just a few years, Christianity went
from persecuted and hidden
to powerful and preferred.
In this episode, we trace how
Constantine's rise reshaped the church.
(Music) Picture this.
(00:43):
You're a Christian in the year 310 A.D.
You meet with fellow believers in secret.
You hide your faith from your neighbors.
Roman soldiers could arrest
you for believing in Jesus.
Just a few years later, Emperor
Constantine legalized Christianity in the
(01:04):
Roman Empire, and within a few
generations, Christianity went from
outlawed to embraced,
then elevated to the
Empire's official religion.
What happened and how did this dramatic
shift plant seeds that eventually grew
into today's denominations?
(01:28):
In 313 A.D., Emperor
Constantine issued the Edict of Milan.
This law made Christianity legal
throughout the Roman Empire.
No more hiding, no more persecution.
Christians could serve God openly.
Constantine claimed he had a vision
before a crucial battle.
(01:50):
He saw a cross in the sky with the words,
"In this sign conquer."
Whether you believe his conversion was
genuine or political, his decision
transformed Christianity forever.
By 380 A.D., Christianity wasn't just
legal, it was mandatory.
(02:11):
Emperor Theodosius made it
the Empire's official religion.
Pagan temples closed.
Christian churches received tax
exemptions, and Sunday
became a legal day of rest.
If that sounds familiar, it's because
many policies from this era
still shape our world today.
(02:32):
Going from persecuted to preferred
brought obvious advantages.
Christians could meet openly.
They gained social respect.
And Emperors encouraged donations to
Christian institutions.
But all this came with a price.
Gonzales observes that Christian worship
(02:52):
began mirroring imperial ceremony.
After Constantine's conversion, Christian
worship began to be
influenced by imperial protocol.
Incense, which was used as a sign of
respect for the Emperor, began appearing
in Christian churches.
Officiating ministers, who until then had
worn everyday clothes, began dressing in
(03:14):
more luxurious garments, and soon were
called "priests" in imitation of their
pagan counterparts, while the communion
table became an altar, in opposition to
the instructions found
earlier in the Didache.
Likewise, a number of gestures indicating
respect, which were normally made before
the Emperor, now became
(03:35):
part of Christian worship.
An interesting example of this had to do
with prayer on Sundays.
At an earlier time, the practice was not
to kneel for prayer on Sundays, for that
is the day of our adoption, when we
approach the throne of the Most High as
children and heirs to the Great King.
Now, after Constantine, one always knelt
(03:56):
for prayer, as petitioners
usually knelt before the Emperor.
The custom was also introduced of
beginning services with a processional.
Choirs were developed, partly in order to
give body to that procession.
Eventually, the congregation came to have
a less active role in worship.
These shifts in practice reflected a
(04:18):
deeper shift in the
Church's posture toward power.
As imperial customs shaped liturgy,
imperial interests
began shaping theology.
The Church gained influence, but at the
cost of independence.
Constantine soon faced a problem.
(04:39):
Christians were
arguing about Jesus's nature.
A priest named Arius taught that God the
Father created Jesus, making
Jesus less than fully divine.
This controversy was splitting churches
and it was threatening imperial unity.
What was Constantine's solution?
(05:00):
Call a council.
In 325 AD, bishops gathered
in Nicaea to settle the debate.
They rejected Arius's teaching and
affirmed that Jesus is fully divine,
begotten, not created, and of the same
substance as the Father.
They wrote this belief
(05:21):
into the Nicene Creed.
But here's the key question.
Was this council motivated by spiritual
truth or political stability?
Probably a little of both.
Emperors cared about religious unity
because it meant imperial unity.
(05:42):
Divided churches meant divided empires.
The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD
followed the same pattern.
Christians then were arguing about
whether Jesus was truly human or only appeared human.
The Council declared Jesus was fully God
and fully human simultaneously.
(06:05):
These councils established crucial
biblical truths, but they also
established a precedent.
When Christians
disagree, convene a council.
Let authorities decide doctrine and write a document about it.
Then make everyone conform.
Those who the church deemed heretics were
(06:28):
now enemies of the state.
But here's what
emperors couldn't legislate.
