tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post6537633072452283556..comments2024-03-24T17:06:47.135-04:00Comments on Story Bones: HistoryFAILSteve Buchheithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-43384650289826466352009-11-14T16:55:25.763-05:002009-11-14T16:55:25.763-05:00There were plenty of books I had in college that I...<i>There were plenty of books I had in college that I wish I still had (including a piece by Dostoevsky on the second coming of the Christ during the Spanish Inquisition, he's arrested and the Grand Inquisitor lays out much of the Church's medieval conquest strategy and how it differed from his teachings).</i><br /><br />The Brothers Karamazov. Still in print, I believe ;)<br /><br />CassieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-39945722184682306052009-11-14T15:33:42.098-05:002009-11-14T15:33:42.098-05:00Cassie, yes, much of the sources post 10th century...Cassie, yes, much of the sources post 10th century are tainted with a heavy Christian bent (considering Aristotle's influence and adoption by Christians as "one of them" even though he lived 4 centuries before Christ shows this revisionism). This is due mostly to the Church's control over the University and governance (also as the scribes of the times they wrote the histories, Egyptian scribes also did the same thing with pre-dynastic history). <br /><br />And you're correct, Constantine's edicts were mostly about ending the prosecution of the Christians for not worshiping the Emperor (and state gods). He did, however, also charter churches and endowed them (again, it was cheaper than having to provide the social services himself). <br /><br />The Christians had their heavy influence in Rome, even under persecution, as evidenced by their focus of charity work (also, the lesser rates of prosecution in Rome itself can show their influence in that realm). Plus, Rome was the center, so the early church focused their efforts there (influence of the Senate and Proconsuls by directives from Rome). <br /><br />Constantine moved the capitol to Constantinople for two reasons. First, it was closer to center mass of the Empire. And second, to remove the seat of power from the lobbyists of the time (whom he felt had choked the empire and lead to the civil wars that brought him to power, again, another echo of history). <br /><br />I remember reading a paper on the timing of events and a criticism of the view of "Constantine the Great, First Christian Emperor." It showed how the Church was concentrating in Rome to end the persecutions and gain power (through conversions and charity work - I believe the one quote I put up demonstrated they were the only social service to survive in a few cities following the plagues). It pulled in the economics of the empire Constantine found himself in charge of (nearly broke with wars on all it's borders and continuing internal warfare). If I remember it correctly there were also a few letters outlining the strategy between the churches. <br /><br />This was back when the Papal Archives were open to all researchers (before the finding of the "same sex marriage rights" which closed the archives to only the very few). <br /><br />There were plenty of books I had in college that I wish I still had (including a piece by Dostoevsky on the second coming of the Christ during the Spanish Inquisition, he's arrested and the Grand Inquisitor lays out much of the Church's medieval conquest strategy and how it differed from his teachings).Steve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-31603445225048171192009-11-14T13:56:28.838-05:002009-11-14T13:56:28.838-05:00When Constantine moved the capital to Constantinop...<i>When Constantine moved the capital to Constantinople the early church saw it's meager influence about to be eclipsed.</i><br /><br />That's really what I'm curious about. From all accounts I've seen, Christianity was even stronger in the East (Asia Minor) than the West (Rome) at this point. (Evidence: more martyrs in Greece and Asia Minor at the time than in Rome, despite the arenas. I've read and cannot find the source again that said possibly one half of the Roman Empire was Christian by the time Constantine eliminated the public persecution of Christians, but that was that author's justification for Constantine's conversion.) Why do you think that it had meager influence in either location?<br /><br />CassieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-46699758935814884522009-11-14T07:21:05.384-05:002009-11-14T07:21:05.384-05:00I'm not looking for an argument. I've hea...I'm not looking for an argument. I've heard these kinds of comments many times, from both sides, and frankly, I think most of our "credible sources" are less credible than we'd like to think. Very little of what writers post-10th C had access to original sources - that's what I had hoped you'd had.<br /><br />I'm still really curious about the Christian Church threatening Constantine (whom I don't believe legalized, just stopped the persecution of Christianity) with the closure of the social services they provide. That one was new to me.<br /><br />CassieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-53729625085233096362009-11-13T22:12:33.180-05:002009-11-13T22:12:33.180-05:00comment moved to postcomment moved to postSteve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19111384.post-50592381364233692512009-11-13T19:33:01.581-05:002009-11-13T19:33:01.581-05:00Source?
CassieSource?<br /><br />CassieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com