W sprawie przełomu konstantyńskiego

Abstract

Even till now negative opinions on the so called Constantinian era in the Church have been repeated. The person of Emperor Constantine arouses the interest of many historians. The Constantinian break-through did not happen abruptly. It is result of the attitudes presented earlier by Christians towards the state and the emperor. For further research on this problem Tertulian’s opinions in Apologetic (e.g. 33, 1; 30, 1; 51, 2-3; 34, 4; 36, 3; 35, 8; 21, 24) are important. Christians rejected the political revolution and they considered Christian sovereignty impossible (21, 24). The Constantinian break-through was a surprise for the contemporary society, the emperor’s initiative required a reply which was still to be worked out. Constantine began the break-through by recognizing Christianity as religio licita, but he did not establish imperium christianum. He himself admitted lex Christianorum (he did not offer a public sacrifice for Jove), but he introduced the kingdom „by the grace of God”, although in the Church there was no place for a Christian Emperor. It must be stressed, that the Church tried to defend its autonomy and it stayed faithful to its primary mission.