Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Session 1
The Mustard Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Session 2
The Ways of Life and Death . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Session 3
Martyrs and Apologists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Session 4
The Faith Attacked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Session 5
The Dawn of Christendom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Session 6
The Arian Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Session 7
The Bitter Fruit of Heresy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Session 8
Heroes of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Session 9
Councils and a Great Pope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Session 10 Splintering of an Empire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Suggested Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
56 Epic: The Early Church
F. Continue the Story
Many members of the early Church suffered greatly for the Faith. But often this suffering was not in isolation—
whole families and communities suffered together, supporting and encouraging one another. As part of the
body of Christ, we are called to walk alongside those who are suffering, to comfort and encourage them. And
yet there are many who remain alone in their pain, feeling abandoned and rejected by the whole world. What
can you do this week to bring the mercy of God to those who need it most?
Session Five
The Dawn of Christendom
Challenge
1. Ask God to enlighten your mind and speak to your heart.
2. Make a list of those who come to mind who may feel isolated in their suffering—whether that pain is selfinflicted or due to no fault of their own. For example, those in prison or hospitalized, residents in nursing
or group homes, children in need of mentors, a soldier recently returned from deployment.
Missionaries & The
Conversion & Councils
AD 313
AD 499
300 - 325
Session Five
3. Establish contact through appropriate channels, whether by phone, email, letter, or personal visit. Listen
attentively to what this person has to say to gain insight into how you can best encourage him or her.
4. Do it.
“In hoc signo vinces.” (“In this sign, you shall conquer.”)
“I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I, Licinius Augustus…grant to the Christians
and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred…[and]
remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to
you officially, concerning the Christians. Now any one of these who wishes to
observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation….
We have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance
of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have
the free opportunity to worship as he pleases.”
– Edict of Milan
A.Overview
From the abdication of Diocletian in ad 305 until his death in 311, the major Roman persecutions slowly
abated, until the Church was finally able to flourish without threat from the whims of the emperors. In the
two-hundred-year period that followed, the Church saw the rise of intellectual giants—numerous men who
devoted their lives to writing books on theology and Scripture commentary.
Quick Quiz! Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
Twelve.
Origen and Tertullian.
Diocletian.
Baptized faithful who cooperated with the Romans or renounced their Faith during times of persecution.
These great teachers and saints, known in history as the Church Fathers, wrote not for their own edification but
rather to teach the newly converted and to fight the movements of error that sought to ensnare the faithful in
pernicious heresies. The Fathers provide us with keen insight into the workings and belief of the early Church.
The teachings of these eighty-seven men who lived in the first eight centuries form a deep theological well from
which the Church has drawn over the last two thousand years. More than three hundred quotes from their
writings may be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
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58 Epic: The Early Church
St. Vincent of Lérins (d. 450) defined the Church Fathers as “those alone who, though in diverse times and places,
yet persevering in the communion and faith of the one Catholic Church, have been approved as teachers.”12
St. Vincent also provided criteria to assess whether an individual from this era should be considered a Father:
adherence to the orthodox faith, a holy life, and recognition by the authority of the Church.
The Church Fathers are a diverse group, made up of theologians, Scripture scholars, apologists, preachers,
philosophers, and lawyers; not all are saints. They wrote in a multitude of languages, defending Church
teachings from erroneous interpretations and secular interference, and loving, protecting, and disciplining
the family of God. Ultimately, these men are important because they provide us with insight into the life and
times of the early Church. They clearly illustrate that the Catholic faith today is the same as yesterday.
The Rise of Constantine
While the teachings of the Church Fathers did to bring unity and structure to the teachings of the Faith, the
development and advancement of the Church in this time period can be largely attributed to one man: the
Roman emperor Constantine the Great.
Despite the best efforts of Diocletian, the Roman Empire in the early fourth century was torn by the conflict
between two opposing generals, each of whom claimed to be emperor of the West: Constantine, the son of the
Western emperor Constantius, and Maxentius, son of Maximian and son-in-law of Galerius, who held the city
of Rome with a large and powerful army. Constantine would emerge victorious. His story is a bold example of
how one man, courageously fulfilling God’s calling, can change history.