Genuine faith.
When Christianity became the empire's official religion, conversion became politically smart.
Want a government job?
Become a Christian.
(06:50):
Seeking social advancement?
Get baptized.
Looking for business connections?
Join a church.
Suddenly churches were filled with people
who had never
experienced true conversion.
They adopted Christian terminology, but
not Christian transformation.
They were not allowed to be a Christian. Not Christian transformation.
(07:10):
They followed Christian
rituals, but not the Christian life.
This created a massive problem that still
affects the church today.
How do you distinguish between genuine
believers and cultural Christians?
How do you maintain spiritual standards
when membership brings social benefits?
(07:32):
The early church had been small,
committed, and costly to join.
It could potentially cost you your life.
Now it was large,
popular, and profitable to join.
Persecution had kept
the uncommitted away,
but preference brought them flooding in.
(07:55):
Meanwhile, the Roman
Empire was crumbling.
The barbarian tribes
invaded from the north.
The Western Empire collapsed in 476 AD,
and the last Roman emperor fell.
This created a massive power vacuum.
Who would lead?
Who would maintain order?
(08:16):
Who would preserve civilization?
In Rome, the bishop stepped forward.
He already led the city's churches.
Now he began leading its politics too.
As the empire faded, the papacy grew.
The word Pope simply means "father."
(08:38):
Originally, people used it
for any respected bishop.
Gradually, it became the
exclusive title of Rome's bishop.
By the end of this period, the pope
claimed authority over all the churches
in the former Western Empire.
But concentrated power creates
(09:00):
concentrated problems.
When one person claims to speak for God,
what happens when he's wrong?
When human authority replaces biblical
authority, how do you correct course?
When political power mixes with spiritual
authority, which takes precedence?
(09:23):
These developments, the
legalization of the church,
councils, papal authority, they solved
immediate problems but created long-term
and lasting tensions.
They established patterns that still
influence Christianity today.
For example, the
relationship between church and state.
(09:45):
Should government support churches?
Should churches influence politics?
Christians still debate these questions
because Constantine's
decisions made them unavoidable.
Or what about the role of authority?
Who decides what Christians must believe?
Is it individual conscience?
(10:08):
Church councils?
The authority structures created in this
era still shape these discussions.
And what about the
balance between unity and truth?
Constantine wanted Christian unity to
support imperial stability.
But what happens when unity
requires compromising truth?
(10:31):
Or when defending truth
requires breaking unity?
These weren't just ancient problems,
they're our problems too.
Every church faces the
tension between truth and unity.
The early church's response to imperial
favor reveals both wisdom and weakness.
(10:52):
They defended essential doctrines about
Jesus's nature, but they also began
substituting human
authority for biblical authority.
This opened the door for creeds and
council decisions to assert dominance.
Over time, these began to function with
authority that rivaled scripture.
(11:15):
Theological disagreement
became political rebellion.
State power became a tool for enforcing
religious conformity.
These developments didn't create
denominations immediately.
That process took centuries more.
But they planted seeds that eventually
(11:36):
grew into the diverse
Christian landscape we see today.
Understanding this history helps us
navigate similar challenges.
When power and politics enter our
churches, how do we respond?
When unity and truth seem to
conflict, which do we choose?
(11:58):
When human authorities claim divine
authority, how do we test their claims?
The apostle John wrote, "Test the spirits
to see whether they are from God."
1 John 4, verse 1.
This advice became essential when
Christianity moved from the
(12:19):
catacombs to the cathedral.
It remains essential today.
Thanks for listening to the podcast.
We hope this episode has deepened your
understanding of scripture.
If you found this content valuable,
please share it with your friends.
For more biblical studies, visit our
(12:40):
website at readyforeternity.com.
That's the word "ready," the number four,
and the word "eternity."
Readyforeternity.com.
Be sure and leave a comment on the Ready
for Eternity Facebook
page or reach out on Twitter.
That's all for now.
Keep studying your Bible, growing closer
to God, and getting ready for eternity.
(13:04):
See you next time.
(Music)
Welcome to the Ready for Eternity
podcast, a podcast and blog dedicated to
inquisitive Bible students exploring
biblical truths that might not be fully
explored in typical
sermons or Bible studies.
