Was Constantine the Great a christian or was he good at taking advantage of other people's beliefs?

Question

Was Constantine the Great a christian or was he good at taking advantage of other people's beliefs?

Answer 1

I think he was a great visionary..he saw that the only way the roman empire could survive.at all was to build a new empire..and he saw that in the christian sect..Politics teaches us one thing if not nothing.that whether.its a king empreor or prime minister leading your countrys future and stability.if the same disappointments are repeated time after time..reveloution in any form will arise from the populice..a visionary leader will see the advantage of this usefull political tool.and fire up the cause of the populice..what is smart about that is that most of the reveloutions in history are not finacially supported..ie:you dont have to pay your army as they belive in a cause.intially...the only thing they are at cost is the weapons and some times even they can be obtained free..where as a established goverment has to pay troops and has to drum up fiancial help other wise..they will lose ...its not people who win wars its the finacies ..people are just foder to a solution..CONSTANTINE did not only build a new empire  he even established a new capital for his empire .as to not associate it with the old..that is what is called out witht he old in with the new...people alwasy like a fresh start.it builds character and confidence.nothing is more borring then patching up your old home..they say that the first crusade was in 1,000..the truth is that constatine led the first crusade to juresalem  to find the existign evidence of christ and identify the stations of the cross and the cross its self .but he did it ..with out conqureing juresalem like later crusaders...thus veryfiying that christ did indeed exist and was real and was the son of god and above all legitamised the existence of the christians.making it a new world power to be recokend with as history will record in the future..did the old pagan beleifes die? not really one thing early preachers did was to assimulate old pagan gods with new christian characters or jesus himself making it easier to convert pagans to christians..so in a way we can be excused as to even beliving in pagan gods.through conversion.making it a peacefull transition to the new beliefs of christian sects.thus making it a strong political tool..not taking advantage of peoples belifes.but using it a national pride to re establish the new roman empire and making it even stronger.by way of a new asimulated  relegion.and as PONTIFUS MAXIMUS. constaine did hold more than just a empreors decree..for pontifus maximus words and actions where the people.and the spiritual guidance of the people the pontifus maximus ..was ROME.. thus the new capital....and to futher veryfy the new christian power through jesus.he induced 2 new directives..... (EN TOU TO NIKA) (EN HOC SIN.) (IN THIS SING SHALL YOU WIN)...and  to be CHRSITIAN you had to be baptized..as he did on his death bed..the reson to this is that he was still pontifus maximus.he could not denounce that or he would not be taken serious by the people for who ever took the next title of pontifus maximus would talk for rome..thats why he waited to be baptized at his death bed.to make the pontifus maximus the last of rome and establish the new pontifus maximus as a HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR.sealing the power of rome and the power of the people in ONE NEW SEAT OF POWER.....what he did more than any other past roman empeor was to bring all the people in to the house of rome rich and poor..all where equal.as long as your where a christian and belived in one god and christ  and where baptized..hence men,s rights became greater for all rich and poor..ALL WHERE EAQUAL IN THE EYES OF THE CHURCH AND STATE

Answer 2

He was a master of real politik since he was able to realise that the expanding religion of Christianity had now become the dominant form of worship throughout the Roman Empire and consequently "converted", thus forcing those who followed the old religion to do likewise.

However, he was clever enough to keep the main festive, celebratory days in the calender the same so the transition would not be too much of a change. Therefore the winter festival became Christmas and the spring fertility rites became Easter. After all, what exactly do rabbits and eggs have to do with the Crucifixion?  

Answer 3

Constantine is perhaps best known for being the first Christian Roman Emperor. His reign was a turning point for the Christian Church. In 313 Constantine announced toleration of Christianity in the Edict of Milan, which removed penalties for professing Christianity (under which many had been martyred in previous persecutions of Christians) and returned confiscated Church property. Though a similar edict had been issued in 311 by Galerius, then senior emperor of the Tetrarchy, Galerius' edict granted Christians the right to practice their religion but did not restore any property to them.

Scholars debate whether Constantine adopted his mother St. Helena's Christianity in his youth, or whether he adopted it gradually over the course of his life. Constantine was over 40 when he finally declared himself a Christian. Constantine however still maintained the title of Pontifex Maximus, which emperors bore as heads of the pagan priesthood. Writing to Christians, Constantine made clear that he believed he owed his successes to the protection of the Christian High God alone.Throughout his rule, Constantine supported the Church financially, built various basilicas, granted privileges (e.g. exemption from certain taxes) to clergy, promoted Christians to high ranking offices, and returned property confiscated during the Great Persecution of Diocletian.His most famous building projects include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Old Saint Peter's Basilica.

So yes he was a Christian

Answer 4

This has been debated for centuries.  Nobody can be sure, but I think the evidence favors ...

neither.  I think he had a genuine superstition about Christianity, but never really became a Christian.

Answer 5

he officially was a Christian but wasn't even baptized until he was lying on his deathbed so he was only good at taking advantage of people!

Answer 6

He realized that Christianity was the rising religion and knew that he could take advantage of it. However, he was baptized on his deathbed.

Answer 7

Constantine's personal religious views have been a puzzle to historians. He continued throughout his life to hold the post of pontifex maximus of the old religion. And he allowed the continued celebration of ancient cults and even the erection of temples in honor of his family, though he specified that worship in them must not include "contagious superstition." The Edict of Milan (313) by Constantine and Licinius conferred toleration on all religious sects but did not establish a state church.

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