When Constantius, the emperor in the West, died in Britain in ad 306, the legions declared Constantine
emperor. Unfortunately, this declaration was not in keeping with the order of succession desired by Diocletian’s
tetrarchy. In Rome, the Senate and Praetorian Guard proclaimed Maxentius emperor. Civil war erupted as
Constantine gathered troops in order to seize control of the city and defeat Maxentius.
In ad 312, against the advice of his generals, Constantine crossed the channel and marched his army through
Gaul (modern-day France) toward Rome. Although his troops were well-trained and skilled warriors, they faced
12 As quoted in Mike Aquilina, The Fathers of the Church: An Introduction to the First Christian Teachers, Expanded ed. (Huntington,
IN: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 2006), p. 18.
Battle of the Milvian Bridge, by Giulio Romano
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
59
a difficult battle. They were significantly
outnumbered and were attacking a
heavily fortified, well-defended city.
On t he way, a miracle occurred:
Constantine and his army saw a cross
in the sky with the words In hoc signo
vinces (“In this sign, you shall conquer”).
Recognizing this sign of favor from the
Christian God, Constantine ordered his
soldiers’ shields painted with the Greek
monogram for Christ, the Chi Rho.
Never before had an army marched into
battle under the sign of Christ. Indeed,
the significance of this event is profound
when one considers that the Roman
army was the imperial instrument of
persecution of the Church. Less than
ten years after the Great Persecution, a
Roman army adopted a Catholic symbol
in the hopes of victory!
Constantine’s army arrived outside the
gates of Rome in late October 312. When
the pagan priests told Maxentius that the
“enemy of the Romans would die that day,”
the first anniversary of his coronation,
Maxentius foolishly marched his army
outside the well-defended confines of the
city to engage Constantine in open battle.
Crossing his troops over the Tiber River
by the wooden pontoon Milvian Bridge,
Maxentius’ army began the assault
against the legions of Constantine.
Chi Rho
Emboldened by the miracle they had previously witnessed,
Constantine and his army assaulted the forces of Maxentius with such
ferocity that they brought about a disorganized retreat. Fleeing for their
lives in the protection of the city walls, Maxentius and elements of his heavily
armored cavalry crowded onto the wooden pontoon bridge, which was too weak to
accommodate the concentrated weight of the soldiers. The bridge collapsed, and Maxentius was thrown into
the Tiber and drowned. Through the intercession of the Christian God, Constantine defeated his rival and laid
claim to the Western Empire.
60 Epic: The Early Church
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
Because of his victory, Constantine
received instruction in the Catholic
faith and passed legislation and policies
favorable to the Church. He granted the
territory of the Lateran Palace to the
bishop of Rome, territory that remains in
the possession of the Holy Father to this
day. Most significantly, in ad 313, a year
after the miraculous victory at the Milvian
Bridge, Constantine and the Eastern
emperor, Licinius, issued the Edict of
Milan. This decree officially repealed the
imperial law criminalizing the Catholic
faith and granted Christians “free and
absolute permission to practice their
religion.” Additional legislation provided
for the restoration of property taken from
the Church and individual Christians
during the Great Persecution.
The Edict of Milan, however, did not make
the Catholic faith the official religion of the
empire. Nonetheless, it came as a welcome
pronouncement for the battered and
Saint Helena of Constantinople, by Cima da Conegliano
bloodied Church. Constantine took up his
newfound interest in the Church with zeal
as he and his saintly mother, Helena, financed the construction of new edifices for Catholic worship.
Despite the Edict of Milan, the Eastern emperor Licinius began a persecution of Catholics in the army.
Then, determined to control the whole of the Roman Empire, Licinius embarked on a risky plan to defeat
Constantine that met with defeat at the Battle of Adrianople in ad 324. Twelve years after his defeat of Maxentius,
Constantine became the sole ruler of the empire. The Diocletian tetrarchy was dead. To better rule the vast
empire, Constantine moved the capital to the eastern city of Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople.
