Overview

On the eve of his battle against Maxentius at Milvian Bridge in 312, Flavius Valerius Constantinus (ca. 273/74 - 337) reportedly saw a symbol in the sky, which played a role in his conversion to faith in the Christian God and began a new chapter in the relationship between church and state. What happens to the church when the emperor becomes a Christian? Should such a triumph be perceived as God's will and the fulfilment of prophecy? Or, was it the beginning of compromise and worldly captivity for a pilgrim people? Constantine's life - his career, faith, and relationship to the church - raises questions for Christians and for historians of the church which cannot be ignored. The aim of the present work is to reassess our picture of Constantine through careful historical inquiry largely within the scope of the early Christian period. Our approach is threefold: to re-examine the history surrounding Constantine's life, to consider his connection to the development of Christian theology, and to then assess his legacy regarding the church.

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9780227902721

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It will surely be of good use to you all. , Adolf Martin Ritter, Theologische Literaturzeitung , Vol. 141, No. 7/8, July/August 2016 This insightful book contains seven essays by scholars who compare and contrast existing knowledge about Emperor Constantine with their original research findings. Their more authentic portrayal of this emperor treats him as a most powerful person in the Roman military, politics and governance. Yet, he faced many theological and doctrinal challenges that he found hard to comprehend and manage. -Daniel Jeyaraj, Theological Book Review, Vol. 26 No.2, 2016 It will surely be of good use to you all. -Adolf Martin Ritter, Theologische Literaturzeitung , Vol. 141, No. 7/8, July/August 2016

Author Information

Edward L. Smither (PhD, University of Wales, Trinity St David; PhD, University of Pretoria) is Professor of Intercultural Studies at Columbia International University, the author of Augustine as Mentor, Brazilian Evangelical Missions in the Arab World, and Mission in the Early Church (published by James Clarke & Co).

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