Explain how Constantine came to power and how he Christianized the Empire. Explain the changes to Christianity after Constantine became emperor.
- Emperor Diocletian split the empire in 2 (West and East) and 4 men ruled. Constantine was the son of one of these rulers.
- Constantine became the ruler of the Roman Empire after the Battle at the Milvian Bridge where he had a vision of a cross and the proclamation “in hoc signo vinces” (in this sign victory).
- The Edict of Milan goes into effect in 313 legalizing all religious practices.
- He humanizes the laws of the Roman empire (no more debt slavery, Sunday is a public holiday, eased conditions of slavery, ended gladiator games).
- After this legalization and Christianization, tons of people began to convert causing Christianity to get “watered down” because not everybody was as devout as the Apostles or original followers were.
Explain the teaching of Arius. Explain why the Council of Nicaea is held, what was discussed, and the result of the Council of Nicaea.
Arius born in Libya was a priest in Alexandria.
Arius taught the heresy that Jesus was subordinate to the Father.
-This was heresy because it did not come from the Gospel or Scripture.
-He claimed that Jesus was a creature but not God.
-A bishop told Arius to stop teaching but he refused and Arianism grew.
-Constantine called the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea.
-Ecumenical means that the council consisted of various churches throughout the world and that it promoted unity.
- in the trinity, the Son was subordinate to the father (Jesus was a creature, not god)
-Bishops gathered at the council and shared the faith they received through Apostolic Tradition.
-The result of the council was the Nicene Creed (a creed is a statement of beliefs).
-The first half of the creed was written at Nicea.
-The second half of the creed was written at a later council.
Explain the teachings of Nestorius and Cyril. Explain why the Council of Ephesus is held, what was discussed, and the result of the Council of Ephesus.
- Nestorius and Cyril wrote letters to each other in disagreement about a proper title for Mary. Nestorius thought she should be called Christokos (christ bearer), Cyril thought she should be called Theotokos (God-bearer).
- The council of Ephesus was held to decide between the teaching of Nestorius or Cyril. The argument there was really about whether Jesus is the eternal God in the flesh or a human being who became God. The problem is that if Mary is only Christotokos it makes Jesus have multiple personalities- divine and human. The final teaching is that Theotokos is the correct term, that there is a unity of divine and human natures in Christ, and Nestorianism is declared a heresy.
- The council was inconclusive in the end, with both Nestorius and Cyril condemned. Nestorius was imprisoned but Cyril escaped
Explain the teachings of the monophysites. Explain why the Council of Chalcedon is held, what was discussed, and the result of the Council of Chalcedon. Explain the teaching of the hypostatic union.
- The monophysites taught that Christ had only a single nature and that his human nature had been completely absorbed by his divine nature
- Chalcedon occurred because Ephesus had not ended with an official decision and with lots of conflicts
- The final teaching of Chalcedon was that Christ was fully human and fully divine - the HYPOSTATIC UNION
Explain how martyrdom was replaced by monasticism. Describe the story of St. Anthony of the Desert. Explain how monasteries and religious orders grew out of a desire to imitate St. Anthony.
- After Christianity was legalized, people were no longer being martyred for their beliefs (martyrs were the epitome of faith). People turned to give up their worldly possessions in favor of a life of poverty and spirituality in the desert
- St. Anthony lived in Egypt and was well educated. He grew fed up with the watered-down nature of the faith and retreated to the desert to be a monk. People began to follow him to learn of his ways and learn how to be as devout.
- Different communities sprung up in imitation of St. Anthony. The people who lived as monks as he did were called Desert Fathers and Desert Mothers
Explain the three stages of the spiritual life.
-Purification
-Remove sinful habits
-When the desire to sin lessens, the heart has been
purified
-Illumination
-The soul recognizes God and his presence
-The soul knows the world as it is through the lens of
God
-Union with God
-Taste of heaven in this life
*can be out of order
Explain and describe St. Augustine’s conversion to Christianity. Explain Augustine’s three most celebrated works.
- Augustine’s mother was a Christian and his father was a Pagan. Father died when Augustine was a teen. Augustine studied rhetoric in Carthage and was eventually hired as a professor in Italy. During this time, he converted to Manicheism. While teaching in Italy, he started searching for the truth after studying Plato. He was baptized at age 33. His mother had prayed for years that he would convert.
- Confessions- Prayer that lifts his life to god. Inner movements of the soul help people on their own journey of faith. The heart is restless until it rests in God. “Sacraments = visible signs that unite us to invisible realities on our pilgrimage toward heaven”
- City of God
- On the Trinity
Describe the life of St. Benedict. Explain what the Rule of St. Benedict is and how it influences other monastic orders. Explain the role of monasteries in preserving and continuing Western Civilization.
St. Benedict was born in Italy in the 5th century. He came from a fairly privileged childhood and was sent to be formally educated in Rome. He abhorred the amount of corruption and sin in the city of Rome and quit formal education. He tried to pursue spiritual growth and moved to a cave 45 miles away from Rome where he lived as a hermit for three years. He left that life and became a spiritual leader. He created the first western monasteries. For these monasteries, he created a rule fittingly called “the Rule.” This was a list of guidelines this type of monk that lives in these monasteries must follow. When other orders of monks were formed, they took the Rule of the Benedictine Order as inspiration for their own guidelines. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the cultural, economic and political landscape changed dramatically, and for some aforementioned aspects, not for the benefit of the people. Jobs were hard to come by and most had little to no reward, and most of the population had no education and was illiterate. The building and maintaining of monasteries created jobs, and communities formed around the monasteries, which also created job openings.
