Constantine

 

§         Civil War-next 18 yrs.-Milvian Bridge: Summer, 312--decisive battle; Constantine's vision

§         313: Edict of Milan: religious toleration--ends persecution of Christians

§         324: Constantine controlled complete Roman Empire; began construction of Constantinople (capital from 330)

§         337: Constantine was baptized only on his deathbed

 

Arius (250-336) & The Trinity

 

§         318: Arius offers explanation of Trinity at council in Alexandria: the Son is a created being

§         Council of Nicea (325): 1st Ecumenical Council--addressed Arius & the Trinity

§         Decides that Father and Son are both the same being: God; Arianism persists

 

The Council of Chalcedon (451)

 

§         Eutyches: Christ's divine nature absorbed his human nature

§         doctrine of one divine nature in Christ="Monophysitism"

§         Chalcedonian Definition: "two natures joined in one hypostasis (entity/person)"

§         Disagreement persists—divides empire—leads to disloyalty

 

Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

 

§         Life: Confessions; Manicheanism

§         Milan & Ambrose; converts to Christianity in 386

§         Controversy with Pelagius: Free will and Original Sin (410-430)

 

Barbarians & the Western Roman Empire

 

§         Theodosius I redivides empire, East & West (395): different fates

§         476: Fall of Rome; 1453: Fall of Roman/Byzantine Empire

§         The Goths: pushed into Roman Empire by Huns: 370s; allowed to settle in Roman Empire; revolt

§         Battle of Adrianople (378): Goths defeat Romans; 410 Goths sack Rome; settle in Italy, Spain

§         Theodoric (493-526)—Gothic leader

§         The Vandals: 407 crossed the Rhine; 429 N. Africa; 431 Carthage; 455 sacked Rome; ruled N. Africa until 533

§         476: last Western Roman emperor deposed; “replaced” by Barbarian kingdoms; Barbarian rulers were Arians

§         Gaul/France: Burgundians (South/Arians) & Franks (North/Pagans); Meroveus/ Merovingians

§         Clovis: conversion 496; orthodox, not Arian

§         Boethius (480-525/6)— Consolation of Philosophy

 

The Rise of the Papacy

 

§         Bishop Stephen I—255

§         382—Pope Damasus

§         Leo the Great (440-61); convinced Atilla the Hun not to sack Rome (452); Vandals not to burn city (455)

§         Byzantine reconquest of Italy; appearance of Lombards (568); Pelagius II pays not to sack Rome (579)

§         Gregory the Great (540-604; Pope from 590): negotiated peace with Lombards; secured food supply; rebuilt Rome

§         Extended authority: converted Spain; mission to convert England; theologian & reformer; Gregorian chants; Purgatory

§         Donation of Constantine (mid-700s); supposedly from Constantine to Pope Sylvester in 326

 

Christian Monasticism and Asceticism

 

§         Antony (ca. 250-356): becomes the "first monk" in 269

§         Anchoritic vs. Cenobitic monasticism: Pachomius (ca. 286-346); monastic "rules"

§         Benedict of Nursia (480-550): beginings of Western monasticism: Monte Cassino