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humandoodadAs warned, you guys get to see the fruits of my studying labors.
Well, if you choose to click on the link. It's totally up to you.
When were the Middle Ages?
MIDDLE AGES: *mysterious and nebulous and vague*
300 - 600 CE: We might be the end of Antiquity, we might be the beginning of the Middle Ages. *puts on sunglasses and look cool and inscrutable.
CONSTANTINE: Right then. You all are useless. For the purposes of this discussion, we're going to begin with me, as I am fabulous. *poses*
SPES: *rolls. her. eyes.* And the course ends in 1453, but I don't think I'll need to know that for the midterm.
CONSTANTINE: To the 4th Century!
***WAYNES WORLD FLASH BACK***
ROMANS AND CHRISTIANS
2ND CENTURY: *is*
CONSTANTINE: Hey!
SPES: Context, buddy. It's all about context. At this time, the Christians are persecuted but but in a more weekend hobby sort of a way and a 'Hey, our crops died in our village, blame the Christians!' localized way. And not so much like the portrayed in media sort of fed to the lions rivers running with blood way... yet.
ROMANS: We generally like to ignore them and avoid confrontation, even though they're flipping weirdos.
3RD CENTURY: *is*
EMPEROR DECIUS (284-251): Ah Hades, go ahead. Kill the weirdos.
CHRISTIANS: *persecuted with the State's approval for the first time* DAMMIT.
4TH CENTURY: *is*
EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN (284-305): Hey, it's 303. I feel a need for something. Something to spice things up. Hey! Persecution time!
CHRISTIANS: OW! *persecuted even harder than before, though every community gave a different level of commitment to the deal until 313*
SOME TOWNS: I dropped my basket. Christian! Pick it up!
OTHER TOWNS: HA HA HA HA! *spears*
CONSTANTINE: Aaaaaand heeeeeere's Conny!
SPES: Well, almost. See, 'Conny' here's dad pretty much doesn't want to pick a single heir so in 306 when he stops being Emperor (either by stepping down or dying, depending on which part of my notes you're looking at), he divides the Empire up into sections between his sons and one nephew or something.
BROTHERS AND NEPHEW-TYPE-PERSON: WTF? Oh hades no. *start Civil War against each other*
Milvian Bridge, Summer 312
SPES: So Constantine's hanging out before this battle at Milvian Bridge and he has a vision. And in the vision he sees the CHI RO, which is a Christian symbol thing for Christ (I think it looks like stick dude with a penis, but I seem to be alone in this opinion).
GOD: IN HOC SIGNO VINCAS
SPES: Which means, basically, 'In (or by) this symbol you will conquer'. Why he didn't just use the ablative of means, I will never know. Not that I'm questioning God's Latin. No.
Anyway Constantine wakes up and is all "Sweet!" and has his soldiers paint the CHI RO on their shields and then they go out and kick ass. And Constantine is all "So, dude, God, I owe you one. You're my peep." So he figures it's probably ungrateful to continue persecuting God's people.
CONSTANTINE: *issues the ever important EDICT OF MILAN in 313*
EoM: No persecuting! Toleration for everyone! Come on now people!
OTHER TOWNS: Well, shit.
SPES: And contrary to popular belief (this means YOU Judaic Studies professor), Constantine does not convert on the spot there. He just believes in the Christian God and feels he owes him a huge favor. He worships him along with the Roman Gods. Christianity does NOT become the state religion at this point. It's just a pet project of his. Which makes it quite trendy and there are conversions a plenty.
In 324, Constantine's fully in charge of the Empire and decides that he wants to move the capitol of Rome east because that's where all the good parts of the Empire are anyhow economically (also that's where a lot of the Christians are) . So he builds Constantinople, which I firmly believed is named that just because it's freaking long and annoying to write while taking notes.
Really. It's not because it means 'The City of Constantine" in Greek. It's because he hates me.
Anyway, it's done in 330 and he moves the capitol over there. And now we get to the good stuff.
The Trinitarian Controversy
SPES: So over the course of the 4th century, Christian theologians get really into talking about the nature of God and Christ and shit now that they weren't busy being persecuted. The biggest controversy of the period is the relationship between Jesus and God.
It went a little something like this:
THEOLOGIAN 1: Right so, we're monotheistic right?
THEOLOGIAN 2: Duh.
THEOLOGIAN 1: Then. Well. How is that we worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost? Isn't that kind of... tritheistic?
THEOLOGIAN 2: Well shit.
SPES: The Bible's really damn vague about how all this works and what the relationship is between the Trinity. But it's decided pretty early on that the Christians don't want to become polytheists and take the easy way out. As polytheism = paganism and hell.
