Rise of the Church

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Rise of the Church:

Constantine the Great was the most powerful ruler of the Roman Empire. He conquered many countries all over Europe and imposed Christianity on them. He had all of the conquered people baptized and sent to church. Many people turned to put their trust in Christ by listening in church.

In 323 Constantine called together the Council of Nicea. All of the bishops in the Roman Empire gathered to discuss the controversy of whether Jesus was God or a mere great prophet. The Orthodox believers were convinced that Jesus was God; Arriens believed that Jesus was only a prophet. Of the people at the council, thirty percent were Orthodox and seventy percent were Arrien. If they had voted as soon as they had gathered, then the Arriens would have won. But this was not the case.

Athanasias, the bishop of Alexandria, was banished from his home five times, once by Valens, once by Julian, and by others as well. He spoke to the council with such convincing arguments that Jesus was fully God, that he converted forty percent of the council to the Orthodox cause. If Athanasias had not been at the council, then churches would have abandoned the fact that Jesus was God, that He was the Son of God, and that He had unlimited power. Because of Athanasias, Christians now firmly believe that Jesus is God.

The father of church history was Eusebius. He lived from 270 to 309. He wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the early church. Because of his writings, we know how the church grew in his time and before then. He was the bishop of Caesarea. At the Council of Nicea he had the post of honor.

Another very influential man was Ambrose. He had been made the bishop of Milan before he was even a Christian. He received a good Roman education but he sold all of his riches for the poor when he became bishop. He grew into a powerful, but extremely godly Christian. When he told the emperor to repent of his sins, the emperor did so. He also wrote extensively on many topics.

Two great writers were Jerome and Augustine. Jerome lived from 340 to 419 and wrote the Vulgate, a Latin translation of the Bible. Augustine, the bishop of Hippo, lived from 354 to 430. He wrote The City of God and Confessions.

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