One Could Say Today is the Day the Devil Took Over Christianity

One Could Say Today is the Day the Devil Took Over Christianity October 27, 2016

The emperor Constantine seeing the sign of the Cross

The good folk at Wikipedia set today in 312 in the evening ahead of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge as the moment when Constantine, later called the Great, purported to have a vision of a cross in the sky and heard the words “With this sign, conquer.”

The details of what followed are confused. Lactanitus wrote it was a modified Latin cross, while Eusebius said it was the Chi-rho cross.

I like how some have tried to find natural phenomena as the source of this miracle. Me, I have to bring my rather more jaundiced view to the table, that it is pretty much all made up. And, possibly leaning into probably that there is some confusion in someone’s mind, probably Constantine himself, between the prophet of Love and the Conquering Sun. I rather prefer the story of Ashoka, who well after he waded through those fields of blood making his empire, converts to Buddhism and out of that modifies his rule. With Constantine there appears to be more modifying the religion than his own behaviors.

Whatever, this moment today one thousand, seven hundred, and four years ago, sealed the deal for Christianity. Or, close enough. Already an important cult with a significant following, this blended religion would within a few years become the official religion of the Empire.

Religions always have to meet with the world and engage and of course there are complex dynamics. Of course. But, with Constantine, I think we can picture a hostile take over. For the church, or in those days, really the churches, it was sort of cutting a deal with the devil.

Too bad.


Browse Our Archives

Follow Us!