“Con vert those w ho do not believe with the example of
your life, so that your faith has a motive. Don’t doubt, brethren, that if your lives are worthy of God,
unbelievers will find faith.”
– St. Augustine
61
Constantine
Over time, the succession of Constantine turned out to have both positive and negative effects on the Church.
It ensured the protection of the Church from further persecution from pagan sources. However, Constantine
saw the Church as the instrument to bring unity and reform to the empire. As a result, he was very involved
in Church affairs, and established a dangerous precedent that would
be abused by future Eastern emperors. Later called caesaropapism, it
advocated that the emperor is supreme in both temporal and spiritual
matters—a notion that was to plague the Church for the next several
centuries.
Even so, the significance of these developments to the story of Western
civilization cannot be overemphasized. After centuries of persecution,
the Church was finally allowed the right of public worship. From the
shadowy catacombs to glorious new churches, the faithful increased
at amazing rates, and the tenets of Catholic morality worked their
way into secular laws, planting the seed of the temporal and spiritual
endeavor that would become Christendom.
Over time the Church grew in prestige and power until the holy
institution became the source of unity for all of Europe. Rough roads
still lay ahead, but this was clearly a landmark event in Western
civilization that forever changed the course of history.
The early Christians rejected
the Roman practice of
cremation out of respect for
the integrity of the body,
so they had to find burial
places outside the city limits
(burial inside the city was
forbidden). Today, there
are more than forty known
catacombs (underground
burial chambers); the
Catacombs of St. Callixtus
alone contain four levels in
which were buried many
martyrs and sixteen popes.
62 Epic: The Early Church
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
63
Constantine and the Donatists
As has already been discussed, in the years following the Great Persecution, the Church was divided on what to
do with those who renounced (the lapsi) or betrayed (traditores) the Church and later sought to be reconciled.
The Church was divided into two camps: those who called for permanent exclusion from the community and
those who preached mercy.
In North Africa, a new heresy arose over the issue. A group known as the Donatists (named after their leader,
Donatus) declared that the consecration of the bishop of Carthage was invalid, as he had been consecrated by
an alleged lapsi.
At its core, Donatism robs Christ’s sacraments of their efficaciousness, making their validity dependent on the
personal worthiness of the minister. The Donatists sought imperial favor and recognition of their heretical
claims, and they appealed to the emperor for a decision over who should be the bishop of Carthage. Constantine
ruled against the Donatists, but the Donatists persisted in their heresy. Nearly a century later, the illustrious St.
Augustine was still teaching against them.
The Edict of Milan ensured the right to religious freedom for all in the Roman Empire. Constantine desired
unity in the empire, and believed the Church could be the instrument for that goal. His involvement in
Church matters complicated Church history and the relations between Church and state.
In the political landscape today, candidates for public office will sometimes use a Christian “veneer” in
order to secure key voting blocks. But what does the Church teach about the proper relationship between
ecclesial and temporal authority?
• Civil leaders are to respect the fundamental rights of persons. They are to serve and protect the
rights especially of families and the marginalized (CCC 2235–2247).
• Citizens are to be subject to the civil law and leaders. “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every
human institution” (CCC 2238, citing 1 Peter 2:13,16).
• When human law violates moral law, citizens are to follow moral law. “The citizen is obliged
in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the
demands of the moral order” (CCC 2242).
• Citizens have a duty to work with their leaders. We are to work with civil authorities to build up
society “in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom” (CCC 2255).
Lactantius (d. 323)
Lactantius is one of the few men considered a Church Father who is not a saint. A pagan
teacher of rhetoric, he gained the favor of the emperor Diocletian, who appointed him
teacher in Nicomedia. There Lactantius came into contact with the Church and was
baptized. He lost his job during the Great Persecution and was forced to flee the city.
Eventually Lactantius was appointed the official Latin tutor to Constantine’s son,
Crispus. The author of many works, Lactantius has been called the “Christian Cicero.”
His historical work, De mortibus persecutorum, presents the general thesis that those
who persecute the Church always meet a violent end, pointing to the manner of death for
many of the Roman emperors including Nero, Domitian, Decius, Valerian, and Galerius.
