Constantine & Church-State

Lake Como, Italy (Not my photo)

Constantine: Michael Phillips 1990, Grace Baptist Church, Fremont, California

Constantine (circa 274-288 A.D. to 337 A.D.)

Another fine lecture from Mr. Phillips. In the audio lecture he calls Constantine 'a Judas' and Mr. Phillips demonstrates the historical error on various levels, of a church-state union.

Loyalty to a church-state, religious, political union takes legal priority over following one's own conscience, including one that has a primary commitment to the New Testament, Kingdom of God (John 18, 18:36). The speaker is critical of both the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant movements, historically for supporting church-state unions.

As noted in previous entries:

In the era, church-state connections meant the politicization of the church in many contexts starting with favour for the church from Constantine (ca. 274-337) and eventually the development of the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Greek Orthodox Church in the East, and the Schism of 1054. Cairns (1981: 205).

Politicization of the church may have protected it from persecution but there was the danger of State influence in church matters with a church-state union and this often effects the integrity of the Biblical and New Testament message and theology.

Cairns states between 313 and 590 the Old Catholic church became the Roman Catholic Church in which the bishop of Rome won primacy over other bishops. Cairns (1981: 157). At the same time church ritual also became more elaborate. Cairns (1981: 157).

I do not trust politicians and bureaucrats, or religious leaders, within a sinful, fallen realm, to accurately and reasonably administer theonomy (Biblical and/or religious law) within theocracy. (Religion-State rule). Jesus Christ stated his Kingdom was not of this world (John 18), and I support theocracy when ruled by the perfect and holy God.

CAIRNS, EARLE E. (1981) Christianity Through The Centuries, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House.