When did christianity start

When did christianity start I am frequently requested what position the Roman Emperor Constantine had in shaping the Bible. Much incorrect information and rumour circulates approximately him. Popular books/films inclusive of the Da Vinci Code or Holy Blood,

Holy Grail painting him because the Roman Emperor who essentially made the Bible into what it’s far these days for his very own political ends. Is that true? Let us begin with a few easy-to-confirm information approximately him.

Constantine the Great: Facts on-hand

Constantine became the Roman Emperor  Many of the Roman Emperors that got here earlier than him have been overtly antagonistic to the Gospel, killing and persecuting Christians. Emperors Nero, Domitian, Marcus Aurelius (of Gladiator film fame),

Diocletian and others succeeded each other with bloody persecutions of Christians. But Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, granting non secular tolerance to all views. Constantine have become sole emperor of Rome via victories in a chain of army campaigns in opposition to different rivals. During those campaigns he transformed to Christianity from paganism.

There is an awful lot debate whether or not his `conversion` became sincere, or whether or not he did so for political gain.

The Council of Nicaea

Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea, the primary empire-huge assembly of church leaders to speak about numerous doctrinal controversies. Today a few ask if the books of the Bible have been modified or corrupted, or maybe decided on (in a few back-room conspiracy) for inclusion withinside the Bible at this Council.

In fact, the principle debate at Nicaea became the theology of the connection among Jesus and God. One camp (led via way of means of Arius) held that Jesus the Son and God the Father have been of various essences, and the alternative camp (led via way of means of Athanasius) held that they have been of the equal essence.

Therefore we understand that theological interpretations have been staked out and the precis Nicene Creed became authored at this council convened via way of means of Constantine.

When did christianity start

Corruption or Conspiracy?

But have been books of the Bible modified and/or decided on at this council? As we noticed withinside the article on Textual Criticism of the Bible, there are numerous manuscripts surviving these days that have been copied up to 2 hundred years earlier than the time of Constantine

this council (or Constantine) modified the files of the New Testament then the manuscripts that have been copied earlier than the Council of Nicaea might be one of a kind than those who come after. But the copies display no such change. The timeline underneath suggests that manuscripts for Bibles these days predate Constantine and the Council of Nicaea via way of means

Earliest Bible manuscripts pre-date Constantine and Council of Nicaea, so if the Bible became modified we will see it

We additionally understand that this became now no longer so due to the fact each facets of the debate (Arius and Athanasius) used the equal gospels and epistles (those which can be withinside the Bible now) to argue their case.

Arius and Athanasius did now no longer disagree on what the scriptural files stated, nor did they disagree on which files have to be `in` the Bible. They disagreed, with heated debate, on the translation of the scriptures – the equal books of the Bible we’ve got these days.

We understand this due to the fact an account of the debates and intrigues of the Council of Nicaea and Constantine`s position in it’s far preserved for us withinside the reporting of Eusebius who became one of the delegates to this council. The writings of Athanasius also are preserved.

Constantine vs. the Good News of Gospel

Constantine did have a massive effect at the improvement of Christianity. The dating among the Christian Church and the state, how the church became to be governed, the calculating of the Easter day withinside the calendar have been all stricken by Constantine.

The Council of Nicaea decided that the orthodox doctrine became that Jesus the Son and God the Father have been of the equal essence (Athanasius` position). This is why all Christian churches, Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox keep to this doctrine.

Constantine`s effect additionally modified Christianity from being counter-cultural and regarded with distrust via way of means of the authorities, to turning into the cultural wellknown of Europe, in alliance with authorities. But the Gospel isn’t always approximately tradition or authorities power. It is ready a Good

News message from God freely acquired withinside the hearts and minds of people – after which converting their hearts. Just like barnacles amassing at the hull of a deliver can distort the streamlining of a keel

And the `scraper` with which we will discover the natural Good News is the Bible. Since the books withinside the Bible have been now no longer invented, changed or corrupted via way of means of Constantine or the Council of Nicaea we will use them to get When did christianity start