B.Quick Quiz!
1. Who were the Church Fathers?
2. What is the significance of the Milvian Bridge in the story of Constantine?
3. What is the term used to describe the belief that the emperor is supreme in both temporal and spiritual
matters?
4. What was the Edict of Milan?
5. Who were the Donatists?
64 Epic: The Early Church
Spotlight
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
C.Follow the Signs
Constantine and St. Helena – Builders of Churches
During the first few centuries of Church history, there were few permanent Christian structures;
instead, the faithful met in the homes of wealthy disciples. After the legal restrictions against the
Catholic community were lifted, the Church was able to engage for the first time in a serious effort
to construct houses of worship. This construction campaign was financed through favorable laws
promoted by Constantine that provided state revenue to the Church. Constantine and his saintly
mother, Helena, also provided funds for the construction of churches from their own vast personal
wealth.
The church in Rome greatly benefited from their patronage. Constantine gifted the former palace of
the Laterani family, which had been the property of his wife, Fausta, to the pope to be his personal
church in the city. Constantine also commissioned the construction of a basilica on Vatican hill over
the spot of St. Peter’s martyrdom as well as a church in honor of St. Paul outside the walls of Rome.
These sites today constitute three of the four major basilicas in Rome.
St. Helena is best known for her
construction efforts in the Holy
L a nd du r i ng her pi lg r i ma ge
in ad 326–327. She preser ved
numerous Christian holy places
and commissioned the construction
of two new edifices—a church in
Bethlehem at the sight of our Lord’s
birth and the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher, built on the site of his
crucifixion and burial in Jerusalem.
These churches—although rebuilt
and reconstructed to various
degrees—remain among the most
venerated Christian sites in the
world.
Apostolic Authority
When the Roman persecutions ended with the rise of Constantine and the Edict of Milan, the authority of
the Church was challenged for the first time. Desirous to use the Church for his own political and personal
aims, Constantine inserted himself into the affairs of the Church, claiming the ability to do so from his
temporal position as emperor. Constantine’s policy was later dubbed caesaropapism to indicate the claim and
concentration of supreme temporal and spiritual authority in one ruler.
This dangerous policy of Constantine allowing him to meddle in the affairs of the Church would infect the
Church’s life and history for the next several centuries and cause a significant difference in the development
of the Church in the West and East. Ultimately, this rejection of apostolic authority by the emperors would be
one of the major causes of the separation of the Churches in ad 1054.
While we no longer see blatant efforts from world leaders to influence Church doctrine and teachings, there
are still many who try to influence the Church toward their own ends. The pontificate of Blessed John Paul II
offers us an example of how the Church continues to stand up to those challenges. Under great pressure, he
resisted powerful political and cultural challenges to the age-old doctrines of the Church and provided a model
of apostolic authority exercised in faith, hope, and love.
Constantine
“For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church
Basilica of St. John Lateran
65
alone,
which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be
obtained. It was to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, that we believe that our
Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant, in order to establish on earth the one Body of
Christ into which all those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the People of God.”
(Decree on Ecumenism, Part 1, Section 2, Chapter 3, cf. CCC 816, citing Unitatis redintegratio 3 § 5)
66 Epic: The Early Church
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
D. Battle of the Milvian Bridge (ad 312)
D.Learn the Story
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
Talk Notes
Epic Period: Conversion & Councils
Session Five Period: ad 300–325
III. Constantine
A. Instruction in the Faith
I. Church Fathers
A. What is a Church Father?
B. When did they live?
C. Who determines who is a Church Father?
D. Why the term Father?
E. Criteria
F. Lasting legacy
B. Caesaropapism
C. Legislated Christian morality
IV. Edict of Milan (ad 313)
V. The Dark Side of Constantine: Crispus and Fausta
VI. Conflict in the Church: The Donatist Controversy
VII. Constantine as Sole Emperor
A. Civil war
II. Constantine and Maxentius
A. Civil war
B. Who is the emperor of the West?
C. The dream/vision
B. Constantinople
C. St. Helena
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68 Epic: The Early Church
E.Discuss the Story
Session Five: The Dawn of Christendom
69
4. How does Constantine’s story underscore the Church’s teaching with regard to the relationship between
temporal and ecclesial authority? In what ways is this tension still evident today? (See CCC 2245–2246.)