Also there's this really important concept that will come up again and again in the controversies that follow:
CHRIST MUST BE GOD TO SAVE OUR SOULS. In the Western Church these days, the salvation of our souls comes from Christ dying on the cross. That sacrifice meant we're good to go. He died for our sins, etc, etc. In the Eastern understanding and the general understanding at that time, it wasn't the death, but the birth that did it. God joining God, God's self (don't ask me what God, God's self means really, it's just the language my teacher uses. Will now be known as GGS) to a human body and soul is what did it. This is because we're made in God's image and likeness, but then we fell and lost the likeness and damaged the image. And only God can restore those to us by putting them in us again by means of putting himself in a human.
So, if God and Jesus are two different things, we can't be saved. But before they really came to that conclusion firmly, there was a Priest named Arias who really stirred this shit up.
Alexandria 318 CE:
BISHOP of ALEXANDRIA: *calls a staff meeting to talk about Church Stuff*
ARIAS: *raises his hand* So I've been thinking about the Father and the Son.
BoA: This should be good.
ARIAS: I think that Jesus does not equal God. Jesus is subordinate to God. He's like an Angel, only more powerful and betterer. He's the first and best thing God's ever made, more perfect than anything but God. "There was a time when he was not." He's God's #1, his right hand man.
BoA: Er. Yeah. We'll get back to you one that.
SPES: So they mull it over and hold a formal consideration of the theory in 319. But it doesn't solve the problematic worshiping Jesus thing or the whole Salvation problem, so they decide that it is Heresy.
Problem solved, right? Wrong. By that time, the theory had actually become might popular in some places and they were all STFU when it was deemed heresy.
ARIANS: It's not heresy, okay? It's ORTHODOX.
SPES: Along comes Athanasius, who replaces the BoA and is the main opponent to Arianism. He's the primary author of what comes to be our belief about the Trinity. Ath basically sputtered about how Jesus must be divine because only God can restore God's image and heal human Nature.
And Constantine's sitting in Constantinople watching this and getting a huge headache because he'd hoped Christianity would be a good unifying factor for the Empire-- something everyone could get behind. So he feels the need to step in and make them get along.
This starts a precedent that will make Emporers trying to get the Christians to get along cry themselves to sleep for centuries to come.
CONSTANTINE: Okay, Christians, Ecumenical Council. *rounds them up* That's right, all you great Theologians get together and work this out or else.
SPES: And in 325, the First Ecumenical Council, also known as the Council of Nicea, is held. And you'll get to hear about the thrillingness that it was, after I watch some Winter Olympics.
Well, if you choose to click on the link. It's totally up to you.
When were the Middle Ages?
MIDDLE AGES: *mysterious and nebulous and vague*
300 - 600 CE: We might be the end of Antiquity, we might be the beginning of the Middle Ages. *puts on sunglasses and look cool and inscrutable.
CONSTANTINE: Right then. You all are useless. For the purposes of this discussion, we're going to begin with me, as I am fabulous. *poses*
SPES: *rolls. her. eyes.* And the course ends in 1453, but I don't think I'll need to know that for the midterm.
CONSTANTINE: To the 4th Century!
***WAYNES WORLD FLASH BACK***
ROMANS AND CHRISTIANS
2ND CENTURY: *is*
CONSTANTINE: Hey!
SPES: Context, buddy. It's all about context. At this time, the Christians are persecuted but but in a more weekend hobby sort of a way and a 'Hey, our crops died in our village, blame the Christians!' localized way. And not so much like the portrayed in media sort of fed to the lions rivers running with blood way... yet.
ROMANS: We generally like to ignore them and avoid confrontation, even though they're flipping weirdos.
3RD CENTURY: *is*
EMPEROR DECIUS (284-251): Ah Hades, go ahead. Kill the weirdos.
CHRISTIANS: *persecuted with the State's approval for the first time* DAMMIT.
4TH CENTURY: *is*
EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN (284-305): Hey, it's 303. I feel a need for something. Something to spice things up. Hey! Persecution time!
CHRISTIANS: OW! *persecuted even harder than before, though every community gave a different level of commitment to the deal until 313*
SOME TOWNS: I dropped my basket. Christian! Pick it up!
OTHER TOWNS: HA HA HA HA! *spears*
CONSTANTINE: Aaaaaand heeeeeere's Conny!
SPES: Well, almost. See, 'Conny' here's dad pretty much doesn't want to pick a single heir so in 306 when he stops being Emperor (either by stepping down or dying, depending on which part of my notes you're looking at), he divides the Empire up into sections between his sons and one nephew or something.
BROTHERS AND NEPHEW-TYPE-PERSON: WTF? Oh hades no. *start Civil War against each other*
Milvian Bridge, Summer 312
SPES: So Constantine's hanging out before this battle at Milvian Bridge and he has a vision. And in the vision he sees the CHI RO, which is a Christian symbol thing for Christ (I think it looks like stick dude with a penis, but I seem to be alone in this opinion).
