When the Roman Emperor Constantine claimed he had converted to Christianity, it changed the world forever. But was that change for the better?
Meet our guests
Alanna Nobbs is Professor of Ancient History at Macquarie University in Sydney. She’s taught the life of Constantine for decades.
Doug Lee is emeritus professor in Ancient History in the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham. He’s a world authority on Roman politics and warfare in late antiquity.
Links
This episode was sponsored by Zondervan’s new book Rembrandt is in the Wind by Russ Ramsey.
For a full transcript of this episode, click here.
- See the full video of Kanye West at Joel Osteen’s church in 2018.
- Rolling Stone magazine lists Kanye West’s album 808s and Heartbreak as one of the 40 most groundbreaking albums of all time.
- Get the full text of Eusebius’s History of the Church here.
- More about Tertullian’s letter to Scapula about the persecution of the Christians, here.
- Get to know Porphyry, the 3rd century neoplatonist philosopher.
- Here’s some great detail about Alanna Nobb’s favourite papyrus, P.Oxy 33.2673.
- Read On the Deaths of the Persecutors by Lactantius.
- Read Life of Constantine by Eusebius.
- More on the Chi-Ro symbol.
- 2006 Da Vinci Code movie
- More detail about the Council of Nicaea
- Here’s the full Nicene Creed:
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
- Here’s a bit more background and history of Arianism.
