Question on Constantine and Catholicism

[jam070406]

i thought i read somewhere (i could be wrong) that Constantine died an Arian.

 

[Janet_S]

i thought i read somewhere (i could be wrong) that Constantine died an Arian.

I heard Rod Bennett (author of Four Witnesses) say that too.

 

[jam070406]

I heard Rod Bennett (author of Four Witnesses) say that too.

Hey! i was just asking about Four Witnesses at a Catholic book store but they didn’t have it. have you read it Janet? (sorry, alittle off topic)

 

[rwoehmke]

One of my pet peeves about history books in general is that they just state things as facts with no citations, footnotes, or any kind of reference as to where the statement came from. They are more like reading a novel. Even a freshman research paper has to have citations, but not a history textbook. End of rant.

If anyone wants history with foot notes, try the five volume History of Christendom by Warren Carroll. A sixth covering recent times volume is yet to come. each volume runs under 20 bucks at Amazon. Each Chapter in these books is followed by a least two and sometimes five pages of footnotes and comments. I am just starting Volume Two-The Growth of Christianity but I have scanned all five.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

i thought i read somewhere (i could be wrong) that Constantine died an Arian.

Not exactly - what happened, was that he was baptised on his death-bed by Eusebius of Nicomedia (who should not be confused with Eusebius of Caesarea, who wrote an extremely flattering Life of Constantine, as well as the Church History, & other apologetic works), who was strongly philo-Arian. (If that looks confusing, it’s nothing to the number of Johns in the Roman Martyrology - there are sixty-four of them ​

 

[patrick457]

Not exactly - what happened, was that he was baptised on his death-bed by Eusebius of Nicomedia (who should not be confused with Eusebius of Caesarea, who wrote an extremely flattering Life of Constantine, as well as the Church History, & other apologetic works), who was strongly philo-Arian. (If that looks confusing, it’s nothing to the number of Johns in the Roman Martyrology - there are sixty-four of them ​

Eusebius of Nicomedia was also a pupil of Lucian of Antioch like Arius so it’s possible he had the same views as Arius from the beginning. He afterward modified his ideas somewhat, or perhaps he only yielded to the pressure of circumstances; but he was, if not the teacher, at all events the leader and organizer, of the Arian party.

He was originally Bishop of Berytus (Beirut) in Phoenicia, then of Nicomedia (Where the Imperial Court is), then finally of Constantinople from 338 up to his death in 341.

He had the confidence of Constantine (who was responsible for moving him from an insignificant diocese to the most important episcopal see; also the source of the great power Eusebius wielded in the Church) and his son Constantius II, despite of a short period of eclipse when he defended Arius.

He signed the Confession of the Council but only after a long opposition. The Emperor was angered by his defense of Arius and had him exiled.

After three years, he succeeded in regaining the Emperor’s favor and returned in 329. He then brought the whole machinery of the state government into action in order to impose his views upon the Church.

He died in 341, replaced by Paul the 1st of Constantinople
(Paul was a presbyter and the secretary of the former Bishop Alexander of Constantinople.
After Alexander’s death, the Orthodox and Arian party fought for the Bishop’s see.
The orthodox party prevailed; Paul was elected and consecrated by bishops who happened to be at Constantinople in the Church of Peace, close to what was afterwards the Hagia Sophia.

Constantius II, who was away then, heard of this events and became angry that he hadn’t been consulted. He summoned a synod of Arian bishops who declared Paul to be unfit for the bishopric and banished him, setting Eusebius in his place. After Eusebius’ death he was again proclaimed by the people as the bishop.)

 

[patrick457]

Thanks, Patrick457, for the information on Julian I. Do you think Dan Brown (DaVinci Code) used his writings as a resource?

Dan Brown mostly reused the same old heresies in his book, even if he thinks his ‘findings’ are a new discovery, Many (like Julian here) have also used the old tirades against the Church.
“There is nothing new under the Sun.”

 

[Janet_S]

Hey! i was just asking about Four Witnesses at a Catholic book store but they didn’t have it. have you read it Janet? (sorry, alittle off topic)

No, I haven’t read it yet. I saw Rod Bennett interviewed on EWTN’s The Journey Home and also heard his talk (Four Witnesses Brought Me Home) at the CHNetwork Conference in 2004. You can get his talk through wwwchnetwork.org.

You might try getting the book Four Witnesses at your local library. I know my library has it.

 

[NotWorthy]

Hey! i was just asking about Four Witnesses at a Catholic book store but they didn’t have it. have you read it Janet? (sorry, alittle off topic)

WONDERFUL Book!!!

Get it as soon as possible and enjoy! It details the lives and deaths of Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Ireneaus, and Polycarp (I believe that’s the four guys).