GOD: IN HOC SIGNO VINCAS
SPES: Which means, basically, 'In (or by) this symbol you will conquer'. Why he didn't just use the ablative of means, I will never know. Not that I'm questioning God's Latin. No.
Anyway Constantine wakes up and is all "Sweet!" and has his soldiers paint the CHI RO on their shields and then they go out and kick ass. And Constantine is all "So, dude, God, I owe you one. You're my peep." So he figures it's probably ungrateful to continue persecuting God's people.
CONSTANTINE: *issues the ever important EDICT OF MILAN in 313*
EoM: No persecuting! Toleration for everyone! Come on now people!
OTHER TOWNS: Well, shit.
SPES: And contrary to popular belief (this means YOU Judaic Studies professor), Constantine does not convert on the spot there. He just believes in the Christian God and feels he owes him a huge favor. He worships him along with the Roman Gods. Christianity does NOT become the state religion at this point. It's just a pet project of his. Which makes it quite trendy and there are conversions a plenty.
In 324, Constantine's fully in charge of the Empire and decides that he wants to move the capitol of Rome east because that's where all the good parts of the Empire are anyhow economically (also that's where a lot of the Christians are) . So he builds Constantinople, which I firmly believed is named that just because it's freaking long and annoying to write while taking notes.
Really. It's not because it means 'The City of Constantine" in Greek. It's because he hates me.
Anyway, it's done in 330 and he moves the capitol over there. And now we get to the good stuff.
The Trinitarian Controversy
SPES: So over the course of the 4th century, Christian theologians get really into talking about the nature of God and Christ and shit now that they weren't busy being persecuted. The biggest controversy of the period is the relationship between Jesus and God.
It went a little something like this:
THEOLOGIAN 1: Right so, we're monotheistic right?
THEOLOGIAN 2: Duh.
THEOLOGIAN 1: Then. Well. How is that we worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost? Isn't that kind of... tritheistic?
THEOLOGIAN 2: Well shit.
SPES: The Bible's really damn vague about how all this works and what the relationship is between the Trinity. But it's decided pretty early on that the Christians don't want to become polytheists and take the easy way out. As polytheism = paganism and hell.
Also there's this really important concept that will come up again and again in the controversies that follow:
CHRIST MUST BE GOD TO SAVE OUR SOULS. In the Western Church these days, the salvation of our souls comes from Christ dying on the cross. That sacrifice meant we're good to go. He died for our sins, etc, etc. In the Eastern understanding and the general understanding at that time, it wasn't the death, but the birth that did it. God joining God, God's self (don't ask me what God, God's self means really, it's just the language my teacher uses. Will now be known as GGS) to a human body and soul is what did it. This is because we're made in God's image and likeness, but then we fell and lost the likeness and damaged the image. And only God can restore those to us by putting them in us again by means of putting himself in a human.
So, if God and Jesus are two different things, we can't be saved. But before they really came to that conclusion firmly, there was a Priest named Arias who really stirred this shit up.
Alexandria 318 CE:
BISHOP of ALEXANDRIA: *calls a staff meeting to talk about Church Stuff*
ARIAS: *raises his hand* So I've been thinking about the Father and the Son.
BoA: This should be good.
ARIAS: I think that Jesus does not equal God. Jesus is subordinate to God. He's like an Angel, only more powerful and betterer. He's the first and best thing God's ever made, more perfect than anything but God. "There was a time when he was not." He's God's #1, his right hand man.
BoA: Er. Yeah. We'll get back to you one that.
SPES: So they mull it over and hold a formal consideration of the theory in 319. But it doesn't solve the problematic worshiping Jesus thing or the whole Salvation problem, so they decide that it is Heresy.
Problem solved, right? Wrong. By that time, the theory had actually become might popular in some places and they were all STFU when it was deemed heresy.
ARIANS: It's not heresy, okay? It's ORTHODOX.
SPES: Along comes Athanasius, who replaces the BoA and is the main opponent to Arianism. He's the primary author of what comes to be our belief about the Trinity. Ath basically sputtered about how Jesus must be divine because only God can restore God's image and heal human Nature.
And Constantine's sitting in Constantinople watching this and getting a huge headache because he'd hoped Christianity would be a good unifying factor for the Empire-- something everyone could get behind. So he feels the need to step in and make them get along.
This starts a precedent that will make Emporers trying to get the Christians to get along cry themselves to sleep for centuries to come.
CONSTANTINE: Okay, Christians, Ecumenical Council. *rounds them up* That's right, all you great Theologians get together and work this out or else.
SPES: And in 325, the First Ecumenical Council, also known as the Council of Nicea, is held. And you'll get to hear about the thrillingness that it was, after I watch some Winter Olympics.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-13 12:19 am (UTC)And also giggly.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-13 04:39 am (UTC)♥
no subject
Date: 2006-02-13 04:40 am (UTC)