(00:20):
My name is Eddie Lawrence.
In just a few years, Christianity went
from persecuted and hidden
to powerful and preferred.
In this episode, we trace how
Constantine's rise reshaped the church.
(Music) Picture this.
(00:43):
You're a Christian in the year 310 A.D.
You meet with fellow believers in secret.
You hide your faith from your neighbors.
Roman soldiers could arrest
you for believing in Jesus.
Just a few years later, Emperor
Constantine legalized Christianity in the
(01:04):
Roman Empire, and within a few
generations, Christianity went from
outlawed to embraced,
then elevated to the
Empire's official religion.
What happened and how did this dramatic
shift plant seeds that eventually grew
into today's denominations?
(01:28):
In 313 A.D., Emperor
Constantine issued the Edict of Milan.
This law made Christianity legal
throughout the Roman Empire.
No more hiding, no more persecution.
Christians could serve God openly.
Constantine claimed he had a vision
before a crucial battle.
(01:50):
He saw a cross in the sky with the words,
"In this sign conquer."
Whether you believe his conversion was
genuine or political, his decision
transformed Christianity forever.
By 380 A.D., Christianity wasn't just
legal, it was mandatory.
(02:11):
Emperor Theodosius made it
the Empire's official religion.
Pagan temples closed.
Christian churches received tax
exemptions, and Sunday
became a legal day of rest.
If that sounds familiar, it's because
many policies from this era
still shape our world today.
(02:32):
Going from persecuted to preferred
brought obvious advantages.
Christians could meet openly.
They gained social respect.
And Emperors encouraged donations to
Christian institutions.
But all this came with a price.
Gonzales observes that Christian worship
(02:52):
began mirroring imperial ceremony.
After Constantine's conversion, Christian
worship began to be
influenced by imperial protocol.
Incense, which was used as a sign of
respect for the Emperor, began appearing
in Christian churches.
Officiating ministers, who until then had
worn everyday clothes, began dressing in
(03:14):
more luxurious garments, and soon were
called "priests" in imitation of their
pagan counterparts, while the communion
table became an altar, in opposition to
the instructions found
earlier in the Didache.
Likewise, a number of gestures indicating
respect, which were normally made before
the Emperor, now became
(03:35):
part of Christian worship.
An interesting example of this had to do
with prayer on Sundays.
At an earlier time, the practice was not
to kneel for prayer on Sundays, for that
is the day of our adoption, when we
approach the throne of the Most High as
children and heirs to the Great King.
Now, after Constantine, one always knelt
(03:56):
for prayer, as petitioners
usually knelt before the Emperor.
The custom was also introduced of
beginning services with a processional.
Choirs were developed, partly in order to
give body to that procession.
Eventually, the congregation came to have
a less active role in worship.
These shifts in practice reflected a
(04:18):
deeper shift in the
Church's posture toward power.
As imperial customs shaped liturgy,
imperial interests
began shaping theology.
The Church gained influence, but at the
cost of independence.
Constantine soon faced a problem.
(04:39):
Christians were
arguing about Jesus's nature.
A priest named Arius taught that God the
Father created Jesus, making
Jesus less than fully divine.
This controversy was splitting churches
and it was threatening imperial unity.
What was Constantine's solution?
(05:00):
Call a council.
In 325 AD, bishops gathered
in Nicaea to settle the debate.
They rejected Arius's teaching and
affirmed that Jesus is fully divine,
begotten, not created, and of the same
substance as the Father.
They wrote this belief
(05:21):
into the Nicene Creed.
But here's the key question.
Was this council motivated by spiritual
truth or political stability?
Probably a little of both.
Emperors cared about religious unity
because it meant imperial unity.
(05:42):
Divided churches meant divided empires.
The Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD
followed the same pattern.
Christians then were arguing about
whether Jesus was truly human or only appeared human.
The Council declared Jesus was fully God
and fully human simultaneously.
(06:05):
These councils established crucial
biblical truths, but they also
established a precedent.
When Christians
disagree, convene a council.
Let authorities decide doctrine and write a document about it.
Then make everyone conform.