Answering these questions will help you learn the story of the early Church. If other questions come to mind, write
them down to discuss in the group.
1. Who are the Church Fathers and why are they important? What special significance do they have for us
today in terms of explaining the Catholic Church and faith to others?
5. The heresy of Donatism strikes at the heart of authority in the Church. What is this heresy? How did it
develop? Is this a heresy the Church still fights?
2. In the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, a turning point in the history of the Church, both sides acted upon their
perceived authority and “right.” In the story of the battle, what, if anything, struck you about the character
of both men that contributed to their success or downfall? How did Constantine’s victory affect the Church?
3. Contrary to popular contention, the Edict of Milan did not declare the Christian faith to be the state religion,
but guaranteed religious freedom for all. Given Constantine’s sympathy for the Church, why did he not
completely eliminate the pagan gods?
Lord Jesus, you have raised up courageous men and women
throughout Church history to declare your truth in the public arena,
even to those who are hostile to the Faith. The story of Constantine
also reminds us of the need for prudent judgment and not becoming
so focused on temporal concerns that we become distracted from
pursuing the Christian life wholeheartedly. We want to seek you
first, and to live with humility and love. In the name of the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
70 Epic: The Early Church
F. Continue the Story
The perception of the Catholic Church within the Roman Empire changed dramatically during and after the
rule of Constantine. Recent years have once again demonstrated how quickly perceptions can change. Europe
has become a secularized culture and many church buildings are left almost empty—silent witnesses to a once
dynamic and thriving Christian cultural heritage. While America has not experienced the same rate and extent
of secularization, it too has seen an exodus of belief. One sign of this change can be seen in how the Church is
portrayed in popular culture.
Session Six
The Arian Attack
Challenge
1. This week (and for the rest of this study), make a point to notice how the Church is portrayed in the media.
Notice how sources may differ greatly in their fairness and “spin.”
Missionaries & The
Conversion & Councils
2. Think of aspects of the Church and faith that you’d like to learn more about and make a list. Examples may
include the saints, sacred art, apologetics, or theology.
AD 313
AD 499
325 - 335
Session Six
3. Do you have a library of Catholic books, DVDs, or CDs? If not, make a point to check your parish resources
or a local Catholic bookstore and begin one. Start with the subject(s) that interest you most.
4. This week try to balance out some of the negative influences of the secular culture by devoting a bit more
time to reading, watching, or listening to one of these spiritually uplifting resources.
“Have no fellowship with the most impious Arians. For there is no communion
between light and darkness. For you are good Christians, but they, when they
say that the Son of the Father, the Word of God, is a created being, differ in
naught from the heathen, since they worship that which is created, rather than
God the creator…”
– St. Anthony the Abbot
A.Overview
“The Arian attack proposed a change of fundamental doctrine, such that, had the change prevailed, the
whole nature of the religion would have been transformed. It would not only have been transformed,
it would have failed; and with its failure would have followed the breakdown of that civilization
which the Catholic Church was to build up.”
– Hilaire Belloc, The Great Heresies
Quick Quiz! Answer Key
1. Eighty-seven men who lived in the first eight centuries of Church history whose writings have provided a
The toleration of the Faith enacted by the Edict of Milan brought only brief joy to the Church. A new terror soon
arose, one so strong that the Catholic faith, though strengthened by years of persecution, was nearly undone.
theological foundation for the development of the Catholic faith.
2. Site of Constantine’s miraculous victory that led to his protection of the Church.
3. Caesaropapism.
4. Signed in ad 313 by both the Eastern and Western Roman emperors, the edict ensured religious freedom for
all and marked the end of the imperial persecution of the Church.
5. A heretical movement in Northern Africa that contended that the power of the sacraments is dependent on
the worthiness of the minister.
71