This webpage will deal with the network between the Roman emperor Constantine the Great and the bishops. Constantine the Great played a major role in the development of the Christian Church in the 4th century. During his reign Constantine organized the very important Council of Nicaea and ordered bishops to build churches in several cities, but how was the network between him and the bishops organized?
Introduction
In the first century AD, a new religion was found in Israel: Christianity. The religion originally started as a small Jewish sect which quickly gained a lot of popularity and interest turning it into a great religion with believers of mostly non-Jewish descent. With more than two billion followers, Christianity is currently the largest religion in the world. Christianity originated at the time of the rule of the Roman Empire and has suffered much from the Christian prosecution by Roman emperors such as Nero. In 313, the end of the suppression was marked with the Roman emperor Constantine the Great signing the Edict of Milan, which proclaimed religious toleration in the whole Roman Empire
The Roman emperor Constantine the Great was very important for the growth of the Christian Church in the Roman Empire. Constantine came to power after a period of bloody wars between him and his rival Licinius. During his reign, Constantine organized the Council of Nicaea to unify the Church, this Council had major effects on the position of bishops in the Church. Also Constantine ordered some bishops to build several churches in the Roman Empire, like the great Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and several churches in Constantinople. How was the network between him and the bishops organized? In this article, I will discuss this by answering the following research question: "In what way can the episcopal network be constructed by Emperor Constantine's church building program and what does this say about the post-Nicaean position of bishops?" I will be answering this question by implementing the network theory.
Network theory
A social network analysis is a method to analyze networks. A network consists of nodes and ties. Nodes are actors like people and a tie is connecting two nodes with each other. In ties there is a distinguishing between the so-called "strong ties" and "weak ties". Strong ties are strong relationships between actors (nodes), as found in good friends and family. Weak ties are weak relationships, relationships you may have with acquaintances. Yet, weak ties can be of vital importance in a network. Weak ties ensure that information is transferred to the closer relationships of individuals. In addition to strong and weak ties, there may also be a so-called broker, who is an actor that allows communication between two networks. A broker is crucial in a network because without the broker communication between two networks becomes difficult or impossible. How was the network between Constantine the Great and the bishops constructed?
Introduction
In the first century AD, a new religion was found in Israel: Christianity. The religion originally started as a small Jewish sect which quickly gained a lot of popularity and interest turning it into a great religion with believers of mostly non-Jewish descent. With more than two billion followers, Christianity is currently the largest religion in the world. Christianity originated at the time of the rule of the Roman Empire and has suffered much from the Christian prosecution by Roman emperors such as Nero. In 313, the end of the suppression was marked with the Roman emperor Constantine the Great signing the Edict of Milan, which proclaimed religious toleration in the whole Roman Empire
The Roman emperor Constantine the Great was very important for the growth of the Christian Church in the Roman Empire. Constantine came to power after a period of bloody wars between him and his rival Licinius. During his reign, Constantine organized the Council of Nicaea to unify the Church, this Council had major effects on the position of bishops in the Church. Also Constantine ordered some bishops to build several churches in the Roman Empire, like the great Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and several churches in Constantinople. How was the network between him and the bishops organized? In this article, I will discuss this by answering the following research question: "In what way can the episcopal network be constructed by Emperor Constantine's church building program and what does this say about the post-Nicaean position of bishops?" I will be answering this question by implementing the network theory.
Network theory
A social network analysis is a method to analyze networks. A network consists of nodes and ties. Nodes are actors like people and a tie is connecting two nodes with each other. In ties there is a distinguishing between the so-called "strong ties" and "weak ties". Strong ties are strong relationships between actors (nodes), as found in good friends and family. Weak ties are weak relationships, relationships you may have with acquaintances. Yet, weak ties can be of vital importance in a network. Weak ties ensure that information is transferred to the closer relationships of individuals. In addition to strong and weak ties, there may also be a so-called broker, who is an actor that allows communication between two networks. A broker is crucial in a network because without the broker communication between two networks becomes difficult or impossible. How was the network between Constantine the Great and the bishops constructed?
Life of Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea
A very influential primary source describing the relation between Constantine and the bishops is the work Vita Constantini (In English called Life of Constantine) from the fourth century by the bishop and historian Eusebius of Caesarea. The Life of Constantine is divided in four books that focus on the reign of Constantine the Great. It is the most important source for historians and theologians with regard to the reign of Constantine the Great. Eusebius is one of the authors who wrote about the Council of Nicaea, which he also attended making him an eye witness of the Council.