Those who the church deemed heretics were
(06:28):
now enemies of the state.
But here's what
emperors couldn't legislate.
Genuine faith.
When Christianity became the empire's official religion, conversion became politically smart.
Want a government job?
Become a Christian.
(06:50):
Seeking social advancement?
Get baptized.
Looking for business connections?
Join a church.
Suddenly churches were filled with people
who had never
experienced true conversion.
They adopted Christian terminology, but
not Christian transformation.
They were not allowed to be a Christian. Not Christian transformation.
(07:10):
They followed Christian
rituals, but not the Christian life.
This created a massive problem that still
affects the church today.
How do you distinguish between genuine
believers and cultural Christians?
How do you maintain spiritual standards
when membership brings social benefits?
(07:32):
The early church had been small,
committed, and costly to join.
It could potentially cost you your life.
Now it was large,
popular, and profitable to join.
Persecution had kept
the uncommitted away,
but preference brought them flooding in.
(07:55):
Meanwhile, the Roman
Empire was crumbling.
The barbarian tribes
invaded from the north.
The Western Empire collapsed in 476 AD,
and the last Roman emperor fell.
This created a massive power vacuum.
Who would lead?
Who would maintain order?
(08:16):
Who would preserve civilization?
In Rome, the bishop stepped forward.
He already led the city's churches.
Now he began leading its politics too.
As the empire faded, the papacy grew.
The word Pope simply means "father."
(08:38):
Originally, people used it
for any respected bishop.
Gradually, it became the
exclusive title of Rome's bishop.
By the end of this period, the pope
claimed authority over all the churches
in the former Western Empire.
But concentrated power creates
(09:00):
concentrated problems.
When one person claims to speak for God,
what happens when he's wrong?
When human authority replaces biblical
authority, how do you correct course?
When political power mixes with spiritual
authority, which takes precedence?
(09:23):
These developments, the
legalization of the church,
councils, papal authority, they solved
immediate problems but created long-term
and lasting tensions.
They established patterns that still
influence Christianity today.
For example, the
relationship between church and state.
(09:45):
Should government support churches?
Should churches influence politics?
Christians still debate these questions
because Constantine's
decisions made them unavoidable.
Or what about the role of authority?
Who decides what Christians must believe?
Is it individual conscience?
(10:08):
Church councils?
The authority structures created in this
era still shape these discussions.
And what about the
balance between unity and truth?
Constantine wanted Christian unity to
support imperial stability.
But what happens when unity
requires compromising truth?
(10:31):
Or when defending truth
requires breaking unity?
These weren't just ancient problems,
they're our problems too.
Every church faces the
tension between truth and unity.
The early church's response to imperial
favor reveals both wisdom and weakness.
(10:52):
They defended essential doctrines about
Jesus's nature, but they also began
substituting human
authority for biblical authority.
This opened the door for creeds and
council decisions to assert dominance.
Over time, these began to function with
authority that rivaled scripture.
(11:15):
Theological disagreement
became political rebellion.
State power became a tool for enforcing
religious conformity.
These developments didn't create
denominations immediately.
That process took centuries more.
But they planted seeds that eventually
(11:36):
grew into the diverse
Christian landscape we see today.
Understanding this history helps us
navigate similar challenges.
When power and politics enter our
churches, how do we respond?
When unity and truth seem to
conflict, which do we choose?
(11:58):
When human authorities claim divine
authority, how do we test their claims?
The apostle John wrote, "Test the spirits
to see whether they are from God."
1 John 4, verse 1.
This advice became essential when
Christianity moved from the
(12:19):
catacombs to the cathedral.
It remains essential today.
Thanks for listening to the podcast.
We hope this episode has deepened your
understanding of scripture.
If you found this content valuable,
please share it with your friends.
For more biblical studies, visit our
(12:40):
website at readyforeternity.com.
That's the word "ready," the number four,
and the word "eternity."
Readyforeternity.com.
Be sure and leave a comment on the Ready
for Eternity Facebook
page or reach out on Twitter.
That's all for now.
Keep studying your Bible, growing closer
to God, and getting ready for eternity.
(13:04):
See you next time.
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