Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 77 No. 2, 2007.
Review article
»Ekklesía and Pólis«. Politics in Early Christian Thought
Tomislav Zdenko Tenšek
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The image of the Hellenic religious world at the beginnings of the Christian era is featured with a multitude of negative religious circumstances: the cult of emperors that was assigned with the significance of State religion; the onslaught of mvstic cults, superstition, astrology, magic, believing in dreams and the skill of interpreting them, believing in miracles and yearning for lost health. A positive moment from the Christian aspect is the feeling of emptiness that encompassed Hellenic circles of thought because of the errors of ancient religions. It is in this emptiness that there was room for the Christian message to enter.
The Evangelic path of Christianity in the first three centuries was decorated with the following features: internal growth, consolidation of a hierarchical order of the community around the local bishop, open and benevolent criticism in resolving internal friction and conflicts, the testimony of life, following Christ, readiness for suffering. This strengthening of ecclesiastic awareness did not remain hidden to the pagan State. The State felt like it had to take a stance. This is where the main political reason for the persecution of Christians lies.
Following Celsius' attacks on Christianity in the 2nd Century and the first half of the 3rd Century even fiercer attacks by intellectual pagan circles followed due to its weaker social and cultural position. The most ardent example was Porphyries (233—305) that Christianity considered »Barbaric mercy« and approved of the State's oppression of Christians. The literary debate is continued with Sosian Hieroclo whom Lactanius considers to be the »author and advisor of persecution«.
Literary hostility towards Christianity continues surprisingly with Diocletian's turn-about from benevolent tolerance to the fiercest persecution based on four empirical edicts against Christianity (303-304). This turn about came with the serious illness of August Galleria and his edict in 311 where Christianity was no longer superstitio or religio illicita but was compared to other cults and treated with State-legal tolerance.
In February 313, Constantine and Licinius agreed to implement and broaden Galleria's edict. Everyone, including Christians have full freedom to follow their beliefs that agrees with them best. Here they saw a guarantee for further benevolence of the highest divinity (summa divinitas). After Constantine's self-government in 324 and a series of legal acts in favour of Christianity in empires where »Christianity must exist« and offer some benefits towards its development: 1. the freedom of cults and proclamations; 2. possibility of repairing and constructing new buildings for God worship; 3. development of various forms of Catechism, preaching and sacramental life; 4. Ecclesiastic writers developing pastoral and theological literature; 5. Missionary work that can be mildly development.
It is worth adding one exceptionally significant moment to all the above. The Church was given the opportunity to Christianise profane cultures. Seeing that it lived distanced in the minds of cultural circles and pagan public life, now in its attempt to penetrate profane cultures with Christian ideas it could easily take over elements that were foreign to its beliefand morals and in that way distort them. Leading Christians were left with a huge responsibilitv to preserve its Evangelic freedom faced with the challenges of the interests of »Christian« Empires.
Keywords
Hellenic world; religiousness; superstition; philosophy; politics; persecution of Christians; Roman emperors; Christian life
Hrčak ID:
23215
URI
Publication date:
29.11.2007.
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