The Council of Nicaea: before and after
In 325 AD Constantine the Great and his advisor Ossius of Cordoba (kind of minister for religious duties) organized the Council of Nicaea, because there was a discussion in the Christian Church, especially in the Church of Alexandria, about the nature of God. Constantine wanted unity in the Church, because disunity led to unrest in the Roman Empire and Constantine wanted to avoid that at all cost, because that already happened in the past with the bloody wars between him and Licinius. In the Church of Alexandria there was a bishop called Arius, who stated that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost were a creature of God the Father. His opponent Alexander of Alexandria stated that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one substance, but three persons. To make an end to this discussion Constantine organized the Council of Nicaea and invited all the bishops to it. Eusebius stated
there were over 250 bishops that were at the Council of Nicaea from whole of the Roman Empire, but the bishops of the eastern part were in the majority like key figures as: Eusebius of Nicomedia, Eusebius of Caesarea, Alexander of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch, Arius, Theognis of Nicaea, Macarius of Jerusalem, Marcellus of Ancyra. The cities are placed in the map on the left.
A very influential primary source describing the relation between Constantine and the bishops is the work Vita Constantini (In English called Life of Constantine) from the fourth century by the bishop and historian Eusebius of Caesarea. The Life of Constantine is divided in four books that focus on the reign of Constantine the Great. It is the most important source for historians and theologians with regard to the reign of Constantine the Great. Eusebius is one of the authors who wrote about the Council of Nicaea, which he also attended making him an eye witness of the Council.
The Council of Nicaea: before and after
In 325 AD Constantine the Great and his advisor Ossius of Cordoba (kind of minister for religious duties) organized the Council of Nicaea, because there was a discussion in the Christian Church, especially in the Church of Alexandria, about the nature of God. Constantine wanted unity in the Church, because disunity led to unrest in the Roman Empire and Constantine wanted to avoid that at all cost, because that already happened in the past with the bloody wars between him and Licinius. In the Church of Alexandria there was a bishop called Arius, who stated that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost were a creature of God the Father. His opponent Alexander of Alexandria stated that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are one substance, but three persons. To make an end to this discussion Constantine organized the Council of Nicaea and invited all the bishops to it. Eusebius stated
there were over 250 bishops that were at the Council of Nicaea from whole of the Roman Empire, but the bishops of the eastern part were in the majority like key figures as: Eusebius of Nicomedia, Eusebius of Caesarea, Alexander of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch, Arius, Theognis of Nicaea, Macarius of Jerusalem, Marcellus of Ancyra. The cities are placed in the map on the left.
For the first time in history there was a meeting were almost every bishop of the Christian Church was attending. Constantine’s main goal was to unify the Church and for the first time in his life he also met bishops like Eusebius of Caesarea and Macarius of Jersusalem. Before the Council his advisor Ossius of Cordoba had direct contact with the other bishops. He was a broker between the networks of the emperor and the bishops.
After some discussion in the Council, the majority of the bishops stated that the only true doctrine was that of the Trinity. The Council condemned Arius and his followers. The Council of Nicaea marked a new beginning in the development of the Christian Church in the Roman Empire. At the Council, also was stated that the churches like the Church of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem had the right of veto in provincial meetings between the local churches. Constantine the Great saw himself after the Council as the restorer and unifier of the Church and had the idea that he was appointed with this mission by God. Constantine ordered bishops by imperial letters (like a letter to the bishop of Jerusalem: Macarius and the bishop in Antioch), according to Eusebius, to build churches in their cities. These churches were not only a religious building, but had also a political and juridical function. The churches that Constantine built were basilica, that is a type of (church) architecture and was typical for the Roman State. With this type of church building Constantine showed the world that Christianity was in favor by the imperial power and he gave bishops extra favors like lower taxes as well as grain rations to the churches in the cities to be distributed to the people. The built churches officially became 'property' of the Roman State. Constantine were building this type of churches with imperial money and most of this churches replaced pagan cults, like the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was built on the pagan cult of Aphrodite and symbolize the victory of Christianity over Paganism. Constantine did not suppress the pagans, because this would be led to public unrest and maybe rebellion.
After some discussion in the Council, the majority of the bishops stated that the only true doctrine was that of the Trinity. The Council condemned Arius and his followers. The Council of Nicaea marked a new beginning in the development of the Christian Church in the Roman Empire. At the Council, also was stated that the churches like the Church of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem had the right of veto in provincial meetings between the local churches. Constantine the Great saw himself after the Council as the restorer and unifier of the Church and had the idea that he was appointed with this mission by God. Constantine ordered bishops by imperial letters (like a letter to the bishop of Jerusalem: Macarius and the bishop in Antioch), according to Eusebius, to build churches in their cities. These churches were not only a religious building, but had also a political and juridical function. The churches that Constantine built were basilica, that is a type of (church) architecture and was typical for the Roman State. With this type of church building Constantine showed the world that Christianity was in favor by the imperial power and he gave bishops extra favors like lower taxes as well as grain rations to the churches in the cities to be distributed to the people. The built churches officially became 'property' of the Roman State. Constantine were building this type of churches with imperial money and most of this churches replaced pagan cults, like the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was built on the pagan cult of Aphrodite and symbolize the victory of Christianity over Paganism. Constantine did not suppress the pagans, because this would be led to public unrest and maybe rebellion.
According to Eusebius, Constantine built churches in the following cities/places in the east (map on the right):
Conclusion
I can conclude that the Council of Nicaea made a huge change in the position of bishops in the Roman Empire and their relationship with the Roman emperor. Before the Council of Nicaea, the advisor of the emperor was the main person that had contact with the bishops, but this changed after the Council. After the Council bishops in the east had directly contact with Constantine and he made the Church part of the Roman State with his building program and privileges for the Church. Constantine saw the Christian Church as a tool to unify the Roman Empire after all the blood shed that occurred in the Roman Empire between him and Licinius.
By: J.J.J.
References:
Title picture: "Byzantine icon of the Council of Nicaea", http://marginalia.lareviewofbooks.org/gods-recovery-by-gregory-w-lee/
Figure 1: Bishops from the east attending to the Council of Nicaea (map generated with Stanford's Palladio)
Figure 2: "Holy Trinity", http://sites.nd.edu/oblation/2014/12/03/the-trinity-and-liturgical-action/
Figure 3: Figure 3: Churches built by Constantine according to Life of Constantine (map generated with Stanford's Palladio)
- Nicomedia (capital where Constantine resided till 330)
- Bethlehem (belongs to the bishop of Jerusalem)
- Jerusalem
- Mamre (belongs to bishop of Jerusalem)
- Constantinople
- Antioch
Conclusion
I can conclude that the Council of Nicaea made a huge change in the position of bishops in the Roman Empire and their relationship with the Roman emperor. Before the Council of Nicaea, the advisor of the emperor was the main person that had contact with the bishops, but this changed after the Council. After the Council bishops in the east had directly contact with Constantine and he made the Church part of the Roman State with his building program and privileges for the Church. Constantine saw the Christian Church as a tool to unify the Roman Empire after all the blood shed that occurred in the Roman Empire between him and Licinius.
By: J.J.J.
References:
- Armstrong, Gregory T. "Constantine's Churches.” Gesta 6, (January 1967): 1-9.
- Armstrong, Gregory T. “Imperial Church Building and Church-State Relations, A.D. 313–363.” Church History 36, No. 1 (March 1967): 3-17.
- Barnes, Timothy. Constantine and Eusebius. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981.
- Cameron, Averil, en Stuart G. Hall, trans. Eusebius’ Life of Constantine. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999.
- Drake, H.A. Constantine and the bishops: the politics of intolerance. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000.
- Geanakoplos, Deno John. “Church Building and 'Caesaropapism,' A.D. 312-565.” Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 7, (1966): 167-186.
- Kadushin, Charles. Understanding social networks: theories, concepts, and findings. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
- Katz, Nancy., David Lazer, Holly Arrow, en Noshir Contractor “Network Theory and Small Groups.” Small Group Research 35, no. 3 (2004): 307-332.
- Kilden, Jeanne Halgren. Sacred Power, Sacred Space: an Introduction to Christian Architecture and worship. New York Oxford University Press, 2008.
- Lenski, Noel Emmanuel. Constantine and the Cities: Imperial Authority and Civic Politics. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016.
Title picture: "Byzantine icon of the Council of Nicaea", http://marginalia.lareviewofbooks.org/gods-recovery-by-gregory-w-lee/
Figure 1: Bishops from the east attending to the Council of Nicaea (map generated with Stanford's Palladio)
Figure 2: "Holy Trinity", http://sites.nd.edu/oblation/2014/12/03/the-trinity-and-liturgical-action/
Figure 3: Figure 3: Churches built by Constantine according to Life of Constantine (map generated with Stanford's Palladio)